frees
|free|
/friːz/
(free)
unrestricted
Etymology
'free' originates from Old English 'frēo' (also 'frēoh'), where the root meant 'not in bondage; beloved'.
'free' comes from Proto-Germanic '*frijaz' (meaning 'beloved, not in bondage'), which is reflected in Old English 'frēo' and developed into modern English 'free'.
Initially, it meant 'not in bondage' or 'beloved'; over time it broadened to include 'not subject to an obligation or cost' and 'not confined', giving the modern meanings 'not bound' and 'without charge'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural form of 'free' (noun): informal uses meaning free items or free admissions (rare/colloquial)
At the convention they handed out several frees to visitors.
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Verb 1
third-person singular present of 'free': to release someone or something from confinement or restraint
She frees the bird from its cage every morning.
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Verb 2
third-person singular present of 'free': to relieve someone of an obligation, cost, or burden; to exempt
The scholarship frees students from tuition fees.
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Idioms
Last updated: 2026/01/10 04:50