free

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

adj. at liberty, unrestrained; exempt; gratuitous, free of charge; lavish, profuse. —v. t. unfetter, release; rid [of] (see ejection). See freedom, exemption, nonpayment, liberality.

II

(Roget's IV) modif.

1. [Not restricted politically]

Syn. sovereign, independent, liberated, autonomous, freed, released, delivered, emancipated, freeborn, enjoying democracy, enjoying political independence, democratic, self-governing, self-directing, autarkic, not subject to regulation, released from bondage, self-ruling, enfranchised, unenslaved, unregimented, unregulated, deregulated, decontrolled.

Ant. enslaved, subject, bound.

2. [Not restricted in space; said of persons ]

Syn. unconfined, unconstrained, at large, loose, cast loose, clear of, escaped, let out, let off, unshackled, unfettered, scot-free, free as air, free as a bird, free to come and go, unoccupied, at liberty, at leisure, unengaged, disengaged, available, not tied down, footloose and fancy-free*, on the loose*.

Ant. confined*, imprisoned, restrained.

3. [Not restricted in space; said of things ]

Syn. unimpeded, unobstructed, unhampered, unrestricted, unattached, loose, not held fast, unfastened, clear, open, unentangled, unengaged, disengaged, unoccupied, vacant, available, extricated, untrammeled, clear of, devoid of.

Ant. fixed*, fastened, rooted.

4. [Given without charge]

Syn. gratis, gratuitous, free of charge, without charge, for nothing, free of cost, complimentary, on the house, for free*, for love*, as a comp*, as a freebie*, for a thank-you*, free for nothing*.

Ant. paid*, charged, costly.

5. [Not restricted in speech or conduct]

Syn. candid, lax, loose, freewheeling*; see easy 1 , frank .

6. [Generous]

Syn. liberal, lavish, openhanded; see generous 1 .

• for free*,

Syn. without cost, gratis, for nothing; see free 4 .

• give a free hand*,

Syn. permit, give permission, encourage; see allow 1 .

• make free with*,

Syn. exploit, utilize, appropriate, take liberties with; see use 1 .

• set free,

Syn. release, liberate, discharge, emancipate; see free 1 , release .

• with a free hand,

Syn. generously, lavishly, liberally, freely; see generously 1 .

v.

1. [To set loose]

Syn. liberate, release, discharge, deliver, save, emancipate, rescue, extricate, loose, loosen, unfix, unbind, disengage, undo, set free, set at liberty, let out, let go, let loose, bail out, turn loose, cut loose, relieve, reprieve, restore, absolve, acquit, dismiss, pardon, clear, exonerate, enfranchise, affranchise, ransom, redeem, unfetter, unbind, unshackle, manumit, unchain, disentangle, disenthrall, disimprison, demobilize, untie, unlock, unhand, unbar, let out of prison, parole, open the cage, spring*.

Ant. seize*, capture, incarcerate.

2. [To clear of obstruction or entanglement]

Syn. disengage, clear, disentangle, unfasten, extricate, untangle, disburden, disencumber, free up, relieve, discharge, unload, cast off, put off, empty, unburden, disembarrass, decontaminate.

Syn.- free is the general term meaning to set loose from any sort of restraint, entanglement, burden, etc. [ to free a convict, one's conscience, etc. ] ; release , more or less interchangeable with free , stresses a setting loose from confinement, literally or figuratively [release me from my promise ] ; liberate emphasizes the state of liberty into which the freed person or thing is brought [ to liberate prisoners of war ] ; emancipate refers to a freeing from the bondage of slavery or of social institutions or conventions regarded as equivalent to slavery [emancipated from medieval superstition ] ; discharge implies a being permitted to leave that which confines or restrains [discharged at last from the army ]

III

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus)

I

a.

1. unrestricted liberated, at liberty, emancipated, footloose, independent, autonomous, self-governing, unrestrained, loose, unconfined, sovereign.

2. costing nothing gratis, *on the house, complimentary, no charge.

3. unoccupied clear, open, available, vacant, unused, empty, unengaged.

4. generous lavish, liberal, open-handed, giving, munificent.

ANT.: 1. restricted, enslaved, dependent, imprisoned. 2. costing, *dear, expensive. 3. occupied, busy. 4. cheap, stingy, *tight

II

v.

liberate, release, loose, let go, emancipate, unshackle, discharge, deliver, *spring, clear, extricate, unburden, disencumber, absolve.

ANT.: imprison, enslave, shackle, confine, restrict

IV

(Roget's Thesaurus II) I adjective 1. Able to move about at will without bounds or restraint: loose, unconfined, unrestrained. Idioms: at large, at liberty, free as a bird, on the loose. See FREE. 2. Having political independence: autonomous, independent, self-governing, sovereign. See DEPENDENCE, FREE. 3. Lacking literal exactness: inexact, loose. See PRECISE. 4. Costing nothing: complimentary, gratis, gratuitous. Idiom: on the house. See MONEY. 5. Not spoken for or occupied: open, uninhabited, unoccupied, unreserved. See OWNED. 6. Free from obstructions: clear, open, unblocked, unimpeded, unobstructed. See OPEN. 7. Speaking or spoken without reserve: free-spoken, outspoken, vocal. See RESTRAINT. 8. Characterized by bounteous giving: freehanded, generous, handsome, lavish, liberal, munificent, openhanded, unsparing, unstinting. See GIVE. 9. Done by one's own choice: spontaneous, uncompelled, unforced, volitional, voluntary, willful. See WILLING. 10. Freed from contact or connection: clear. See FREE, STRIKE. II verb 1. To set at liberty: discharge, emancipate, liberate, loose, manumit, release. Slang: spring. Idiom: let loose. See FREE. 2. To rid of obstructions: clear, open, unblock. See OPEN.