1 unable to find your way; not knowing where you are:
We always get lost in London. * We're completely lost.
2 that cannot be found or brought back:
I'm still looking for that lost file. * Your cheque must have got lost in the post.
3 [usuallybeforenoun] that cannot be obtained; that cannot be found or created again:
The strike cost them thousands of pounds in lost business. * She's trying to recapture her lost youth. * He regretted the lost (= wasted) opportunity to apologize to her. * the lost art of letter-writing
4 [notbeforenoun] unable to deal successfully with a particular situation; unable to understand sb/sth:
We would be lost without your help. * I felt so lost after my mother died. * He's a lost soul (= a person who does not seem to know what to do, and seems unhappy). * They spoke so quickly I just got lost. * Hang on a minute-I'm lost.
seealsoLOSEv.
IDIOMS
all is not lost there is still some hope of making a bad situation better:
All is not lost-we still haven't tried the banks for a loan.
be lost for words to be so surprised, confused, etc. that you do not know what to say
be lost in sth to be giving all your attention to sth so that you do not notice what is happening around you:
to be lost in thought / admiration
be lost on sb not understood or noticed by sb:
His jokes were completely lost on most of the students.
be lost to the world to be giving all your attention to sth so that you do not notice what is happening around you:
When he's listening to music he's lost to the world.
get lost (informal) a rude way of telling sb to go away, or of refusing sth:
Tell him to get lost. * 'Lend us the car, won't you?' 'Get lost!'
give sb up for lost (formal) to stop expecting to find sb alive
make up for lost time to do sth quickly or very often because you wish you had started doing it sooner:
I'll have to work hard now to make up for lost time.
moreatLOVEn.
