free : Idioms & Phrases

Index


Bilge free

  • (Naut.), stowed in such a way that the bilge is clear of everything; said of a cask.
Webster 1913

calorie-free

  • adjective satellite having relatively few calories
    lite; light; low-cal.
    • diet cola
    • light (or lite) beer
    • lite (or light) mayonnaise
    • a low-cal diet
WordNet

cell-free

  • adjective satellite lacking cells
    • cell-free systems
    • a cell-free homogenate of the thyroid
WordNet

Cost free

  • without outlay or expense. "Her duties being to talk French, and her privileges to live cost free and to gather scraps of knowledge."
Webster 1913

distribution free statistic

  • noun a statistic computed without knowledge of the form or the parameters of the distribution from which observations are drawn
    nonparametric statistic.
WordNet

drug-free

  • adjective satellite characteristic of a person not taking illegal drugs or of a place where no illegal drugs are used
WordNet

duty-free

  • adjective satellite exempt from duty
    • duty-free liquor
WordNet

fancy-free

  • adjective satellite having no commitments or responsibilities; carefree
    • a fancy-free bachelor
WordNet
Fan"cy-free` adjective
Definitions
  1. Free from the power of love. "In maiden meditation, fancy-free." Shak.
Webster 1913

fat-free

  • adjective without fat or fat solids
    nonfat; fatless.
    • nonfat or fat-free milk
WordNet

for free

  • adverb without payment
    for free; gratis.
    • I'll give you this gratis
WordNet

Free agency

  • noun (sports) the state of a professional athlete who is free to negotiate a contract to play for any team
WordNet
  • the capacity or power of choosing or acting freely, or without necessity or constraint upon the will.
Webster 1913

free agent

  • noun (sports) a professional athlete who is free to sign a contract to play for any team
  • noun someone acting freely or even irresponsibly
    free agent; freewheeler.
WordNet

Free and easy

  • unconventional; unrestrained; regardless of formalities. Colloq. "Sal and her free and easy ways." W. Black.
Webster 1913

free association

  • noun a thought process in which ideas (words or images) suggest other ideas in a sequence
WordNet

Free bench

  • (Eng. Law), a widow's right in the copyhold lands of her husband, corresponding to dower in freeholds.
Webster 1913

Free board

  • (Naut.), a vessel's side between water line and gunwale.
Webster 1913

Free bond

  • (Chem.), an unsaturated or unemployed unit, or bond, of affinity or valence, of an atom or radical.
Webster 1913

free burning

  • adjective satellite (of an electric arc) continuous
    sustained.
    • heat transfer to the anode in free burning arcs
WordNet

free central placentation

  • noun where ovules develop on a central column in a compound ovary lacking septa or with septa at base only
WordNet

Free chapel

  • (Eccles.), a chapel not subject to the jurisdiction of the ordinary, having been founded by the king or by a subject specially authorized. Eng. Bouvier.
Webster 1913

Free charge

  • (Elec.), a charge of electricity in the free or statical condition; free electricity.
Webster 1913

Free church

  • . (a) A church whose sittings are for all and without charge. (b) An ecclesiastical body that left the Church of Scotland, in 1843, to be free from control by the government in spiritual matters.
Webster 1913

Free city, ∨ Free town

  • a city or town independent in its government and franchises, as formerly those of the Hanseatic league.
Webster 1913

Free cost

  • freedom from charges or expenses. South.
Webster 1913

free electron

  • noun electron that is not attached to an atom or ion or molecule but is free to move under the influence of an electric field
WordNet

free energy

  • noun (physics) a thermodynamic quantity equivalent to the capacity of a physical system to do work; the units of energy are joules or ergs
    energy.
    • energy can take a wide variety of forms
WordNet

free enterprise

  • noun an economy that relies chiefly on market forces to allocate goods and resources and to determine prices
    private enterprise; laissez-faire economy; market economy.
WordNet

free fall

  • noun the ideal falling motion of something subject only to a gravitational field
  • noun a sudden sharp decrease in some quantity
    drop; dip; fall.
    • a drop of 57 points on the Dow Jones index
    • there was a drop in pressure in the pulmonary artery
    • a dip in prices
    • when that became known the price of their stock went into free fall
WordNet

free form

  • noun a morpheme that can occur alone
    free form.
WordNet

free french

  • noun a French movement during World War II that was organized in London by Charles de Gaulle to fight for the liberation of France from German control and for the restoration of the republic
    Fighting French.
WordNet

Free goods

  • goods admitted into a country free of duty.
Webster 1913

free grace

  • noun (Christian theology) the free and unmerited favor or beneficence of God
    grace of God; grace.
    • God's grace is manifested in the salvation of sinners
    • there but for the grace of God go I
WordNet

free hand

  • noun freedom to do as you see fit
    blank check.
    • many have doubts about giving him a free hand to attack
WordNet

free house

  • noun a public house that is not controlled by a brewery and so is free to sell different brands of beer and ale
WordNet

free kick

  • noun (soccer) a place kick that is allowed for a foul or infringement by the other team
WordNet

Free labor

  • the labor of freemen, as distinguished from that of slaves.
Webster 1913

free lance

  • noun a writer or artist who sells services to different employers without a long-term contract with any of them
    independent; freelance; freelancer; free lance; self-employed person.
WordNet

free list

  • noun a list of commodities that are not subject to tariffs
WordNet

free living

  • noun a lifestyle given to easy indulgence of the appetites
WordNet

free love

  • noun sexual intercourse between individuals who are not married to one another
    extramarital sex.
WordNet

free lunch

  • noun something acquired without effort or payment or obligation
    • there is no free lunch in politics or Hollywood
WordNet

free morpheme

  • noun a morpheme that can occur alone
    free form.
WordNet

free nerve ending

  • noun microscopic sensory nerve endings in the skin that are not connected to any specific sensory receptor
WordNet

free of charge

  • adverb without payment
    for free; gratis.
    • I'll give you this gratis
WordNet

free pardon

  • noun the formal act of liberating someone
    amnesty; pardon.
WordNet

free people

  • noun people who are free
    free.
    • the home of the free and the brave
WordNet

free phagocyte

  • noun a phagocyte that circulates in the blood
WordNet

Free port

  • noun an area adjoining a port where goods that are intended for reshipment can be received and stored without payment of duties
    free port.
  • noun a port open on equal terms to all commercial vessels
WordNet
  • . (Com.) (a) A port where goods may be received and shipped free of custom duty. (b) A port where goods of all kinds are received from ships of all nations at equal rates of duty.
Webster 1913

free press

  • noun a press not restricted or controlled by government censorship regarding politics or ideology
WordNet

Free public house

  • in England, a tavern not belonging to a brewer, so that the landlord is free to brew his own beer or purchase where he chooses. Simmonds.
Webster 1913

free radical

  • noun an atom or group of atoms with at least one unpaired electron; in the body it is usually an oxygen molecule that has lost an electron and will stabilize itself by stealing an electron from a nearby molecule
    radical.
    • in the body free radicals are high-energy particles that ricochet wildly and damage cells
WordNet

free rein

  • noun the removal of constraints
    play.
    • he gave free rein to his impulses
    • they gave full play to the artist's talent
WordNet

Free school

  • . (a) A school to which pupils are admitted without discrimination and on an equal footing. (b) A school supported by general taxation, by endowmants, etc., where pupils pay nothing for tuition; a public school.
Webster 1913

Free services

  • (O.Eng. Law), such feudal services as were not unbecoming the character of a soldier or a freemen to perform; as, to serve under his lord in war, to pay a sum of money, etc. Burrill.
Webster 1913

Free ships

  • ships of neutral nations, which in time of war are free from capture even though carrying enemy's goods.
Webster 1913

Free socage

  • (O.Eng. Law), a feudal tenure held by certain services which, though honorable, were not military. Abbott.
Webster 1913

free soil party

  • noun a former political party in the United States; formed in 1848 to oppose the extension of slavery into the territories; merged with the Liberty Party in 1848
WordNet

free spirit

  • noun someone acting freely or even irresponsibly
    free agent; freewheeler.
WordNet

free state

  • noun a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies
    Old Line State; MD; Maryland; Free State.
  • noun any state prohibiting slavery prior to the American Civil War
    free state.
  • noun a province in central South Africa that was colonized by the Boers; named Free State in 1997
    Free State.
WordNet

Free States

  • noun a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies
    Old Line State; MD; Maryland; Free State.
  • noun any state prohibiting slavery prior to the American Civil War
    free state.
  • noun a province in central South Africa that was colonized by the Boers; named Free State in 1997
    Free State.
WordNet
  • those of the United States before the Civil War, in which slavery had ceased to exist, or had never existed.
Webster 1913

Free stuff

  • (Carp.), timber free from knots; clear stuff.
Webster 1913

Free thought

  • noun the form of theological rationalism that believes in God on the basis of reason without reference to revelation
    deism.
WordNet
  • that which is thought independently of the authority of others.
Webster 1913

free throw

  • noun an unhindered basketball shot from the foul line; given to penalize the other team for committing a foul
    foul shot; charity toss; charity shot; free throw; charity throw.
WordNet

free throw lane

  • noun a lane on a basketball court extending from the end line to 15 feet in front of the backboard; players may not enter this lane during a free throw
WordNet

free time

  • noun time available for hobbies and other activities that you enjoy
    spare time.
  • noun time that is free from duties or responsibilities
    spare time.
WordNet

Free trade

  • noun international trade free of government interference
WordNet
  • commerce unrestricted by duties or tariff regulations.
Webster 1913

Free trader

  • noun an advocate of unrestricted international trade
WordNet
  • one who believes in free trade.
Webster 1913

free verse

  • noun unrhymed verse without a consistent metrical pattern
    vers libre.
WordNet

free weight

  • noun sports equipment used in calisthenic exercises and weightlifting; it is not attached to anything and is raised and lowered by use of the hands and arms
    exercising weight; weight.
WordNet

free will

  • noun the power of making free choices unconstrained by external agencies
    discretion.
WordNet
Free will
Definitions
  1. A will free from improper coercion or restraint.
    To come thus was I not constrained, but did On my free will. Shak.
  2. The power asserted of moral beings of willing or choosing without the restraints of physical or absolute necessity.
Webster 1913

free world

  • noun anti-communist countries collectively
WordNet

free zone

  • noun an area adjoining a port where goods that are intended for reshipment can be received and stored without payment of duties
    free port.
WordNet

free-and-easy

  • adjective satellite natural and unstudied
    casual.
    • using their Christian names in a casual way
    • lectured in a free-and-easy style
WordNet

free-associate

  • verb associate freely
    • Let's associate freely to bring up old memories
WordNet

free-base

  • verb use (purified cocaine) by burning it and inhaling the fumes
    base.
WordNet

Free-borough men

  • (O.Eng. Law). See Friborg.
Webster 1913

free-denizen

Free"-den`i*zen transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To make free. R.
Webster 1913

free-enterprise

  • adjective satellite subscribing to capitalistic competition
    private-enterprise; competitive.
WordNet

free-flying

  • adjective satellite able to fly through the air (as a bird)
    • three chicks were raised to the free-flying stage
WordNet

free-for-all

  • noun a noisy fight in a crowd
    brawl.
WordNet

free-hand

Free"-hand` adjective
Definitions
  1. Done by the hand, without support, or the guidance of instruments; as, free-hand drawing. See under Drawing.
Webster 1913

free-handed

Free"-hand`ed adjective
Definitions
  1. Open-handed; liberal.
Webster 1913

free-hearted

Free"-heart`ed adjective
Definitions
  1. Open; frank; unreserved; liberal; generous; as, free-hearted mirth. -- Free"-heart`ed*ly, adv. -- Free"-heart`ed*ness, n.
Webster 1913

free-lance

  • noun a writer or artist who sells services to different employers without a long-term contract with any of them
    independent; freelance; freelancer; free lance; self-employed person.
  • adjective working for yourself
    freelance; self-employed.
  • adjective satellite serving for wages in a foreign army
    mercenary; freelance.
    • mercenary killers
WordNet

free-liver

  • noun someone who gratifies physical appetites (especially for food and drink) with more than the usual freedom
WordNet
Free"-liv`er noun
Definitions
  1. One who gratifies his appetites without stint; one given to indulgence in eating and drinking.
Webster 1913

free-living

  • adjective satellite not parasitic on another organism
    nonsymbiotic; nonparasitic.
WordNet
Free"-liv`ing noun
Definitions
  1. Unrestrained indulgence of the appetites.
Webster 1913

free-love

Free"-love` noun
Definitions
  1. The doctrine or practice of consorting with the opposite sex, at pleasure, without marriage.
Webster 1913

free-lover

Free"-lov`er noun
Definitions
  1. One who believes in or practices free-love.
Webster 1913

free-martin

Free"-mar`tin noun
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) An imperfect female calf, twinborn with a male.
Webster 1913

free-milling

Free"-mill`ing adjective
Definitions
  1. Yielding free gold or silver; -- said of certain ores which can be reduced by crushing and amalgamation, without roasting or other chemical treatment. Raymond.
Webster 1913

free-minded

Free"-mind`ed adjective
Definitions
  1. Not perplexed; having a mind free from care. Bacon.
Webster 1913

free-range

  • adjective satellite of livestock and domestic poultry; permitted to graze or forage rather than being confined to a feedlot
WordNet

free-reed

  • noun a reed that does not fit closely over the aperture
WordNet

free-reed instrument

  • noun a wind instrument with a free reed
WordNet

free-soil

  • adjective satellite where slavery was prohibited
    slaveless; non-slave.
    • a free-soil state
WordNet
Free"-soil` adjective
Definitions
  1. Pertaining to, or advocating, the non-extension of slavery; -- esp. applied to a party which was active during the period 1846-1856. U.S. -- Free"soil`er n. U.S. -- Free"-soil`ism n. U.S.
Webster 1913

free-spoken

  • adjective satellite characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion
    frank; straight-from-the-shoulder; outspoken; point-blank; candid; plainspoken; blunt; forthright.
    • blunt talking and straight shooting
    • a blunt New England farmer
    • I gave them my candid opinion
    • forthright criticism
    • a forthright approach to the problem
    • tell me what you think--and you may just as well be frank
    • it is possible to be outspoken without being rude
    • plainspoken and to the point
    • a point-blank accusation
WordNet
Free"-spo`ken adjective
Definitions
  1. Accustomed to speak without reserve. Bacon. -- Free"-spo`ken-ness, n.
Webster 1913

free-swimming

  • adjective satellite (of animals) able to swim about; not attached
    unattached.
WordNet
Free"-swim`ming adjective
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) Swimming in the open sea; -- said of certain marine animals.
Webster 1913

free-tailed bat

  • noun small swift insectivorous bat with leathery ears and a long tail; common in warm regions
    freetail; freetailed bat.
WordNet

free-thinking

  • adjective satellite unwilling to accept authority or dogma (especially in religion)
    undogmatic; undogmatical; latitudinarian.
WordNet

free-tongued

Free"-tongued` adjective
Definitions
  1. Speaking without reserve. Bp. Hall.
Webster 1913

gluten-free diet

  • noun diet prescribed to treat celiac disease; eliminates such foods as wheat and rye and oats and beans and cabbage and turnips and cucumbers that are rich in gluten
WordNet

half-free morel

  • noun a morel with the ridged and pitted fertile portion attached to the stipe for about half its length
    cow's head; Morchella semilibera.
WordNet

ice-free

  • adjective satellite free of ice and open to travel
    • an ice-free channel in the river
WordNet

lead-free

  • adjective satellite (of gasoline) not containing tetraethyl lead
    nonleaded.
    • lead-free gasoline
WordNet

north american free trade agreement

  • noun an agreement for free trade between the United States and Canada and Mexico; became effective in 1994 for ten years
    NAFTA.
WordNet

orange free state

  • noun a province in central South Africa that was colonized by the Boers; named Free State in 1997
    Free State.
WordNet

pain-free

  • adjective satellite not accompanied by pain sensations
    unpainful.
    • pain-free surgery
WordNet

parenthesis-free notation

  • noun a notation for forming mathematical expressions that does not use parentheses to delimit components
WordNet

penalty free throw

  • noun an unhindered basketball shot from the foul line; given to penalize the other team for committing a foul
    foul shot; charity toss; charity shot; free throw; charity throw.
WordNet

post-free

  • adjective satellite postpaid
  • adverb having the postage paid by the sender
    post-paid.
    • I will send it post-paid
WordNet

rent-free

  • adjective satellite complimentary; without payment of rent
    • with the job came a rent-free apartment
  • adverb without paying rent
    • I can live here rent-free
WordNet

risk-free

  • adjective satellite thought to be devoid of risk
    riskless; unhazardous.
WordNet

rural free delivery

  • noun free government delivery of mail in outlying country areas
    RFD.
WordNet

rust-free

  • adjective satellite free of rust
WordNet

salt-free diet

  • noun a diet that limits the intake of salt (sodium chloride); often used in treating hypertension or edema or certain other disorders
    low-sodium diet; low-salt diet.
WordNet

scot free

  • adverb free from harm or penalty
    • he went scot-free
WordNet

scot-free

Scot"-free" adjective
Definitions
?
  1. Free from payment of scot; untaxed; hence, unhurt; clear; safe.
    Do as much for this purpose, and thou shalt pass scot-free. Sir W. Scott.
    Then young Hay escaped scot-free to Holland. A. Lang.
Webster 1913

set free

  • verb grant freedom to
    liberate.
    • The students liberated their slaves upon graduating from the university
WordNet

shot-free

Shot"-free` adjective
Definitions
  1. Not to be injured by shot; shot-proof. Obs. Feltham.
Shot"-free` adjective
Definitions
  1. Free from charge or expense; hence, unpunished; scot-free. Obs. Shak.
Webster 1913

smoke-free

  • adjective satellite free of smoke
    • smoke-free offices and restaurants
WordNet

tax-free

  • adjective satellite (of goods or funds) not taxed
    untaxed; tax-exempt.
    • tax-exempt bonds
    • an untaxed expense account
WordNet

Tenure by free alms

  • . See Frankalmoign.
Webster 1913

To get loose ∨ free

  • to disengage one's self; to be released from confinement.
Webster 1913

To make free with

  • to take liberties with; to help one's self to. Colloq.
Webster 1913

To sail free

  • (Naut.), to sail with the yards not braced in as sharp as when sailing closehauled, or close to the wind.
Webster 1913

To set free

  • to release from confinement, imprisonment, or bondage; to liberate; to emancipate.
Webster 1913

toll-free

  • adjective having no toll levied for its use
    • a toll-free road
    • a toll-free telephone number
WordNet

trouble-free

  • adjective satellite without problems or difficulties
    • NASA reported a trouble-free launch
WordNet