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free

[ free ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

, fre·er [free, -er], fre·est [free, -ist].

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 ( def ).
free from worry;
free of taxes.
having immunity or being safe (usually followed by from ):
free from danger.
provided without, or not subject to, a charge or payment: a free sample.
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 ( 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 bound ¹( def 9 ).
Also . 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 ): -free ( def ).
Our deli meats are free of additives.
(of a linguistic form) occurring as an independent construction, without necessary combination with other forms, as most words. Compare bound ¹( 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 phrase

1. to release, as from restrictions:
  Congress voted to free up funds for the new highway system.
2. to disentangle:
  It took an hour to free up the traffic jam.

-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.”: gluten-free; germfree.
error-free;
gluten-free;
tax-free;
germfree.

free

/ friː /

adjective

able to act at will; not under compulsion or restraint
1. having personal rights or liberty; not enslaved or confined
2. ( as noun )
  land of the free
often postpositiveand foll byfrom 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
1. not subject to payment of rent or performance of services; freehold
2. 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
grammar denoting a morpheme that can occur as a separate word Compare bound 1
logic denoting an occurrence of a variable not bound by a quantifier Compare bound 1
(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

sometimes foll by up to set at liberty; release
to remove obstructions, attachments, or impediments from; disengage
often foll byof or from to relieve or rid (of obstacles, pain, etc)

noun

informal.
a freesheet

-free

combining form

free from
lead-free petrol
trouble-free

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Derived Forms

ˈfreer, noun
ˈfreeness, noun
ˈfreely, adverb

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Other Words From

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) unfreed unfreeing adjective
un·free·ly adverb

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Word History and Origins

Origin of free¹

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.” friend, Friday

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Word History and Origins

Origin of free¹

Old English frēo ; related to Old Saxon, Old High German frī , Gothic freis free, Sanskrit priya dear

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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

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.
free and easy,
1. unrestrained; casual; informal.
2. excessively or inappropriately casual; presumptuous.
make free with,
1. to use as one's own; help oneself to:
  If you make free with their liquor, you won't be invited again.
2. to treat with too much familiarity; take liberties 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.

More idioms and phrases containing free

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)

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Synonym Study

See release.

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Example Sentences

MPs have a free vote on an issue of profound social change, an issue of conscience where many have wrestled with questions ranging from morality to practicality.

From BBC

Local councils are increasingly allowing residents to borrow the devices for free, for example.

From BBC

The campaigns and debate around assisted dying have been unlike any other legislation - in part due to the free vote.

From BBC

The release comes just two months after China freed David Lin, a Christian pastor from California who had spent nearly 20 years behind bars after being convicted of contract fraud.

From Los Angeles Times

But it is hard to predict how a House of Commons, filled with many first-time MPs and given a free vote on the matter, will approach such a significant debate.

From BBC

Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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