• enPR: frē, IPA: /fɹiː/, [fɹɪi̯]

free (comparative freer, superlative freest)

1. (social) Unconstrained.

   He was given free rein to do whatever he wanted.

   • 1610-11?, Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act V, scene i:

     Quickly, spirit! / Thou shalt ere long be free.

   Synonyms: unconstrained, unfettered, unhindered
   Antonyms: constrained, restricted
   1. Not imprisoned or enslaved.

      a free man

      Antonyms: bound, enslaved, imprisoned

   2. Unconstrained by timidity or distrust

      Synonyms: unreserved, frank, communicative

   3. Generous; liberal.

      He's very free with his money.

   4. (obsolete) Clear of offence or crime; guiltless; innocent.
   5. Without obligations.

      free time

   6. Thrown open, or made accessible, to all; to be enjoyed without limitations; unrestricted; not obstructed, engrossed, or appropriated; open; said of a thing to be possessed or enjoyed.

      a free school

   7. Not arbitrary or despotic; assuring liberty; defending individual rights against encroachment by any person or class; instituted by a free people; said of a government, institutions, etc.

      This is a free country.

   8. (software) With no or only freedom-preserving limitations on distribution or modification.

      OpenOffice is free software.

      Synonyms: libre

      Antonyms: proprietary

   9. (software) Intended for release, as opposed to a checked version.
2. Obtainable without any payment.

   The government provides free health care.

   It's free real estate.

   Synonyms: free of charge, gratis

   1. (by extension, chiefly, advertising slang) complimentary

      Buy a TV to get a free DVD player!

3. (abstract) Unconstrained.
   1. (mathematics) Unconstrained by relators.

      the free group on three generators

   2. (mathematics, logic) Unconstrained by quantifiers.

      z is the free variable in \forall x\exists y:xy=z.

      Antonyms: bound

   3. (programming) Unconstrained of identifiers, not bound.

      Synonyms: unbound

      Antonyms: bound

   4. (linguistics) (of a morpheme) That can be used by itself, unattached to another morpheme.
4. (physical) Unconstrained.
   1. Unobstructed, without blockages.

      the drain was free

      Synonyms: clear, unobstructed

      Antonyms: blocked, obstructed

   2. Unattached or uncombined.

      a free radical

      Synonyms: loose, unfastened, Thesaurus:loose

   3. Not currently in use; not taken; unoccupied.

      You can sit on this chair; it's free.

   4. (botany, mycology) Not attached; loose.

      In this group of mushrooms, the gills are free.

      • 1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, New York, N.Y.: Columbia University Press, →ISBN, page 7:

        Furthermore, the free anterior margin of the lobule is arched toward the lobe and is often involute{{...}

5. 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.

   Synonyms: without

6. (dated) Ready; eager; acting without spurring or whipping; spirited.

   a free horse

7. (dated) Invested with a particular freedom or franchise; enjoying certain immunities or privileges; admitted to special rights; followed by of.
8. (UK, legal, obsolete) Certain or honourable; the opposite of base.

   free service;  free socage

9. (legal) Privileged or individual; the opposite of common.

   a free fishery;  a free warren

• unfree

• French: libre
• German: frei, ungebunden
• Italian: libero
• Portuguese: livre
• Russian: свобо́дный
• Spanish: libre

• French: libre
• German: frei, ungebunden
• Italian: libero, brado
• Portuguese: livre
• Russian: свобо́дный
• Spanish: libre

• French: libre
• Portuguese: livre

• French: libre
• German: frei
• Italian: libero
• Portuguese: livre
• Russian: беспрепя́тственный
• Spanish: libre, obstáculo, despejado

• French: libre, disponible
• German: frei, unbesetzt
• Portuguese: vago, livre, desocupado
• Russian: свобо́дный
• Spanish: libre, desocupado

• French: libre
• German: frei, ungebunden
• Italian: libero
• Portuguese: livre
• Russian: свобо́дный
• Spanish: libre, exento

• French: libre
• German: frei
• Italian: libero, free, libre software
• Portuguese: livre
• Russian: свободный
• Spanish: libre

• French: sans
• German: frei
• Portuguese: semideus

• Portuguese: livre

free

1. Without needing to pay.

   I got this bike free.

   Synonyms: for free, for nothing

2. (obsolete) Freely; willingly.

• French: gratuitement, gratis, gratos
• German: gratis, umsonst
• Italian: gratuitamente
• Portuguese: grátis, de graça, gratuitamente
• Russian: беспла́тно
• Spanish: gratis

free (frees, present participle freeing; past and past participle freed)

1. (transitive) To make free; set at liberty; release.
   • 1610–1611, William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act I, scene ii], page 5 ↗, column Pro.}} […] , fine ſpirit, Ile free thee / Within two dayes for this.