free

adjective

UK /friː/

Word Forms

adjective	free
comparative	freer
superlative	freest

1
something that is free does not cost anything
All talks start at 2.30 pm 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.
Synonyms and related words
Not costing anything
free
complimentary
for nothing
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.
Synonyms and related words
Free and independent
free
independent
self-sufficient
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.
Synonyms and related words
Loose and not held firmly in place
loose
slack
free-floating
4
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.
Synonyms and related words
Free and independent
free
independent
self-sufficient
1. 4a
  allowed to decide for yourself what you do, say, or think, especially without being controlled by someone in authority
  a free people
  a free country/society:
  We like to believe we live in a free society.
  a free election:
  the first free elections in Germany since 1946
  Synonyms and related words
  Free and independent
  free
  independent
  self-sufficient
5
not containing or involving something unpleasant
free from/of:
We want to give all children a world free from violence.
It was a relaxing atmosphere, free of tension.
Within minutes, she was absolutely free of pain.
Synonyms and related words
Empty of people or things
empty
blank
bare
6
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?
Synonyms and related words
Available and to be, or to become available
available
public
spare
1. 6a
  available for someone to use
  Is this seat free?
  There are no free fitting rooms at the moment.
  Synonyms and related words
  Available and to be, or to become available
  available
  public
  spare
7
free time is time when you do not have any work to do, so that you can do whatever you want
Do you have any free time this weekend?
I’ll keep a day free next week for our meeting.
Synonyms and related words
Not busy and not working
available
quiet
off-duty
8
if you are free with your opinions or comments, you say so much that it annoys other people
Synonyms and related words
Talking in a direct way
directly
pointed
emphatic
1. 8a
  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.
  Synonyms and related words
  Words used to describe spending behaviour
  a fool and his money (are soon parted)
  be burning a hole in your pocket
  blank cheque
  Synonyms and related words
  Generous
  generous
  hospitable
  kind-hearted
9
sciencenot combined with another substance, or not attached to anything else
free oxygen
Synonyms and related words
Describing chemicals and chemical processes
active
aerobic
alkaline
10
as free as a bird
completely free
As soon as I finished my exams, I felt as free as a bird.
Submitted by:
Emran Khoshrouye Ghiasi from Iran, Islamic Republic of on 10/03/2018
Open Dictionary - March2018
11
walk free
to be released from custody or prison
He was able to walk free after the charges against him were dropped.
Submitted by:
Emran Khoshrouye Ghiasi from Iran, Islamic Republic of on 18/10/2018
Open Dictionary - October2018

phrases

free and clear

free and easy

make free with something

free

adjective

US /fri/

Word Forms

adjective	free
comparative	freer
superlative	freest

1
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.
Synonyms and related words
Not costing anything
free
complimentary
for nothing
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.
Synonyms and related words
Free and independent
free
independent
self-sufficient
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.
Synonyms and related words
Loose and not held firmly in place
loose
slack
free-floating
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?
Synonyms and related words
Available and to be, or to become available
available
public
spare
1. 4a
  available for someone to use
  Is this seat free?
  There are no free dressing rooms at the moment.
  Synonyms and related words
  Available and to be, or to become available
  available
  public
  spare
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.
Synonyms and related words
Free and independent
free
independent
self-sufficient
1. 5a
  allowed to decide for yourself what you do, say, or think, especially without being controlled by someone in authority
  a free people
  a free country/society:
  We like to believe we live in a free society.
  a free election:
  the first free elections in Germany since 1946
  Synonyms and related words
  Free and independent
  free
  independent
  self-sufficient
6
not containing or involving something unpleasant
free from/of:
We want to give all children a world free from violence.
It was a relaxing atmosphere, free of tension.
Within minutes, she was absolutely free of pain.
Synonyms and related words
Empty of people or things
empty
blank
bare
7
if you are free with your opinions or comments, you say so much that it annoys other people
Synonyms and related words
Talking in a direct way
directly
pointed
emphatic
1. 7a
  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.
  Synonyms and related words
  Words used to describe spending behavior
  a fool and his money (are soon parted)
  be burning a hole in your pocket
  credit history
  Synonyms and related words
  Generous
  generous
  hospitable
  kind-hearted
8
free time is time when you do not have any work to do, so that you can do whatever you want
Do you have any free time this weekend?
I’ll keep a day free next week for our meeting.
Synonyms and related words
Not busy and not working
available
quiet
off-duty
9
sciencenot combined with another substance, or not attached to anything else
free oxygen
Synonyms and related words
Describing chemicals and chemical processes
active
aerobic
alkaline
10
as free as a bird
completely free
As soon as I finished my exams, I felt as free as a bird.
Submitted by:
Emran Khoshrouye Ghiasi from Iran, Islamic Republic of on 10/03/2018
Open Dictionary - March2018
11
walk free
to be released from custody or prison
He was able to walk free after the charges against him were dropped.
Submitted by:
Emran Khoshrouye Ghiasi from Iran, Islamic Republic of on 18/10/2018
Open Dictionary - October2018

phrases

free and clear

free and easy

make free with something

free

adverb

UK /friː/

Word Forms

comparative	freer
superlative	freest

1
without paying any money
We got in free.
for free:
You can’t get anything for free in this world.
free of charge:
Children can stay free of charge.
Synonyms and related words
Not costing anything
free
complimentary
for nothing
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:
The prisoner suddenly broke free and ran towards the car.
Synonyms and related words
Free and independent
free
independent
self-sufficient
3
without being controlled or stopped
dogs running free in the streets
go/walk free (=not be put in prison):
She is appalled that her kidnappers have walked free.
Synonyms and related words
Free and independent
free
independent
self-sufficient

free

adverb

US /fri/

Word Forms

comparative	freer
superlative	freest

1
without paying any money
We got in free.
for free:
You can’t get anything for free in this world.
free of charge:
Children can stay free of charge.
Synonyms and related words
Not costing anything
free
complimentary
for nothing
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:
The prisoner suddenly broke free and ran toward the car.
Synonyms and related words
Free and independent
free
independent
self-sufficient
3
without being controlled or stopped
dogs running free in the streets
go/walk free (=not be put in prison):
She is appalled that her kidnappers have walked free.
Synonyms and related words
Free and independent
free
independent
self-sufficient

free

verb transitive

UK /friː/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	free
he/she/it	frees
present participle	freeing
past tense	freed
past participle	freed

1
to let someone leave a prison or a place where they have been forced to stay
Amnesty International works to free political prisoners.
The hostages were freed unharmed.
Synonyms and related words
Getting out of prison
bail
bail out
be (released) on licence
2
to help someone to 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.
Synonyms and related words
To set a person or animal free
let out
release
untie
3
to remove something unpleasant that affects someone or limits their behaviour
free someone/something from something:
Steps will be taken to free the media from government control.
free someone/something of something:
He has been freed of direct responsibility for his staff.
Synonyms and related words
To set a person or animal free
let out
release
untie
4

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.
Synonyms and related words
General words meaning to give
give
present
hand

phrasal verbs

free up

free

verb transitive

US /fri/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	free
he/she/it	frees
present participle	freeing
past tense	freed
past participle	freed

1
to let someone leave a prison or a place where they have been forced to stay
Amnesty International works to free political prisoners.
The hostages were freed unharmed.
Synonyms and related words
Getting out of prison
bail
bail out
be (released) on license
2
to help someone to 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.
Synonyms and related words
To set a person or animal free
let out
release
untie
3
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 has been freed of direct responsibility for his staff.
Synonyms and related words
To set a person or animal free
let out
release
untie
4

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.
Synonyms and related words
General words meaning to give
give
present
hand

phrasal verbs

free up

free ​‌‌‌

as free as a bird

walk free

free ​‌‌‌

as free as a bird

walk free

free

free

free ​‌‌

free

free up

free ​‌‌

free

free up

free

free

free

free