(liberties)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
Liberty is the freedom to live your life in the way that you want, without interference from other people or the authorities.
Wit Wolzek claimed the legislation could impinge on privacy, self determination and respect for religious ~...
Such a system would be a fundamental blow to the rights and liberties of the English people.
= freedom
N-VAR
see also civil liberties
2.
Liberty is the freedom to go wherever you want, which you lose when you are a prisoner.
Why not say that three convictions before court for stealing cars means three months’ loss of ~...
N-UNCOUNT: oft at N
3.
If someone is at ~ to do something, they have been given permission to do it.
The island’s in the Pacific Ocean; I’m not at ~ to say exactly where, because we’re still negotiating for its purchase.
= able
PHRASE: PHR to-inf, usu v-link PHR
4.
If you say that you have taken the ~ of doing something, you are saying that you have done it without asking permission. People say this when they do not think that anyone will mind what they have done.
I took the ~ of going into Assunta’s wardrobe, as it was open; I was looking for a towel.
PHRASE: V inflects, PHR -ing politeness
5.
If you take liberties or take a ~ with someone or something, you act in a way that is too free and does not show enough respect.
Try and retain the excitement of the event in your writing, without taking liberties with the truth...
She knew she was taking a big ~ in developing Mick’s photos without his knowledge.
PHRASE: V and N inflect, oft PHR with n