Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense freaks, present participle freaking, past tense, past participle freaked
1. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
A freak event or action is one that is a very unusual or extreme example of its type.
Weir broke his leg in a freak accident playing golf.
The ferry was hit by a freak wave off the North Wales coast.
2. countable noun [noun NOUN]
If you describe someone as a particular kind of freak, you are emphasizing that they are very enthusiastic about a thing or activity, and often seem to think about nothing else.
[informal]
Oat bran became the darling of health freaks last year.
...computer freaks.
3. See also control freak
4. countable noun
People are sometimes referred to as freaks when their behaviour or attitude is very different from that of the majority of people.
[disapproval]
Not so long ago, transsexuals were regarded as freaks.
Synonyms: aberration, eccentric, anomaly, abnormality More Synonyms of freak
5. countable noun
If you refer to someone as a freak, you mean that they are physically abnormal in some way. This use could cause offence.
[disapproval]
6. ergative verb
If someone freaks, or if something freaks them, they suddenly feel extremely surprised, upset, angry, or confused.
[informal]
I saw five cop cars pull into the driveway. And I literally freaked. [VERB]
[Also VERB noun]
Synonyms: go crazy, snap, flip [slang], go berserk More Synonyms of freak
Phrasal verbs:
See freak out
More Synonyms of freak
freak in British English1
(friːk)
noun
1.
a person, animal, or plant that is abnormal or deformed; monstrosity
2.
a.
an object, event, etc, that is abnormal or extremely unusual
b.
(as modifier)
a freak storm
3.
a personal whim or caprice
4. informal
a person who acts or dresses in a markedly unconventional or strange way
5. informal
a person who is obsessed with something specified
a jazz freak
verb
6. freak out
Word origin
C16: of obscure origin
freak in British English2
(friːk) rare
noun
1.
a fleck or streak of colour
verb
2. (transitive)
to streak with colour; variegate
Word origin
C17: from earlier freaked, probably coined by Milton, based on streak1 + obsolete freckt freckled; see freckle
freak in American English1
(frik)
noun
1.
a.
a sudden fancy; odd notion; whim
b.
an odd or unusual happening
2.
any abnormal animal, person, or plant; monstrosity
3. US, Slang
a.
a user of a specified narcotic, hallucinogen, etc.
an acid freak
b.
a devotee or buff
a rock freak
c.
hippie
4. Archaic
capriciousness
5. Philately
a postage stamp with an error that occurred in the printing or perforation process and is unique to the one stamp
adjective
6.
oddly different from what is usual or normal; queer; abnormal
freak weather
verb transitive, verb intransitive
7. Slang
freak out (see phrase)
Idioms:
freak out
Word origin
Early ModE < ? OE frician, to dance (> ME freking, whim, capricious conduct)
freak in American English2
(frik)
verb transitive
Rare
to streak or fleck
Word origin
ult. < IE (s)p(h)ereg- > freckle
Examples of 'freak' in a sentence
freak
He is known to be a control freak and something of a clean freak.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
From a nation of tea drinkers to a nation of health freaks.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It was just a freak accident.
The Sun (2016)
He is also a control freak.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
That's the control freak in them.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
To me it's a freak accident that should not have happened and it was not dealt with in the right way.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
I'd like to freak a few people out.
The Sun (2016)
Trying to control a control freak is like fighting over the steering wheel in a moving car.
Christianity Today (2000)
There is still an element of the control freak about her.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
This house fire was a freak accident but was not unique.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Burnley went in front with a freak own goal after eight minutes.
The Sun (2011)
What if we got struck by a freak wave?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Have we ended up on a holiday for health freaks?
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
You just get these freak results sometimes.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
But she says it had a positive effect by turning her into a fitness freak.
The Sun (2012)
Police are treating it as a freak accident.
The Sun (2013)
It was just a freak goal.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
For years, no one has known how many people suffer this freak hair loss.
Steel, Elizabeth Coping With Sudden Hair Loss (1988)
The chances of such a freak storm surge is put at once in 1,000 years.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
I think it freaked her out a bit.
The Sun (2010)
MOST people would freak out at seeing their own voodoo doll.
The Sun (2014)
Poor countries, often worst hit by freak weather, are least likely to benefit from insurance.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
In other languages
freak
British English: freak ADJECTIVE
A freak event or action is one that is a very unusual or extreme example of its type.
He broke his leg in a freak accident playing golf.
American English: freak
Brazilian Portuguese: incomum
Chinese: 不寻常的
European Spanish: anormal
French: bizarre
German: verrückt
Italian: anomalo
Japanese: 風変わりな
Korean: 기이한
European Portuguese: incomum
Latin American Spanish: anormal
British English: freak NOUN
If you describe someone as a particular kind of freak, you are emphasizing that they are very enthusiastic about a thing or activity.
Oat bran became the darling of health freaks last year.
American English: freak
Brazilian Portuguese: anormal
Chinese: 狂热分子
European Spanish: friki
French: fana
German: Freak
Italian: fanatico
Japanese: マニア
Korean: 광적으로 관심이 많은사람
European Portuguese: anormal
Latin American Spanish: friki
All related terms of 'freak'
freak out
If someone freaks out , or if something freaks them out , they suddenly feel extremely surprised , upset , angry , or confused.
acid freak
a person taking or having taken LSD regularly and heavily, such that their psychological state has been affected
freak show
(formerly) a display of human and animal freaks as entertainment
Jesus freak
a member of any of various Christian groups that combine a hippy communal way of life with zealous evangelicalism
control freak
If you say that someone is a control freak , you mean that they want to be in control of every situation they find themselves in.
freak weather
The weather is the condition of the atmosphere in one area at a particular time, for example if it is raining , hot, or windy .
freak accident
An accident happens when a vehicle hits a person, an object, or another vehicle, causing injury or damage.
freak incident
An incident is something that happens , often something that is unpleasant .
freak of nature
a person or animal that is born or grows with abnormal physical features