free

adjective

\ˈfrē  \

freer; freest

Definition of free 

(Entry 1 of 3)

1: not costing or charging anything a free schoola free ticket

2a: having the legal and political rights of a citizen setting the slave free

b: enjoying civil and political liberty free citizens

c: enjoying political independence or freedom from outside domination This is a free country.

d: enjoying personal freedom : not subject to the control or domination of another You are free to do whatever you want.

3a: not determined by anything beyond its own nature or being : choosing or capable of choosing for itself a player free to negotiate a contract with any team

b: determined by the choice of the actor or performer free actions

c: made, done, or given voluntarily or spontaneously gave his free consent

4a: relieved from or lacking something and especially something unpleasant or burdensome free from paina speech free of political rhetoric—often used in combinationerror-free

b: not bound, confined, or detained by force The prisoner is now free.

5a: having no trade restrictions duty-free imports

b: not subject to government regulation free competition

cof foreign exchange : not subject to restriction or official control

6a: having no obligations (as to work) or commitments I'll be free this evening

b: not taken up with commitments or obligations a free evening

7: having a scope not restricted by qualification a free variable

8a: not obstructed, restricted, or impeded free to leave

b: not being used or occupied waved with his free hand

c: not hampered or restricted in its normal operation

9a: not fastened the free end of the rope

b: not confined to a particular position or place in twelve-tone music, no note is wholly free for it must hold its place in the series— J. L. Stewart

c: capable of moving or turning in any direction a free particle

d: performed without apparatus free tumbling

e: done with artificial aids (such as pitons) used only for protection against falling and not for support a free climb

10a: not parsimonious free spending

b: OUTSPOKENis free in his criticism

c: availing oneself of something without stint she's very free with her money

d: FRANK, OPEN

e: overly familiar or forward in action or attitude a young man who had been much too free with the ladies of the town— Harvey Graham

f: LICENTIOUSinexcusably free talk before the ladies

11a(1): not united with, attached to, combined with, or mixed with something else : SEPARATEfree oresa free surface of a bodily part

(2): FREESTANDINGa free column

b: chemically uncombined free oxygenfree acids

c: not permanently attached but able to move about a free electron in a metal

d: capable of being used alone as a meaningful linguistic form the word hats is a free form— compare BOUND entry 5 sense 7

12a: not literal or exact free translation

b: not restricted by or conforming to conventional forms free skating

13: FAVORABLE —used of a wind blowing from a direction more than six points from dead ahead

14: not allowing slavery was admitted to the Union as a free state

15: open to all comers that most pleasurable of Anglo-Saxon pastimes, a free fight— Winston Churchill

for free

: without charge

free

adverb

Definition of free (Entry 2 of 3)

1: in a free manner

2: without charge

3: with the wind more than six points from dead ahead sailing free

free

verb

freed; freeing

Definition of free (Entry 3 of 3)

transitive verb

1a: to cause to be free

b: to relieve or rid of what restrains, confines, restricts, or embarrasses free a person from debt—often used with upfree up space on the hard drive

c: DISENTANGLE, CLEAR

2obsolete : BANISH