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free definition

free (frē)

adjective freer fre′er, freest fre′est

    1. not under the control of some other person or some arbitrary power; able to act or think without compulsion or arbitrary restriction; having liberty; independent
    2. characterized by or resulting from liberty
    1. having, or existing under, a government that does not impose arbitrary restrictions on the right to speak, assemble, petition, vote, etc.; having civil and political liberty a free people
    2. not under control of a foreign government
  3. able to move in any direction; not held, as in chains, etc.; not kept from motion; loose
  4. not held or confined by a court, the police, etc.; acquitted
  5. not held or burdened by obligations, debts, discomforts, etc.; unhindered; unhampered free from pain
  6. at liberty; allowed free to leave at any time
  7. not confined to the usual rules or patterns; not limited by convention or tradition free verse
  8. not literal; not exact a free translation
  9. not held or confined by prejudice or bias
  10. not restricted by anything except its own limitations or nature free will
  11. not busy or not in use; available for other work, use, etc.
  12. readily done or made; spontaneous a free offer
  13. not constrained or stilted; easy and graceful a free gait
    1. generous; liberal; lavish a free spender
    2. profuse; copious
  15. frank; straightforward
  16. too frank or familiar in speech, action, etc.; forward; indecorous
  17. with no charge or cost; gratis a free ticket
  18. not liable to (trade restrictions, etc.); exempt from certain impositions, as taxes or duties
  19. clear of obstructions; open and unimpeded a free road ahead
  20. open to all; esp., without restrictions as to trade a free market, free port
  21. not in contact or connection; not fastened the free end of a rope
  22. not united; not combined free oxygen
  23. not opposed; favorable: said of a wind blowing from a direction more than six points from straight ahead
  24. Games additional; extra a free turn
  25. Jazz designating or of improvisation unrestricted by set harmonic structure, rhythmic patterns, tempo, etc.
  26. Linguis. designating a minimum form, or morpheme, that may occur alone as an independent word in “boys,” boy is a free form, but -s is not

Etymology: ME fre < OE freo, not in bondage, noble, glad, illustrious, akin to Ger frei, Du vrij < IE base *prei-, to be fond of, hold dear > friend, Sans priyá-, dear, desired

adverb freer fre′er, freest fre′est

  1. without cost or payment
  2. in a free manner; without obstruction, burden, obligation, etc.
  3. Naut. with a favorable wind

transitive verb freed, freeing free′·ing

to make free; specif.,
  1. to release from bondage or arbitrary power, authority, obligation, etc.
  2. to clear of obstruction, entanglement, etc.; disengage

Related Forms:

free Idioms

for free

☆
Informal without cost or payments; gratis

free and easy

not constrained by formality or conventionality; informal; unceremonious

free from

or free of
  1. lacking; without
  2. released or removed from
  3. beyond; outside of

free up

to release, or make available, for use to free up funds

give (or have) a free hand

to give (or have) liberty to act according to one's judgment

make free with

  1. to use or treat as if one owned; use freely
  2. to take liberties with

set free

to cause to be free; release; liberate

with a free hand

with generosity; lavishly

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms free idiom

free Synonyms

free

modif.

  1. Not restricted politically

    sovereign, independent, liberated, autonomous, freed, released, delivered, emancipated, freeborn, enjoying democracy, enjoying political independence, democratic, self-governing, self-directing, autarkic, not subject to regulation, released from bondage, self-ruling, enfranchised, unenslaved, unregimented, unregulated, deregulated, decontrolled.

    Antonyms enslaved, subject, bound.

  2. Not restricted in space; said of persons

    unconfined, unconstrained, at large, loose, cast loose, clear of, escaped, let out, let off, unshackled, unfettered, scot-free, free as air, free as a bird, free to come and go, unoccupied, at liberty, at leisure, unengaged, disengaged, available, not tied down, footloose and fancy-free*, on the loose*.

    Antonyms confined*, imprisoned*, restrained. *

  3. Not restricted in space; said of things

    unimpeded, unobstructed, unhampered, unrestricted, unattached, loose, not held fast, unfastened, clear, open, unentangled, unengaged, disengaged, unoccupied, vacant, available, extricated, untrammeled, clear of, devoid of.

    Antonyms fixed*, fastened*, rooted. *

  4. Given without charge

    gratis, gratuitous, free of charge, without charge, for nothing, free of cost, complimentary, on the house, for free*, for love*, as a comp*, as a freebie*, for a thank-you*, free for nothing*.

    Antonyms paid*, charged*, costly. *

  5. Not restricted in speech or conduct

    candid, lax, loose, freewheeling*; see easy 1, frank.

  6. Generous

    liberal, lavish, openhanded; see generous 1.

for free*

without cost, gratis, for nothing; see free 4.

give a free hand*

permit, give permission, encourage; see allow 1.

make free with*

exploit, utilize, appropriate, take liberties with; see use 1.

set free

release, liberate, discharge, emancipate; see free 1, release.

with a free hand

generously, lavishly, liberally, freely; see generously 1.


free

v.

  1. To set loose

    liberate, release, discharge, deliver, save, emancipate, rescue, extricate, loose, loosen, unfix, unbind, disengage, undo, set free, set at liberty, let out, let go, let loose, bail out, turn loose, cut loose, relieve, reprieve, restore, absolve, acquit, dismiss, pardon, clear, exonerate, enfranchise, affranchise, ransom, redeem, unfetter, unbind, unshackle, manumit, unchain, disentangle, disenthrall, disimprison, demobilize, untie, unlock, unhand, unbar, let out of prison, parole, open the cage, spring*.

    Antonyms seize*, capture*, incarcerate. *

  2. To clear of obstruction or entanglement

    disengage, clear, disentangle, unfasten, extricate, untangle, disburden, disencumber, free up, relieve, discharge, unload, cast off, put off, empty, unburden, disembarrass, decontaminate.

free is the general term meaning to set loose from any sort of restraint, entanglement, burden, etc. to free a convict, one's conscience, etc.; release, more or less interchangeable with free, stresses a setting loose from confinement, literally or figuratively release me from my promise; liberate emphasizes the state of liberty into which the freed person or thing is brought to liberate prisoners of war; emancipate refers to a freeing from the bondage of slavery or of social institutions or conventions regarded as equivalent to slavery emancipated from medieval superstition; discharge implies a being permitted to leave that which confines or restrains discharged at last from the army


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

free Usage Examples

Adjective complement with noun phrase

  • download: You can also download this report free from www.jrf.org.uk ( ISBN 1 85935 272 3 ).

Modifies a noun

  • kick: And 10 minutes later Scott almost sneaked one into the bottom corner from a free kick.

Used with adjective complement

  • feel: Please feel free to contact us on the details below.

Infinitive complement

  • browse: Feel free to browse through the various caravan sites we have listed thoughout the UK.

Preposition: from

  • sin: In heaven, since we will be free from sin, we will see God's glory unveiled in its fullness.
free usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

free quotes

I am a free man, I do not need to copy Petrarch or Boccaccio. My own genius is enough. Let others worry themselves about style and so cease to be themselves. Without a master, without a model, without a guide, without artifice,Igotowork and earnmy living, my well- being, and my fame.What do Ineedmore? Witha goose quill and a few sheets of paper I mock the universe.

-Aretino, Pietro

Others abide our question. Thou art free. We ask and ask:Thou smilest and art still, Out-topping knowledge.

-Arnold, Matthew

   In the deserts of the heart Let the healing fountain start, In the prison of his days Teach the free man how to praise.

-Auden,W(ystan) H(ugh)

free quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"free." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/free>

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free. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/free

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