Louse someone up - Idioms by The Free Dictionary
https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/louse+someone+up
Printer Friendly
Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary 12,653,367,930 visitors served
Search / Page tools
?
Keyboard
  • A
  • A
  • A
  • A
Language:
Share on Facebook Twitter
Get our app
Flashcards ?
My bookmarks ?
+ Add current page to bookmarks
9
Register Log in
Sign up with one click:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
Share on Facebook
Get
our app
  • Dictionary
  • Thesaurus
  • Medical
    Dictionary
  • Legal
    Dictionary
  • Financial
    Dictionary
  • Acronyms
  • Idioms
  • Encyclopedia
  • Wikipedia
    Encyclopedia
Tools
  • A
  • A
  • A
  • A
Language:
Mobile Apps:
  • apple
  • android
For surfers:
  • Free toolbar & extensions
  • Word of the Day
  • Help
For webmasters:
  • Free content
  • Linking
  • Lookup box
Close

louse up

(redirected from louse someone up)

louse up

To ruin, spoil, mess up, or bungle someone or something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "louse" and "up." Her sudden decision to quit in the middle of the project really loused us up. I am not letting your crummy attitude louse up my vacation—if you want to be grouch, you can go somewhere else and do it alone!
See also: louse, up
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

louse someone or something up

Inf. to ruin something; to mess someone or something up. You really loused me up! You got me in a real mess! Who loused up my scheme?
See also: louse, up
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

louse up

Spoil, ruin, bungle. For example, The bad weather loused up our plans, or Your change of mind really loused me up. This slangy expression originated in World War I, when infestation with lice was the common lot of soldiers in the trenches; its figurative use dates from the 1930s.
See also: louse, up
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

louse up

v.
To cause something to fail because of poor handling; botch something: The president loused up the merger, costing the company millions of dollars. Let me tell the story—you always louse it up.
See also: louse, up
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

louse something up

tv. to botch something up. Please don’t louse the typewriter ribbon up this time.
See also: louse, something, up
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

louse (something) up, to

To ruin or botch, to blunder. Undoubtedly alluding to the unhappy condition of being “loused up,” that is, infested with lice, this slangy term dates from the first half of the 1900s. At first it was used as a transitive verb, as in John O’Hara’s Appointment in Samarra, “Lousing up your date.” A decade or two later it was also being used intransitively, as in “Don’t trust her with the reservations; she’s sure to louse up.”
See also: louse
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • louse (something) up, to
  • louse something up
  • crap up
  • bungle up
  • scupper up
  • futz something up
  • futz up
  • not do (someone or oneself) any favors
  • rescue from
  • rescue from (someone or something)


Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content.

Link to this page:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
Feedback
Flashcards & Bookmarks ?
Please log in or register to use Flashcards and Bookmarks. You can also log in with
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
Flashcards ?
My bookmarks ?
+ Add current page to bookmarks
Idioms browser ?
  • ▲
  • lot of give-and-take
  • lot of hooey, a
  • lot of nerve
  • lot of promise
  • lotion
  • lots of
  • lots of love (from)
  • lots of luck
  • Lots of luck!
  • lots of people or things Go to a lot of
  • lots of promise
  • lotus eater
  • loud
  • loud and clear
  • loud enough to wake the dead
  • loud mouth
  • loudmouth
  • loud-mouthed
  • Louise
  • lounge
  • lounge around
  • lounge lizard
  • louse
  • louse (something) up, to
  • louse around
  • louse someone up
  • louse something up
  • louse up
  • lousy
  • lousy with
  • lousy with (something)
  • lousy with someone/something
  • lout
  • love
  • love (someone or something) to bits
  • love (someone or something) to death
  • love affair
  • love at first sight
  • love begets love
  • love bomb
  • love bombs
  • love breeds love
  • love child
  • love conquers all
  • love 'em and leave 'em
  • love from
  • love goggles
  • love handles
  • love is blind
  • love it!
  • love makes the world go round
  • ▼
Full browser ?
  • ▲
  • lours
  • lours
  • lours
  • loury
  • loury
  • LOUSD
  • louse
  • louse
  • louse
  • louse
  • louse
  • louse (someone or something) up
  • louse (something) up, to
  • louse around
  • Louse Borne Relapsing Fever
  • Louse flies
  • Louse flies
  • Louse flies
  • Louse flies
  • louse fly
  • louse fly
  • louse fly
  • louse fly
  • louse her up
  • louse him up
  • louse it up
  • louse me up
  • Louse mite
  • louse one up
  • louse somebody up
  • louse someone up
  • louse something up
  • louse them up
  • louse up
  • louse up
  • louse us up
  • louse you up
  • Louse-borne relapsing fever
  • Louse-borne relapsing fever
  • Louse-borne relapsing fever
  • louse-borne typhus
  • louse-borne typhus
  • louse-borne typhus
  • loused
  • loused
  • loused
  • loused
  • loused around
  • loused her up
  • loused him up
  • loused it up
  • loused me up
  • loused one up
  • loused somebody up
  • loused someone up
  • loused something up
  • loused them up
  • loused up
  • loused us up
  • loused you up
  • louser
  • ▼
  • Facebook Share
  • Twitter
CITE
Site: Follow:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Rss
  • Mail
Share:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Mail
Open / Close
More from Idioms and phrases
Mobile Apps
  • Apple
  • Android
  • Kindle
  • Windows
  • Windows Phone
Free Tools
For surfers:
  • Free toolbar & extensions
  • Word of the Day
  • Word Finder
  • Help
For webmasters:
  • Free content
  • Linking
  • Lookup box
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy policy
  • Feedback
  • Advertise with Us
Copyright © 2003-2021 Farlex, Inc
Disclaimer

All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.