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View synonyms for

louse

[lous, lous, louz]

noun

plural

lice, louses 
  1. any small, wingless insect of the order Anoplura sucking louse, parasitic on humans and other mammals and having mouthparts adapted for sucking, as Pediculus humanus humanus body louse or Pediculus humanus capitis head louse and Phthirius pubis crab louse, or pubic louse.

  2. any insect of the order Mallophaga bird louse, biting louse, or chewing louse, parasitic on birds and mammals, having mouthparts adapted for biting.

  3. plant louse.

  4. Slang.a contemptible person, especially an unethical one.



verb (used with object)

loused, lousing 
  1. to delouse.

verb phrase

  1. Slangto spoil; botch.

    Miscasting loused up the movie.

louse

/ ʊ /

noun

  1. any wingless bloodsucking insect of the order Anoplura: includes Pediculus capitis ( head louse ), Pediculus corporis ( body louse ), and the crab louse, all of which infest man

  2. any wingless insect of the order Mallophaga, such as the chicken louse: external parasites of birds and mammals with biting mouthparts

  3. any of various similar but unrelated insects, such as the plant louse and book louse

  4. slangan unpleasant or mean person

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to remove lice from

  2. slang(foll by up) to ruin or spoil

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of louse1

First recorded before 900; 1910–15 louse for def. 4; Middle English lous(e), luse, plural lise, lice; Old English ū, plural ̄; cognate with Dutch luis, German Laus, Old Norse ū
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Word History and Origins

Origin of louse1

Old English ū; related to Old High German, Old Norse ū
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

One section demonstrates how it could be used to generate a letter about a head lice outbreak, for example.

From

They picked them up from school, held the flashlight while I checked for lice, assisted them with math homework and attended their school performances.

From

Hundreds of parasites have the ability to infect humans, including lice, mites and ticks.

From

When he was let out of detention, a month later, he was in his underwear, covered, says his mother, in cigarette burns, wounds and lice.

From

"It's the season for skin infections and we don't have creams or ointments for bacterial infections, no medicines to treat scabies and head lice."

From

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