free Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun people who are free
    free people.
    • the home of the free and the brave
  2. verb grant freedom to; free from confinement
    unloosen; unloose; loose; release; liberate.
  3. verb relieve from
    disembarrass; rid.
    • Rid the house of pests
  4. verb remove or force out from a position
    dislodge.
    • The dentist dislodged the piece of food that had been stuck under my gums
    • He finally could free the legs of the earthquake victim who was buried in the rubble
  5. verb grant relief or an exemption from a rule or requirement to
    relieve; exempt.
    • She exempted me from the exam
  6. verb make (information) available for publication
    release.
    • release the list with the names of the prisoners
  7. verb free from obligations or duties
    discharge.
  8. verb free or remove obstruction from
    disengage.
    • free a path across the cluttered floor
  9. verb let off the hook
    absolve; justify.
    • I absolve you from this responsibility
  10. verb part with a possession or right
    release; relinquish; give up; resign.
    • I am relinquishing my bedroom to the long-term house guest
    • resign a claim to the throne
  11. verb release (gas or energy) as a result of a chemical reaction or physical decomposition
    release; liberate.
  12. verb make (assets) available
    release; unblock; unfreeze.
    • release the holdings in the dictator's bank account
  13. adjective able to act at will; not hampered; not under compulsion or restraint
    • free enterprise
    • a free port
    • a free country
    • I have an hour free
    • free will
    • free of racism
    • feel free to stay as long as you wish
    • a free choice
  14. adjective unconstrained or not chemically bound in a molecule or not fixed and capable of relatively unrestricted motion
    • free expansion
    • free oxygen
    • a free electron
  15. adjective satellite costing nothing
    costless; complimentary; gratis; gratuitous.
    • complimentary tickets
    • free admission
  16. adjective satellite not occupied or in use
    • a free locker
    • a free lane
  17. adjective satellite not fixed in position
    detached.
    • the detached shutter fell on him
    • he pulled his arm free and ran
  18. adjective not held in servitude
    • after the Civil War he was a free man
  19. adjective satellite not taken up by scheduled activities
    spare.
    • a free hour between classes
    • spare time on my hands
  20. adjective satellite completely wanting or lacking
    barren; devoid; destitute; innocent.
    • writing barren of insight
    • young recruits destitute of experience
    • innocent of literary merit
    • the sentence was devoid of meaning
  21. adjective satellite not literal
    loose; liberal.
    • a loose interpretation of what she had been told
    • a free translation of the poem
  22. adverb without restraint
    loose.
    • cows in India are running loose

WordNet

Free adjective
Etymology
OE. fre, freo, AS. freó, fri; akin to D. vrij, OS. & OHG. fri, G. frei, Icel. fri, Sw. & Dan. fri, Goth. freis, and also to Skr. prija beloved, dear, fr. pri to love, Goth. frijn. Cf. Affray, Belfry, Friday, Friend, Frith inclosure.
Wordforms
comparative Freer ; superlative Freest
Definitions
  1. Exempt from subjection to the will of others; not under restraint, control, or compulsion; able to follow one's own impulses, desires, or inclinations; determining one's own course of action; not dependent; at liberty.
    That which has the power, or not the power, to operate, is that alone which is or is not free. Locke.
  2. Not under an arbitrary or despotic government; subject only to fixed laws regularly and fairly administered, and defended by them from encroachments upon natural or acquired rights; enjoying political liberty.
  3. Liberated, by arriving at a certain age, from the control of parents, guardian, or master.
  4. Not confined or imprisoned; released from arrest; liberated; at liberty to go.
    Set an unhappy prisoner free. Prior.
  5. Not subjected to the laws of physical necessity; capable of voluntary activity; endowed with moral liberty; -- said of the will.
    Not free, what proof could they have given sincere Of true allegiance, constant faith, or love. Milton.
  6. Clear of offense or crime; guiltless; innocent.
    My hands are guilty, but my heart is free. Dryden.
  7. Unconstrained by timidity or distrust; unreserved; ingenuous; frank; familiar; communicative.
    He was free only with a few. Milward.
  8. Unrestrained; immoderate; lavish; licentious; -- used in a bad sense.
    The critics have been very free in their censures. Felton.
    A man may live a free life as to wine or women. Shelley.
  9. Not close or parsimonious; liberal; open-handed; lavish; as, free with his money.
  10. Exempt; clear; released; liberated; not encumbered or troubled with; as, free from pain; free from a burden; -- followed by from, or, rarely, by of.
    Princes declaring themselves free from the obligations of their treaties. Bp. Burnet.
  11. Characteristic of one acting without restraint; charming; easy.
  12. Ready; eager; acting without spurring or whipping; spirited; as, a free horse.
  13. Invested with a particular freedom or franchise; enjoying certain immunities or privileges; admitted to special rights; -- followed by of.
    He therefore makes all birds, of every sect, Free of his farm. Dryden.
  14. 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; as, a free school.
    Why, sir, I pray, are not the streets as free For me as for you? Shak.
  15. Not gained by importunity or purchase; gratuitous; spontaneous; as, free admission; a free gift.
  16. 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.
  17. (O. Eng. Law) Certain or honorable; the opposite of base; as, free service; free socage. Burrill.
  18. (Law) Privileged or individual; the opposite of common; as, a free fishery; a free warren. Burrill.
  19. Not united or combined with anything else; separated; dissevered; unattached; at liberty to escape; as, free carbonic acid gas; free cells.
Free adverb
Definitions
  1. Freely; willingly. Obs.
    I as free forgive you As I would be forgiven. Shak.
  2. Without charge; as, children admitted free.
Free transitive verb
Etymology
OE. freen, freoien, AS. freógan. See Free, a.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Freed ; present participle & verbal noun Freeing
Definitions
  1. To make free; to set at liberty; to rid of that which confines, limits, embarrasses, oppresses, etc.; to release; to disengage; to clear; -- followed by from, and sometimes by off; as, to free a captive or a slave; to be freed of these inconveniences. Clarendon.
    Our land is from the rage of tigers freed. Dryden.
    Arise, . . . free thy people from their yoke. Milton.
  2. To remove, as something that confines or bars; to relieve from the constraint of.
    This master key Frees every lock, and leads us to his person. Dryden.
  3. To frank. Obs. Johnson.

Webster 1913