free
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.
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-.
enPR: frē, IPA(key): /fɹiː/, [fɹɪi̯]
Rhymes: -iː
Homophone: three (with th-fronting)
free (comparative freer or more free, superlative freest or most free)
(social) Unconstrained.
Synonyms: unconstrained, unfettered, unhindered
Antonyms: constrained, restricted
Not imprisoned or enslaved.
Antonyms: bound, enslaved, imprisoned
Generous; liberal.
(obsolete) Clear of offence or crime; guiltless; innocent.
Without obligations.
To be enjoyed by anyone freely.
(of a government, country) Upholding individual rights.
(software) With no or only freedom-preserving limitations on distribution or modification.
Synonym: libre
Antonyms: proprietary, nonfree
(software) Intended for release, as opposed to a checked version.
Obtainable without any payment.
Synonyms: free of charge, gratis
(by extension, chiefly used in advertising) Complimentary.
(abstract) Unconstrained.
(algebra, of an algebraic structure) In any of various technical senses generic, universal.
(most generally, category theory, of an object
F
{\displaystyle F}
in a concrete category, with respect to a set
X
{\displaystyle X}
and a map
i
{\displaystyle i}
from
X
{\displaystyle X}
to the underlying set of
F
{\displaystyle F}
) Such that any map
f
{\displaystyle f}
from
X
{\displaystyle X}
to the underlying set of an object
A
{\displaystyle A}
in the same category as
F
{\displaystyle F}
induces a map
f
¯
{\displaystyle {\bar {f}}}
from
F
{\displaystyle F}
to
A
{\displaystyle A}
which is compatible with
f
{\displaystyle f}
(i.e. such that
f
=
f
¯
∘
i
{\displaystyle f={\bar {f}}\circ i}
).
(group theory, of a group) Having a set of generators which satisfy no non-trivial relations; equivalently, being the group of reduced words on a set of generators.
(commutative algebra, of a module) Having a linearly independent set of generators (called a basis).
(logic, of a variable) Unconstrained by quantifiers.
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.
(physical) Unconstrained.
Unobstructed, without blockages.
Synonyms: clear, unobstructed
Antonyms: blocked, obstructed
Unattached or uncombined.
Synonyms: loose, unfastened; see also Thesaurus:loose
Not currently in use; not taken; unoccupied.
(botany, mycology) Not attached; loose.
(military) Of a rocket or missile: not under the control of a guidance system after being launched.
Without; not containing (what is specified); exempt; clear; liberated.
Synonym: without
(dated) Ready; eager; acting without spurring or whipping; spirited.
(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.
(law) Privileged or individual; the opposite of common.
The comparatives free-er and freeër and superlatives free-est and freeëst are also attested but rare.
unfree
-free
friend
free (comparative more free, superlative most free)
Without needing to pay.
Synonyms: for free, for nothing, gratis
(obsolete) Freely; willingly.
free (third-person singular simple present frees, present participle freeing, simple past and past participle freed)
(transitive) To make free; set at liberty; release.
(transitive) To rid of something that confines or oppresses.
(transitive, programming) To relinquish (previously allocated memory) to the system.
befree
emancipate
let loose
liberate
manumit
release
unchain
unfetter
unshackle
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.
(soccer) A free transfer.
(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.
“free”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
feer, fere, reef
free
inflection of frear:
first/third-person singular present subjunctive
third-person singular imperative
frie (more common)
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.
free (comparative fre'er, superlative freest)
(rather rare) free
Freeheit