free
adjective OPAL S
/friː/
/friː/
(comparative freer
Idioms /ˈfriːə(r)/
/ˈfriːər/
, superlative freest /ˈfriːɪst/
/ˈfriːɪst/
)- (of a person or time) without particular plans or arrangements; not busy
- Are you free on Saturday? We're having a barbecue.
- We try to keep Sundays free.
- free for something If Sarah is free for lunch I'll take her out.
- Keep Friday night free for my party.
- What do you like to do in your free time (= when you are not working)?
Extra Examples- Let's meet tomorrow. What time are you free?
- Come over for dinner, if you're free.
- Are you free for dinner on Thursday?
- Are you free on 25th July? We're having a little get-together.
- It's my birthday party a week on Friday, so keep it free.
- I invited them, but they weren't free.
- I had a couple of hours free so I went for a walk.
- The morning is free for you to spend as you choose.
- The next time I have a free day I'll come and see you.
- We don't have any free weekends now until after Christmas.
- I haven't had a free moment all day.
- Let's do something tomorrow. I'm completely free all day.
- Ask her to give me a call as soon as she's free.
- I have to work until four, but after that I'm free.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- keep something
- completely
- entirely
- totally
- …
- not being used
- He held out his free hand and I took it.
- Is this seat free?
Extra Examples- The hospital needs to keep some beds free for emergencies.
- The device allows you to talk on the phone with both hands free.
- She has the phone on the left to keep her right hand free for writing.
- There were no free tables, so we had to share.
- You just find a free desk and go work at it.
- None of the library computers were free.
- Is the bathroom free?
- Let me know when the shower is free.
- Seats get taken as soon as they become free.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- seem
- become
- …
- completely
- costing nothing
- Admission is free.
- free software/tickets
- We even offer a free web design service.
- We''ll give you a fabulous free gift with each copy you buy.
- free to somebody Use of the pool is free to members.
- free for somebody Updates are free for registered users.
- for free You can't expect people to work for free (= without payment).
Extra ExamplesTopics Moneya2, Shoppinga2- The exhibition is free for children under ten.
- The upgrade will be available free to existing customers.
- Entrance is free for students.
- Education should be free for everyone.
- Parking is free after 6 pm.
- Membership is free.
- Shipping is free for orders over $50.
- They get free medical care.
- Subscribe to our free email newsletter.
- We're giving away 100 free tickets to the final.
- The game is available as a free download.
- These are clean, green methods of harnessing free energy.
- The website offers free legal advice to homeowners.
- You get all this absolutely free.
- Events are free but you have to reserve a place.
- This attractive poster comes free with the magazine.
- Responsible employers should provide these services free to staff.
- We might be able to get some plants for free.
- You can get all this information for free on the internet.
- They might give you some stuff for free in exchange for mentioning them on your blog.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- come
- absolutely
- completely
- entirely
- …
- for free
- free of charge
- for
- not under the control or in the power of somebody else; able to do what you want
- I have no ambitions other than to have a happy life and be free.
- Students have a free choice of modules in their final year.
- free to do something You are free to leave at any time.
- The government wants to leave companies free to make their own decisions.
- free from something The organization wants to remain free from government control.
- free of something We want an independent state free of foreign interference.
- ‘Can I sit here?’ ‘Please, feel free (= of course you can).’
- Feel free to email me if you have any questions.
Extra Examples- After my divorce I felt free.
- You have a completely free choice of topic for your essay.
- Children should be free to choose their own friends.
- You are free to express your opinion, of course.
- The band split up, leaving her free to pursue solo projects.
- You are free to come and go as you please.
- Guests are free to wander around the grounds.
- Feel free to contact us at any time.
- It's just my advice—feel free to ignore it.
- They should remain an independent agency free from outside influence.
- I try to make my own decisions, free of any outside influences.
- She was finally free of the constraints of her religious upbringing.
- She is making her own art free from commercial pressure.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- feel
- seem
- …
- completely
- entirely
- quite
- …
- from
- not limited or controlled by anyone else
- A true democracy needs free speech and a free press.
- He called for free and fair elections.
- They gave me free access to all the files.
Extra Examples- We celebrate the role of the press in a free society.
- In a free country you should be able to go wherever you want.
- He opposes the free flow of goods and people into the country.
- the free flow of ideas through society
- the free movement of goods and capital
- We could help the developing world by giving them free access to markets.
- We want to be a free and democratic nation.
- He tried to create an open and free atmosphere in the school.
- Has the obsession with cheap food, brought about by free, unfettered competition, reached its limits?
- Children need time for unorganized free play.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- feel
- seem
- …
- completely
- entirely
- quite
- …
- from
- (of a person) not a prisoner or slave
- He walked out of jail a free man.
- The hostages were all set free.
- The hacker is currently free on bail.
Extra Examples- After twelve years in captivity, they were free.
- His captors set him free.
- It is worse to wrongly convict the innocent than to let the guilty go free.
- He promised that some day the slaves would go free.
- He had an alibi, so police had no choice but to let him walk free.
- The killer remains free and at large.
- She pleaded with them to let her free.
- They declared the slaves free.
- In ancient Rome it was possible for a slave to become a free man.
- Free African-Americans were kidnapped from the North and sold into slavery.
- We are a free people and we will not be enslaved.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- roam
- run
- …
- completely
- entirely
- totally
- …
- not tied up or in a cage
- The researchers set the birds free.
- free to do something Our livestock is free to roam.
Extra Examples- animals roaming free across the plains
- He subdues one of the wild horses and then allows it to go free.
- She opened the cage and let the bird fly free.
- The chickens are free to range across a wide area.
- The sheep are free to graze all over the mountainside.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- roam
- run
- …
- completely
- entirely
- totally
- …
- clear; not blocked
- Ensure there is a free flow of air around the machine.
- the free movement of traffic
Extra Examples- The grills allow free movement of air.
- The roads are relatively free today.
- The crowd parted, giving me a free path to the front.
- The tube is free for water to move along.
- Make sure the pipe is free of any obstruction.
- free from/of something not containing or affected by something harmful or unpleasant
- free from artificial colours and flavourings
- Everyone deserves to live free from fear.
- free of defects/problems/symptoms
- Beef producers want their herds free of disease.
- It was several weeks before he was completely free of pain.
- We've managed to keep the garden free of weeds this year.
Extra Examples- Animals on our farms are reared on diets free from GM feed.
- Our staff have a right to work free from violence or threats.
- a safe, loving home free of violence
- a workplace free from pressure or bullying
- The room was almost completely free of ornament.
- Soundproofing can rarely make a space completely free of external noise.
- The soil should be free from stones and large clods.
- The picture is clear, free of any defects.
- His tone was entirely free of irony.
- The child should not return to school until he is entirely free from symptoms.
- The text should be totally free of mistakes.
- She is remarkably free of self-importance.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- become
- remain
- …
- completely
- entirely
- totally
- …
- -free(in adjectives) without the thing mentioned
- pure, additive-free ingredients
- a trouble-free life
- After six months of treatment he is cancer-free.
Extra Examples- organic, chemical-free farming
- Our baby foods are guaranteed GM-free.
- healthy, disease-free animals
- a virtually bacteria-free environment
- Completely pain-free childbirth is a myth.
- She is now symptom-free and can return to work.
- He's managed to stay injury-free this season.
- Holidays should be a relaxed, pressure-free time.
- It's not a race, just a pressure-free stroll.
- Wouldn't a totally stress-free life be boring?
- I want her time here to be happy and stress-free.
- a simple, hassle-free solution
- an error-free copy
- There's no such thing as problem-free insurance.
- Her pregnancy was relatively problem-free.
- They describe themselves as child-free.
- not attached to something; not stuck somewhere and unable to move
- Pull gently on the free end of the rope.
- She finally managed to pull herself free.
- They tied him up but he managed to get free.
- free from something They had to be cut free from their car after the accident.
- free of something The boat had broken free of its moorings.
- They swam free of the wreckage.
Extra Examples- The wagon broke free from the train.
- Edie tried to pull her hand free.
- He pulled the sword free from the stone.
- You jump on the free end of the board and dive in.
- Tuck the free end away out of sight.
- The ladder swung free from the cliff face.
- The dog had broken free of its chain.
- He managed to jump free of the car before it crashed.
- She squirmed free of his grasp.
- He struggled to get free, but the ropes held.
- Some external parts of the car may flap around until eventually they work free and fall off.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- roam
- run
- …
- completely
- entirely
- totally
- …
- free with something (often disapproving) ready to give something, especially when it is not wanted
- He's too free with his opinions.
- a free translation is not exact but gives the general meaning compare literal
not busy
not being used
no payment
not controlled
not prisoner
animal/bird
not blocked
without something
not attached/able to move
ready to give
translation
Word OriginOld English frēo (adjective), frēon (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vrij and German frei, from an Indo-European root meaning ‘to love’, shared by friend.
Idioms
be home and free (North American English)
(British English be home and dry)
- to have done something successfully, especially when it was difficult
- I could see the finish line and thought I was home free.
free and easy
- informal; relaxed
- Life was never going to be so free and easy again.
(give somebody/get) a free pass
- (informal) if you give somebody a free pass or somebody gets a free pass, they are not punished for something bad they have done, or they are given permission to do something bad
- This time he gets a free pass but if he does it again, he’ll be sent to jail.
- Just because someone has expensive designer gear, it doesn't mean they have a free pass to be mean to my staff.
get, have, etc. a free hand
- to get, have, etc. the opportunity to do what you want to do and to make your own decisions
- I was given a free hand in designing the syllabus.
get, take, etc. a free ride
- to get or take something without paying because somebody else is paying for it
give/allow somebody/something free/full rein | give/allow free/full rein to something
- to give somebody complete freedom of action; to allow a feeling to be expressed freely
- The designer was given free rein.
- The script allows full rein to her larger-than-life acting style.
- When I paint I just give my imagination free rein.
it’s a free country
- (informal) used as a reply when somebody suggests that you should not do something, or when somebody has asked permission or said they are going to do something
- It's a free country; I'll say what I like!
- Wear what you like. It's a free country.
- ‘It's a free country!’ he shouted. ‘I can do what I like!’
there’s no such thing as a free lunch
- (informal) used to say that it is not possible to get something for nothing
walk free
- to be allowed to leave court, etc., without receiving any punishment
- She was acquitted and walked free from court.