loop

Meaning

Noun

1. A length of thread, line or rope that is doubled over to make an opening.
2. The opening so formed.
3. A shape produced by a curve that bends around and crosses itself.
4. A ring road or beltway.
5. An endless strip of tape or film allowing continuous repetition.
6. A complete circuit for an electric current.
7. A programmed sequence of instructions that is repeated until or while a particular condition is satisfied.
8. An edge that begins and ends on the same vertex.
9. A path that starts and ends at the same point.
10. A bus or rail route, walking route, etc. that starts and ends at the same point.
11. A place at a terminus where trains or trams can turn round and go back the other way without having to reverse; a balloon loop, turning loop, or reversing loop.
12. A passing loop.
13. A quasigroup with an identity element.
14. A loop-shaped intrauterine device.
15. An aerobatic maneuver in which an aircraft flies a circular path in a vertical plane.
16. A small, narrow opening; a loophole.
17. (alt-of, alternative) Alternative form of loup (“mass of iron”).
18. A flexible region in a protein's secondary structure.
19. (Canada, US, dated) A sports league
20. The curved path of the ball bowled by a spin bowler.

Verb

1. (transitive) To form something into a loop.
2. (transitive) To fasten or encircle something with a loop.
3. (transitive) To fly an aircraft in a loop.
4. (transitive) To move something in a loop.
5. (transitive) To play something (such as a song or video) in a loop.
6. (transitive) To join electrical components to complete a circuit.
7. (transitive) To duplicate the route of a pipeline.
8. (transitive) To create an error in a computer program so that it runs in an endless loop and the computer freezes up.
9. (intransitive) To form a loop.
10. (intransitive) To move in a loop.
11. To place in a loop.
12. (ambitransitive) To have the teacher progress through multiple school years with the same students.

Synonyms

ring

💍

coil

circle

⭕

noose

spiral

curl

hoop

cycle

snare

twine

circuit

mesh

eye

👁️

entwine

knot

🪢

stitch

closed circuit

roll

circulate

sling

handle

grummet

iteration

intertwine

loop topology

closed curve

contraceptive device

convulate

cringle

loop-the-loop

twist

band

turn

slip-knot

attach

bind

skirt

bight

revolve

rotate

eyelet

catch

grommet

lap

kink

helix

curve

slipknot

breast

crimp

Translations

boucle

➿

Schleife

🙇

Schlinge

➿

βρόχος

cappio

Schlaufe

➿

bucle

strik

laço

θηλιά

maille

maas

ciclo

lus

➿

Pronounced as (IPA)

/luːp/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: loupe

Cognate with Swedish: löpknut

Cognate with Danish: løbknude

Cognate with Danish: løb

In summary

From Middle English loupe (“noose, loop”), earlier lowp-knot (“loop-knot”), of North Germanic origin, from Old Norse hlaup (“a run”), used in the sense of a "running knot", from hlaupa (“to leap”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *hlaupaną (“to leap, run”). Compare Swedish löp-knut (“loop-knot”), Danish løb-knude (“a running knot”), Danish løb (“a course”). More at leap. The verb is derived from the noun.

Sentences

The new bridge is wide enough for the passing loop to be extended .

The uptown and downtown express tracks pass over the loop , continuing south .