> as lemmas

a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) i. 752 (MED) To love is every herte fre.

c1405 (c1390) G. Chaucer Pardoner's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) Prol. l. 73 Is al my prechyng for to make hem free To yeuen hir pens.

1629 H. Burton Truth's Triumph xi. 167 Surely, I finde not Vega very free to explaine himselfe in this point.

1660 Exact Accompt Trial Regicides 22 I shall be very free to open my Heart.

1699 W. Dampier Voy. & Descr. i. v. 94 He was very free to talk with me, and first asked me my business thither?

a1716 O. Blackall Wks. (1723) I. xxix. 276 To part with any thing in this World..and to be free to suffer any temporal Loss..rather than live in a State of strong Temptation to Sin.

1722 W. Sewel Hist. Quakers (1795) I. iii. 191 But they were not free to consent thereto.

1784 New Spectator xvi. 6/2 For my own part, I will be free to confess, that, in my opinion, [etc.].

1821 J. Clare Village Minstrel I. 40 Mark..his generous mind; How free he is to push about his beer.

1834 A. Smart Rambling Rhymes 120 His maister's free to gie his aith He didna dee a fair strae death.

1874 J. Ruskin Fors Clavigera IV. xxxvii. 4 I am free to confess I did not quite know the sort of creature I had to deal with.

1921 C. E. Mulford Bar-20 Three xiv. 179 An' I'm free to admit that I'm cussed glad to be settin' here.

1942 Times 27 Feb. 7/5 I am free to confess that I never made a major decision without consultation with him.

1975 Daily Courier (Connellsville, Pa.) 2 Oct. 25/2 I decided to give your system a month's test, though I am free to admit I didn't think it would change our home into a happy one.