lose the bell

English

Verb

lose the bell (third-person singular simple present loses the bell, present participle losing the bell, simple past and past participle lost the bell)

1. (obsolete, idiomatic) To be defeated in a contest.
   • 1600, [Torquato Tasso], “(please specify |book=1 to 20)”, in Edward Fairefax [i.e., Edward Fairfax], transl., Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem. […], London: […] Ar[nold] Hatfield, for I[saac] Iaggard and M[atthew] Lownes, →OCLC:

     In single fight he lost the bell.