freewheel
|free-wheel|
/ˈfriːwiːl/
turn freely / act without restraint
Etymology
'freewheel' originates from Modern English, specifically a compound of the words 'free' and 'wheel' formed in the late 19th century in connection with bicycle technology.
'freewheel' was coined as a technical compound in English (late 1800s) describing a 'wheel' that runs 'free' of pedal drive; the elements 'free' and 'wheel' themselves come from Old English roots ('frēo' and 'hweol'/'hwēol'), and the technical sense spread with bicycle mechanics.
Initially, it referred specifically to a mechanical device—a wheel or hub mechanism that turns freely; over time it also developed verbal and figurative senses meaning 'to coast' and 'to act without constraint'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a ratchet mechanism in a bicycle hub (or similar) that allows the wheel to turn freely while the pedals remain stationary; a freewheel device.
He replaced the bike's freewheel after it started slipping.
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Noun 2
the action or motion of coasting with the pedals not driving the wheel (coasting).
On the descent, he enjoyed a long freewheel.
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Verb 1
to allow (a wheel) to turn freely without being driven by the pedals; to coast.
She freewheeled down the hill to enjoy the view.
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Verb 2
to behave or act in an unrestrained, improvisational, or nonconformist way (figurative use).
During the meeting he tended to freewheel, offering unconventional ideas.
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Last updated: 2025/09/24 05:23