INDEX:
not costing any money
1. not costing any money
2. something that is given free by a company
free to do what you want
3. allowed to do what you want
4. activities or actions that are not restricted
5. the right to do what you want
6. a country or system of government in which people have freedom
7. to make a country free
not in prison
8. not in prison
9. to let someone leave prison
free time
10. time when you can do what you want
11. when you are not busy and have free time
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ GIVE
↑ CHEAP
↑ COST
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1. not costing any money
▷ free /friː/ [adjective]
something that is free costs no money :
▪ Parking is free after 6 pm.
▪ ‘How much is it to get into the concert?’ ‘Oh, I think it’s free.’
▪ The clinic offers free advice on contraception.
▪ I’m saving these tokens to get a free poster.
▷ cost nothing/not cost anything /ˌkɒst ˈnʌθɪŋ, ˌnɒt kɒst ˈeniθɪŋǁˌkɔːst-/ [verb phrase not usually in progressive]
to be free :
▪ Luckily I was insured, so the treatment didn’t cost anything.
cost nothing/not cost anything to do something
▪ It doesn’t cost anything to get advice from them.
▪ The competition costs nothing to enter, just send a postcard with your name and address.
▷ for nothing/for free /fəʳ ˈnʌθɪŋ, fəʳ ˈfriː/ [adverb]
without having to pay for something that you would normally have to pay for :
▪ He offered to fix the car for nothing.
▪ Fans were allowed into the stadium for nothing as a way of celebrating.
▪ Children under five can see the show for free.
▷ free of charge /ˌfriː əv ˈtʃɑːʳdʒ/ [adverb]
without having to pay - used especially in advertisements and official notices :
▪ Guests can park free of charge all day.
▪ Copies of the leaflet can be obtained free of charge from your local library.
▪ This policy ensures that you get emergency medical treatment free of charge when travelling abroad.
▷ no charge /ˌnəʊ ˈtʃɑːʳdʒ/ [noun phrase]
if there is no charge for a service that someone provides, you do not have to pay for it :
▪ ‘How much is the prescription?’ ‘No charge -- students are exempt from payment.’
▪ Entry to the museum costs £3, but there is no charge on Wednesdays and Sundays.
no charge for
▪ There is no charge for cashing these travellers’ cheques.
▷ be on the house /biː ˌɒn ðə ˈhaʊs/ [verb phrase]
if drinks or meals are on the house, they are given to you by the owner of the bar or restaurant that you are in and you do not have to pay for them :
▪ On New Year’s Eve, he offered a glass of champagne to everyone, on the house.
▪ The owner let us have the first bottle of wine on the house.
▷ at no cost to somebody /ət ˌnəʊ ˈkɒst tə somebody ǁ-ˈkɔːst-/ [preposition]
if a service is provided at no cost to someone, they do not have to pay for it :
▪ The Helpline provides advice on all types of personal problems at no cost to the caller.
▪ Treatment at the health center is available at no cost to students.
▷ at no extra cost /ət ˌnəʊ ekstrə ˈkɒstǁ-ˈkɔːst/ [adverb]
if a shop or a company provides an additional service at no extra cost, they do it without asking you for any more money :
▪ Many activities are available at the hotel at no extra cost, but theatre trips and excursions are not included.
at no extra cost to
▪ The store is offering to install satellite dishes at no extra cost to the buyer.
▷ gratis /ˈgrætɪs, ˈgrætəs, ˈgreɪtə̇s/ [adjective/adverb] especially written
provided without payment :
▪ His work for the church is performed gratis.
▪ You can see some local bands at local clubs absolutely gratis.
2. something that is given free by a company
▷ complimentary /ˌkɒmplɪˈment ə ri◂, ˌkɒmpləˈment ə ri◂ǁˌkɑːm-/ [adjective only before noun]
use this about things that a company, theatre, hotel etc gives people for free :
▪ Karen’s sister works at the New York Ballet and she’s managed to get us some complimentary tickets.
▪ Honeymooners receive a complimentary bottle of champagne in their hotel room.
▷ free gift /ˌfriː ˈgɪft/ [countable noun]
something that is given free by a shop or a company, especially in order to advertise its products or to encourage you to buy something else :
▪ Buy three skincare products and you can choose your super free gift.
▪ We came back from the tour round the factory loaded down with free gifts.
▷ freebie /ˈfriːbiː/ [countable noun] informal
something a company gives free with its products, or gives to the people it employs :
▪ ‘Where did you get that calendar?’ ‘It was a freebie from work.’
▪ Most airlines offer freebies to children traveling on their planes.
3. allowed to do what you want
▷ free /friː/ [adjective not usually before noun]
allowed or able to do what you want, without being restricted by rules or by other people :
▪ I had just left home, and was enjoying the feeling of being free and independent at last.
free to do something
▪ During ‘Golden Time’, the pupils are free to choose the activity they would like to do.
▷ be at liberty to do something /biː ət ˌlɪbəʳti tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase] formal
to be free to do something, especially because someone has given you official permission or you have the right to do it :
▪ The Secretary of State told reporters, ‘I am not at liberty to get into the details of the proposal.’
▪ You are quite at liberty to make an official complaint if you wish.
▷ freely /ˈfriːli/ [adverb]
if you can travel, speak, operate etc freely, you can do it as much as you like and in whatever way you like, without anyone trying to stop you :
▪ For most of the year, farmers allow the sheep to roam freely on the hillsides.
▪ In England he could write freely, without fear of arrest.
▪ TV companies need the ability to operate freely, with the minimum of government interference,
▷ do your own thing /ˌduː jɔːr əʊn ˈθɪŋ/ [verb phrase] especially spoken
to do what you want to do, especially when these are not the same things as other people generally do :
▪ As a kid, I wanted to do my own thing, but when I got older I realized I wanted to continue the family business.
▪ The three women worked together on a stage play, and then each went off to do her own thing.
4. activities or actions that are not restricted
▷ free /friː/ [adjective only before noun]
▪ This computer program assures the free movement of facts, figures, and text between files.
▪ Bulgaria’s first free elections were held in 1990.
free market
a system in which prices and trade are not controlled by the government
▪ Things like health and education cannot be left to the free market.
free speech
the right to say or write what you want
▪ All Americans have the right of free speech.
a free press
when newspapers are not controlled by the government
▪ Activists were calling for a free press and political reforms.
▷ unrestricted /ˌʌnrɪˈstrɪktɪd◂, ˌʌnrɪˈstrɪktəd◂/ [adjective usually before noun]
not restricted by any rules or orders :
▪ Reporters were later given unrestricted access to the evidence in the case.
▪ The U.N. demanded unrestricted searches for weapons within the country.
▪ Most countries do not permit unrestricted immigration.
▷ open /ˈəʊpən/ [adjective]
if an activity or event is open, anyone can take part in it :
▪ The military government has agreed to hold open elections next year.
▪ We are holding an open competition to find a name for our new ship.
▷ open-ended /ˌəʊpən ˈendə̇d◂/ [adjective]
not restricted by time, length, subject etc :
▪ The summit meeting was intended to be wide-ranging and open-ended.
▪ As well as practice exercises, students should be encouraged to do more open-ended activities.
5. the right to do what you want
▷ freedom /ˈfriːdəm/ [uncountable noun]
the right to do what you want without being controlled or restricted, especially by a government or by someone in authority :
▪ There was a huge party at the Berlin Wall as East Germans celebrated their freedom.
▪ Teachers in the special program have a greater amount of freedom in what they teach.
freedom to do something
▪ People here have the freedom to practise whatever religion they like.
freedom of speech/choice/expression etc
▪ In a country where freedom of speech is guaranteed, citizens should expect to hear ideas with which they disagree.
freedom from
▪ The constitution guarantees freedom from persecution on grounds of race, sex, or sexuality.
▷ liberty /ˈlɪbəʳti/ [uncountable noun]
a person’s legal right to do what they want, without being unfairly controlled or restricted by the government :
▪ They were fighting for liberty and equality.
▪ Many people think that compulsory ID cards interfere with personal liberty.
▷ a free hand /ə ˌfriː ˈhænd/ [phrase]
when someone is allowed to do something in the way that they want, without being told what to do :
▪ Some government agencies will be run like private companies, with a free hand when it comes to rules on hiring, buying equipment, etc.
give somebody a free hand
▪ He was given a remarkably free hand in making all the arrangements.
6. a country or system of government in which people have freedom
▷ free /friː/ [adjective]
a free country, political system, or society is one in which people are allowed to live their lives in the way that they choose, express their opinions freely, take part in political activity etc :
▪ We will continue our struggle until our country is free.
▪ They were able to return to visit their family in a free Czech Republic.
▪ Sometimes you realize how lucky you are to live in a free society.
▷ liberal /ˈlɪb ə rəl/ [adjective]
a liberal society or system is one in which people have the right to express their own opinions, live their own way of life, have their own religious beliefs etc, even if these are different from those of most other people :
▪ In a liberal society you may have the right to express your own beliefs, but not necessarily to cause offence to other people.
▪ In the 1840s, President Herrera promoted a policy of gradual liberal reform in Mexico.
7. to make a country free
▷ free /friː/ [transitive verb]
to remove the control or authority of a strict or unfair system of government from a country :
▪ He joined the resistance movement in order to free his country from the enemy.
▪ The allies arrived in Brussels on September 3rd and Antwerp was freed the next day.
▷ liberate /ˈlɪbəreɪt/ [transitive verb]
if an army liberates a country, it enters that country and defeats the foreign army and government that controlled it :
▪ Algeria was liberated from France in 1962.
▪ Poland, the Czech Republic, and other countries liberated from Soviet rule have done very well economically.
liberation /ˌlɪbəˈreɪʃ ə n/ [uncountable noun]
▪ the liberation of Italy
8. not in prison
▷ free /friː/ [adjective not usually before noun]
not in prison, or not being kept somewhere by force :
▪ He was free again, after 10 long years in jail.
▪ The hostages are now free after their five-day ordeal.
▪ The rapist was sentenced to five years in prison, but he could be free in 18 months.
▷ out /aʊt/ [adjective not before noun]
no longer in prison because you have been allowed to leave :
▪ Peters could be out in as little as 3 years.
get out
▪ Her husband gets out of jail next week.
▷ at liberty /ət ˈlɪbəʳti/ [adjective phrase]
if a criminal is at liberty, he or she is not in prison because the police cannot catch them :
▪ Tonight only one of the escaped prisoners remains at liberty; the other seven are now back in Central Prison.
▪ Walker was at liberty for many years before the police apprehended him.
▷ freedom /ˈfriːdəm/ [uncountable noun]
when you are not in prison or not being kept somewhere by force :
▪ One of the protesters was arrested again after only 48 hours of freedom.
▪ The negotiations led to freedom for the eight hostages.
9. to let someone leave prison
▷ release /rɪˈliːs/ [transitive verb]
to let someone leave prison :
▪ McKay moved to Newcastle after being released from prison.
▪ They released ten political prisoners last year.
release [uncountable noun]
▪ The four men were greeted by jubilant relatives upon their release.
release of
▪ Thousands of people worldwide campaigned for the release of Nelson Mandela.
▷ set somebody free /ˌset somebody ˈfriː/ [verb phrase]
to let someone leave a place where they are being kept by force :
▪ The hostages were set free last night.
▪ The Emancipation Proclamation, in 1863, set the American slaves free.
▷ let somebody out /ˌlet somebody ˈaʊt/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to let someone leave a place where they are being kept, especially a prison :
▪ Lusani hopes to be let out early.
let sb out of
▪ She was let out of prison to attend her daughter’s funeral.
▷ let somebody go /ˌlet somebody ˈgəʊ/ [verb phrase]
to allow someone to leave a place where they have been kept by force for a short time :
▪ Due to a lack of evidence against the suspect, the police had to let the prisoner go.
▪ I just kept praying that the man would let me go.
▷ free /friː/ [transitive verb]
to allow someone who is a prisoner or being kept somewhere to be free :
▪ Many of these young offenders should have been freed a long time ago.
free from
▪ His supporters are demanding that he be freed from prison.
free into
▪ The dolphins will be freed into the ocean once their injuries have healed.
10. time when you can do what you want
▷ free time /ˌfriː ˈtaɪm/ [noun phrase]
time when you can do what you want, because you are not working or studying :
▪ Now that she’s retired she has plenty of free time.
▪ On Wednesday afternoons most of the students have free time.
spend your free time (doing something)
▪ Theo spends his free time doing volunteer work.
in your free time
▪ In his limited free time, Carson likes to take his family skiing.
▷ spare time /ˌspeəʳ ˈtaɪm/ [noun phrase]
time when you have finished what you have to do or are expected to do, so that you can do what you want :
▪ Mothers with young babies rarely have much spare time.
in your spare time
▪ She’s studying for a degree in her spare time.
spend your spare time (doing something)
▪ How do you spend your spare time?
▪ Penny spends her spare time writing letters and emailing friends.
▷ time off /ˌtaɪm ˈɒf/ [noun phrase]
time when you are officially allowed not to be at your place of work or study :
▪ All employees are allowed time off for doctor’s appointments.
▪ She hasn’t had any time off for six months.
▪ I’ll need some extra time off for revision.
time off work/school etc
▪ Americans get much less time off work than European workers.
▷ leisure/leisure time /ˈleʒəʳ, ˈleʒəʳ ˌtaɪmǁˈliː-/ [uncountable noun]
time when you are not working, studying etc and can do activities that you enjoy :
▪ Very often, retired people need to be taught how to use and enjoy their leisure time.
▪ If I have a moment of leisure, I go to the movies.
in your leisure time
▪ In his leisure time he visits museums and art galleries.
leisure (time) activities
▪ tourism, sightseeing, and other leisure time activities
▪ Reading was one of the most popular leisure activities.
▷ time out /ˌtaɪm ˈaʊt/ [noun phrase]
time when you stop what you are doing, especially in order to rest :
▪ Taking time out just to relax each day is important for busy working people.
11. when you are not busy and have free time
▷ free /friː/ [adjective]
if you are free at a particular time, you are not busy and there is nothing that you have to do :
▪ Are you free this weekend?
▪ I’m free on Wednesday evening, if you want to go out to dinner then.
▷ not have anything planned also not have anything on British spoken /nɒt hæv ˌeniθɪŋ ˈplænd, nɒt hæv ˌeniθɪŋ ˈɒn/ [verb phrase]
to not have arranged to do anything at a particular time :
▪ I don’t think we have anything on next Tuesday, do we?
▪ We don’t have anything planned yet for Christmas; we might go to my parents’.
▷ at (your) leisure /ət (jɔːʳ) ˈleʒəʳǁ-ˈliː-/ [adverb]
if you do something at (your) leisure, you do it when you are not busy and have time to do it without hurrying :
▪ Take a brochure home to read at your leisure.
▪ Sixty cars will be displayed, and potential buyers will be able to inspect them at leisure.