Meaning & use
lasso
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A long rope with a sliding loop at one end, used especially for catching cattle or horses.
Grammar: Countable: you can say a lasso or two lassos.
Patterns
- throw a lasso
- catch something with a lasso
The cowboy threw his lasso around the calf's neck.
She practiced with a lasso in the backyard.
verbtransitive
To catch an animal with a lasso.
Grammar: Takes an object: lasso a horse. The -ing form is lassoing; past tense lassoed.
Patterns
- lasso something
- lasso an animal
He lassoed the runaway horse near the fence.
They lassoed several calves during the roundup.
Word forms
| plural | lassos |
|---|---|
| plural | lassoes |
| third person singular | lassos |
| past tense | lassoed |
| past participle | lassoed |
| -ing form | lassoing |
Common combinations
- throw a lasso
- The rancher threw a lasso to catch the stray cow.
- rope with a lasso
- They roped the wild stallion with a lasso.
- lasso a calf
- In the rodeo, contestants lasso a calf as fast as they can.
- tighten the lasso
- He tightened the lasso around the post.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- lassoer noun
- A person who uses a lasso.
Commonly confused: lasso or lessee?
lasso vs lessee
Lessee means a person who rents something; lasso is a rope or the act of catching with it.
Practice
The cowboy ______ the calf and pulled it toward him.
Choose one answer.
The past tense of lasso is lassoed, which fits the past-time sentence. 'Lassoing' would need a helping verb like was, and 'lassoes' is present tense for he/she/it.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “lasso”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.