liberty
/ˈlɪbəti
/noun (plural liberties) [mass noun]
1The state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s behaviour or political views: compulsory retirement would interfere with individual liberty...
- In Condorcet's view modern society and individual liberty could be served only by public instruction understood in this sense.
- Technology has the capability to impose graduated restrictions on liberty, but this is an issue the Government is specifically avoiding confronting.
- In addition to providing society with political liberty and justice, a single tax on land promotes economic efficiency.
Synonyms
independence, freedom, autonomy, sovereignty, self government, self rule, self determination, home rule;
civil liberties, civil rights, human rights
rare autarky
1.1The state of not being imprisoned or enslaved: people who attacked phone boxes would lose their liberty...
- May I remind you that if you drive while disqualified over the next two years, you could lose your liberty.
- Mrs Camidge said: ‘For the last two months he has been living in fear of losing his liberty through his foolishness.’
- Criminals are being warned that they could lose their liberty and their lavish lifestyle thanks to the dedicated efforts of a North Yorkshire Police team.
1.2The power or scope to act as one pleases: individuals should enjoy the liberty to pursue their own preferences...
- Freedom is a condition of the mind: this means that you have the internal power to exercise your liberty.
- Are there regions of the globe where the inhabitants have been condemned by their environment never to enjoy liberty, never to exercise their reason?
- It means that you cannot deny that a human being has the rightful liberty to pursue - to practice or to seek - happiness as he sees fit.
Synonyms
freedom, independence, free rein, freeness, licence, self-determination;
free will, latitude, option, choice;
volition, non-compulsion, non-coercion, non-confinement;
leeway, margin, scope, elbow room
1.3 Philosophy A person’s freedom from control by fate or necessity.He said in part that Hobbes's freedom or liberty, which amounts to not being frustrated, is no great thing....
- There would also be a loss of liberty or freedom for the morally wicked, since they would be punished or otherwise made to suffer.
- It would, I think, be generally agreed that he has laid down a necessary condition of liberty.
2 [count noun] (usually liberties) A right or privilege, especially a statutory one: the Bill of Rights was intended to secure basic civil liberties...
- He says currently human rights and fundamental liberties are not enshrined clearly and completely anywhere in Australian legislation.
- We believed that our rights, privileges and liberties did not derive from the king or government, but rather were a gift from god.
- The Great Charter confirmed previous royal charters and incorporates previous liberties, privileges and exemptions, which the city had formerly enjoyed.
Synonyms
right, birthright, opportunity, facility, prerogative, entitlement, privilege, permission, sanction, leave, consent, authorization, authority, licence, clearance, blessing, dispensation, exemption, faculty;
French carte blanche
3 [count noun] informal A presumptuous remark or action: how did he know what she was thinking?—it was a liberty!
4 Nautical Shore leave granted to a sailor.Second, when their workload permits, Sailors get special liberty the day before their final exams to study, similar to what many commands do for advancement exams....
- Sailors on the ship, ashore on liberty or in the local community would raise their level of awareness and be on the lookout for anything unusual.
- A Sailor, on liberty in a foreign port, was returning to his ship when a knife-wielding assassin attacked him.
Phrases
at liberty
take liberties
take the liberty
Origin
Late Middle English: from Old French liberte, from Latin libertas, from liber 'free'.
The root of liberty is Latin liber ‘free’, the source also of liberal (Middle English) , libertine (Late Middle English), and livery (Middle English), and deliver. During the French Revolution the rallying cry was ‘liberty, equality, fraternity’. Supporters of change wore the cap of liberty, a red conical cap of a type that had originally been given to Roman slaves when they were freed.
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