free

== English == === Pronunciation === enPR: frē, (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /fɹiː/, [fɹɪi̯] (General American) IPA(key): /fɹi/ Homophone: three (th-fronting) Rhymes: -iː === Etymology 1 === 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. ==== Adjective ==== free (comparative freer or more free, superlative freest or most free) (social) Unconstrained. Synonyms: unconstrained, unfettered, unhindered, quit 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. Synonym: nonauthoritarian Antonyms: unfree, authoritarian (software) With no or only freedom-preserving limitations on distribution or modification. Synonyms: libre, free as in speech, free as in freedom Antonyms: proprietary, nonfree Coordinate terms: gratis, free as in beer (software) Intended for release, and omitting debugging diagnostics, as opposed to a checked version. Obtainable without any payment. 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 (by extension, chiefly used in advertising) Complimentary. (abstract) Unconstrained. (algebra, of an algebraic structure) In any of various technical senses generic, universal. (category theory, of a functor F {\displaystyle F} ) Left adjoint to a forgetful functor G {\displaystyle G} ; such that any map f : X → G ( A ) {\displaystyle f:X\to G(A)} induces a universal map f ¯ : F ( X ) → A {\displaystyle {\bar {f}}:F(X)\to A} . (category theory, of an object) Belonging to the image of some free functor. (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; proprietary. Antonyms: common, nonproprietary ===== Usage notes ===== The comparatives free-er and freeër and superlatives free-est and freeëst are also attested but rare. ===== Antonyms ===== unfree ===== Hyponyms ===== -free ===== Hyponyms ===== ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Related terms ===== friend ===== Translations ===== ==== Adverb ==== free (comparative more free, superlative most free) Without needing to pay. Synonyms: for free, for nothing, gratis (obsolete) Freely; willingly. ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === 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. ==== 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. (transitive) To rid of something that confines or oppresses. [with from] (transitive, programming) To relinquish (previously allocated memory) to the system. ===== Synonyms ===== befree emancipate let loose liberate manumit release unchain unfetter unshackle ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 3 === ==== Noun ==== free (plural frees) (Australian rules football, Gaelic football) Abbreviation of free kick. 2006, [2]: 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. ===== Translations ===== === References === “free”, in OneLook Dictionary Search. === Anagrams === feer, fere, reef == Galician == === Verb === free inflection of frear: first/third-person singular present subjunctive 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 ==== ==== Derived terms ==== Freeheit