civil liberty noun

(often in pl) personal freedom of thought, word, action, etc

civil list noun

1. Formerly, a list of charges for civil government purposes
2. Now a fixed annual sum provided by Parliament to meet the sovereign's expenses incurred as head of state (civil list pensions those granted by royal favour)

civil marriage noun

A marriage performed by an official who is not a clergyman and involving a civil contract without religious ceremony and vows

civil partnership or civil union noun

An agreement between two people, usu of the same sex, giving them a legal status similar to that of a married couple

civil rights plural noun

(often with caps) the rights of a citizen to personal freedom, ie political, racial, legal, social, etc

civil-rightsˈ adjective

civil servant noun

A person who works in the civil service, the paid service of the state chiefly in public administration (other than military, naval, legislative and judicial)

civˈil-suited adjective (Milton)

Sombrely clad

civil twilight noun (astronomy)

The interval of time during which the sun is between the horizon and 6º below the horizon, morning and evening

civil union see civil partnership above.

civil war noun

A war between citizens of the same state

civil year see under year

liberty /libˈər-ti/

1. Freedom from constraint, captivity, slavery or tyranny
2. Freedom to do as one pleases
3. The unrestrained enjoyment of natural rights
4. Power of free choice
5. Privilege
6. Permission
7. Free range
8. Leisure
9. Disposal
10. The bounds within which certain privileges are enjoyed
11. (often in pl) a limited area outside a prison in which prisoners were allowed to live (archaic)
12. Presumptuous, improper or undue freedom of speech or action
13. Speech or action violating ordinary civility

libertāˈrian noun

1. A believer in free will
2. A person who believes in the maximum amount of freedom of thought, behaviour, etc

Of or relating to libertarians or libertarianism

libertāˈrianism noun

liberticīˈdal adjective

liberˈticide noun

1. A destroyer of liberty
2. Destruction of liberty

libˈertinage (also /-ûrtˈ/) noun

Debauchery

libˈertine /-tēn, -tin or -tīn/ noun

1. A person who leads a licentious life, a rake or debauchee
2. Orig a freedman
3. Formerly a person who professed free opinions, esp in religion

1. Unrestrained
2. Licentious
3. Belonging to a freedman

libˈertinism noun

libˈerty-boat noun

A boat for liberty-men (see below)

liberty bodice noun

An undergarment like a vest formerly often worn by children

liberty cap noun

1. Same as cap of liberty (see under cap¹)
2. A yellowish-brown conical-capped mushroom producing the drug psilocybin

Liberty Hall noun (informal; also without caps)

A place where one may do as one likes

liberty horse noun

A circus horse that, as one of a group and without a rider, carries out movements on command

libˈerty-man noun

A sailor with permission to go ashore

liberty of indifference noun

Freedom of the will

liberty of the press noun

Freedom to print and publish without government permission

liberty ship noun

A prefabricated all-welded cargo-ship mass-produced in the USA during World War II

at liberty

1. Not restrained or constrained, free
2. Unoccupied
3. Available

civil liberty

1. Freedom of an individual within the law
2. Individual freedom as guaranteed by a country's laws

take liberties with

1. To treat with undue freedom or familiarity, or indecently
2. To falsify

take the liberty

To venture or presume