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8 definitions found
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 :   [ gcide ]

  Free \Free\ (fr[=e]), a. [Compar. Freer (-[~e]r); superl.
     Freest (-[e^]st).] [OE. fre, freo, AS. fre['o], fr[=i];
     akin to D. vrij, OS. & OHG. fr[=i], G. frei, Icel. fr[=i],
     Sw. & Dan. fri, Goth. freis, and also to Skr. prija beloved,
     dear, fr. pr[=i] to love, Goth. frij[=o]n. Cf. Affray,
     Belfry, Friday, Friend, Frith inclosure.]
     1. Exempt from subjection to the will of others; not under
        restraint, control, or compulsion; able to follow one's
        own impulses, desires, or inclinations; determining one's
        own course of action; not dependent; at liberty.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              That which has the power, or not the power, to
              operate, is that alone which is or is not free.
                                                    --Locke.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Not under an arbitrary or despotic government; subject
        only to fixed laws regularly and fairly administered, and
        defended by them from encroachments upon natural or
        acquired rights; enjoying political liberty.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Liberated, by arriving at a certain age, from the control
        of parents, guardian, or master.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. Not confined or imprisoned; released from arrest;
        liberated; at liberty to go.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Set an unhappy prisoner free.         --Prior.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     5. Not subjected to the laws of physical necessity; capable
        of voluntary activity; endowed with moral liberty; -- said
        of the will.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Not free, what proof could they have given sincere
              Of true allegiance, constant faith, or love.
                                                    --Milton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     6. Clear of offense or crime; guiltless; innocent.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              My hands are guilty, but my heart is free. --Dryden.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     7. Unconstrained by timidity or distrust; unreserved;
        ingenuous; frank; familiar; communicative.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              He was free only with a few.          --Milward.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     8. Unrestrained; immoderate; lavish; licentious; -- used in a
        bad sense.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The critics have been very free in their censures.
                                                    --Felton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              A man may live a free life as to wine or women.
                                                    --Shelley.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     9. Not close or parsimonious; liberal; open-handed; lavish;
        as, free with his money.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     10. Exempt; clear; released; liberated; not encumbered or
         troubled with; as, free from pain; free from a burden; --
         followed by from, or, rarely, by of.
         [1913 Webster]
  
               Princes declaring themselves free from the
               obligations of their treaties.       --Bp. Burnet.
         [1913 Webster]
  
     11. Characteristic of one acting without restraint; charming;
         easy.
         [1913 Webster]
  
     12. Ready; eager; acting without spurring or whipping;
         spirited; as, a free horse.
         [1913 Webster]
  
     13. Invested with a particular freedom or franchise; enjoying
         certain immunities or privileges; admitted to special
         rights; -- followed by of.
         [1913 Webster]
  
               He therefore makes all birds, of every sect,
               Free of his farm.                    --Dryden.
         [1913 Webster]
  
     14. Thrown open, or made accessible, to all; to be enjoyed
         without limitations; unrestricted; not obstructed,
         engrossed, or appropriated; open; -- said of a thing to
         be possessed or enjoyed; as, a free school.
         [1913 Webster]
  
               Why, sir, I pray, are not the streets as free
               For me as for you?                   --Shak.
         [1913 Webster]
  
     15. Not gained by importunity or purchase; gratuitous;
         spontaneous; as, free admission; a free gift.
         [1913 Webster]
  
     16. Not arbitrary or despotic; assuring liberty; defending
         individual rights against encroachment by any person or
         class; instituted by a free people; -- said of a
         government, institutions, etc.
         [1913 Webster]
  
     17. (O. Eng. Law) Certain or honorable; the opposite of
         base; as, free service; free socage. --Burrill.
         [1913 Webster]
  
     18. (Law) Privileged or individual; the opposite of common;
         as, a free fishery; a free warren. --Burrill.
         [1913 Webster]
  
     19. Not united or combined with anything else; separated;
         dissevered; unattached; at liberty to escape; as, free
         carbonic acid gas; free cells.
         [1913 Webster]
  
     Free agency, the capacity or power of choosing or acting
        freely, or without necessity or constraint upon the will.
        
  
     Free bench (Eng. Law), a widow's right in the copyhold
        lands of her husband, corresponding to dower in freeholds.
        
  
     Free board (Naut.), a vessel's side between water line and
        gunwale.
  
     Free bond (Chem.), an unsaturated or unemployed unit, or
        bond, of affinity or valence, of an atom or radical.
  
     Free-borough men (O.Eng. Law). See Friborg.
  
     Free chapel (Eccles.), a chapel not subject to the
        jurisdiction of the ordinary, having been founded by the
        king or by a subject specially authorized. [Eng.]
        --Bouvier.
  
     Free charge (Elec.), a charge of electricity in the free or
        statical condition; free electricity.
  
     Free church.
         (a) A church whose sittings are for all and without
             charge.
         (b) An ecclesiastical body that left the Church of
             Scotland, in 1843, to be free from control by the
             government in spiritual matters.
  
     Free city, or Free town, a city or town independent in
        its government and franchises, as formerly those of the
        Hanseatic league.
  
     Free cost, freedom from charges or expenses. --South.
  
     Free and easy, unconventional; unrestrained; regardless of
        formalities. [Colloq.] ``Sal and her free and easy ways.''
        --W. Black.
  
     Free goods, goods admitted into a country free of duty.
  
     Free labor, the labor of freemen, as distinguished from
        that of slaves.
  
     Free port. (Com.)
         (a) A port where goods may be received and shipped free
             of custom duty.
         (b) A port where goods of all kinds are received from
             ships of all nations at equal rates of duty.
  
     Free public house, in England, a tavern not belonging to a
        brewer, so that the landlord is free to brew his own beer
        or purchase where he chooses. --Simmonds.
  
     Free school.
         (a) A school to which pupils are admitted without
             discrimination and on an equal footing.
         (b) A school supported by general taxation, by
             endowmants, etc., where pupils pay nothing for
             tuition; a public school.
  
     Free services (O.Eng. Law), such feudal services as were
        not unbecoming the character of a soldier or a freemen to
        perform; as, to serve under his lord in war, to pay a sum
        of money, etc. --Burrill.
  
     Free ships, ships of neutral nations, which in time of war
        are free from capture even though carrying enemy's goods.
        
  
     Free socage (O.Eng. Law), a feudal tenure held by certain
        services which, though honorable, were not military.
        --Abbott.
  
     Free States, those of the United States before the Civil
        War, in which slavery had ceased to exist, or had never
        existed.
  
     Free stuff (Carp.), timber free from knots; clear stuff.
  
     Free thought, that which is thought independently of the
        authority of others.
  
     Free trade, commerce unrestricted by duties or tariff
        regulations.
  
     Free trader, one who believes in free trade.
  
     To make free with, to take liberties with; to help one's
        self to. [Colloq.]
  
     To sail free (Naut.), to sail with the yards not braced in
        as sharp as when sailing closehauled, or close to the
        wind.
        [1913 Webster]

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) :   [ web1913 ]

  Free \Free\ (fr[=e]), a. [Compar. Freer (-[~e]r); superl.
     Freest (-[e^]st).] [OE. fre, freo, AS. fre['o], fr[=i];
     akin to D. vrij, OS. & OHG. fr[=i], G. frei, Icel. fr[=i],
     Sw. & Dan. fri, Goth. freis, and also to Skr. prija beloved,
     dear, fr. pr[=i] to love, Goth. frij[=o]n. Cf. Affray,
     Belfry, Friday, Friend, Frith inclosure.]
     1. Exempt from subjection to the will of others; not under
        restraint, control, or compulsion; able to follow one's
        own impulses, desires, or inclinations; determining one's
        own course of action; not dependent; at liberty.
  
              That which has the power, or not the power, to
              operate, is that alone which is or is not free.
                                                    --Locke.
  
     2. Not under an arbitrary or despotic government; subject
        only to fixed laws regularly and fairly administered, and
        defended by them from encroachments upon natural or
        acquired rights; enjoying political liberty.
  
     3. Liberated, by arriving at a certain age, from the control
        of parents, guardian, or master.
  
     4. Not confined or imprisoned; released from arrest;
        liberated; at liberty to go.
  
              Set an unhappy prisoner free.         --Prior.
  
     5. Not subjected to the laws of physical necessity; capable
        of voluntary activity; endowed with moral liberty; -- said
        of the will.
  
              Not free, what proof could they have given sincere
              Of true allegiance, constant faith, or love.
                                                    --Milton.
  
     6. Clear of offense or crime; guiltless; innocent.
  
              My hands are guilty, but my heart is free. --Dryden.
  
     7. Unconstrained by timidity or distrust; unreserved;
        ingenuous; frank; familiar; communicative.
  
              He was free only with a few.          --Milward.
  
     8. Unrestrained; immoderate; lavish; licentious; -- used in a
        bad sense.
  
              The critics have been very free in their censures.
                                                    --Felton.
  
              A man may live a free life as to wine or women.
                                                    --Shelley.
  
     9. Not close or parsimonious; liberal; open-handed; lavish;
        as, free with his money.
  
     10. Exempt; clear; released; liberated; not encumbered or
         troubled with; as, free from pain; free from a burden; --
         followed by from, or, rarely, by of.
  
               Princes declaring themselves free from the
               obligations of their treaties.       --Bp. Burnet.
  
     11. Characteristic of one acting without restraint; charming;
         easy.
  
     12. Ready; eager; acting without spurring or whipping;
         spirited; as, a free horse.
  
     13. Invested with a particular freedom or franchise; enjoying
         certain immunities or privileges; admitted to special
         rights; -- followed by of.
  
               He therefore makes all birds, of every sect, Free
               of his farm.                         --Dryden.
  
     14. Thrown open, or made accessible, to all; to be enjoyed
         without limitations; unrestricted; not obstructed,
         engrossed, or appropriated; open; -- said of a thing to
         be possessed or enjoyed; as, a free school.
  
               Why, sir, I pray, are not the streets as free For
               me as for you?                       --Shak.
  
     15. Not gained by importunity or purchase; gratuitous;
         spontaneous; as, free admission; a free gift.
  
     16. Not arbitrary or despotic; assuring liberty; defending
         individual rights against encroachment by any person or
         class; instituted by a free people; -- said of a
         government, institutions, etc.
  
     17. (O. Eng. Law) Certain or honorable; the opposite of base;
         as, free service; free socage. --Burrill.
  
     18. (Law) Privileged or individual; the opposite of common;
         as, a free fishery; a free warren. --Burrill.
  
     19. Not united or combined with anything else; separated;
         dissevered; unattached; at liberty to escape; as, free
         carbonic acid gas; free cells.
  
     Free agency, the capacity or power of choosing or acting
        freely, or without necessity or constraint upon the will.
        
  
     Free bench (Eng. Law), a widow's right in the copyhold
        lands of her husband, corresponding to dower in freeholds.
        
  
     Free board (Naut.), a vessel's side between water line and
        gunwale.
  
     Free bond (Chem.), an unsaturated or unemployed unit, or
        bond, of affinity or valence, of an atom or radical.
  
     Free-borough men (O.Eng. Law). See Friborg.
  
     Free chapel (Eccles.), a chapel not subject to the
        jurisdiction of the ordinary, having been founded by the
        king or by a subject specially authorized. [Eng.]
        --Bouvier.
  
     Free charge (Elec.), a charge of electricity in the free or
        statical condition; free electricity.
  
     Free church.
         (a) A church whose sittings are for all and without
             charge.
         (b) An ecclesiastical body that left the Church of
             Scotland, in 1843, to be free from control by the
             government in spiritual matters.
  
     Free city, or Free town, a city or town independent in
        its government and franchises, as formerly those of the
        Hanseatic league.
  
     Free cost, freedom from charges or expenses. --South.
  
     Free and easy, unconventional; unrestrained; regardless of
        formalities. [Colloq.] ``Sal and her free and easy ways.''
        --W. Black.
  
     Free goods, goods admitted into a country free of duty.
  
     Free labor, the labor of freemen, as distinguished from
        that of slaves.
  
     Free port. (Com.)
         (a) A port where goods may be received and shipped free
             of custom duty.
         (b) A port where goods of all kinds are received from
             ships of all nations at equal rates of duty.
  
     Free public house, in England, a tavern not belonging to a
        brewer, so that the landlord is free to brew his own beer
        or purchase where he chooses. --Simmonds.
  
     Free school.
         (a) A school to which pupils are admitted without
             discrimination and on an equal footing.
         (b) A school supported by general taxation, by
             endowmants, etc., where pupils pay nothing for
             tuition; a public school.
  
     Free services (O.Eng. Law), such feudal services as were
        not unbecoming the character of a soldier or a freemen to
        perform; as, to serve under his lord in war, to pay a sum
        of money, etc. --Burrill.
  
     Free ships, ships of neutral nations, which in time of war
        are free from capture even though carrying enemy's goods.
        
  
     Free socage (O.Eng. Law), a feudal tenure held by certain
        services which, though honorable, were not military.
        --Abbott.
  
     Free States, those of the United States before the Civil
        War, in which slavery had ceased to exist, or had never
        existed.
  
     Free stuff (Carp.), timber free from knots; clear stuff.
  
     Free thought, that which is thought independently of the
        authority of others.
  
     Free trade, commerce unrestricted by duties or tariff
        regulations.
  
     Free trader, one who believes in free trade.
  
     To make free with, to take liberties with; to help one's
        self to. [Colloq.]
  
     To sail free (Naut.), to sail with the yards not braced in
        as sharp as when sailing closehauled, or close to the
        wind.

From English Wiktionary: All languages (2023-07-27) :   [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-ALL-2023-07-27 ]

  free church
     n.
     (lb en Christianity) A Christian denomination that is intrinsically
  separate from government, and neither defines government policy nor
  accepts theology, policy(,) or funding from the state.

From English Wiktionary: English language only (2023-07-27) :   [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-en-2023-07-27 ]

  free church
     n.
     (lb en Christianity) A Christian denomination that is intrinsically
  separate from government, and neither defines government policy nor
  accepts theology, policy(,) or funding from the state.

From English Wiktionary: Western, Greek, and Slavonic languages only (2023-07-27) :   [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-Western_Greek_Slavonic-2023-07-27 ]

  free church
     n.
     (lb en Christianity) A Christian denomination that is intrinsically
  separate from government, and neither defines government policy nor
  accepts theology, policy(,) or funding from the state.

From English Wiktionary: Western languages only (2023-07-27) :   [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-Western-2023-07-27 ]

  free church
     n.
     (lb en Christianity) A Christian denomination that is intrinsically
  separate from government, and neither defines government policy nor
  accepts theology, policy(,) or funding from the state.

From English - German Ding/FreeDict dictionary ver. 1.9-fd1 :   [ freedict:eng-deu ]

  Free Church /fɹˈiː tʃˈɜːtʃ/
  Freikirche 
   see: church, Church, Anglican Church, Catholic Church, Congregational Church, Congregationalist Church, Melkite Church, Melchite Church, World Church, Universal Church, Local Church, particular Church, early Church, Mormon Church, Latter-day Saints
  

From English-Hungarian FreeDict Dictionary ver. 0.2.1 :   [ freedict:eng-hun ]

  free church /fɹˈiː tʃˈɜːtʃ/
  1. nonkomformista egyház
  2. szabadegyház

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