free
[ free ]
/ fri /
adjective, fre·er [free-er] /ˈfri ər/, fre·est [free-ist] /ˈfri ɪst/.
enjoying personal rights or liberty, as a person who is not in slavery: a land of free people.
pertaining to or reserved for those who enjoy personal liberty: They were thankful to be living on free soil.
existing under, characterized by, or possessing civil and political liberties that are, as a rule, constitutionally guaranteed by representative government: the free nations of the world.
enjoying political autonomy, as a people or country not under foreign rule; independent.
exempt from external authority, interference, restriction, etc., as a person or one's will, thought, choice, action, etc.; independent; unrestricted.
able to do something at will; at liberty: free to choose.
clear of obstructions or obstacles, as a road or corridor: The highway is now free of fallen rock.
not occupied or in use: I'll try to phone her again if the line is free.
exempt or released from something specified that controls, restrains, burdens, etc. (usually followed by from or of): free from worry; free of taxes.
See also -free.
having immunity or being safe (usually followed by from): free from danger.
provided without, or not subject to, a charge or payment: free parking; a free sample.
given without consideration of a return or reward: a free offer of legal advice.
unimpeded, as motion or movement; easy, firm, or swift.
not held fast; loose; unattached: to get one's arm free.
not joined to or in contact with something else: The free end of the cantilever sagged.
acting without self-restraint or reserve: to be too free with one's tongue.
ready or generous in giving; liberal; lavish: to be free with one's advice.
given readily or in profusion; unstinted.
frank and open; unconstrained, unceremonious, or familiar.
unrestrained by decency; loose or licentious: free behavior.
not subject to special regulations, restrictions, duties, etc.: The ship was given free passage.
of, relating to, or characterized by free enterprise: a free economy.
that may be used by or is open to all: a free market.
engaged in by all present; general: a free fight.
not literal, as a translation, adaptation, or the like; loose.
uncombined chemically: free oxygen.
traveling without power; under no force except that of gravity or inertia: free flight.
Phonetics.
(of a vowel) situated in an open syllable (opposed to checked).
at liberty to enter and enjoy at will (usually followed by of): to be free of a friend's house.
not subject to rules, set forms, etc.: The young students had an hour of free play between classes.
easily worked, as stone, land, etc.
Mathematics.
(of a vector) having specified magnitude and direction but no specified initial point.
Compare bound1(def 9).
Also large. Nautical.
(of a wind) nearly on the quarter, so that a sailing vessel may sail free.
not containing a specified substance (usually followed by of or from): Our deli meats are free of additives.
See also -free.
(of a linguistic form) occurring as an independent construction, without necessary combination with other forms, as most words.
Compare bound1(def 11).
without cost, payment, or charge.
adverb
in a free manner; freely.
Nautical.
away from the wind, so that a sailing vessel need not be close-hauled: running free.
verb (used with object), freed, free·ing.
to make free; set at liberty; release from bondage, imprisonment, or restraint.
to exempt or deliver (usually followed by from).
to relieve or rid (usually followed by of): to free oneself of responsibility.
to disengage; clear (usually followed by from or of).
Verb Phrases
free up,
- to release, as from restrictions: Congress voted to free up funds for the new highway system.
- to disentangle: It took an hour to free up the traffic jam.
Idioms for free
for free, Informal.
without charge: The tailor mended my jacket for free.
free and clear, Law.
without any encumbrance, as a lien or mortgage: They owned their house free and clear.
- unrestrained; casual; informal.
- excessively or inappropriately casual; presumptuous.
- to use as one's own; help oneself to: If you make free with their liquor, you won't be invited again.
- to treat with too much familiarity; take liberties with.
free and easy,
make free with,
set free,
to release; liberate; free: The prisoners were set free.
with a free hand,
generously; freely; openhandedly: He entertains visitors with a free hand.
Origin of free
synonym study for free
39. See
release.
OTHER WORDS FROM free
free·ness, noun
o·ver·free, adjective
o·ver·free·ly, adverb
qua·si-free, adjective
qua·si-free·ly, adverb
un·free, verb (used with object), un·freed, un·free·ing, adjective
un·free·ly, adverb
Words nearby free
Definition for free (2 of 2)
-free
a combining form with the general sense "free of or from something specified," and typically meaning "not having, containing, subject to, or affected by something unwanted, burdensome, etc.": error-free; gluten-free; tax-free; germfree.
See also free(defs 9, 34).
Words related to free
complimentary,
independent,
clear,
loose,
able,
easy,
unrestricted,
open,
unfettered,
autonomous,
separate,
democratic,
freed,
available,
unused,
empty,
eager,
willing,
big,
parole
Example sentences from the Web for free
In other words, the free thinker defending freedom of thought.
Houellebecq’s Incendiary Novel Imagines France With a Muslim President |Pierre Assouline |January 9, 2015 |DAILY BEASTTend to your own garden, to quote the great sage of free speech, Voltaire, and invite people to follow your example.
The simple, awful truth is that free speech has never been particularly popular in America.
In other words, the free speech exhibited by the folks at Charlie Hebdo was not virtuous—until there was a body count.
Asserting our right to free speech is the only to ensure that 12 people did not die in vain.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Our Duty Is to Keep Charlie Hebdo Alive |Ayaan Hirsi Ali |January 8, 2015 |DAILY BEASTThe truth is, that we need both the discipline of harness and the abundant nourishment of the free pasture.
The Intellectual Life |=Philip Gilbert HamertonIt was free to exclude from the meeting on arbitrary and even on frivolous grounds.
A History of American Christianity |Leonard Woolsey BaconTheir destiny is in your hand and mine—a free Nation without a slave—the hope, refuge and inspiration of the world.
The Southerner |Thomas DixonThe house of lords meanwhile was not free from animosity and contention.
The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.II. |Tobias SmollettMy only fear is that the coral may grow over and cover it up before I am free to get out there.
Stories of the Ships |Lewis R. Freeman
British Dictionary definitions for free (1 of 2)
free
/ (friː) /
adjective freer or freest
able to act at will; not under compulsion or restraint
- having personal rights or liberty; not enslaved or confined
- (as noun)land of the free
(often postpositive and foll by from)
not subject (to) or restricted (by some regulation, constraint, etc); exempt
a free market; free from pain
(of a country, etc) autonomous or independent
exempt from external direction or restriction; not forced or induced
free will
not subject to conventional constraints
free verse
(of jazz) totally improvised, with no preset melodic, harmonic, or rhythmic basis
not exact or literal
a free translation
costing nothing; provided without charge
free entertainment
law (of property)
- not subject to payment of rent or performance of services; freehold
- not subject to any burden or charge, such as a mortgage or lien; unencumbered
(postpositive; often foll by of or with)
ready or generous in using or giving; liberal; lavish
free with advice
unrestrained by propriety or good manners; licentious
not occupied or in use; available
a free cubicle
not occupied or busy; without previous engagements
I'm not free until Wednesday
open or available to all; public
without charge to the subscriber or user
freepost; freephone
not fixed or joined; loose
the free end of a chain
without obstruction or impediment
free passage
chem
chemically uncombined
free nitrogen
phonetics
denoting a vowel that can occur in an open syllable, such as the vowel in see as opposed to the vowel in cat
(of some materials, such as certain kinds of stone) easily worked
nautical
(of the wind) blowing from the quarter
feel free (usually imperative)
to regard oneself as having permission to perform a specified action
for free not standard
without charge or cost
free and easy
casual or tolerant; easy-going
make free with
to take liberties with; behave too familiarly towards
adverb
in a free manner; freely
without charge or cost
nautical
with the wind blowing from the quarter
a yacht sailing free
verb frees, freeing or freed (tr)
(sometimes foll by up)
to set at liberty; release
to remove obstructions, attachments, or impediments from; disengage
(often foll by of or from)
to relieve or rid (of obstacles, pain, etc)
noun
informal
a freesheet
Derived forms of free
freer, noun freely, adverb freeness, nounWord Origin for free
Old English
frēo; related to Old Saxon, Old High German
frī, Gothic
freis free, Sanskrit
priya dear
British Dictionary definitions for free (2 of 2)
-free
adj combining form
free from
trouble-free; lead-free petrol
Idioms and Phrases with free
free
In addition to the idioms beginning with free
- free agent
- free and clear
- free and easy
- free as a bird
- free enterprise
- free fall
- free hand
- free lunch
- free rein
also see:
- breathe easy (freely)
- feel free
- footloose and fancy-free
- for free
- get off (scot-free)
- home free
- make free with
- of one's own accord (free will)