Being defeated in a game, competition, or conflict. Ceasing to have or retain something; misplacing or being deprived of something.
From Old English 'losian' meaning 'to perish, be lost,' related to 'leas' meaning 'false, devoid of.' The modern sense of being defeated in competition developed in Middle English from the earlier sense of destruction or ruin.
Interestingly, 'losing' and 'loose' are etymologically unrelated despite their similar sounds and meanings! The phrase 'lose your marbles' (go crazy) comes from the children's game - if you literally lost your marbles, you couldn't play.
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