- free
- free1 [ fri ] adjective ***▸ 1 not costing anything▸ 2 not prisoner/slave/held▸ 3 not tied/fixed▸ 4 available for something▸ 5 not limited by rules▸ 6 not affected by something bad▸ 7 when you talk/give a lot▸ 8 time with no work to do▸ 9 in science▸ + PHRASES1. ) something that is free does not cost anything:All talks start at 2:30 p.m. and admission is free.There is plenty of free parking.free to/for: The swimming pool is free to hotel guests.free gift: You can claim your free gift with your first order.2. ) not a prisoner or a SLAVE:He will soon be a free man again.set someone/something free: He opened the cage and set the eagle free.3. ) not held, tied, or fixed to somewhere:Hand me the free end of the rope.With his free hand he carefully unfastened his belt.get free: Sally struggled to get free from the branches.4. ) available to see someone, do something, or go somewhere:I'm busy at the moment, but I'll be free this afternoon.free for: Are you free for lunch?a ) available for someone to use:Is this seat free?There are no free dressing rooms at the moment.5. ) not limited or controlled by rules:Officials want free access to all suspect nuclear sites.People should have a free choice of lawyers.free to do something: You are free to come and go as you please.a ) allowed to decide for yourself what you do, say, or think, especially without being controlled by someone in authority:a free peoplea free country/society: We like to believe we live in a free society.free speech: We'll defend their right to free speech.a free election: the first free elections in Germany since 19466. ) free from/of not containing or involving something unpleasant:We want to give all children a world free from violence.It was a relaxing atmosphere, free of tension.7. ) free with if you are free with your opinions or comments, you say so much that it annoys other peoplea ) if you are free with something, especially money, you spend or give a lot of it:He's never been particularly free with his cash.8. ) free time is time when you do not have any work to do, so you can do whatever you want: SPARE:Do you have any free time this weekend?I'll keep a day free next week for our meeting.9. ) SCIENCE not combined with another substance, or not attached to anything else:free radicalsfree and clearwithout any limits or conditionsfree and easyrelaxed and pleasant(there's no such thing as) a free lunch MAINLY SPOKENused for saying that even if something seems to not cost anything, there is usually a hidden cost or obligationmake free with something BRITISHto use something that does not belong to you as though it does belong to you=> FEEL1freefree 2 [ fri ] verb transitive **1. ) to let someone leave a prison or a place where they have been forced to stay: RELEASE:Amnesty International works to free political prisoners.The hostages were freed unharmed.a ) to help someone get out of a place:Rescuers managed to free the trapped climbers.free someone/something from something: They helped free the injured driver from the wreckage.2. ) to remove something unpleasant that affects someone or limits their behavior:free someone/something from something: Morphine was given to free her from pain.free someone/something of something: He is to be freed of direct responsibility for his staff.3. ) free or free up to make someone or something available to be used for something else:By scrapping this scheme, the government has freed vital resources.free someone/something for something: We need to free more police officers for street duties.free someone/something to do something: A classroom assistant frees teachers to concentrate on teaching.,free `up phrasal verb transitivesame as FREE 2 3:We can probably free up $20,000 for new computer equipment.freefree 3 [ fri ] adverb1. ) without paying any money:We got in free.do something for free: You can't get anything for free in this world.free of charge: Children can stay free of charge.2. ) out of a fixed position or out of a place where you are being kept:I wriggled one hand free from his grasp.break free: Their prisoner suddenly broke free and ran towards the car.3. ) without being controlled or stopped:dogs running freego/walk free (=not be put in prison): She is appalled that her kidnappers have walked free.
Usage of the words and phrases in modern English. 2013.
