Lasso

Lasso

Noun / Verb · /læˈsuː/ or /ˈlæs.əʊ/

Definition

(Noun) a long rope with a sliding noose at one end, used to catch cattle or horses by throwing the noose over their head or legs; (Verb) to catch or rope an animal using a lasso.

Origin

From Spanish lazo (a noose, a tie, a lasso), from Latin laqueus (a noose, a snare). The same Latin root gives English lace. The lasso was brought into English through contact with Mexican and Spanish ranching culture in the American Southwest from the 18th century.