louse up: Idiom Meaning and Origin
What does ‘louse up’ mean?
The idiom "louse up" means to spoil or ruin something. It can refer to making a mistake or causing a failure, often due to carelessness or incompetence.
Idiom Explorer
The idiom "slip up" means to make a mistake or error, often unintentionally, causing an oversight or blunder. It implies a momentary lapse of judgment or an uncharacteristic mistake. The phrase suggests a loss of control or balance, similar to someone slipping and falling.
The idiom "screwed up" means to make a mistake or to mess something up. It can refer to a situation that has been ruined or to a person who is behaving or performing poorly.
The idiom "on the loose" means to be free or not captured, often used to describe a person, animal, or thing that is roaming or causing trouble.
The idiom "one up" means to outdo or surpass someone in a competitive or comparison situation.
The idiom "mess up" means to make a mistake or to do something incorrectly, often resulting in a negative or chaotic outcome.
The idiom *lost on* means that someone does not understand or appreciate something. It implies that the meaning or significance of something is not clear to the person. It is often used when referring to a joke, concept, or information that someone fails to grasp.
The idiom "lost in translation" refers to the idea that something is not fully or accurately conveyed or understood when it is translated from one language to another, resulting in a loss or distortion of meaning.
The idiom "loss of face" refers to the disgrace or humiliation a person feels when they have done something that makes them lose the respect or admiration of others.
The idiom "lose touch" means to no longer communicate or be in contact with someone or something, resulting in a loss of knowledge or familiarity.
Origins Explored
The idioms "foul up," "mess up," "crap up," "slip up," and "screwed up" are all related to the idiom "louse up." Each of these idioms shares a similar meaning of making a mistake or causing something to go wrong.
The idiom "foul up" is similar to "louse up" in that it refers to making a mistake or causing something to go wrong. When someone "fouls up," they are typically taking an action or making a decision that leads to an undesirable outcome. For example, if someone says, "I really fouled up that project," they are admitting that they made mistakes or errors that negatively impacted the project. Similarly, if someone says, "His actions really fouled up our plans," they are indicating that the person's actions caused a disruption or setback to the plans.
"Mess up" is another idiom that has a similar meaning to "louse up." When someone "messes up," they are typically making a mistake or causing something to become disorganized or chaotic. It can refer to both physical actions and intangible situations. For example, if someone says, "I really messed up that recipe," they are saying that they made errors or took actions that resulted in an undesirable outcome when cooking the recipe. On the other hand, if someone says, "He really messed up his relationship," they are implying that the person's actions or behavior caused the relationship to become troubled or disordered.
The idiom "crap up" is a more informal version of "louse up" and has a similar meaning. When someone "craps up" something, they are usually causing it to become a mess or failure. It is a colloquial and stronger way of expressing that something has been ruined or spoiled. For example, if someone says, "I totally crapped up my presentation," they are admitting that they made significant mistakes or failed to perform well during their presentation. Similarly, if someone says, "They really crapped up the event," they are suggesting that the organizers of the event made major errors or failed to execute it successfully.
"Slip up" is an idiom that also shares a similar meaning to "louse up." When someone "slips up," they are typically making a mistake or error in judgment. It can refer to both minor slip-ups and significant mistakes. For example, if someone says, "I slipped up and sent the email to the wrong person," they are acknowledging that they made a mistake in their communication. Likewise, if someone says, "She really slipped up during the interview," they are suggesting that the person made errors or blunders that negatively affected their performance during the interview.
"Screwed up" is another idiom that has a similar meaning to "louse up." When something is "screwed up," it means that it has been messed up or ruined in some way. This idiom is often used to describe situations or things rather than specific actions. For example, if someone says, "The whole project got screwed up," they are indicating that there were significant errors or failures throughout the project. Similarly, if someone says, "He really screwed up his chances," they are suggesting that the person made mistakes or bad decisions that damaged their prospects or opportunities.
The idioms "foul up," "mess up," "crap up," "slip up," and "screwed up" are all related to the idiom "louse up." Each of these idioms conveys the idea of making a mistake, causing something to go wrong, or ruining something. While they may vary in formality and intensity, they all share a common meaning and can be used in various contexts to describe different situations. Whether it's in personal relationships, work scenarios, or daily activities, these idioms provide colorful and colloquial ways to express the concept of making mistakes or causing failures.
Example usage
Examples of how the idiom "louse up" can be used in a sentence:
- She managed to louse up the important presentation by forgetting her notes.
- Don't louse up this opportunity by being late to the interview.
- His lack of attention to detail loused up the entire project.
More "Verbs" idioms
