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English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Middle English free, fre, freo, from Old English frēo (“free”), from Proto-West Germanic *frī, from Proto-Germanic *frijaz (“beloved, not in bondage”), from Proto-Indo-European *priHós (“dear, beloved”), from *preyH- (“to love, please”). Related to friend.
cognates, etc
Germanic cognates include West Frisian frij (“free”), Dutch vrij (“free”), Low German free (“free”), German frei (“free”), Danish, Swedish and Norwegian fri (“free”).
Other cognates include Russian приятель (prijatelʹ, “friend”) and Sanskrit प्रिय (priyá-, “beloved”).
Germanic and Celtic are the only Indo-European language branches in which the PIE word with the meaning of «dear, beloved» acquired the additional meaning of «free» in the sense of «not in bondage». This was an extension of the idea of «characteristic of those who are dear and beloved», in other words friends and tribe members (in contrast to unfree inhabitants from other tribes and prisoners of war, many of which were among the slaves – compare the Latin use of liberi to mean both «free persons» and «children of a family»).[1][2]
The verb comes from Middle English freen, freoȝen, from Old English frēon, frēoġan (“to free; make free”), from Proto-West Germanic *frijōn, from Proto-Germanic *frijōną, from Proto-Indo-European *preyH-.
Pronunciation[edit]
- enPR: frē, IPA(key): /fɹiː/, [fɹɪi̯]
- Rhymes: -iː
- Homophone: three (with th-fronting)
Adjective[edit]
free (comparative freer or free-er or (rare) freeër, superlative freest or free-est or (rare) freeëst)
- (social) Unconstrained.
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He was given free rein to do whatever he wanted.
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1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
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Quickly, spirit! / Thou shalt ere long be free.
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-
1899, Stephen Crane, chapter 1, in Twelve O’Clock:
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There was some laughter, and Roddle was left free to expand his ideas on the periodic visits of cowboys to the town. “Mason Rickets, he had ten big punkins a-sittin’ in front of his store, an’ them fellers from the Upside-down-F ranch shot ’em up […] .”
-
-
2013 August 10, Schumpeter, “Cronies and capitols”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848:
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Policing the relationship between government and business in a free society is difficult. Businesspeople have every right to lobby governments, and civil servants to take jobs in the private sector.
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- Synonyms: unconstrained, unfettered, unhindered
- Antonyms: constrained, restricted
- Not imprisoned or enslaved.
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a free man
- Antonyms: bound, enslaved, imprisoned
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- Unconstrained by timidity or distrust
- Synonyms: unreserved, frank, communicative
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1818, Richard Milward, The Table Talk of John Selden, page xxiv:
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Dr. Wilkins says, «He was naturally of a serious temper, which was somewhat soured by his sufferings, so that he was free only with a few.»
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- Generous; liberal.
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He’s very free with his money.
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- (obsolete) Clear of offence or crime; guiltless; innocent.
- Without obligations.
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free time
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- Thrown open, or made accessible, to all; to be enjoyed without limitations; unrestricted; not obstructed, engrossed, or appropriated; open; said of a thing to be possessed or enjoyed.
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a free school
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- Not arbitrary or despotic; assuring liberty; defending individual rights against encroachment by any person or class; instituted by a free people; said of a government, institutions, etc.
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This is a free country.
-
- (software) With no or only freedom-preserving limitations on distribution or modification.
- Synonym: libre
- Antonyms: proprietary, non-free
- (software) Intended for release, as opposed to a checked version.
-
- Obtainable without any payment.
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2013 July 20, “The attack of the MOOCs”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845:
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Since the launch early last year of […] two Silicon Valley start-ups offering free education through MOOCs, massive open online courses, the ivory towers of academia have been shaken to their foundations. University brands built in some cases over centuries have been forced to contemplate the possibility that information technology will rapidly make their existing business model obsolete.
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-
The government provides free health care.
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It’s free real estate.
- Synonyms: free of charge, gratis
- (by extension, chiefly advertising slang) complimentary
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Buy a TV to get a free DVD player!
-
-
- (abstract) Unconstrained.
- (mathematics) Unconstrained by relators.
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the free group on three generators
-
- (mathematics, logic) Unconstrained by quantifiers.
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is the free variable in . - Antonym: bound
-
- (programming) Unconstrained of identifiers, not bound.
- Synonym: unbound
- Antonym: bound
- (linguistics) (of a morpheme) That can be used by itself, unattached to another morpheme.
- (mathematics) Unconstrained by relators.
- (physical) Unconstrained.
- Unobstructed, without blockages.
-
the drain was free
- Synonyms: clear, unobstructed
- Antonyms: blocked, obstructed
-
- Unattached or uncombined.
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a free radical
- Synonyms: loose, unfastened; see also Thesaurus:loose
-
- Not currently in use; not taken; unoccupied.
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You can sit on this chair; it’s free.
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- (botany, mycology) Not attached; loose.
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In this group of mushrooms, the gills are free.
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1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, New York, N.Y.: Columbia University Press, →ISBN, page 7:
-
Furthermore, the free anterior margin of the lobule is arched toward the lobe and is often involute […]
-
-
- (military) Of a rocket or missile: not under the control of a guidance system after being launched.
- Unobstructed, without blockages.
- Without; not containing (what is specified); exempt; clear; liberated.
- Synonym: without
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We had a wholesome, filling meal, free of meat. I would like to live free from care in the mountains.
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1679-1715, Gilbert Burnet, The History of the Reformation of the Church of England:
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princes declaring themselves free from the obligations of their treaties
-
-
1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
-
One morning I had been driven to the precarious refuge afforded by the steps of the inn, after rejecting offers from the Celebrity to join him in a variety of amusements. But even here I was not free from interruption, for he was seated on a horse-block below me, playing with a fox terrier.
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- (dated) Ready; eager; acting without spurring or whipping; spirited.
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a free horse
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- (dated) Invested with a particular freedom or franchise; enjoying certain immunities or privileges; admitted to special rights; followed by of.
- (UK, law, obsolete) Certain or honourable; the opposite of base.
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free service; free socage
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- (law) Privileged or individual; the opposite of common.
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a free fishery; a free warren
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Antonyms[edit]
- The terms below need to be checked and allocated to the definitions (senses) of the headword above. Each term should appear in the sense for which it is appropriate. For synonyms and antonyms you may use the templates
{{syn|en|...}}or{{ant|en|...}}.
- unfree
Hyponyms[edit]
- The terms below need to be checked and allocated to the definitions (senses) of the headword above. Each term should appear in the sense for which it is appropriate. For synonyms and antonyms you may use the templates
{{syn|en|...}}or{{ant|en|...}}.
- -free
Derived terms[edit]
- break free
- double free
- feel free
- first bite free
- footloose and fancy free
- free Abelian group, free abelian group
- free agency
- free agent
- free algebra
- free alongside ship
- free and clear
- free and easy
- free as a bird
- free as in beer
- free as in speech
- free association
- free ball
- free base
- free bench
- free board
- free Boolean algebra
- free cash flow
- free category
- free cell formation
- Free China
- free city
- free climber
- free climbing
- free clothes association
- free coinage
- free communism
- free communist
- free companion
- free convection
- free country
- free day
- free diver
- free diving
- free edge
- free electron
- free energy
- free enterprise
- free fall
- free fatty acid
- free float
- free form
- Free France
- free grace
- free group
- free hand
- free helicopter ride
- free house
- free imperial city
- free indirect speech
- free jazz
- free library
- free list
- free love
- free lover
- free lunch
- free market
- free marketeer
- free marketeering
- free module
- free monoid
- free morpheme
- free neutron
- free object
- free of charge
- free of the city
- free on board
- free pass
- free period
- free port
- free press
- free product
- free radical
- free range
- free reed
- free reign
- free rein
- free ride
- free rider
- free roam
- free runner
- free running, freerunning
- free semigroup
- free sheet
- free silver
- free solo
- free soloist
- free space
- free speech
- free speech zone
- free spin
- free spirit
- free state
- free substitution
- free sugar
- free thought
- free throw
- free throw percentage
- free time
- free to air
- free to play
- free trade
- free trade area
- free trader
- free trial
- free ultrafilter
- free up
- free variable
- free variation
- free verse
- free vote
- free warren
- free water
- free weight
- free will
- free will theorem
- free world
- free zone
- free-and-easy
- free-blown
- free-boob
- free-climbing
- free-cooling
- free-diver
- free-diving
- free-exercise clause
- free-fall
- free-feed
- free-fire
- free-floating
- free-flowing
- free-for-all
- free-form
- free-from
- free-hand
- free-handed
- free-handedly
- free-handedness
- free-hanging
- free-hearted
- free-heartedly
- free-heartedness
- free-heel skiing
- free-liver
- free-living
- free-living organism
- free-market
- free-market fundamentalism
- free-marketeer
- free-marketism
- free-milling
- free-mix
- free-range
- free-ranging
- free-ride
- free-rider problem
- free-roam
- free-roaming
- free-running
- free-sheet
- free-solo
- free-speaking
- free-speecher
- free-spirited
- free-spoken
- free-standing
- free-stone
- free-style
- free-swimming
- free-thinker
- free-thinking
- free-throw lane
- free-throw line
- free-to-air
- free-to-play
- free-tongued
- free-trade area
- free-turbine engine
- free-wheeling
- free-willer
- freeball
- freebooter
- freedom
- freedom ain’t free
- freedom is not free
- freedom isn’t free
- freedom’s not free
- freehood
- freelance
- freeloader
- freely
- Freemason
- freeness
- freeware
- freeway
- freewheel
- get out of jail free card
- get-out-of-jail-free card
- Gibbs free energy
- half-free
- half-free
- home free
- it’s a free country
- land of the free
- leader of the free world
- live rent free in someone’s head
- live rent-free in someone’s head
- make free of
- make free with
- mean free path
- no free lunch theorem
- olly olly oxen free
- region free
- set free
- the best things in life are free
- there ain’t no such thing as a free lunch
- there’s no such thing as a free lunch
- uncoated free sheet
- walk free
- weapons free
- why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free
[edit]
- friend
Translations[edit]
not imprisoned
- Afrikaans: vrye (af)
- Albanian: lirë (sq) (i/e)
- Amharic: ነፃ (näṣ́a)
- Arabic: حُرّ (ar) (ḥurr)
- Egyptian Arabic: حر (ḥurr)
- Moroccan Arabic: حر m (ḥurr)
- Armenian: արձակ (hy) (arjak), ազատ (hy) (azat)
- Aromanian: lefter
- Assamese: মুকলি (mukoli)
- Asturian: llibre
- Azerbaijani: azad (az)
- Bambara: hɔrɔn
- Bashkir: ирекле (irekle), азат (azat), бәйһеҙ (bäyheð), хөр (xör)
- Belarusian: свабо́дны (be) (svabódny), во́льны (be) (vólʹny)
- Bengali: আজাদ (bn) (azad), মুক্ত (muktô)
- Bikol Central: talingkas (bcl)
- Bulgarian: свобо́ден (bg) (svobóden)
- Catalan: lliure (ca)
- Chinese:
- Cantonese: 自由 (zi6 jau4)
- Mandarin: 自由的 (zh) (zìyóu de)
- Czech: svobodný (cs), volný (cs)
- Danish: fri (da)
- Dutch: vrij (nl), los (nl)
- Esperanto: libera (eo)
- Estonian: vaba (et), prii
- Finnish: vapaa (fi)
- French: libre (fr)
- Friulian: libar
- Galician: ceibo (gl) m, libre (gl)
- Georgian: თავისუფალი (tavisupali)
- German: frei (de)
- Gothic: 𐍆𐍂𐌴𐌹𐍃 (freis)
- Greek: ελεύθερος (el) (eléftheros)
- Ancient: ἐλεύθερος (eleútheros)
- Haitian Creole: lib
- Hebrew: חופשי / חָפְשִׁי (khofshí)
- Hindi: मुक्त (hi) (mukt), आज़ाद (hi) (āzād), स्वतंत्र (hi) (svatantra), रिहा (hi) (rihā)
- Hungarian: szabad (hu)
- Icelandic: frjáls (is)
- Ido: libera (io)
- Indonesian: bebas (id)
- Ingrian: vappaa
- Interlingua: libere (ia)
- Irish: saor
- Old Irish: sóer
- Istriot: leîbaro
- Italian: libero (it)
- Japanese: 自由 (ja) (じゆう, jiyū)
- Jarai: rơngai
- Khmer: សេរី (km) (seerəy)
- Korean: 자유(自由) (ko) (jayu)
- Kurdish:
- Central Kurdish: ئازاد (ckb) (azad), ڕزگار (ckb) (rizgar)
- Northern Kurdish: azad (ku), serbest (ku), rizgar (ku)
- Latin: līber (la)
- Latvian: brīvs
- Leonese: ḷḷibru
- Lezgi: азад (azad)
- Limburgish: vrie (li)
- Lithuanian: laisvas (lt)
- Lombard: liber (lmo)
- Low German: frii, fri
- German Low German: free (nds)
- Luxembourgish: fräi
- Macedonian: слободен (sloboden)
- Malay: bebas
- Malayalam: സ്വതന്ത്രം (svatantraṃ)
- Manchu: ᠰᡠᠯᡶᠠᠩᡤᠠ (sulfangga)
- Maori: herekore
- Norman: libre
- Norwegian: fri (no)
- Occitan: liure (oc)
- Old English: frēo
- Papiamentu: liber
- Persian: آزاد (fa) (âzâd), رها (fa) (rahâ)
- Piedmontese: liber
- Polish: wolny (pl), swobodny (pl)
- Portuguese: livre (pt)
- Quechua: qispi (qu)
- Romagnol: lèbar
- Romanian: liber (ro), slobod (ro)
- Russian: свобо́дный (ru) (svobódnyj), во́льный (ru) (vólʹnyj)
- Sanskrit: मुक्त (sa) (mukta), स्वतन्त्र (sa) (svatantra)
- Scottish Gaelic: saor
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Cyrillic: слободан
- Roman: slobodan (sh)
- Seychellois Creole: lib
- Sindhi: آزاد (sd) (āzād)
- Slovak: slobodný, voľný
- Slovene: svoboden (sl)
- Somali: xor
- Southern Altai: эркин (erkin)
- Spanish: libre (es)
- Swahili: huru
- Swedish: fri (sv)
- Tabasaran: азад (azad)
- Tarantino: lìbbere
- Telugu: విడుదల (te) (viḍudala)
- Thai: อิสระ (th) (ìt-sà-rà)
- Turkish: özgür (tr)
- Udi: азад (azad)
- Ukrainian: ві́льний (uk) (vílʹnyj), свобі́дний (uk) (svobídnyj)
- Urdu: آزاد (ur) (āzād), سوتنتر (svatantra), مکت (mukt)
- Uyghur: ئەركىن (erkin), ھۆر (hör)
- Vietnamese: tự do (vi)
- Volapük: libik (vo)
- Walloon: libe (wa)
- Welsh: rhydd (cy)
- West Frisian: frijlitten, frij
- Yiddish: פֿרײַ (fray)
- Zazaki: azad, xoser
unconstrained
- Albanian: pafre (sq), falas (sq)
- Amharic: ነፃ (näṣ́a)
- Arabic: حُرّ (ar) (ḥurr)
- Egyptian Arabic: حر (ḥurr)
- Armenian: ազատ (hy) (azat)
- Assamese: মুকলি (mukoli)
- Asturian: llibre
- Azerbaijani: sərbəst (az)
- Bambara: hɔrɔn
- Bashkir: иркен (irken)
- Catalan: lliure (ca)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 自由的 (zh) (zìyóu de)
- Czech: volný (cs)
- Danish: fri (da)
- Dutch: vrij (nl), los (nl), loslopend (nl)
- Esperanto: libera (eo)
- Estonian: vaba (et), prii
- Finnish: vapaa (fi), rajoittamaton (fi)
- French: libre (fr)
- Galician: libre (gl) m or f
- German: frei (de), ungezwungen (de), freimütig (de), frank und frei (de) (idiomatic)
- Gothic: 𐍆𐍂𐌴𐌹𐍃 (freis)
- Greek: ελεύθερος (el) (eléftheros), ανεμπόδιστος (el) (anempódistos)
- Hebrew: פָּנוּי (panúy)
- Hindi: आज़ाद (hi) (āzād)
- Ido: libera (io)
- Interlingua: libere (ia), franc (ia)
- Irish: saor, scaoilte, éasca
- Old Irish: sóer
- Italian: libero (it) m, brado (it) m
- Japanese: 自由 (ja) (じゆう, jiyū)
- Khmer: ស្រស់ស្រាយ (km) (srɑh sraay)
- Korean: 자유적(自由的)이다 (jayujeog-ida)
- Kurdish:
- Central Kurdish: سەربەست (ckb) (serbest)
- Northern Kurdish: berdayî (ku), aza (ku)
- Latin: līber (la)
- Latvian: brīvs
- Limburgish: vrie (li)
- Lindu: naloa
- Low German:
- German Low German: free (nds)
- Macedonian: слободен (sloboden)
- Malay: merdeka (ms)
- Malayalam: സ്വതന്ത്രം (svatantraṃ)
- Maori: māhorahora
- Norman: libre
- Norwegian: fri (no), løs (no)
- Old English: unċīepe
- Persian: آزاد (fa) (âzâd)
- Polish: wolny (pl), swobodny (pl)
- Portuguese: livre (pt)
- Romanian: liber (ro), neîmpiedicat
- Russian: свобо́дный (ru) (svobódnyj)
- Scottish Gaelic: saor
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Roman: povoljno (sh), voljno (sh), neograničen (sh), slobodan (sh)
- Sindhi: چٽل
- Sorbian:
- Lower Sorbian: lichy
- Spanish: libre (es)
- Swedish: fri (sv)
- Turkish: serbest (tr)
- Vietnamese: tự do (vi)
- Welsh: rhydd (cy)
- Yiddish: פֿרײַ (fray)
- Zazaki: serbest
unobstructed
- Albanian: lirë (sq)
- Azerbaijani: maneə törədilməmiş
- Assamese: মুকলি (mukoli)
- Catalan: lliure (ca)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 通暢的／通畅的 (zh) (tōngchàng de), 順暢的／顺畅的 (zh) (shùnchàng de)
- Czech: volný (cs) m
- Dutch: vrij (nl), open (nl)
- Esperanto: libera (eo)
- Estonian: piiramatu, takistamatu
- Finnish: auki (fi) (adverb), aukinainen, avoin (fi), esteetön (fi), selvä (fi)
- French: libre (fr)
- German: frei (de)
- Greek: ελεύθερος (el) m (eléftheros), ανεμπόδιστος (el) m (anempódistos)
- Hebrew: פָּנוּי (panúy)
- Hindi: खुला (hi) (khulā)
- Ido: libera (io)
- Interlingua: libere (ia), franc (ia)
- Italian: libero (it) m
- Japanese: そのままの (sono mama no)
- Korean: 막힘없다 (makhimeopda)
- Kurdish:
- Northern Kurdish: vekirî (ku), vebûyî (ku)
- Limburgish: vrie (li)
- Low German:
- German Low German: free (nds)
- Macedonian: непречен (neprečen)
- Maori: māhorahora
- Norman: libre
- Norwegian: åpen (no), fri (no)
- Polish: wolny (pl), swobodny (pl)
- Portuguese: livre (pt)
- Romanian: liber (ro), neîmpiedicat
- Russian: беспрепя́тственный (ru) (besprepjátstvennyj), свобо́дный (ru) (svobódnyj)
- Scottish Gaelic: saor
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Roman: slobodan (sh), otvoren (sh)
- Sindhi: خلاصو
- Slovene: prost (sl)
- Sorbian:
- Lower Sorbian: lichy
- Spanish: libre (es), sin obstáculos (es), despejado (es)
- Telugu: అడ్డగించని (aḍḍagiñcani)
- Turkish: engellenmemiş (tr)
- Yiddish: פֿרײַ (fray)
not in use
- Arabic: شَاغِر (šāḡir)
- Egyptian Arabic: فاضى (fāḍi)
- Armenian: ազատ (hy) (azat)
- Azerbaijani: boş (az)
- Bashkir: буш (buş)
- Bulgarian: незает (bg) (nezaet), неизползван (bg) (neizpolzvan)
- Burmese: အား (my) (a:)
- Catalan: desocupat
- Czech: volný (cs)
- Finnish: vapaa (fi)
- French: libre (fr), disponible (fr)
- German: frei (de), unbesetzt
- Greek: ελεύθερος (el) m (eléftheros)
- Hindi: बेकार (hi) (bekār)
- Latvian: brīvs
- Macedonian: слободен (sloboden)
- Norman: libre
- Norwegian: ledig
- Persian: آزاد (fa) (âzâd), بیکار (fa) (bi-kâr)
- Polish: wolny (pl)
- Portuguese: vago (pt), livre (pt), desocupado (pt)
- Romanian: liber (ro), neocupat (ro)
- Russian: свобо́дный (ru) (svobódnyj), неза́нятый (ru) (nezánjatyj)
- Spanish: libre (es), desocupado (es)
- Swedish: ledig (sv)
- Telugu: ఉపయోగించని (upayōgiñcani)
- Thai: ว่าง (th) (wâang)
- Turkish: boş (tr)
- Yiddish: פֿרײַ (fray)
- Zazaki: veng (diq), bêkar, azad
without obligations
- Abkhaz: аҭацәы (atacʷə)
- Albanian: pazënë (sq)
- Armenian: ազատ (hy) (azat)
- Azerbaijani: sərbəst (az), bağımsız
- Bambara: hɔrɔn
- Bashkir: буш (buş), ирекле (irekle)
- Bulgarian: свободен (bg) (svoboden)
- Burmese: အား (my) (a:)
- Catalan: lliure (ca)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 自由的 (zh) (zìyóu de), 空閒／空閑／空闲 (zh) (kòngxián)
- Czech: volný (cs)
- Danish: fri (da)
- Dutch: vrij (nl), ongedwongen (nl)
- Esperanto: libera (eo)
- Estonian: vaba (et)
- Finnish: vapaa (fi)
- French: libre (fr)
- Galician: libre (gl)
- German: frei (de)
- Greek: ελεύθερος (el) m (eléftheros)
- Hebrew: פָּנוּי (panúy), חופשי / חָפְשִׁי (khofshí)
- Hindi: निबंधन (hi) (nibandhan)
- Hungarian: szabad (hu)
- Ido: libera (io)
- Interlingua: libere (ia)
- Irish: saor
- Old Irish: sóer
- Italian: libero (it)
- Japanese: 自由な (ja) (じゆうな, jiyū na)
- Korean: 자의 (ko) (jaui), 자유롭다 (ko) (jayuropda)
- Kurdish:
- Northern Kurdish: azad (ku), serbest (ku)
- Latvian: brīvs
- Limburgish: vrie (li)
- Macedonian: слободен (sloboden)
- Malayalam: സ്വതന്ത്രം (svatantraṃ)
- Maori: māhorahora
- Ngazidja Comorian: na nafasi
- Norman: libre m or f
- Norwegian: fri (no), ledig
- Old English: frēo
- Polish: wolny (pl)
- Portuguese: livre (pt)
- Quechua: qasi
- Romanian: liber (ro) m
- Russian: свобо́дный (ru) (svobódnyj)
- Scottish Gaelic: saor
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Roman: bezobavezno, slobodan (sh)
- Sindhi: فارِغ, واندو (sd)
- Slovene: prost (sl)
- Sorbian:
- Lower Sorbian: lichy
- Spanish: libre (es), exento (es)
- Swedish: fri (sv)
- Telugu: నిబంధన లేని (nibandhana lēni)
- Thai: ว่าง (th) (wâang)
- Turkish: serbest (tr), zorunsuz
- Vietnamese: rỗi (vi)
- Yiddish: פֿרײַ (fray)
software: with very few limitations on distribution or improvement
- Albanian: lejuar
- Arabic: حُرّ (ar) (ḥurr)
- Azerbaijani: azad (az)
- Bambara: hɔrɔn
- Bashkir: түләүһеҙ (tüläwheð)
- Bulgarian: безплатен (bg) (bezplaten)
- Catalan: lliure (ca)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 自由的 (zh) (zìyóu de)
- Czech: svobodný (cs)
- Danish: fri (da)
- Dutch: vrij (nl), vrije (nl)
- Esperanto: libera (eo)
- Estonian: vaba (et)
- Finnish: avoin (fi), vapaa (fi)
- French: libre (fr)
- Galician: libre (gl)
- German: frei (de)
- Greek: ελεύθερος (el) (eléftheros)
- Hebrew: חופשי / חָפְשִׁי (khofshí)
- Ido: libera (io)
- Interlingua: libere (ia)
- Irish: saor
- Italian: libero (it), free (it), libre (it) (software)
- Japanese: 自由 (ja) (じゆう, jiyuu)
- Korean: 자유 (ko) (jayu)
- Kurdish:
- Northern Kurdish: azad (ku), vekirî (ku), serbest (ku)
- Limburgish: vrie (li)
- Lithuanian: nemokama (lt)
- Macedonian: слободен (sloboden)
- Norwegian: fri (no)
- Polish: wolny (pl)
- Portuguese: livre (pt)
- Romanian: gratuit (ro), liber (ro)
- Russian: свободный (ru) (svobodnyj)
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Roman: slobodan (sh)
- Sindhi: کليل
- Spanish: libre (es)
- Swedish: fri (sv)
- Telugu: ఉచిత దిగుమతి (ucita digumati)
- Turkish: özgür (tr)
- Zazaki: xoser
without
- Arabic: بِغَيْرِ (biḡayri), بِدُونِ (bidūni)
- Armenian: ազատ (hy) (azat)
- Bashkir: -һыҙ (-hıð) / -һеҙ (-heð), -һоҙ (-hoð) / -һөҙ (-höð)
- Burmese: လွတ်လပ် (my) (lwatlap)
- Czech: prostý (cs)
- Dutch: zonder (nl), -vrij
- Finnish: -ton (fi), ilman (jotakin), -vapaa (fi)
- French: sans (fr)
- Galician: sen (gl)
- German: frei (de), -frei (de), -los (de)
- Hebrew: בְּלְי (he)
- Hindi: बे (hi) (be), बे- (be-)
- Indonesian: bebas (id), tanpa (id)
- Irish: gan (ga)
- Italian: senza (it)
- Low German:
- German Low German: free (nds)
- Macedonian: без- (bez-), бес- (bes-)
- Malay: tanpa (ms)
- Norwegian: fri (no), uten (no)
- Persian: بدون (fa)
- Polish: bez (pl), wolny (pl)
- Portuguese: semideus (pt)
- Romanian: fără (ro)
- Serbo-Croatian: bez-, bes-
- Sorbian:
- Lower Sorbian: lichy
- Telugu: లేకుండా (te) (lēkuṇḍā)
- Zazaki: berdos
Translations to be checked
- Albanian: (i/e) (please verify) lirë (sq), (please verify) pa (sq)
- Interlingua: (please verify) libere (ia)
- Italian: (please verify) senza (it)
- Lithuanian: (3) (please verify) be (lt), (4) (please verify) neribotas
- Low German: (please verify) leddig, (please verify) ledig
- Occitan: (1,3) (please verify) liure (oc), (2) (please verify) dobèrt (oc), (5) (please verify) gratis, (5) (please verify) gratuït
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Roman: (please verify) slobodan (sh) (1), (please verify) besplatan (sh) (5), (please verify) oslobođen, (please verify) pušten (sh)
- Slovak: (please verify) slobodný, (please verify) bezplatný (sk), (1) (please verify) slobodný, (1, 2, 4) (please verify) voľný, (5) (please verify) bezplatný (sk)
- Swedish: (please verify) fri (sv), (please verify) lös (sv), (please verify) släppt (sv)
- Tamil: (please verify) இலவசம் (ta) (ilavacam)
- Volapük: (please verify) libik (vo), (please verify) livik (vo)
- West Frisian: (please verify) frijlitten, (please verify) befrijt
Adverb[edit]
free (comparative more free, superlative most free)
- Without needing to pay.
-
I got this bike free.
-
1960 December, “The Glasgow Suburban Electrification is opened”, in Trains Illustrated, page 714:
-
Above all, the 48-page timetables of the new service, which have been distributed free at every station in the scheme, are a model to the rest of B.R. For the first time on British Railways, so far as we are aware, a substantial timetable has been produced, not only without a single footnote but also devoid of all wearisome asterisks, stars, letter suffixes and other hieroglyphics.
-
- Synonyms: for free, for nothing
-
- (obsolete) Freely; willingly.
-
c. 1601–1602, Henry VIII, published 1623:
-
I as free forgive you / As I would be forgiven.
-
-
Translations[edit]
without needing to pay
- Albanian: falas (sq)
- Armenian: անվճար (hy) (anvčar), ձրի (hy) (jri)
- Bulgarian: безплатно (bg) (bezplatno)
- Catalan: gratis (ca), gratuïtament (ca), de franc (ca)
- Chukchi: эркуркэ (ėrkurkė)
- Czech: zadarmo (cs)
- Danish: gratis (da)
- Dutch: gratis (nl)
- Esperanto: senpage
- Finnish: ilmaiseksi (fi)
- French: gratuitement (fr), gratis (fr), gratos (fr)
- German: gratis (de), umsonst (de)
- Hindi: मुफ़्त (muft)
- Hungarian: ingyen (hu)
- Icelandic: ókeypis (is)
- Indonesian: gratis (id), cuma-cuma (id)
- Irish: saor
- Italian: gratuitamente (it)
- Kabuverdianu: fabal
- Latin: grātīs
- Latvian: bezmaksas
- Macedonian: бесплатно (besplatno)
- Malayalam: സൗജന്യം (ml) (saujanyaṃ), സൗജന്യമായി (saujanyamāyi)
- Maori: utukore (mi)
- Navajo: tʼáá jííkʼe, tʼáadoo bą́ą́h ílíní da
- Norwegian: gratis (no)
- Plautdietsch: emsonst
- Polish: za darmo (pl), bezpłatnie (pl)
- Portuguese: grátis (pt), de graça, gratuitamente (pt)
- Russian: беспла́тно (ru) (besplátno), да́ром (ru) (dárom)
- Scottish Gaelic: an-asgaidh
- Spanish: gratis (es)
- Swedish: gratis (sv)
- Tagalog: libre, walang bayad, gratis
- Telugu: చెల్లించనవసరం లేని (celliñcanavasaraṁ lēni)
- Thai: ฟรี (th) (frii)
- Turkish: bedava (tr)
- Welsh: am ddim (cy)
- Yiddish: בחינם (bkhinem)
- Zazaki: berdos
Verb[edit]
free (third-person singular simple present frees, present participle freeing, simple past and past participle freed)
- (transitive) To make free; set at liberty; release.
-
1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], page 5:
-
Pro. […] Spirit, fine ſpirit, Ile free thee / Within two dayes for this.
-
-
- (transitive) To rid of something that confines or oppresses.
- 1885, Richard F. Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Night 564:
- Then I walked about, till I found on the further side, a great river of sweet water, running with a strong current; whereupon I called to mind the boat-raft I had made aforetime and said to myself, «Needs must I make another; haply I may free me from this strait. If I escape, I have my desire and I vow to Allah Almighty to forswear travel; and if I perish I shall be at peace and shall rest from toil and moil.»
- 1885, Richard F. Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Night 564:
- (transitive, programming) To relinquish (previously allocated memory) to the system.
- 2002, Jesse Liberty, SAMS Teach Yourself C++ in 24 Hours (page 148)
- There is no way to access that original area of memory, nor is there any way to free it before the program ends.
- 2002, Jesse Liberty, SAMS Teach Yourself C++ in 24 Hours (page 148)
Synonyms[edit]
- befree
- emancipate
- let loose
- liberate
- manumit
- release
- unchain
- unfetter
- unshackle
Derived terms[edit]
- befree
Translations[edit]
make free
- Afrikaans: bevry, loslaat, laat gaan
- Albanian: shkec, liroj (sq)
- Arabic: حَرَّرَ (ar) (ḥarrara)
- Egyptian Arabic: يحرر (yeḥarrar)
- Armenian: ազատել (hy) (azatel)
- Belarusian: вызваля́ць impf (vyzvaljácʹ), вы́зваліць pf (výzvalicʹ)
- Bulgarian: освобожда́вам (bg) impf (osvoboždávam), освободя́ pf (osvobodjá)
- Catalan: alliberar (ca)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 解放 (zh) (jiěfàng)
- Czech: osvobozovat impf, osvobodit (cs) pf
- Danish: befri, fritage, løslade
- Dutch: bevrijden (nl), loslaten (nl), laten gaan
- Esperanto: liberi, liberigi
- Estonian: vabastama (et), vabaks laskma
- Finnish: vapauttaa (fi), päästää vapaaksi
- French: libérer (fr), dégager (fr), affranchir (fr)
- Galician: liberar (gl)
- German: befreien (de), freisetzen (de) (free someone from prison)
- Greek: ελευθερώνω (el) (eleftheróno)
- Hebrew: שיחרר / שִׁחְרֵר (he) (shikhrér)
- Hindi: मुक्त करना (mukt karnā)
- Ido: libereskar (io)
- Indonesian: membebaskan (id), memerdekakan (id)
- Interlingua: liberar (ia)
- Irish: saor, fuascail
- Italian: liberare (it)
- Japanese: 解放する (ja) (かいほうする, kaihō suru)
- Korean: 해방(解放)하다 (ko) (haebanghada)
- Kurdish:
- Central Kurdish: ڕزگار کردن (rizgar kirdin)
- Latin: līberō
- Latvian: atbrīvot, atsvabināt
- Lithuanian: išlaisvinti
- Macedonian: ослободува impf (osloboduva), ослободи pf (oslobodi)
- Malayalam: സ്വതന്ത്രമാക്കുക (svatantramākkuka)
- Maori: whakawātea (mi), wewete, kokiro (from a spell or ritual )
- Norman: libéther
- Norwegian: frigjøre (no), frigi, befri, løslate
- Occitan: desliurar (oc)
- Old English: frēoġan
- Persian: آزاد ساختن (âzâd sâxtan), آزاد کردن (fa) (âzâd kardan)
- Polish: uwalniać (pl) impf, uwolnić (pl) pf, wyzwalać (pl) impf, wyzwolić (pl) pf, oswabadzać impf, oswobodzić (pl) pf
- Portuguese: libertar (pt), livrar (pt), soltar (pt)
- Romanian: elibera (ro), slobozi (ro)
- Russian: освобожда́ть (ru) impf (osvoboždátʹ), освободи́ть (ru) pf (osvobodítʹ), вызволя́ть (ru) impf (vyzvoljátʹ), вы́зволить (ru) pf (výzvolitʹ)
- Sanskrit: मुञ्चति (sa) (muñcati)
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Cyrillic: ослобађати impf, ослободити pf
- Roman: oslobađati (sh) impf, osloboditi (sh) pf
- Slovak: oslobodzovať impf, oslobodiť (sk) pf
- Slovene: osvobajati impf, osvoboditi pf
- Spanish: librar (es)
- Swedish: frigöra (sv), befria (sv), frita (sv)(ga)
- Telugu: విడుదల చేయు (viḍudala cēyu)
- Thai: ปลดปล่อย (th) (bplòt-bplɔ̀i)
- Turkish: serbest bırakmak (tr)
- Ukrainian: звільня́ти impf (zvilʹnjáty), звільни́ти pf (zvilʹnýty), визволя́ти impf (vyzvoljáty), ви́зволити pf (výzvolyty)
- Urdu: فرار, پری, آزاد (ur)
- Vietnamese: giải phóng (vi) (解放)
- Welsh: rhyddhau (cy)
- Yiddish: באַפֿרײַען (bafrayen)
Noun[edit]
free (plural frees)
- (Australian rules football, Gaelic football) Abbreviation of free kick.
- 2006, [1]:
- Whether deserved or not, the free gave Cresswell the chance to cover himself in glory with a shot on goal after the siren.
- 2006, [1]:
- (soccer) A free transfer.
-
2011 September 21, Sam Lyon, “Man City 2 — 0 Birmingham”, in BBC Sport[2]:
-
Hargreaves, who left Manchester United on a free during the summer, drilled a 22-yard beauty to open the scoring.
-
-
- (hurling) The usual means of restarting play after a foul is committed, where the non-offending team restarts from where the foul was committed.
- (swimming, informal) Abbreviation of freestyle.
-
The team won the 200 meters free relay.
-
Translations[edit]
abbreviation of free kick
References[edit]
- free at OneLook Dictionary Search
- ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2023), “free”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
- ^ «frei» in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
Anagrams[edit]
- feer, fere, reef
Galician[edit]
Verb[edit]
free
- first-person singular present subjunctive of frear
- third-person singular present subjunctive of frear
Low German[edit]
Alternative forms[edit]
- frie (more common)
Etymology[edit]
From Middle Low German vrîe, variant of vrî, from Old Saxon frī, from Proto-Germanic *frijaz, from Proto-Indo-European *prey (“new”). Compare Dutch vrij, West Frisian frij, English free, German frei.
Adjective[edit]
free (comparative fre’er, superlative freest)
- (rather rare) free
Declension[edit]
Positive forms of free
| gender | singular | plural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| masculine | feminine | neuter | all genders | ||
| predicative | he is free | se is free | dat is free | se sünd free | |
| partitive | een Fre’es | een Fre’es | wat Fre’es | allens Fre’e | |
| strong declension (without article) |
nominative | fre’e | fre’e | free | fre’e |
| oblique | fre’en | fre’e | free | fre’e | |
| weak declension (with definite article) |
nominative | de fre’e | de fre’e | dat fre’e | de fre’en |
| oblique | den fre’en | de fre’e | dat fre’e | de fre’en | |
| mixed declension (with indefinite article) |
nominative | en fre’e | en fre’e | en free/fre’et | (keen) fre’en |
| oblique | en fre’en | en fre’e | en free/fre’et | (keen) fre’en |
Comparative forms of free
| gender | singular | plural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| masculine | feminine | neuter | all genders | ||
| predicative | he is fre’er | se is fre’er | dat is fre’er | se sünd fre’er | |
| partitive | een fre’ers | een fre’ers | wat fre’ers | allens fre’er | |
| strong declension (without article) |
nominative | fre’ere | fre’ere | fre’er | fre’ere |
| oblique | fre’ern | fre’ere | fre’er | fre’ere | |
| weak declension (with definite article) |
nominative | de fre’ere | de fre’ere | dat fre’ere | de fre’ern |
| oblique | den fre’ern | de fre’ere | dat fre’ere | de fre’ern | |
| mixed declension (with indefinite article) |
nominative | en fre’ere | en fre’ere | en fre’er | (keen) fre’ern |
| oblique | en fre’ern | en fre’ere | en fre’er | (keen) fre’ern |
Superlative forms of free
| gender | singular | plural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| masculine | feminine | neuter | all genders | ||
| predicative | he is de Freeste | se is de Freeste | dat is dat Freeste | se sünd de Freesten | |
| strong declension (without article) |
nominative | freeste | freeste | freest | freeste |
| oblique | freesten | freeste | freest | freeste | |
| weak declension (with definite article) |
nominative | de freeste | de freeste | dat freeste | de freesten |
| oblique | den freesten | de freeste | dat freeste | de freesten | |
| mixed declension (with indefinite article) |
nominative | en freeste | en freeste | en freest | (keen) freesten |
| oblique | en freesten | en freeste | en freest | (keen) freesten |
| Note: This declension is one of many; neither its grammar nor spelling apply to all dialects. |
|---|
Derived terms[edit]
- Freeheit
Categories:
- English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *preyH-
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms inherited from Old English
- English terms derived from Old English
- English terms inherited from Proto-West Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-West Germanic
- English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- English terms inherited from Proto-Indo-European
- English 1-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- Rhymes:English/iː
- Rhymes:English/iː/1 syllable
- English terms with homophones
- English lemmas
- English adjectives
- English terms with usage examples
- English terms with quotations
- English terms with obsolete senses
- en:Software
- English advertising slang
- en:Mathematics
- en:Logic
- en:Programming
- en:Linguistics
- en:Botany
- en:Mycology
- en:Military
- English dated terms
- British English
- en:Law
- English adverbs
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- en:Australian rules football
- en:Gaelic football
- English abbreviations
- en:Football (soccer)
- en:Hurling
- en:Swimming
- English informal terms
- en:Money
- Galician non-lemma forms
- Galician verb forms
- Low German terms inherited from Middle Low German
- Low German terms derived from Middle Low German
- Low German terms derived from Old Saxon
- Low German terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- Low German terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- Low German lemmas
- Low German adjectives
- Low German terms with rare senses
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The noun form of the word free is ‘freedom’.
The noun form of the word free is ‘freedom’.
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бесплатный, бесплатно, свободно, освобождать, выходной
прилагательное ↓
- свободный, независимый, вольный
free country — свободная страна 
free people — свободный народ
- находящийся на свободе, свободный
to set /to make/ free — освобождать
to set a bird free — выпустить птицу (из клетки)
to get free — а) освободиться, избавиться; б) спорт. освободиться (от противника)
- добровольный, свободный, без принуждения
free choice — свободный выбор
you are free to go or stay — вы можете уйти или остаться
- незанятый, свободный
are you free in the afternoon? — вы свободны днём?
Have you any rooms [seats] free? — Есть ли у вас свободные комнаты [места]?
to have little free time — иметь мало свободного времени, быть занятым
- открытый, без препятствий или помех, свободный
the way is free — путь свободен
to make the road free — очистить дорогу
ещё 17 вариантов
наречие ↓
- бесплатно
all members admitted free — все члены общества проходят бесплатно
tickets are given free — билеты раздаются бесплатно
to give smth. away free — отдать что-л. даром /без денег/
- мор. с попутным ветром, без лавирования
глагол ↓
- освобождать
to free the land from oppression — освободить /избавить/ страну от гнёта
to free smb. from a charge /an accusation/ — снять с кого-л. обвинение, оправдать кого-л.
- выпускать на свободу
to free smb. from restraint — освобождать кого-л. из заключения, выпускать кого-л. на свободу
- (from, of) освобождать, делать свободным (от чего-л.)
to free one’s hands from fetters — сбросить оковы
to free oneself from debt — разделаться с долгами
to free one’s mind from anxiety — успокаиваться, избавляться от тревоги /беспокойства/
Мои примеры
Словосочетания
a free translation of the poem — вольный перевод этого стихотворения /поэмы/
a free booklet on drug abuse — бесплатный буклет по проблеме наркомании
a sample for ten days free trial — образец продукции с десятидневным бесплатным пробным периодом
campaign for tobacco-free kids — кампания за искоренение табакозависимости у детей
tax-free certificate — свидетельство об освобождении от уплаты налогов
free currency — свободно конвертируемая валюта
free from defects — бездефектный
to deliver free of charge — доставлять бесплатно
milk-free diet — диета с исключением молока
salt-free diet — бессолевая диета
easy / free access — свободный доступ, открытый доступ
the bag of duty-free — сумка беспошлинных товаров
Примеры с переводом
Is this seat free?
Это место свободно?
Have you any rooms [seats] free?
Есть ли у вас свободные комнаты [места]?
I’m free next weekend.
Я свободен в ближайшие выходные.
Entrance to the museum is free.
Вход в музей — бесплатный.
Are you free for lunch tomorrow?
Вы завтра в обед не заняты?
Order now and receive a free gift!
Закажите сейчас и получите бесплатный подарок!
Long live free education!
Да здравствует бесплатное образование!
ещё 23 примера свернуть
Примеры, ожидающие перевода
…now unburdened of his painful secret, he felt free for the first time in years… 
A tribute to tenacity, the free ascent of Trango Tower was the fulfillment of a cowboy climber’s dream.
…even in church we were not free from Mother’s familiar reproof of our ingrained tendency to fidget in our seats…
Для того чтобы добавить вариант перевода, кликните по иконке ☰, напротив примера.
Возможные однокоренные слова
freedom — свобода, право, независимость, воля, вольность, приволье, привилегия
freely — свободно, вольно, щедро, широко, обильно
freed — освобожденный
freeing — удаление, воды, освобождение, высвобождение
overfree — слишком свободный, чрезвычайно раскованный
Формы слова
verb
I/you/we/they: free
he/she/it: frees
ing ф. (present participle): freeing
2-я ф. (past tense): freed
3-я ф. (past participle): freed
adjective
срав. степ. (comparative): freer
прев. степ. (superlative): freest
Recent Examples on the Web
ProPublica on Thursday revealed Thomas accepted free luxury vacations worth millions for years, all courtesy of Crow, without disclosing the pricey trips as required by law.
—
oregonlive, 7 Apr. 2023
Lululemon is also offering free memberships to those who are avid fans of the brand.
—Josie Howell | , al, 7 Apr. 2023
Car show admission is $8 for adults, $3 for children age 6 to 12, and free for age 5 and younger.
—Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 6 Apr. 2023
In the national title game April 2, Marshall scored 12 points − knocking down two 3-pointers and going 4-for-4 at the free-throw line − in a 102-85 loss to LSU.
—Shelby Dermer, The Enquirer, 6 Apr. 2023
The crooks can then have free access to your vehicle.
—Kim Komando, USA TODAY, 6 Apr. 2023
There are exceptions: If someone hosts a justice at their own property, free food and lodging don’t have to be disclosed.
—Joshua Kaplan, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2023
The series, which takes place nine years after the events of A New Hope, depicts a galaxy suddenly free from the yolk of imperial control.
—Joshua St. Clair, Men’s Health, 6 Apr. 2023
Most bank accounts allow free cash withdrawals from the bank’s own ATMs, but charge a fee to use any other ATM.
—Nina Derwin, Redbook, 6 Apr. 2023
In 2020, the space agency awarded Axiom Space up to $140 million to make at least one module to attach to the ISS, which c ould eventually be part of a new free-flying station.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Mar. 2023
Verlander helped Houston win the World Series for the second time in six seasons and won his third AL Cy Young Award before signing an $86.7 million, two-year contract with the free-spending Mets.
—San Francisco Chronicle, 14 Feb. 2023
Since late 2020, Xi’s administration has made clear its distaste for the free-wheeling capitalism that tech giants like Alibaba embodied.
—Anders Melin, Fortune, 17 Jan. 2023
But what came next was still to be expected — a year of free-falling.
—Curbed, 21 Dec. 2022
The art also depicted phalluses, free-standing or attached to human figures.
—Bybridget Alex, science.org, 7 Dec. 2022
Nearly all of its world map was a free-roaming open area, but the sections were still cordoned off from one another by way of a central hub town.
—Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 18 Nov. 2022
One particularly stunning route will take you to Bridal Veil Falls, the tallest free-falling waterfall in Colorado.
—Marissa Wolkenberg, Bon Appétit, 26 Sep. 2022
This year, Broward Health wants to expand by building a $25 million free-standing Emergency Room in Sunrise and by spending $6 million to lease and renovate a building across from its main hospital in Fort Lauderdale to move its executive offices and create multipurpose space.
—Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2022
The plan includes trying to get people stabilized and able to support themselves within the 12-month grant period, ideally within a few months to free up more money.
—Ryan Gillespie, Orlando Sentinel, 6 Apr. 2023
The governors of Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa all announced emergency or disaster declarations to help free up immediate funding and assistance for the communities most impacted by the storms.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 3 Apr. 2023
And at just $20, this budget-friendly hack is guaranteed to free up plenty of room in even your carry-on bags.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 2 Apr. 2023
The detergent sheets dissolve completely in the wash, freeing up space for more clothes, towels, or other items.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 1 Apr. 2023
Biden approved a disaster declaration for the state, which frees up federal funds for temporary housing, home repairs and loans to cover uninsured property losses.
—Colleen Long And Michael Goldberg, BostonGlobe.com, 31 Mar. 2023
Along with freeing up space in your refrigerator, investing in a chest freezer may help save you trips to the supermarket.
—Rachel Klein, Popular Mechanics, 30 Mar. 2023
The floor space freed up by putting the plug-in hybrid supercars onto a single assembly line could be used to build Lamborghini’s next new model, a full electric car expected to be unveiled in 2028, WInkelmann said.
—Peter Valdes-dapena, CNN, 29 Mar. 2023
With Freeman and Betts still in their prime, Urías and Kershaw still anchoring the rotation, and more than $100 million in last year’s payroll freed up at the start of the offseason, this could have been a moment for the Dodgers to go all-in.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘free.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
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; available: I think the main conference room is free, so we can meet there.I’m moving to a new apartment, and that’s taking up most of my free time.
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.
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Which sentence is correct?
Idioms about 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
First recorded before 900; Middle English fre, Old English frēo; cognate with Gothic freis, Old High German frī (German frei ), Dutch vrij, Sanskrit priyá- “dear.” Cf. friend, Friday
synonym study for free
OTHER WORDS FROM free
free·ness, nouno·ver·free, adjectiveo·ver·free·ly, adverbqua·si-free, adjective
qua·si-free·ly, adverbun·free, verb (used with object), un·freed, un·free·ing, adjectiveun·free·ly, adverb
Words nearby free
Frederik IX, Frederiksberg, Fredonia, Fredric, Fredrikstad, free, free agent, free air, free-air correction, free alongside ship, free and clear
Other definitions for free (2 of 2)
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.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Words related to free
complimentary, able, at large, clear, easy, independent, loose, open, unfettered, unrestricted, autonomous, democratic, freed, separate, available, empty, unused, big, eager, willing
How to use free in a sentence
-
The advertisements also seemed to target women and working mothers with fat-free snacks to be eaten at work, on the go, and while “kickin’ back.”
-
You cannot think different in a nation where you cannot breathe free.
-
So, in some sense, the Swedes can have this very harmonious redistributive society because they’re free-riding off the cutthroat society.
-
Singapore’s government launched a similar initiative in 2019 when it partnered with Fitbit to provide Singapore residents with free Fitbit fitness trackers if they bought a premium subscription to the company’s coaching program.
-
Time’s Up, an organization that advocates for harassment-free workplaces for women, denounced the host’s use of the phrase.
-
In other words, the free thinker defending freedom of thought.
-
Tend 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.
-
Cambodia, with its seemingly free press, is also a haven for foreign journalists.
-
In other words, the free speech exhibited by the folks at Charlie Hebdo was not virtuous—until there was a body count.
-
What need to look to right or left when you are swallowing up free mile after mile of dizzying road?
-
It seemed to free her of a responsibility which she had blindly assumed and for which Fate had not fitted her.
-
If we can free this State of Yankees, we will accomplish more than your armies down south have.
-
The voice of the orator peculiarly should be free from studied effects, and responsive to motive.
-
Above all, he was amazed to hear me talk of a mercenary standing army in the midst of peace and among a free people.
British Dictionary definitions for free (1 of 2)
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); exempta free market; free from pain
(of a country, etc) autonomous or independent
exempt from external direction or restriction; not forced or inducedfree will
not subject to conventional constraintsfree verse
(of jazz) totally improvised, with no preset melodic, harmonic, or rhythmic basis
not exact or literala free translation
costing nothing; provided without chargefree 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; lavishfree with advice
unrestrained by propriety or good manners; licentious
not occupied or in use; availablea free cubicle
not occupied or busy; without previous engagementsI’m not free until Wednesday
open or available to all; public
without charge to the subscriber or userfreepost; freephone
not fixed or joined; loosethe free end of a chain
without obstruction or impedimentfree passage
chem chemically uncombinedfree 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
grammar denoting a morpheme that can occur as a separate wordCompare bound 1 (def. 8a)
logic denoting an occurrence of a variable not bound by a quantifierCompare bound 1 (def. 9)
(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 quartera 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)
Derived forms of free
freer, nounfreely, adverbfreeness, noun
Word 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)
adj combining form
free fromtrouble-free; lead-free petrol
Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with 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)
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
So the question seems to have become, more generally, «What’s a noun?»
That’s a good question, and worth answering.
Let me start by mentioning the fact that most English speakers’ idea of what noun means comes from grade school
(i.e, what we used to call «grammar school», which is a very ironic term for linguists, since nobody ever learns English grammar in «grammar school» — it’s not taught in Anglophone schools — and nobody ever studies English grammar after «grammar school»).
Consequently, almost all discussion of English grammar conducted by adults is conducted at about the third-grade level, because that’s where one finds the audience. This leads to things like looking up grammatical terms in a dictionary, which is about as useful as looking up natural logarithms in a dictionary. Noun is not defined in advance; it’s determined by use.
Noun (from Latin nomen ‘name’) was one of the Partes Orationis ‘parts of speech’, a categorization from the late Roman Empire that was memorized by every schoolboy learning Latin (which meant every schoolboy) for well over a millennium.
The problem is the usual one with old conceptual machinery that’s been sitting around for 1500 years — parts are rusty and the original use is no longer useful and nobody talks that way any more — so we have new parts of speech, with their own acronym — POS. The problem is that anybody can see there’s more than 8 kinds of word. For sure, noun is one; but there’s different kinds of noun. There’s countable nouns and mass nouns. There’s animate nouns and neuter nouns. There’s abstract nouns and concrete nouns. And that’s only nouns — verbs have many more varieties; verbs run everything.
We were taught in grammar school that nouns are words that mean «a person, place, or thing». That sounds really definitive, until you get to nouns like diagonalization, homeostasis, or presentiment.
In fact, this is precisely backward. Nouns are not always persons, places, or things; but persons, places, and things are always nouns. So it’s part right — the easy third-grade part. As for the rest, it depends in part on how precise you want to get — there are parsers with several hundred POS categories — and in part what kind of analysis you want to do. Nouns in general are distinguished by their use in sentences. There has to be a noun (or at least a pronoun) in every noun phrase, and there has to be a noun phrase in every English sentence — though it doesn’t have to be audible, it does have to be understood.
Only nouns (and pronouns, which are usually easy to recognize because they’re a closed class) can be subjects and objects of verbs in English. Which is to say that
- Anything used as the subject or object of an English sentence can be considered a noun.
This includes multi-word constituents like subordinate clauses and prepositional phrases.
And this mean that being a noun is not a label stuck to a word in a dictionary, but to a constituent in a sentence. For instance, anything, including direct speech, following He said is a noun in that sentence. Any sentence preceding is a shame is a noun in that sentence. One’s an object and the other’s a subject, and there’s an infinite number of each.
OK, so with an adjective that’s got an article, like the free and the brave, you have a fixed phrase that means the free people and the brave people. It’s a common construction with a definite article (the) plus some adjective that can describe a person (or a group of people), where the Adjective means ‘people who are Adjective‘ — the homeless, the depraved, the tall, the college-educated.
In this construction, the meaning is generic, group, and plural; the tall can’t mean ‘the tall person’, the way it can in many languages†, and *a tall doesn’t mean anything at all, since the idiom requires a definite article.
†For instance, Latin. The Latin grammarians who coined the original Parts of Speech did not, in fact, notice adjectives. They considered adjectives to be nouns without intrinsic gender, so they could take their gender from a noun they modified. Other than that, they behaved like nouns and took all the same endings, and an adjective that didn’t modify a noun was taken to be a noun itself — longum ‘long [neut sg nom]’ alone could mean ‘a long thing’, which the Romans correctly identified as a noun phrase, though only by treating longus, -a, -um as a noun. This is why technical terms like noun have to be related to theories that use them.
Continue Learning about Art & Architecture
Can the word free be a noun?
There are a few dictionaries that categorize the word ‘free’ as a noun, a word for ‘free people’. Most dictionaries do not.When the word ‘free’ is used as a noun as in «land of the free…», it can be considered poetic license; an abbreviated way to say «land of the free people…».The word ‘free’ is considered an adjective, an adverb, and a verb.The noun forms for the adjective free are freeness and freedom.The noun forms for the verb to free are freer (liberator or emancipator), and the gerund, freeing.Example sentences for the word ‘free’:My prize was free tickets for a season at the ballpark. (adjective)The stream was running free with the season’s melted snow. (adverb)It was time to free the bird from the rehab center. (verb)
Is ‘safe’ a verb?
No, the word safe is both an adjective and a noun.
Adjective: free from danger.
Noun: a metal box that valuables are locked inside for
safekeeping.
Is smooth an adjective?
Yes (as in After shaving, he had a smooth face again).It means relatively free from friction, not rough or coarse.
Is calendar heavens archaeologist Winnebago written mathematics the hickory fort a noun or a pronoun or an adjective?
calendar = noun and verb
heavens = noun, plural
archaeologist = noun
Winnebago = noun, proper
written mathematics = adjective + noun
the hickory fort = article + noun + noun (the noun ‘hickory’
used to describe the noun ‘fort’ is functioning as a noun
adjunct)
What part of speech is terrorism?
The word terror is a noun. It is mostly an uncountable noun.
3148 synonyms found
Pronunciation:
[ fɹˈiː], [ fɹˈiː], [ f_ɹ_ˈiː]
Related words: free speech definition, what is free speech, what are the limits of free speech, Trump’s free speech executive order, freedom of speech in school, free speech laws, free speech zones, free speech laws in the US, free speech movement
Related questions: