lose

(verb) fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense. Examples: "She lost her purse when she left it unattended on her seat."

(verb) fail to win. Examples: "We lost the battle but we won the war."

(verb) suffer the loss of a person through death or removal. Examples: "She lost her husband in the war." "The couple that wanted to adopt the child lost her when the biological parents claimed her."

(verb) place (something) where one cannot find it again. Synonyms: misplace, mislay. Examples: "I misplaced my eyeglasses."

(verb) miss from one's possessions; lose sight of. Examples: "I've lost my glasses again!."

(verb) allow to go out of sight. Examples: "The detective lost the man he was shadowing after he had to stop at a red light."

(verb) fail to make money in a business; make a loss or fail to profit. Synonyms: turn a loss. Examples: "I lost thousands of dollars on that bad investment!." "The company turned a loss after the first year."

(verb) fail to get or obtain. Examples: "I lost the opportunity to spend a year abroad."

(verb) retreat. Synonyms: fall back, drop off, fall behind, recede.

(verb) fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind. Synonyms: miss. Examples: "I missed that remark." "She missed his point." "We lost part of what he said."

(verb) be set at a disadvantage. Synonyms: suffer. Examples: "This author really suffers in translation."