What Does “lose count of” mean?
Definition:
If you lose count of something, you fail to remember how many of it there is because the number is so high.
Origin of the phrase
The term ‘count’ comes from Old French “conter” meaning “add up” or “tell a story”. In English, the word count has different meanings:
– To recite numbers in sequence as in “can you count to a hundred?”;
– To take into account or include as in “ten dogs, counting the puppies”;
– To matter as in “your views don’t count here”.
– To consider or be considered as in “I count myself fortunate”.
Example(s)
Jane has lost count of the number of application letters she’s sent.
I’ve lost count of the businesses he’s started.
There have been so many accidents here, the police have lost count of them.
I’ve lost count of the books I’ve read.
This idiom is in the numbers category.
