liberty

¹

[ lib-er-tee ]

noun

, plural lib·er·ties.

1. freedom from arbitrary or despotic government or control.
2. freedom from external or foreign rule; independence.
3. freedom from control, interference, obligation, restriction, hampering conditions, etc.; power or right of doing, thinking, speaking, etc., according to choice.
4. freedom from captivity, confinement, or physical restraint:

   The prisoner soon regained his liberty.

   Synonyms: liberation

5. permission granted to a sailor, especially in the navy, to go ashore.
6. freedom or right to frequent or use a place:

   The visitors were given the liberty of the city.

   Synonyms: immunity, privilege, license, permission, franchise

7. unwarranted or impertinent freedom in action or speech, or a form or instance of it:

   to take liberties.

8. a female figure personifying freedom from despotism.

Liberty

²

[ lib-er-tee ]

noun

1. a town in W Missouri.

liberty

/ ˈlɪbətɪ /

noun

1. the power of choosing, thinking, and acting for oneself; freedom from control or restriction
2. the right or privilege of access to a particular place; freedom
3. often plural a social action regarded as being familiar, forward, or improper
4. often plural an action that is unauthorized or unwarranted in the circumstances

   he took liberties with the translation

5. 1. authorized leave granted to a sailor
   2. ( as modifier )

      liberty man

      liberty boat

6. at liberty
   free, unoccupied, or unrestricted
7. take liberties
   to be overfamiliar or overpresumptuous (with)
8. take the liberty
   to venture or presume (to do something)

Word History and Origins

Origin of liberty¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English liberte, from Middle French, from Latin lībertāt-, stem of lībertās, equivalent to līber “free” + -tās -ty ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of liberty¹

C14: from Old French liberté, from Latin lībertās, from līber free

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. at liberty,
   1. free from captivity or restraint.
   2. unemployed; out of work.
   3. free to do or be as specified:

      You are at liberty to leave at any time during the meeting.

More idioms and phrases containing liberty

see at liberty ; take the liberty of .

Synonym Study

See freedom.

Example Sentences

Rumors of Penske’s interest in purchasing the Long Beach race have been swirling for months, with the long list of other interested buyers said to include the France family, founders of NASCAR; Mark Walter, chairman of the Dodgers’ ownership group; and Liberty Media, which has a stake in Formula 1 racing.

From Los Angeles Times

The constitutional courts have rewritten what democracy, what voting, what liberty, what the presidency means in order to get us here.

From Slate

Trump himself was quite attentive to “your Bitcoin, your crypto, and everything else that you’re playing with” this election cycle: speaking at the Bitcoin 2024 conference, launching his own NFT “trading cards,” and even helming his own flopping crypto trading business, World Liberty Financial.

From Slate

Unlike President Biden, whose administration has sought to rein in cryptocurrency, Trump has done an about-face from earlier skepticism to embrace them, having even promoted a crypto-based business in September, World Liberty Financial.

From Los Angeles Times

After the election, however, she posted the photo of a weeping Lady Liberty with the caption, "Despair is not an option."

From Salon