free-for-alladj.n.
/ˈfriːfərɔːl/, /ˌfriːfərˈɔːl/, U.S. /ˈfrifərˌɔl/, /ˈfrifərˌɑl/ Originally U.S.
A. adj.
Originally: (of a race or other contest) open to all. Later more generally: (of a fight, discussion, etc.) in which everyone may take part; unrestricted, uncontrolled, indiscriminate.In quot. 1871 applied to the prize for which an open race is run.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > [adjective] > generally accessible or available
commonc1300
openc1390
publicc1485
vulgar1555
civil1605
free-for-all1871
1742 J. Cheny Hist. List Horse-matches 13 On this Course also..a third Prize of fifty Pound value was run for, free for all Horses, &c. whose Owners had subscribed and paid the same Sum.
1856 Daily Courier (Oshkosh, Wisconsin) 14 Mar. A shake purse of $5, for a foot race, from the corner of Otter street around the Liberty Pole and back, free for all, was run for.]
1871 N.Y. Herald 11 Aug. 8/3 Up to ten o'clock no pools had been recorded on the ‘free for all’ purse.
1872 N.Y. Herald 14 June 4/3 The American Girl and William H. Allen trotted in the free for all race, the American Girl winning in three straight heats.
1879 Fort Wayne (Indiana) Weekly Sentinel 30 July 1/5 A free dance at Washington, on Friday night, wound up in a free-for-all fight.
1881 Chicago Times 11 June The grand free-for-all horse race, open to the world.
1902 S. E. White Blazed Trail xxvii. 175 In a free-for-all knock-down-and-drag-out, kicking, gouging, and biting are all legitimate.
1955 A. L. Rowse Expansion of Elizabethan Eng. viii. 296 The development of privateering from a promiscuous free-for-all scrimmage..into a regular business.
1971 Guardian 12 July 7/6 The sort of free-for-all tariff system we saw at London Airport in the sixties.
1990 New Age Oct. 100/3 A decade-long, free-for-all debate is called for now, not any more ‘expert’ opinions.
2002 Book Nov.–Dec. 89/1 The literary equivalent of Must-See TV, only considerably more entertaining, Buckley's book is free-for-all satire.
B. n.
A race, contest, etc., which is open to all; (more generally) any disorganized or unrestricted situation or event in which everyone may take part, esp. a general fight or discussion.
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > dissent > fighting > [noun] > a fight > in which anyone or everyone joins
battle royal1672
free fight1729
knock-down (and) drag-out1809
rough and tumble1821
free-for-all1874
go-as-you-please1880
1874 Steubenville (Ohio) Daily Herald & News 11 July 1/3 After this heat the free for all was called and Fullerton and Goldsmith Maid appeared on the quarter stretch.
1876 Dubuque (Iowa) Herald 17 Sept. 1/5 The free for all was won by Badger Girl.
1892 Courier-Jrnl. (Louisville, Kentucky) 1 Oct. 4/3 Walter F. disposed of the next three heats in better average time than that shown in the free-for-all.
1918 C. E. Mulford Man from Bar-20 vi. 56 From the noise it appeared to be turning into a free-for-all.
1936 Stage June 12/2 The ovation..grew into a general free-for-all of enthusiasm.
1970 A. K. Armah Fragments vii. 189 The whole thing became purely a free-for-all among yelling tribal savages.
2003 N. Rush Mortals xiv. 162 They should have the toilets gendered, but they just set them up and it's a free-for-all.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.1871