aloose adj [Perh reanalysis of a loose—often appearing as aloose in the 19th cent.— in the phr give a loose to “give free rein to, let loose,” on the analogy of other adjectives apparently formed by adding the prefix a- to an existing adj, such as ahungry adj and aweary adj. (For a possible parallel to this development, see ahold of adj phr.) ] orig scattered, now chiefly Sth, SMidl
Used predicatively: Loose—freq in phr turn aloose.
[1816 in 1824 Knight Letters 46 MA, A slim, meagre, hollow-backed, round-shouldered figure, with . . his smooth light brown hair kemped back from his forehead, and gathered by a string aloose down his back. [DARE Ed: Here aloose is clearly an adverb meaning “loosely.”] ] 1820 Rochester Telegraph (NY) 8 Feb [3]/2, But the poor mechanic shall have that wrested from him [that] . . without which he must be turned aloose upon society, a man, whom the law would stigmatize as a vagrant, and community denounce as a vagabond! 1838 FL Herald (St. Augustine) 14 July [2]/2, They [=banks] should be treated with indulgence; and only when they break aloose from all control should they be treated otherwise. 1849 Ladies’ Repository 9.181 NEast, Meeting with little or no travel, and guarded by the unfathomed depths of primeval forests, they threw themselves aloose upon their wit and humor. 1857 Richmond Whig & Pub. Advt. (VA)31 Mar [2]/1, The result of that struggle will determine whether the people of the state are willing to tear themselves aloose from . . petty party. 1881 Scribner’s Mth. 22.452 GA [Black], Brer Rabit turnt ’er aloose, en down she come. 1891 San Antonio Daily Light (TX) 22 Apr 1/5, He was turned aloose as no warrent for his arrest had been secured. 1908 DN 3.286 eAL, wGA, Turn that hoss a-loose. 1922 Charlotte Observer (NC) 25 Sept 8/4, Materialism and all that kind of deviltry is aloose. 1934 Stribling Unfinished Cathedral 8 AL, A dern Yankee is jest as li’able to turn a nigger aloose as hold him. 1947 Plaindealer (KS City KS) 14 Feb 10/7, Clark kicked the back seat aloose and drove to headquarters where he reported the theft. 1966 Wilson Coll.csKY, He got aholt of me and would not turn me aloose. 1966 DARE Tape NC13, The government is turning . . needlings [= small fish] aloose every year. 1967 DARE FW Addit LA11, Turn aloose our dogs, cats, and chickens. 1968 DARE (Qu. MM13, . . He came along and knocked it) Inf PA66, Aloose. 1991 Delta Democrat–Times (Greenville MS) 6 Nov sec A 10/5, [In a story by a local grade-schooler:] So while she was gone we tried to get aloose. Then I said, can you guys try to get aloose. . . So we pulled and pulled and soon we got aloose. 2008 DARE File GA, Heard on The Judges: Late-forty-ish, black female plaintiff from Georgia: . . “Well, naw. I ain’t never gone up to the dog and talked to him or nothin’. Anyhow, the dog was aloose.” 2017 in 2017 (acc) Lexis–Nexis Legal Research State Case Law: LA (Internet), He stated it took several days to get the well “jarred aloose.”