loose change
8
3.1
- noun
- /lus ʧeɪndʒ/
:
monedas sueltas
- I found some loose change in my coat pocket when I was looking for my keys.
- loose change in your pocket
- loose change lying around
- loose change on the dresser
They threw loose change and then bricks at the police.
- They threw loose change and then bricks at the police.
- We'll give him a little, we'll throw him a little loose change.
Examples
-
CLOSE: M.J. is crawling along the floor, looking at everything she can find—gum wrappers, hobby pins, loose change, etc.
Fiction book (1995) -
Go through his clothes and look for loose change.
-
I was worried all my loose change would fall out.
-
All you had was some loose change when you went out.
-
Each time, he left behind a large amount of loose change in plain view.
Blog text (25) -
I count the loose change rolling around in the bottom.
Fiction book (2002) -
Look, there's some loose change over there on the floor.
-
I've got enough loose change to purchase a couple of Oh Henry candy bars.
Blog text (18) -
His hands dug deep into the pockets of his windbreaker, probing for loose change that might be trapped in the ripped lining.
Fiction book (2002) -
She and her little brother John-John collect loose change and buy ingredients for lemonade, limeade, and lemon-limeade.
Academic text (2015)
Synonyms
382
1.0
Small coins or the money you get back after paying
14
1.0
Small coins or money you do not need and carry with you
10
2.3
A small amount of money in coins that is not worth much
8
2.5
A small amount of money, usually coins, kept for minor expenses
Antonyms
How Much
453
2.8
606
1.0
∞
1.0
14
1.0
8
3.1
- Informal
1
7.2
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'coins of small value not stored neatly' is directly and compositionally derived from 'loose' (not tightly packed) + 'change' (coins). This is a literal, commonly attested collocation (cross-linguistically similar, e.g. Spanish 'monedas sueltas'), so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily understand the MWE.
Etymology
The noun loose change comes from the image of small change that is loose in a pocket or jar, able to roll or spill out. So the phrase means 'small coins' kept without order.