tight & loose (not lose)

loose and lose are frequently confused.

the s in lose sounds like a z.  lose is the opposite of win, and loser is a common insult, like in this video by beck

loose means free, not restricting or binding.  it is used in expressions like on the loose, stay loose (relax, don’t get nervous), let loose (get a little crazy) , loose affiliation,  and loose lips (to refer to someone who can’t keep a secret).

paul simon‘s song the boy in the bubble is a description of modern life on planet earth. at 2:35 the lyrics say

these are the days of lasers in the jungle, lasers in the jungle somewhere

staccato signals of constant information, a loose affiliation of millionaires & billionaires                                                                                                                                                                                                     

a loose-fitting dress

tight is the opposite of loose. it can be used to describe well developed body parts or the human body in general, something that is well organized, or two friends who are very close.  some typical expressions are tight security (difficult access), a tight schedule (very busy) and a tight ship (disciplined).

 tight-fitting shorts on tight asses

when george clooney says “damn, we’re in a tight spot” several times in this scene from o brother where art thou the idea is that he and his companions are in a difficult position.

a tight squeeze means there isn’t enough space.

in twilight edward tells bella to hold on tight before they fly to the top of a tree.