1 : not costing any money
▪ They're giving out free tickets to the show. ▪ The school newsletter is free. ▪ free advice ▪ free drinks/food ▪ The tickets are free for the taking. [=anyone who wants one can take one] ▪ The store is offering a calculator as a free gift. [=something that is given to people to help get new customers for a business] 2 a : not held as a slave or prisoner
▪ After 10 years in jail, he was finally a free man. — often used after set ▪ After 10 years, they finally set him free.
b : not physically held by something
▪ The animal struggled to get free of/from the trap. ▪ His legs became caught in the net, and he was unable to get himself free. 3 : able to do what you want to do : able to move, go, or act without being stopped — followed by to + verb ▪ You are free to leave. ▪ You're (entirely) free to do whatever you want to do. ▪ We were free to choose from among several options. 4 a : not controlled by a harsh ruler or laws
▪ He dreamed of a day when his people would be free. ▪ a free society ▪ I can say whatever I want to say. This is a free country.
b : not limited by government control
▪ free competition ▪ free and democratic elections ▪ free speech — see also free enterprise, free market, free trade 5 a : not limited by fear, uncertainty, etc. : open
▪ a free expression of opinions ▪ a free exchange of ideas ▪ Children are often freer and more imaginative than adults in their writing.
b : not limited in any way
▪ Your password allows you to have free access to the system. ▪ The ships were allowed free passage into and out of the port. — see also free hand, free love, free rein at rein 6 : not having, including, or suffering from something unpleasant, painful, or unwanted — usually + from or of ▪ free from worry/disease ▪ The product is guaranteed to be free of/from major defects. ▪ The speech was free of political rhetoric. ▪ writing that is free of jargon — sometimes used in combination ▪ jargon-free writing ▪ sugar-free chewing gum ▪ After struggling with her addiction for many years, she is finally drug-free. [=she has finally stopped using drugs] — see also scot-free 7 a : not required to be doing something : having nothing that must be done instead
▪ I'm free tomorrow night. ▪ We're having a party next Saturday. Are you free?
b of time : not being used for work or other activities
▪ Wednesday is her only free afternoon. ▪ I wish I had more free time. ▪ He spends a lot of his free time [=time when he is not working on his job] tinkering with his car. 8 a : not being used
▪ I'm going to call my mother as soon as the phone is free. ▪ “Excuse me: is this seat free?” “I'm sorry: it's taken.” ▪ There's not enough free space on my computer's hard drive to install the software.
b : not holding anything
▪ He waved at us with his free hand.
c : not attached to anything
▪ She held onto the free end of the rope. 9 : not covered or filled with things : clear
▪ We'll need a lot of free floor space for the dancing lesson. ▪ The hallway should be kept free of clutter. 10 : giving, doing, or saying something very often
▪ He seems to be very free about giving people his advice. = He seems to be very free with his advice. = [=he seems to give his advice very often, even when it is not wanted] ▪ She's very free with her money. = She's a free spender. [=she spends her money freely; she spends a lot of money without worrying about trying to save it] ▪ (chiefly Brit) He had a habit of making free with other people's money. [=of using other people's money freely] 11 of a translation : not closely following or matching the original language : not exact
▪ This is a very free [=loose] translation of the original poem.