1. a rough or approximate calculation or judgment that is not precise or exact
At a loose estimate, the project will cost around $50,000, but we need a more detailed budget.
Por uma estimativa aproximada, o projeto custará cerca de $50.000, mas precisamos de um orçamento mais detalhado.
2. a casual assessment made without careful measurement or detailed analysis
The architect gave us a loose estimate of the renovation costs before conducting a full inspection.
O arquiteto nos deu uma estimativa aproximada dos custos de reforma antes de fazer uma inspeção completa.
In both American and Brazilian business contexts, providing a 'loose estimate' is common in preliminary meetings before formal quotes are issued. In Portuguese-speaking Brazil, the informal term 'chute' (literally meaning 'kick') is frequently used in casual conversation to describe a rough guess, while more formal business settings prefer 'estimativa aproximada' or 'orçamento aproximado.'