Word.ws English Dictionary

free

/fɹiː/

More pronunciations (1)Fewer pronunciations

British/fɹɪj/

free adjective: unconstrained. Also the abbreviation of free kick.

free: unconstrained
Image: Tom Morris, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Adjective

free (comparative freer or more free, superlative freest or most free)

  1. (social) Unconstrained.
    • He was given free rein to do whatever he wanted.
    • Quickly, spirit! / Thou shalt ere long be free.1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published...
    1. (social) Not imprisoned or enslaved.
      • Free Blacks
      • a free man
    2. (social) Generous; liberal.
      • He's very free with his money.
    3. (obsolete, social) Clear of offence or crime; guiltless; innocent.
      • My hands are guilty, but my heart is free.1679, John Dryden, Oedipus: A Tragedy, page 59
    4. (social) Without obligations.
      • free time
    5. (social) To be enjoyed by anyone freely.
      • a free school
      • Why, sir, I pray, are not the streets as free / For me as for you?1590-2, William Shakespeare, Taming of the Shrew, I, ii
    6. (social) Upholding individual rights.
      • the Free World
      • This is a free country.
    7. (social) With no or only freedom-preserving limitations on distribution or modification.
      • OpenOffice is free software.
    8. (social) Intended for release, and omitting debugging diagnostics, as opposed to a checked version.
  2. Obtainable without any payment.
    • The government provides free health care.
    • It's free real estate.
    1. (broadly) Complimentary.
      • Buy a TV to get a free DVD player!
  3. (abstract) Left adjoint to a forgetful functor G; such that any map f:X→G(A) induces a universal map ̄f:F(X)→A.
  4. (abstract) Belonging to the image of some free functor.
  5. (abstract) Having a set of generators which satisfy no non-trivial relations; equivalently, being the group of reduced words on a set of generators.
    • The fundamental group of the figure eight is free of rank 2.
  6. (abstract, commutative algebra) Having a linearly independent set of generators (called a basis).
  7. (abstract) Unconstrained by quantifiers.
    • z is the free variable in #92;forallx#92;existsy#58;xy#61;z.
    Antonyms:
    bound
  8. (abstract) Unconstrained of identifiers, not bound.
    Synonyms:
    unbound
    Antonyms:
    bound
  9. (abstract) (of a morpheme) That can be used by itself, unattached to another morpheme.
  10. (physical) Unobstructed, without blockages.
    • the drain was free
    Synonyms:
    clear, unobstructed
    Antonyms:
    blocked, obstructed
  11. (physical) Unattached or uncombined.
    • a free radical
    • The door finally shook free of its hinges.
  12. (physical) Not currently in use; not taken; unoccupied.
    • You can sit on this chair; it's free.
Show 8 more meaningsShow fewer meanings
  1. (physical) Not attached; loose.
    • In this group of mushrooms, the gills are free.
    • Furthermore, the free anterior margin of the lobule is arched toward the lobe and is often involute[…]1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →ISBN, page 7
  2. (physical) Of a rocket or missile: not under the control of a guidance system after being launched.
  3. Without; not containing (what is specified); exempt; clear; liberated.
    • We had a wholesome, filling meal, free of meat. I would like to live free from care in the mountains.
    • princes declaring themselves free from the obligations of their treaties1679-1715, Gilbert Burnet, The History of the Reformation of the Church of England
    Synonyms:
    without
  4. (dated) Ready; eager; acting without spurring or whipping; spirited.
    • a free horse
  5. (dated) Invested with a particular freedom or franchise; enjoying certain immunities or privileges; admitted to special rights; followed by of.
    • He therefore makes all birds, of every sect, / Free of his farm.1697, John Dryden, “Part 3, line 1245”, in The Hind and the Panther
  6. (UK, obsolete) Certain or honourable; the opposite of base.
    • free service; free socage
  7. Privileged or individual; proprietary.
    • a free fishery; a free warren
  8. (US, slang) Having oversteer.
    Synonyms:
    loose

Adverb

free (comparative more free, superlative most free)

  1. Without needing to pay.
    • I got this bike free.
    • Above all, the 48-page timetables of the new service, which have been distributed free at every station in the scheme, are a model to the rest of B.R. For the first time on British Railways, so far as we are aware, a substantial timetable has been produced, not only without a single footnote but...1960 December, “The Glasgow Suburban Electrification is opened”, in Trains Illustrated, page 714
  2. (obsolete) Freely; willingly.
    • I as free forgive you / As I would be forgiven.c. 1601–1602, William Shakespeare, Henry VIII, published 1623

Verb

free (third-person singular simple present frees, present participle freeing, simple past and past participle freed)

  1. (transitive) To make free; set at liberty; release.
    • Pro.[…]Spirit, fine ſpirit, Ile free thee / Within two dayes for this.1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published...
    • Liberia was founded in 1822 by the American Colonization Society whose goal was to resettle freed slaves in Africa.2025 July 9, Mitchell McCluskey and Larry Madowo, “Trump praises ‘good English’ of Liberian president, prompting criticism across Africa”, in CNN
  2. (transitive) To rid of something that confines or oppresses.
    • Then I walked about, till I found on the further side, a great river of sweet water, running with a strong current; whereupon I called to mind the boat-raft I had made aforetime and said to myself, "Needs must I make another; haply I may free me from this strait. If I escape, I have my desire and I...1885, Richard F. Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Night 564
  3. (transitive) To relinquish (previously allocated memory) to the system.
    • There is no way to access that original area of memory, nor is there any way to free it before the program ends.2002, Jesse Liberty, SAMS Teach Yourself C++ in 24 Hours, page 148

Noun

free (plural frees)

  1. A free transfer.
    • Hargreaves, who left Manchester United on a free during the summer, drilled a 22-yard beauty to open the scoring.2011 September 21, Sam Lyon, “Man City 2 - 0 Birmingham”, in BBC Sport
  2. (hurling) The usual means of restarting play after a foul is committed, where the non-offending team restarts from where the foul was committed.

Proper noun capitalized: Free

Free (countable and uncountable, plural Frees)

  1. A surname.
  2. An unincorporated community in Parish Grove Township, Benton County, Indiana, United States.

Also used as

free is also the abbreviation of free kick.

free is also the abbreviation of freestyle.

free is also the pronunciation spelling of three.

free meaning in Hindi, Tamil, Urdu and Bengali

free in Hindi

unconstrained
आज़ाद āzād, मुक्त mukt, स्वतंत्र svatantra
not imprisoned
मुक्त mukt, आज़ाद āzād, स्वतंत्र svatantra, रिहा rihā
without obligations
निबंधन nibandhan
programming: not bound
अपरमित aparmit, असीम asīm

free in Tamil

without needing to pay
இலவசம் ilavacam

free in Urdu

not imprisoned
آزاد āzād, سوتنتر svatantra, مکت mukt
to make free, set at liberty
فرار, پری, آزاد āzād

free in Bengali

not imprisoned
মুক্ত mukto, আজাদ ajad
More languagesFewer languages
free in Telugu
విడుదల viḍudala, నిబంధన లేని nibandhana lēni, ఉచిత దిగుమతి ucita digumati, పరిమితి లేని parimiti lēni
free in Malayalam
സ്വതന്ത്രം svatantraṁ, സൗജന്യം saujanyaṁ, സൗജന്യമായി saujanyamāyi, സ്വതന്ത്രമാക്കുക svatantramākkuka
free in Kannada
ಮುಕ್ತವಾಗಿ
free in Punjabi
ਆਜ਼ਾਦ ਕਰਨਾ, ਅਜ਼ਾਦ ਕਰਨਾ
free in Gujarati
નવરું navrũ
free in Odia
ମୁକ୍ତ
free in Sanskrit
मुक्त mukta, स्वतन्त्र svatantra, मुञ्चति muñcati
free in Assamese
মুকলি mukoli
free in Tagalog
malaya, libre, walang bayad, gratis
free in Arabic
حُرّ ḥurr, شَاغِر šāḡir, فَاضٍ fāḍin, بِغَيْرِ biḡayri
free in Malay
merdeka, bebas, tanpa
free in Indonesian
bebas, tanpa, gratis, cuma-cuma
free in Persian
آزاد âzâd, رها rahâ, بیکار bi-kâr, بدون
free in Thai
อิสระ ìt-sà-rà, ว่าง wâang, ฟรี frii, ปลดปล่อย bplòt-bplɔ̀i
free in Vietnamese
tự do, rỗi, rảnh, giải phóng
free in Myanmar
အား a:, လွတ်လပ် lwatlap
Sindhi
چٽل cṭl, آزاد āzād, فارِغ fāriġ, واندو vā̃do

Examples of free in a sentence

  • There was some laughter, and Roddle was left free to expand his ideas on the periodic visits of cowboys to the town.1899, Stephen Crane, chapter 1, in Twelve O'Clock:
  • Policing the relationship between government and business in a free society is difficult.2013 August 10, Schumpeter, “Cronies and capitols”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848, archived from the original on 10 Mar 2023:
  • The country is part of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which encourages further economic integration with the E.U.2026 August 18, Tiago Ventura, “Iceland’s E.U. Referendum, Explained”, in TIME:
  • He backed Americans in their campaign for freedom from British taxation.2014 July 5, “Freedom fighter”, in The Economist, volume 412, number 8894, archived from the original on 11 Mar 2023:

All 40 example sentences with free

Synonyms of free

22 more synonymsFewer synonyms

Antonyms

3 more antonymsFewer antonyms

All synonyms and antonyms of free

Forms of free

Adjective
comparativefreer
comparativemore free
superlativefreest
superlativemost free
Adverb
comparativemore free
superlativemost free
Verb
third-person singular presentfrees
present participlefreeing
past participlefreed
pastfreed
Noun
pluralfrees
Proper noun
pluralFrees

Past tense of free: freed

Plural of free: frees

Origin of free

From Middle English fre, from Old English frēo, frēoh, frī, friġ, frīoh (“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; to love”). Related to friend. cognates, etc Germanic cognates include Scots fre (“free”), North Frisian frai, frei, fri, Frii (“free”), Saterland Frisian fräi (“free”), West Frisian frij (“free”), Dutch vrij (“free”), German frei (“free”), Low German free (“free”), Luxembourgish fräi (“free”), Vilamovian frȧj (“free”), Yiddish פֿרײַ (fray, “free”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish fri (“free”), Faroese fríur (“free”), Gothic 𐍆𐍂𐌴𐌹𐍃 (freis, “free”). Other cognates include Cornish rydh (“free”), Welsh rhydd (“free”), Latin propriō (“to appropriate”), Czech přát (“to wish; to favour”), Polish sprzyjać (“to favour, foster”), Serbo-Croatian прѝјати, prìjati (“to please, taste, suit; to be agreeable, relish”), Slovak priať (“to wish”), Avestan 𐬟𐬭𐬌𐬌𐬀 (friia, “good, pleasant”), Persian فری (fari, “beloved, dear; agreeable, pleasing”), Sanskrit प्रिय (priya, “beloved”). Germanic and Celtic are the only Indo-European...

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.

English surname, from Old English freo (“freeborn”).

Words formed from free

Phrases with free

171 more phrasesFewer phrases

Words that rhyme with free

48 more rhymesFewer rhymes

Questions about free

What does free mean?
Free means unconstrained.
What is free in Hindi?
Free in Hindi is आज़ाद (āzād), मुक्त (mukt), स्वतंत्र (svatantra). See Free meaning in Hindi.
How do you use free in a sentence?
There was some laughter, and Roddle was left free to expand his ideas on the periodic visits of cowboys to the town.
What part of speech is free?
Free can be an adjective, an adverb, a verb or a noun.
How do you pronounce free?
Free is pronounced /fɹiː/ (UK).

Words near free in the dictionary

  1. fredrikssonite
  2. fredrikssonites
  3. Fredrikstad
  4. Freds
  5. Fredward
  6. free
  7. free abelian group
  8. free abelian groups
  9. free agencies
  10. free agency
  11. free agent

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: free (page history and authors); Free (page history and authors); free (Kannada, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); free (Punjabi, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); free (Odia, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated:

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: En-uk-free.ogg, En-us-free.ogg.

Cite this entry: “free.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/free. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.