adj (1) 1)自由的，无拘束的((of a person) at liberty;not imprisoned or enslaved;allowed to move where one wants)：set sb～释放某人;(sb) be set ～(某人)被释放;(sb) be/become～(某人)自由了;a～man/country一个自由人/国家;be cut～from the wreckage of one's car被从汽车残骸里救出来;Her hair hung～. (fig)她的头发披散着。〖同〗freed，released，unconfined，unrestrained; 2) 不被栓住的，可任意行动的((of an animal)not kept in a cage or tied up;able to move at will)：Animals in the woods are/roam～. 林中动物自由自在/自在地游荡。
 (2) 未固定的，松开的;悬空的(not bound，confined，or fixed on position;loose) [无comp]：tie a knot in the～end of a rope在绳子未固定的一端打一个结;(parts/wheels) work～(部件/轮子)松了;leave (one end of) the rope～让绳子(的一端)不固定;〖同〗loose，unattached;〖反〗bound;
 (3) 畅通(无阻)的;不受约束的((of a way or passage)open，not blocked;unrestricted)：The way/passage is～. 道路/通道畅通无阻。prevent the～passage of ships妨碍船只的顺利通过;a～flow of water水流畅通;(street) be swept～of leaves (街道上)树叶被清扫干净;Roads are now～of snow/obstructions. 街道上的雪/障碍物现在已清除干净。harbour～of ice不冻港;air～of dust 无尘的空气;Her nature is～of jealousy. 她天生不嫉妒别人。〖同〗clear，unblocked;
 (4) 不受限制的，自由的((esp of a country and its citizens)having a system of government which allows personal rights and political freedom)：a～nation/country一个自主的国家;have a～press有出版自由;live on～soil生活在自由的土地上;the～democracies of western Europe西欧的自由民主国家;the land of the～自由人之家;〖反〗occupied，dependent;
 (5) 不受拘束的，随便(意)的(not controlled by obligation;permitted to do sth) [A+to-inf]：Feel/Be～to ask questions. 有问题就问，请不要拘束。give sb～access to secret information/one's valuable collection of scientific books让某人随便接触保密文件/阅读自己收集的有价值的科学书籍;give～expression to one's artistic talent充分表现自己的艺术天赋;have/win the right to～speech有/赢得言论自由;develop into a～fight发展成不受约束的争斗;be a～spirit是个超凡脱俗的人;～ movement of workers/labour工人/劳力的自由流动;〖同〗 allowed，permitted;
 (6) 1) 免(不)受……损害(not affected，harmed by a given condition;not spoilt by sth unpleasant) [作pred][A(from/of)]：be～from care/worry/anxiety无忧无虑;keep sb～from pain/danger/trouble使某人免遭痛苦/危险/麻烦;be～of weeds没有杂草;be～of contamination/pollution不受污染/污染;be～of artificial flavourings不含人造调味品;be～of colourings/germs无色素/细菌;Keep the surface/the wound～from/of dirt. 别让表面/伤口沾上灰尘。trouble-～无麻烦的;2) 不受规章制度约束的(not restricted by rules or sth) [作pred][A(from/of)]：～of all responsibilities不承担任何责任;
 (7) 1) 免费的(costing nothing) [无comp]：～tickets for the theatre/the concert/the game 免费戏票/音乐会票/比赛票;～tickets to the show免费节目票;a～sample/gift/dish/meal免费样品/礼物/菜/饭;receive～dental care接受免费牙科治疗;Drinks are～here. 此处各种饮料免费。send books/goods～免费邮寄书/送货;live there rent～住在那儿免房租;〖同〗costless，chargeless; 2) 免税的(not requiring tax;exempt) [作pred][A (of)]：～of taxes/charge/duty/income tax免税/费/税/所得税;duty～shop免税商店;tax-～income 免征所得税的收入;
 (8) 1) (空间上)空余的，未被占用的;(时间上)空闲的((of a space) not occupied;not in use;(of a time) not booked) [无comp]：The room is～. 这个房间没人用。a～parking space一个空着的停车位置;button one's overcoat with one's～hand用空着的手系上大衣的扣子;Sunday is left～for shopping. 星期天没安排活动，以便去购物。2) (指人)空闲(不忙)的(not working or having another appointment;not busy) [无comp]：have little/much～time几乎没有空闲时间/有许多空闲时间;get a～hour/afternoon有一小时/一下午的空闲时间;
 (9) 慷慨(大方)的(generous) [作pred][A(with)]：be very (a bit too)～with one's time/money 很(过分)浪费时间/花钱大手大脚;be very (a bit too)～with compliments很爱(过分)恭维别人;There's always a～supply of water from this spring. 此泉水流不断。〖同〗 generous，liberal，giving，big，handsome;〖反〗close;
 (10) 随便的，放肆的(lacking in respect;not controlled by politeness) (derog)：be too～in one's language/one's manner;语言/行为过分随便;be too～in the presence of one's teachers 在老师面前过分随便;He was too～with his secretary. 他跟他的秘书太不检点了。〖同〗 unrestricted;〖反〗restrained，restricted;
 (11) (指翻译)并非逐字翻译的((of translation) not literal or exact)：a very～translation意译;
 (12) 游离的((in chemistry) not combined with any type of matter;pure) [无comp]：～hydrogen/oxygen游离氢/氧;
 (get sth) for free免费(获得)：get a ticket for～没花钱弄到一张票;
  free and easy不拘形式的，随便的：They have a～and easy relationship. 他们的关系很随便。The man has a～and easy relationship with the young lady. 这位男士与这位少妇关系随便。have a～and easy way of acting行事不拘小节;lead a～and easy sort of life过着一种轻松愉快的生活;be～and easy with one's students/money与学生们不拘礼节/花钱无计划;The atmosphere in the office is quite～and easy. 办公室里的气氛很轻松。
 get/have a free hand 有自行处理的权力：The teacher had a～hand in her classroom. 这位教师在她的教室里有自行处理事务的权力。
 give/allow free play(rein)to sb/sth 给……的充分自由;使自由发挥：Father is strict with the children，but Mother gives them～rein. 父亲对孩子们很严格，但母亲却对他们放纵。In this poem the writer has given/allowed～rein to his imagination. 在这首诗中，诗人任自己的想象驰骋。
 make sb free of sth 使某人充分利用(享受)：make sb～of library for his research让某人充分利用图书馆进行研究工作;
 of one's own free will 自愿地：come here/do it of one's own～ will自愿到这里/做这件事;
 →′freedom n 自由;
 adv (1) 免费地(without payment;freely)：allow sb to travel on buses～允许某人免费乘坐大轿车旅行;be admitted～允许免费入场;get sth～免费得到某物;The books are given away～. 这些书免费送给别人。
 (2) 不拘束，自由地(in an uncontrolled，free manner)：let the dog run～让狗乱跑;The horse broke～. 马挣脱了缰绳。
 make free with 随便使用或吃喝(别人的东西)：She made～with my money/whisky during my absence. 我不在时她随便用我的钱/喝我的威士忌酒。
 →′freefone n 免费电话系统;′free-for-all n 任何人都可以参加的竞赛(赛跑);可以自由发表意见的争论;′free-hand adj & adv 徒手的(地);′free-′handed adj 慷慨(大方)的;′freehold n & adj 对不动产的无限期完全拥有(的);′freeholder n 完全拥有地产所有权的人;′freelance vi 做自由作家(演员);free-′living adj 纵情享乐的;′free-′liver n 讲究吃喝玩乐的人;′free-′load vi 占便宜白吃白住;′free-′loader n 老是利用别人的慷慨占便宜的人;′freeman n 自由民;享有市民权的人;′Freepost n 免费邮寄;free-′range adj 自由放养的母鸡所生的;free-′standing adj 独立式的;′free-style n 自由式游泳(摔跤) ;͵free-′thinker n自由思想家;͵free-′thinking adj 自由思想的;′freeway n 快车道;͵free-′wheel vi 惯性滑行;͵free-′will adj 自(志)愿地;′freedom n;
 vt (1) 使自由;释(解)放(release sb/sth;let sb/sth go;liberate)[T+n，T+n+ prep(from)]：～the prisoners/one's homeland释放囚徒/解放家乡;～an animal from a trap从陷阱中解救动物;～a bird from a cage从笼子中把鸟放生;〖同〗liberate，release;
 (2) 免(解)除(cause sb/sth (unpleasant) to be removed (from one/sb/sth)) [T+n+prep (of/from)]：～sb from prejudices/feelings of guilt/his duties消除某人的偏见/消除某人的犯罪感/解除某人的责任;～the world from hunger/the people from the terrible poverty把这个世界从饥饿中解救出来/把人民从可怕的贫穷中拯救出来;～a room of smoke 清除房间的烟气;～one's body of tension 解除身体的紧张;～oneself of a wrong idea 摆脱自己的错误想法;～sb of his worries 消除某人的忧虑;～sb from/of the charge of stealing 解除对某人的盗窃指控;
 (3) 解(摆)脱(move or loosen(a person or thing that is prevented from moving)) [T+n，T+n+prep (from)]：～one's arms挣脱出胳膊;～the traffic lane清理交通道路;～the victims from the collapsed building把遇难者从倒塌的大楼中解救出来;～the propeller from the weeds把推进器上的杂草除去;
 (4) 使成为可能(可用，得到) (make sb/sth available for a purpose) [T+n+ prep (for)，C+n+to-inf]：～vital resources for educational/more useful purpose为教育/更实用的目的省出必需的资金;～sb to spend more time with the children让某人腾出空来与孩子们多待一会儿;
 【辨异】 free 与discharge和release的区别见 DISCHARGE。