free-running
|free-run-ning|
/ˈfriːˌrʌnɪŋ/
running without restraint
Etymology
'free-running' originates from English, specifically from the adjective 'free' (Old English 'freo', meaning 'not in bondage; exempt') combined with the present participle form of 'run' (Old English 'rinnan'/'runnan', meaning 'to flow or run').
'free' and the participle 'running' were combined in Modern English to form the compound adjective 'free-running'; the component 'free' comes from Old English 'freo' and 'run' from Old English 'rinnan'/'runnan', passing through Middle English forms before yielding the modern compound.
Initially the components simply meant 'not bound' + 'running/moving'; over time the compound developed both a general sense 'moving without restraint' and more specialized senses, such as a technical sense in engineering ('operating at a natural frequency') and a name for the movement discipline 'free running'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a style of urban acrobatics and movement (often written 'free running' or 'freerunning'), emphasizing creative movement over obstacles.
She practices free-running in the park several times a week.
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Adjective 1
operating at its natural or intrinsic frequency, not locked or synchronized to an external source (often used of oscillators or engines).
The lab tested a free-running oscillator to measure its natural frequency.
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Adjective 2
moving or allowed to move freely, not confined or restricted.
The farm had several free-running chickens roaming the yard.
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Last updated: 2026/01/09 19:32