(1)自由(freedom from captivity or slavery)[U]：fight to defend one's～为保卫自由而战;gain/get one's～获得自由;enjoy no～享受不到自由;Give me～，or give me death. 不自由，毋宁死。All prisoners longed for their～. 囚犯们都渴望自由。the Statue of L～自由女神像;〖同〗freedom;

(2)自由权(right to act or do sth as one pleases)[U，C]：guard/safeguard the～of the people/the press 保障人民的自由/捍卫出版自由;individual/personal/political/religious～个人/个人/政治/宗教自由;～of thought/of action 思想/行动自由;enjoy to the full the civil～ies 充分享受公民的自由权;Freedom of speech is a precious～. 言论自由是一种宝贵的自由权。〖同〗freedom;

at liberty 1)可以随意做某事：I am not at～to tell you. 我不能随便告诉你。2)有空：I'm at～this afternoon. 我今天下午有空。3)闲着没用：The desk is at～. 这张写字台没有人用。

have the liberty of 可在……里随便活动：The dog has the～of the entire house. 这只狗可以在整所房子里自由活动。You have the～of the lab. 你可以随便使用这个实验室。

take liberties with 随意对待或处理，对……太随便：take great/too many～ies with the truth/a text/the grammar 任意歪曲事实/任意篡改原文/全然不顾语法规则;take～ies with older people 对长辈无理;

take the liberty of doing sth 擅自(冒昧)做某事：She took the～of using your typewriter while you were away. 你不在时，她擅自用你的打字机了。I have taken the～of coming to see you. 我冒昧地前来见您。

【辨异】liberty与freedom和independence的区别见FREEDOM。