loop: Meaning and Definition of

loop

Pronunciation: (lp), [key]
— n.
  1. a portion of a cord, ribbon, etc., folded or doubled upon itself so as to leave an opening between the parts.
  2. anything shaped more or less like a loop, as a line drawn on paper, a part of a letter, a part of a path, or a line of motion.
  3. a curved piece or a ring of metal, wood, or the like, used for the insertion of something, as a handle, etc.
  4. See
  5. a maneuver executed by an airplane in such a manner that the airplane describes a closed curve in a vertical plane.
  6. a circular area at the end of a trolley line, railroad line, etc., where cars turn around.
  7. an arm of a cloverleaf where traffic may turn off or onto a main road or highway.
  8. the part of a vibrating string, column of air or other medium, etc., between two adjacent nodes.
  9. a closed electric or magnetic circuit.
  10. the reiteration of a set of instructions in a routine or program.
  11. a wire, usually of platinum, one end of which is curved to form a loop, used for transferring microorganisms from one medium to another.
  12. a sand bar that encloses or nearly encloses a body of water.
  13. a school figure in which a skater traces a large half circle, a small oval within its arc, and another large half circle to complete the figure while remaining on the same skating edge.
  14. a group or network of insiders or influential people; inner circle: to be out of the loop on policy decisions.
  15. the main business district of Chicago.
  16. to astonish or upset: Her quitting the project really threw me for a loop.
—v.t.
  1. to form into a loop.
  2. to make a loop in.
  3. to enfold or encircle in or with something arranged in a loop.
  4. to fasten by forming into a loop, or by means of something formed into a loop (often fol. by up): to loop up the new draperies.
  5. to cause (a missile or projectile) to trace a looping or looplike trajectory through the air: to loop a grenade into the building.
  6. to fly (an airplane) in a loop or series of loops.
  7. to construct a closed electric or magnetic circuit.
  8. to complete by means of looping: We still have to loop the final scenes.
—v.i.
  1. to make or form a loop: The river loops around the two counties.
  2. to move by forming loops, as a measuringworm.
  3. to trace a looping or looplike path through the air: The fly ball looped high in the air.
  4. to perform a loop or series of loops in an airplane.
  5. to record dialogue, sound effects, etc., onto an existing film track or soundtrack.

loop

Pronunciation: (lp), [key]
— n. Archaic.
  1. a small or narrow opening, as in a wall; loophole.

loop

Pronunciation: (lp), [key]
— n. Metalworking.
  1. a hot bloom of pasty consistency, to be worked under a hammer or in rolls.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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