free

See also: -free

English

Etymology

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 (“pleased, loved”), from *preyH- (“to please, love”). Related to friend.

cognates, etc

Germanic cognates include West Frisian frij (“free”), Dutch vrij (“free”), Low German free (“free”), German frei (“free”), Danish, Swedish and Norwegian fri (“free”).

Other cognates include Sanskrit प्रिय (priyá-, “beloved”).

Germanic and Celtic are the only Indo-European language branches in which the PIE word with the meaning of "dear, beloved" acquired the additional meaning of "free" in the sense of "not in bondage". This was an extension of the idea of "characteristic of those who are dear and beloved", in other words friends and tribe members (in contrast to unfree inhabitants from other tribes and prisoners of war, many of which were among the slaves – compare the Latin use of liberi to mean both "free persons" and "children of a family").^[1]^[2]

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-, and is cognate with German freien, Dutch vrijen, Czech přát, Serbo-Croatian prijati, Polish sprzyjać.

Pronunciation

enPR: frē, IPA^(key): /fɹiː/, [fɹɪi̯]
Audio (UK): (file)
Audio (US): (file)
Rhymes: -iː
Homophone: three (th-fronting)

Adjective

free (comparative freer or more free, superlative freest or most free)

(social) Unconstrained.
Synonyms: unconstrained, unfettered, unhindered

Antonyms: constrained, restricted

He was given free rein to do whatever he wanted.
- 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
  Quickly, spirit! / Thou shalt ere long be free.
- 1899, Stephen Crane, chapter 1, in Twelve O'Clock:
  There was some laughter, and Roddle was left free to expand his ideas on the periodic visits of cowboys to the town. “Mason Rickets, he had ten big punkins a-sittin' in front of his store, an' them fellers from the Upside-down-F ranch shot 'em up […] .”
- 2013 August 10, Schumpeter, “Cronies and capitols”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848:
  Policing the relationship between government and business in a free society is difficult. Businesspeople have every right to lobby governments, and civil servants to take jobs in the private sector.
2. Not imprisoned or enslaved.
  Free Blacks
  
  a free man
  
  Antonyms: bound, enslaved, imprisoned
4. Generous; liberal.
  He's very free with his money.
6. (obsolete) Clear of offence or crime; guiltless; innocent.
  - 1679, John Dryden, Oedipus: A Tragedy, page 59:
    My hands are guilty, but my heart is free.
8. Without obligations.
  free time
10. To be enjoyed by anyone freely.
  a free school
  - 1590-2, William Shakespeare, Taming of the Shrew, I, ii:
    Why, sir, I pray, are not the streets as free / For me as for you?
12. (of a government, country) Upholding individual rights.
  Synonym: nonauthoritarian
  
  Antonyms: unfree, authoritarian
  
  the Free World
  
  This is a free country.
14. (software) With no or only freedom-preserving limitations on distribution or modification.
  OpenOffice is free software.
  
  Synonyms: libre, free as in speech, free as in freedom
  
  Antonyms: proprietary, nonfree
  
  Coordinate terms: gratis, free as in beer
16. (software) Intended for release, as opposed to a checked version.
Obtainable without any payment.
- 2013 July 20, “The attack of the MOOCs”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845:
  Since the launch early last year of […] two Silicon Valley start-ups offering free education through MOOCs, massive open online courses, the ivory towers of academia have been shaken to their foundations. University brands built in some cases over centuries have been forced to contemplate the possibility that information technology will rapidly make their existing business model obsolete.
The government provides free health care.

It's free real estate.

Synonyms: free of charge, gratis, costless, feeless; free as in beer

Antonym: see at nonfree

Coordinate terms: libre, free as in speech, free as in freedom
2. (by extension, chiefly used in advertising) Complimentary.
  Buy a TV to get a free DVD player!
(abstract) Unconstrained.
2. (algebra, of an algebraic structure) In any of various technical senses generic, universal.
  1. (most generally, category theory, of an object $F$ in a concrete category, with respect to a set $X$ and a map $i$ from $X$ to the underlying set of $F$ ) Such that any map $f$ from $X$ to the underlying set of an object $A$ in the same category as $F$ induces a map ${\bar {f}}$ from $F$ to $A$ which is compatible with $f$ (i.e. such that $f={\bar {f}}\circ i$ ).
  2. (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.
    The fundamental group of the figure eight is free of rank 2.
  3. (commutative algebra, of a module) Having a linearly independent set of generators (called a basis).
3. (logic, of a variable) Unconstrained by quantifiers.
  $z$ is the free variable in $\forall x\exists y:xy=z$ .
  
  Antonym: bound
4. (programming) Unconstrained of identifiers, not bound.
  Synonym: unbound
  
  Antonym: bound
6. (linguistics) (of a morpheme) That can be used by itself, unattached to another morpheme.
(physical) Unconstrained.
2. Unobstructed, without blockages.
  the drain was free
  
  Synonyms: clear, unobstructed
  
  Antonyms: blocked, obstructed
4. Unattached or uncombined.
  a free radical
  
  Synonyms: loose, unfastened; see also Thesaurus:loose
6. Not currently in use; not taken; unoccupied.
  You can sit on this chair; it's free.
8. (botany, mycology) Not attached; loose.
  In this group of mushrooms, the gills are free.
  - 1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →ISBN, page 7:
    Furthermore, the free anterior margin of the lobule is arched toward the lobe and is often involute […]
10. (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

We had a wholesome, filling meal, free of meat. I would like to live free from care in the mountains.
- 1679-1715, Gilbert Burnet, The History of the Reformation of the Church of England:
  princes declaring themselves free from the obligations of their treaties
- 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
  One morning I had been driven to the precarious refuge afforded by the steps of the inn, after rejecting offers from the Celebrity to join him in a variety of amusements. But even here I was not free from interruption, for he was seated on a horse-block below me, playing with a fox terrier.
(dated) Ready; eager; acting without spurring or whipping; spirited.
a free horse
(dated) Invested with a particular freedom or franchise; enjoying certain immunities or privileges; admitted to special rights; followed by of.
- 1697, John Dryden, “Part 3, line 1245”, in The Hind and the Panther:
  He therefore makes all birds, of every sect, / Free of his farm.
(UK, law, obsolete) Certain or honourable; the opposite of base.
free service; free socage
(law) Privileged or individual; proprietary.
Antonyms: common, nonproprietary

a free fishery; a free warren

Usage notes

The comparatives free-er and freeër and superlatives free-est and freeëst are also attested but rare.

Antonyms

The terms below need to be checked and allocated to the definitions (senses) of the headword above. Each term should appear in the sense for which it is appropriate. For synonyms and antonyms you may use the templates {{syn|en|...}} or {{ant|en|...}}.

unfree

Hyponyms

The terms below need to be checked and allocated to the definitions (senses) of the headword above. Each term should appear in the sense for which it is appropriate. For synonyms and antonyms you may use the templates {{syn|en|...}} or {{ant|en|...}}.

-free

Derived terms

Related terms

friend

Translations

not imprisoned

Afrikaans: vrye (af)
Albanian: lirë (sq) (i/e)
Amharic: ነፃ (näṣ́a)
Arabic: حُرّ (ar) (ḥurr)
Egyptian Arabic: حر (ḥurr)

Moroccan Arabic: حر m (ḥurr)
Armenian: արձակ (hy) (arjak), ազատ (hy) (azat)
Aromanian: lefter
Assamese: মুকলি (mukoli)
Asturian: llibre
Azerbaijani: azad (az)
Bambara: hɔrɔn
Bashkir: ирекле (irekle), азат (azat), бәйһеҙ (bəyheź), хөр (xör)
Belarusian: свабо́дны (be) (svabódny), во́льны (be) (vólʹny)
Bengali: মুক্ত (bn) (mukto), আজাদ (bn) (ajad)
Bikol Central: talingkas (bcl)
Bulgarian: свобо́ден (bg) (svobóden)
Catalan: lliure (ca)
Chinese:
Cantonese: 自由 (zi⁶ jau⁴)

Mandarin: 自由的 (zh) (zìyóu de)
Czech: svobodný (cs), volný (cs)
Danish: fri (da)
Dutch: vrij (nl), los (nl)
Esperanto: libera (eo)
Estonian: vaba (et), prii (et)
Finnish: vapaa (fi)
French: libre (fr)
Friulian: libar
Galician: ceibo (gl) m, libre (gl)
Georgian: თავისუფალი (tavisupali)
German: frei (de)
Gothic: 𐍆𐍂𐌴𐌹𐍃 (freis)
Greek: ελεύθερος (el) (eléftheros)
Ancient: ἐλεύθερος (eleútheros)
Haitian Creole: lib
Hebrew: חופשי / חָפְשִׁי (khofshí)
Hindi: मुक्त (hi) (mukt), आज़ाद (hi) (āzād), स्वतंत्र (hi) (svatantra), रिहा (hi) (rihā)
Hungarian: szabad (hu)
Icelandic: frjáls (is)
Ido: libera (io)
Indonesian: bebas (id)
Ingrian: vappaa
Interlingua: libere (ia)
Irish: saor
Old Irish: sóer
Istriot: leîbaro
Italian: libero (it)
Japanese: 自由 (ja) (じゆう, jiyū)
Jarai: rơngai
Khmer: សេរី (km) (seerəy)
Korean: 자유(自由) (ko) (jayu)
Kurdish:
Central Kurdish: ئازاد (ckb) (azad), ڕزگار (rizgar)

Northern Kurdish: azad (ku), serbest (ku), rizgar (ku)
Latin: līber (la)
Latvian: brīvs
Leonese: ḷḷibru
Lezgi: азад (azad)
Limburgish: vrie (li)
Lithuanian: laisvas (lt)
Lombard: liber (lmo)
Low German: frii, fri
German Low German: free (nds)
Luxembourgish: fräi
Macedonian: слободен (sloboden)
Malay: bebas (ms)
Malayalam: സ്വതന്ത്രം (svatantraṁ)
Manchu: ᠰᡠᠯᡶᠠᠩᡤᠠ (sulfangga)
Maori: herekore
Norman: libre
Norwegian: fri (no)
Occitan: liure (oc)
Old English: frēo
Papiamentu: liber
Persian: آزاد (fa) (âzâd), رها (fa) (rahâ)
Piedmontese: liber
Polish: wolny (pl), swobodny (pl)
Portuguese: livre (pt)
Quechua: qispi (qu)
Romagnol: lèbar
Romanian: liber (ro), slobod (ro)
Russian: свобо́дный (ru) (svobódnyj), во́льный (ru) (vólʹnyj)
Sanskrit: मुक्त (sa) (mukta), स्वतन्त्र (sa) (svatantra)
Scottish Gaelic: saor
Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic: слободан

Roman: slobodan (sh)
Seychellois Creole: lib
Sindhi: آزاد (sd) (āzād)
Slovak: slobodný, voľný
Slovene: svoboden (sl)
Somali: xor
Southern Altai: эркин (erkin)
Spanish: libre (es)
Swahili: huru
Swedish: fri (sv)
Tabasaran: азад (azad)
Tagalog: malaya
Tarantino: lìbbere
Tatar: ирекле (irekle), азат (tt) (azat), бәйсез (bäysez), хөр (xör)
Telugu: విడుదల (te) (viḍudala)
Thai: อิสระ (th) (ìt-sà-rà)
Turkish: özgür (tr)
Udi: азад (azad)
Ukrainian: ві́льний (uk) (vílʹnyj), свобі́дний (uk) (svobídnyj)
Urdu: آزاد (ur) (āzād), سوتنتر (svatantra), مکت (mukt)
Uyghur: ئەركىن (erkin), ھۆر (hör)
Vietnamese: tự do (vi)
Volapük: libik (vo)
Walloon: libe (wa)
Welsh: rhydd (cy)
West Frisian: frijlitten, frij
Yiddish: פֿרײַ (fray)
Zazaki: azad (diq), xoser

obtainable without payment — see free of charge

unconstrained

Albanian: pafre (sq), falas (sq)
Amharic: ነፃ (näṣ́a)
Arabic: حُرّ (ar) (ḥurr)
Egyptian Arabic: حر (ḥurr)
Armenian: ազատ (hy) (azat)
Assamese: মুকলি (mukoli)
Asturian: llibre
Azerbaijani: sərbəst (az)
Bambara: hɔrɔn
Bashkir: иркен (irken)
Catalan: lliure (ca)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 自由的 (zh) (zìyóu de)
Czech: volný (cs)
Danish: fri (da)
Dutch: vrij (nl), los (nl), loslopend (nl)
Esperanto: libera (eo)
Estonian: vaba (et), prii (et)
Finnish: vapaa (fi), rajoittamaton (fi)
French: libre (fr)
Galician: libre (gl) m or f
German: frei (de), ungezwungen (de), freimütig (de), frank und frei (de) (idiomatic)
Gothic: 𐍆𐍂𐌴𐌹𐍃 (freis)
Greek: ελεύθερος (el) (eléftheros), ανεμπόδιστος (el) (anempódistos)
Hebrew: פָּנוּי (panúy)
Hindi: आज़ाद (hi) (āzād), मुक्त (hi) (mukt), स्वतंत्र (hi) (svatantra)
Ido: libera (io)
Interlingua: libere (ia), franc (ia)
Irish: saor, scaoilte, éasca
Old Irish: sóer
Italian: libero (it) m, brado (it) m
Japanese: 自由 (ja) (じゆう, jiyū)
Khmer: ស្រស់ស្រាយ (km) (srɑh sraay)
Korean: 자유적(自由的)이다 (jayujeog-ida)
Kurdish:
Central Kurdish: سەربەست (serbest)

Northern Kurdish: berdayî (ku), aza (ku)
Latin: līber (la)
Latvian: brīvs
Limburgish: vrie (li)
Lindu: naloa
Low German:
German Low German: free (nds)
Macedonian: слободен (sloboden)
Malay: merdeka (ms)
Malayalam: സ്വതന്ത്രം (svatantraṁ)
Maori: māhorahora
Norman: libre
Norwegian: fri (no), løs (no)
Old English: unċīepe
Persian: آزاد (fa) (âzâd)
Polish: wolny (pl), swobodny (pl)
Portuguese: livre (pt)
Romanian: liber (ro), neîmpiedicat
Russian: свобо́дный (ru) (svobódnyj)
Scottish Gaelic: saor
Serbo-Croatian:
Roman: povoljno (sh), voljno (sh), neograničen (sh), slobodan (sh)
Sindhi: چٽل
Sorbian:
Lower Sorbian: lichy
Spanish: libre (es)
Swedish: fri (sv)
Turkish: serbest (tr)
Vietnamese: tự do (vi)
Welsh: rhydd (cy)
Yiddish: פֿרײַ (fray)
Zazaki: serbest

mathematics: unconstrained

Czech: volný (cs)
Finnish: vapaa (fi)
French: libre (fr)
Hungarian: szabad (hu)
Norwegian: fri (no)
Polish: wolny (pl)
Portuguese: livre (pt)
Romanian: liber (ro), nelegat

unobstructed

Albanian: lirë (sq)
Assamese: মুকলি (mukoli)
Azerbaijani: maneə törədilməmiş
Catalan: lliure (ca)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 通暢的 / 通畅的 (zh) (tōngchàng de), 順暢的 / 顺畅的 (zh) (shùnchàng de)
Czech: volný (cs) m
Dutch: vrij (nl), open (nl)
Esperanto: libera (eo)
Estonian: piiramatu, takistamatu
Finnish: auki (fi) (adverb), aukinainen, avoin (fi), esteetön (fi), selvä (fi)
French: libre (fr)
German: frei (de)
Greek: ελεύθερος (el) m (eléftheros), ανεμπόδιστος (el) m (anempódistos)
Hebrew: פָּנוּי (panúy)
Hindi: खुला (hi) (khulā)
Ido: libera (io)
Interlingua: libere (ia), franc (ia)
Italian: libero (it) m
Japanese: そのままの (sono mama no)
Korean: 막힘없다 (makhimeopda)
Kurdish:
Northern Kurdish: vekirî (ku), vebûyî (ku)
Limburgish: vrie (li)
Low German:
German Low German: free (nds)
Macedonian: непречен (neprečen)
Maori: māhorahora
Norman: libre
Norwegian: åpen (no), fri (no)
Polish: wolny (pl), swobodny (pl)
Portuguese: livre (pt)
Romanian: liber (ro), neîmpiedicat
Russian: беспрепя́тственный (ru) (besprepjátstvennyj), свобо́дный (ru) (svobódnyj)
Scottish Gaelic: saor
Serbo-Croatian:
Roman: slobodan (sh), otvoren (sh)
Sindhi: خلاصو
Slovene: prost (sl)
Sorbian:
Lower Sorbian: lichy
Spanish: libre (es), sin obstáculos (es), despejado (es)
Telugu: అడ్డగించని (aḍḍagiñcani)
Turkish: engellenmemiş (tr)
Yiddish: פֿרײַ (fray)

not in use

Arabic: شَاغِر (šāḡir)
Egyptian Arabic: فاضى (fāḍi)
Armenian: ազատ (hy) (azat)
Azerbaijani: boş (az)
Bashkir: буш (buş)
Bulgarian: незает (bg) (nezaet), неизползван (bg) (neizpolzvan)
Burmese: အား (my) (a:)
Catalan: desocupat
Czech: volný (cs)
Finnish: vapaa (fi)
French: libre (fr), disponible (fr)
German: frei (de), unbesetzt
Greek: ελεύθερος (el) m (eléftheros)
Hindi: बेकार (hi) (bekār)
Latvian: brīvs
Macedonian: слободен (sloboden)
Norman: libre
Norwegian: ledig
Persian: آزاد (fa) (âzâd), بی‌کار (bi-kâr)
Polish: wolny (pl)
Portuguese: vago (pt), livre (pt), desocupado (pt)
Romanian: liber (ro), neocupat (ro)
Russian: свобо́дный (ru) (svobódnyj), неза́нятый (ru) (nezánjatyj)
Spanish: libre (es), desocupado (es)
Swedish: ledig (sv)
Telugu: ఉపయోగించని (upayōgiñcani)
Thai: ว่าง (th) (wâang)
Turkish: boş (tr)
Yiddish: פֿרײַ (fray)
Zazaki: veng (diq), bêkar, azad (diq)

without obligations

Abkhaz: аҭацәы (atacʷə)
Albanian: pazënë (sq)
Armenian: ազատ (hy) (azat)
Azerbaijani: sərbəst (az), bağımsız
Bambara: hɔrɔn
Bashkir: буш (buş), ирекле (irekle)
Bulgarian: свободен (bg) (svoboden)
Burmese: အား (my) (a:)
Catalan: lliure (ca)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 自由的 (zh) (zìyóu de), 空閒 / 空閑 / 空闲 (kòngxián)
Czech: volný (cs)
Danish: fri (da)
Dutch: vrij (nl), ongedwongen (nl)
Esperanto: libera (eo)
Estonian: vaba (et)
Finnish: vapaa (fi)
French: libre (fr)
Galician: libre (gl)
German: frei (de)
Greek: ελεύθερος (el) m (eléftheros)
Hebrew: פָּנוּי (panúy), חופשי / חָפְשִׁי (khofshí)
Hindi: निबंधन (hi) (nibandhan)
Hungarian: szabad (hu)
Ido: libera (io)
Interlingua: libere (ia)
Irish: saor
Old Irish: sóer
Italian: libero (it)
Japanese: 自由な (ja) (じゆうな, jiyū na)
Korean: 자의 (ko) (jaui), 자유롭다 (ko) (jayuropda)
Kurdish:
Northern Kurdish: azad (ku), serbest (ku)
Latvian: brīvs
Limburgish: vrie (li)
Macedonian: слободен (sloboden)
Malayalam: സ്വതന്ത്രം (svatantraṁ)
Maori: māhorahora
Ngazidja Comorian: na nafasi
Norman: libre m or f
Norwegian: fri (no), ledig
Old English: frēo
Polish: wolny (pl)
Portuguese: livre (pt)
Quechua: qasi
Romanian: liber (ro) m
Russian: свобо́дный (ru) (svobódnyj)
Scottish Gaelic: saor
Serbo-Croatian:
Roman: bezobavezno, slobodan (sh)
Sindhi: فارِغ, واندو (sd)
Slovene: prost (sl)
Sorbian:
Lower Sorbian: lichy
Spanish: libre (es), exento (es)
Swedish: fri (sv)
Telugu: నిబంధన లేని (nibandhana lēni)
Thai: ว่าง (th) (wâang)
Turkish: serbest (tr), zorunsuz
Vietnamese: rỗi (vi)
Yiddish: פֿרײַ (fray)

software: with very few limitations on distribution or improvement

Albanian: lejuar
Arabic: حُرّ (ar) (ḥurr)
Azerbaijani: azad (az)
Bambara: hɔrɔn
Bashkir: түләүһеҙ (tüləwheź)
Bulgarian: безплатен (bg) (bezplaten)
Catalan: lliure (ca)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 自由的 (zh) (zìyóu de)
Czech: svobodný (cs)
Danish: fri (da)
Dutch: vrij (nl), vrije (nl)
Esperanto: libera (eo)
Estonian: vaba (et)
Finnish: avoin (fi), vapaa (fi)
French: libre (fr)
Galician: libre (gl)
German: frei (de)
Greek: ελεύθερος (el) (eléftheros)
Hebrew: חופשי / חָפְשִׁי (khofshí)
Ido: libera (io)
Interlingua: libere (ia)
Irish: saor
Italian: libero (it), free (it), libre (it) (software)
Japanese: 自由 (ja) (じゆう, jiyuu)
Korean: 자유 (ko) (jayu)
Kurdish:
Northern Kurdish: azad (ku), vekirî (ku), serbest (ku)
Limburgish: vrie (li)
Lithuanian: nemokama (lt)
Macedonian: слободен (sloboden)
Norwegian: fri (no)
Polish: wolny (pl)
Portuguese: livre (pt)
Romanian: gratuit (ro), liber (ro)
Russian: свободный (ru) (svobodnyj)
Serbo-Croatian:
Roman: slobodan (sh)
Sindhi: کليل
Spanish: libre (es)
Swedish: fri (sv)
Telugu: ఉచిత దిగుమతి (ucita digumati)
Turkish: özgür (tr)
Zazaki: xoser

without

Arabic: بِغَيْرِ (biḡayri), بِدُونِ (bidūni)
Armenian: ազատ (hy) (azat)
Bashkir: -һыҙ (-hıź) / -һеҙ (-heź), -һоҙ (-hoź) / -һөҙ (-höź)
Burmese: လွတ်လပ် (my) (lwatlap)
Czech: prostý (cs)
Dutch: zonder (nl), -vrij
Finnish: -ton (fi), ilman (jotakin), -vapaa (fi)
French: sans (fr)
Galician: sen (gl)
German: frei (de), -frei (de), -los (de)
Hebrew: בְּלְי (he)
Hindi: बे (hi) (be), बे- (be-)
Indonesian: bebas (id), tanpa (id)
Irish: gan (ga)
Italian: senza (it)
Low German:
German Low German: free (nds)
Macedonian: без- (bez-), бес- (bes-)
Malay: tanpa (ms)
Norwegian: fri (no), uten (no)
Persian: بدون (fa)
Polish: bez (pl), wolny (pl)
Portuguese: semideus (pt)
Romanian: fără (ro)
Serbo-Croatian: bez-, bes-
Sorbian:
Lower Sorbian: lichy
Telugu: లేకుండా (te) (lēkuṇḍā)
Zazaki: berdos

programming: not bound

Czech: volný (cs)
Finnish: riippumaton (fi)
Hindi: अपरमित (hi) (aparmit), असीम (hi) (asīm)
Portuguese: livre (pt)
Telugu: పరిమితి లేని (parimiti lēni)

mycology: not attached to the stipe

Azerbaijani: zəif (az)
Finnish: irtonainen (fi)
Turkish: gevşek (tr)
Zazaki: sıst (diq)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

Albanian: (i/e) ^{(please verify)} lirë (sq), ^{(please verify)} pa (sq)
Interlingua: ^{(please verify)} libere (ia)
Italian: ^{(please verify)} senza (it)
Lithuanian: (3) ^{(please verify)} be (lt), (4) ^{(please verify)} neribotas
Low German: ^{(please verify)} leddig, ^{(please verify)} ledig
Occitan: (1,3) ^{(please verify)} liure (oc), (2) ^{(please verify)} dobèrt (oc), (5) ^{(please verify)} gratis, (5) ^{(please verify)} gratuït
Serbo-Croatian:
Roman: ^{(please verify)} slobodan (sh) (1), ^{(please verify)} besplatan (sh) (5), ^{(please verify)} oslobođen, ^{(please verify)} pušten (sh)
Slovak: ^{(please verify)} slobodný, ^{(please verify)} bezplatný (sk), (1) ^{(please verify)} slobodný, (1, 2, 4) ^{(please verify)} voľný, (5) ^{(please verify)} bezplatný (sk)
Swedish: ^{(please verify)} fri (sv), ^{(please verify)} lös (sv), ^{(please verify)} släppt (sv)
Tamil: ^{(please verify)} இலவசம் (ta) (ilavacam)
Volapük: ^{(please verify)} libik (vo), ^{(please verify)} livik (vo)
West Frisian: ^{(please verify)} frijlitten, ^{(please verify)} befrijt

Adverb

free (comparative more free, superlative most free)

Without needing to pay.
Synonyms: for free, for nothing, gratis

I got this bike free.
- 1960 December, “The Glasgow Suburban Electrification is opened”, in Trains Illustrated, page 714:
  Above all, the 48-page timetables of the new service, which have been distributed free at every station in the scheme, are a model to the rest of B.R. For the first time on British Railways, so far as we are aware, a substantial timetable has been produced, not only without a single footnote but also devoid of all wearisome asterisks, stars, letter suffixes and other hieroglyphics.
(obsolete) Freely; willingly.
- c. 1601–1602, William Shakespeare, Henry VIII, published 1623:
  I as free forgive you / As I would be forgiven.

Translations

without needing to pay

Albanian: falas (sq)
Arabic: مَجَّانًا (majjānan)
Hijazi Arabic: بِبَلاش (bibalāš)
Armenian: անվճար (hy) (anvčar), ձրի (hy) (jri)
Bulgarian: безплатно (bg) (bezplatno)
Catalan: gratis (ca), gratuïtament (ca), de franc (ca)
Chukchi: эркуркэ (ėrkurkė)
Czech: zadarmo (cs)
Danish: gratis (da)
Dutch: gratis (nl)
Esperanto: senpage
Estonian: tasuta
Finnish: ilmaiseksi (fi)
French: gratuitement (fr), gratis (fr), gratos (fr)
German: gratis (de), umsonst (de)
Hindi: मुफ़्त (muft), निःशुल्क (niḥśulk), फोकट (hi) (phokaṭ)
Hungarian: ingyen (hu)
Icelandic: ókeypis (is)
Indonesian: gratis (id), cuma-cuma (id)
Irish: saor
Italian: gratuitamente (it)
Kabuverdianu: fabal
Latin: grātīs
Latvian: bezmaksas
Macedonian: бесплатно (besplatno)
Malayalam: സൗജന്യം (ml) (saujanyaṁ), സൗജന്യമായി (saujanyamāyi)
Maori: utukore (mi)
Navajo: tʼáá jííkʼe, tʼáadoo bą́ą́h ílíní da
Norwegian: gratis (no)
Plautdietsch: emsonst
Polish: za darmo (pl), bezpłatnie (pl)
Portuguese: grátis (pt), de graça (pt), gratuitamente (pt)
Russian: беспла́тно (ru) (besplátno), да́ром (ru) (dárom)
Scottish Gaelic: an-asgaidh
Spanish: gratis (es), gratiñán, gratarola (es) (Uruguay), de fai, de yapa, de balde, de gracia (es)
Swedish: gratis (sv)
Tagalog: libre, walang bayad, gratis
Tamil: இலவசம் (ta) (ilavacam)
Telugu: చెల్లించనవసరం లేని (celliñcanavasaraṁ lēni)
Thai: ฟรี (th) (frii)
Turkish: bedava (tr)
Welsh: am ddim (cy)
Yiddish: בחינם (bkhinem)
Zazaki: berdos

Verb

free (third-person singular simple present frees, present participle freeing, simple past and past participle freed)

(transitive) To make free; set at liberty; release.
- 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], page 5:
  Pro. […] Spirit, fine ſpirit, Ile free thee / Within two dayes for this.
(transitive) To rid of something that confines or oppresses. [with from]
- 1885, Richard F. Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Night 564:
  Then I walked about, till I found on the further side, a great river of sweet water, running with a strong current; whereupon I called to mind the boat-raft I had made aforetime and said to myself, "Needs must I make another; haply I may free me from this strait. If I escape, I have my desire and I vow to Allah Almighty to forswear travel; and if I perish I shall be at peace and shall rest from toil and moil."
(transitive, programming) To relinquish (previously allocated memory) to the system.
- 2002, Jesse Liberty, SAMS Teach Yourself C++ in 24 Hours, page 148:
  There is no way to access that original area of memory, nor is there any way to free it before the program ends.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

to make free, set at liberty

Afrikaans: bevry, loslaat, laat gaan
Albanian: shkec, liroj (sq)
Arabic: حَرَّرَ (ar) (ḥarrara)
Egyptian Arabic: يحرر (yeḥarrar)
Armenian: ազատել (hy) (azatel)
Belarusian: вызваля́ць impf (vyzvaljácʹ), вы́зваліць pf (výzvalicʹ)
Bulgarian: освобожда́вам (bg) impf (osvoboždávam), освободя́ pf (osvobodjá)
Catalan: alliberar (ca)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 解放 (zh) (jiěfàng)
Czech: osvobozovat impf, osvobodit (cs) pf
Danish: befri, fritage, løslade
Dutch: bevrijden (nl), loslaten (nl), laten gaan
Esperanto: liberi, liberigi
Estonian: vabastama (et), vabaks laskma
Finnish: vapauttaa (fi), päästää vapaaksi
French: libérer (fr), dégager (fr), affranchir (fr)
Galician: liberar (gl)
German: befreien (de), freisetzen (de) (free someone from prison)
Greek: ελευθερώνω (el) (eleftheróno)
Hebrew: שיחרר / שִׁחְרֵר (he) (shikhrér)
Hindi: मुक्त करना (mukt karnā)
Hungarian: kiszabadít (hu), felszabadít (hu), szabadon enged (hu)
Ido: libereskar (io)
Indonesian: membebaskan (id), memerdekakan (id)
Interlingua: liberar (ia)
Irish: saor, fuascail
Italian: liberare (it)
Japanese: 解放する (ja) (かいほうする, kaihō suru)
Korean: 해방(解放)하다 (ko) (haebanghada)
Kurdish:
Central Kurdish: ڕزگار کردن (rizgar kirdin)
Latin: līberō
Latvian: atbrīvot, atsvabināt
Lithuanian: išlaisvinti
Macedonian: ослободува impf (osloboduva), ослободи pf (oslobodi)
Malayalam: സ്വതന്ത്രമാക്കുക (svatantramākkuka)
Maori: whakawātea (mi), wewete, kokiro (from a spell or ritual)
Norman: libéther
Norwegian: frigjøre (no), frigi, befri, løslate
Occitan: desliurar (oc)
Old English: frēoġan
Persian: آزاد ساختن (âzâd sâxtan), آزاد کردن (fa) (âzâd kardan)
Polish: uwalniać (pl) impf, uwolnić (pl) pf, wyzwalać (pl) impf, wyzwolić (pl) pf, oswabadzać impf, oswobodzić (pl) pf
Portuguese: libertar (pt), livrar (pt), soltar (pt)
Romanian: elibera (ro), slobozi (ro)
Russian: освобожда́ть (ru) impf (osvoboždátʹ), освободи́ть (ru) pf (osvobodítʹ), вызволя́ть (ru) impf (vyzvoljátʹ), вы́зволить (ru) pf (výzvolitʹ)
Sanskrit: मुञ्चति (sa) (muñcati)
Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic: ослобађати impf, ослободити pf

Roman: oslobađati (sh) impf, osloboditi (sh) pf
Slovak: oslobodzovať impf, oslobodiť (sk) pf
Slovene: osvobajati impf, osvoboditi pf
Spanish: librar (es), liberar (es), libertar (es)
Swedish: frigöra (sv), befria (sv), frita (sv)(ga)
Telugu: విడుదల చేయు (viḍudala cēyu)
Thai: ปลดปล่อย (th) (bplòt-bplɔ̀i)
Turkish: serbest bırakmak (tr)
Ukrainian: звільня́ти impf (zvilʹnjáty), звільни́ти pf (zvilʹnýty), визволя́ти impf (vyzvoljáty), ви́зволити pf (výzvolyty)
Urdu: فرار, پری, آزاد (ur) (āzād)
Vietnamese: giải phóng (vi) (解放 (vi))
Welsh: rhyddhau (cy)
Yiddish: באַפֿרײַען (bafrayen)

to rid of something that confines or oppresses

Finnish: vapauttaa (fi), päästää (fi)
Hungarian: megszabadít (hu), szabaddá tesz

programming: to relinquish (previously allocated memory) to the system

Finnish: vapauttaa (fi)
Hungarian: felszabadít (hu)

Noun

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.
- 2011 September 21, Sam Lyon, “Man City 2 - 0 Birmingham”, in BBC Sport‎^[2]:
  Hargreaves, who left Manchester United on a free during the summer, drilled a 22-yard beauty to open the scoring.
(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.
The team won the 200 meters free relay.

Translations

abbreviation of free kick

Finnish: vapari (fi)
German: Freistoss (de)

hurling

Irish: poc saor m

References

“free”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “free”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
^ "frei" in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Anagrams

feer, fere, reef

Galician

Verb

free

inflection of frear:
1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
2. third-person singular imperative

Low German

Alternative forms

frie (more common)

Etymology

From Middle Low German vrîe, variant of vrî, from Old Saxon frī, from Proto-Germanic *frijaz, from Proto-Indo-European *priHós (“beloved”). Compare Dutch vrij, West Frisian frij, English free, German frei.

Adjective

free (comparative fre'er, superlative freest)

(rather rare) free

Declension

Positive forms of free

gender		singular			plural
gender		masculine	feminine	neuter	all genders
predicative		he is free	se is free	dat is free	se sünd free
partitive		een Fre'es	een Fre'es	wat Fre'es	allens Fre'e
strong declension (without article)	nominative	fre'e	fre'e	free	fre'e
strong declension (without article)	oblique	fre'en	fre'e	free	fre'e
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	de fre'e	de fre'e	dat fre'e	de fre'en
weak declension (with definite article)	oblique	den fre'en	de fre'e	dat fre'e	de fre'en
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	en fre'e/fre'en	en fre'e	en free/fre'et	(keen) fre'en
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	oblique	en fre'en	en fre'e	en free/fre'et	(keen) fre'en

Comparative forms of free

gender		singular			plural
gender		masculine	feminine	neuter	all genders
predicative		he is fre'er	se is fre'er	dat is fre'er	se sünd fre'er
partitive		een fre'ers	een fre'ers	wat fre'ers	allens fre'er
strong declension (without article)	nominative	fre'ere	fre'ere	fre'er	fre'ere
strong declension (without article)	oblique	fre'ern	fre'ere	fre'er	fre'ere
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	de fre'ere	de fre'ere	dat fre'ere	de fre'ern
weak declension (with definite article)	oblique	den fre'ern	de fre'ere	dat fre'ere	de fre'ern
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	en fre'ere/fre'eren	en fre'ere	en fre'er	(keen) fre'ern
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	oblique	en fre'ern	en fre'ere	en fre'er	(keen) fre'ern

Superlative forms of free

gender		singular			plural
gender		masculine	feminine	neuter	all genders
predicative		he is de Freeste	se is de Freeste	dat is dat Freeste	se sünd de Freesten
strong declension (without article)	nominative	freeste	freeste	freest	freeste
strong declension (without article)	oblique	freesten	freeste	freest	freeste
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	de freeste	de freeste	dat freeste	de freesten
weak declension (with definite article)	oblique	den freesten	de freeste	dat freeste	de freesten
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	en freeste/freesten	en freeste	en freest	(keen) freesten
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	oblique	en freesten	en freeste	en freest	(keen) freesten

Note: This declension is one of many; neither its grammar nor spelling apply to all dialects.

Derived terms

Freeheit

[1] Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “free”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

[2] "frei" in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

[1]

[2]