[free.dom] n (bef. 12c) 1: the quality or state of being free: as a: the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action b: liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another: independence c: the quality or state of being exempt or released usu. from something onerous "~ from care" d: ease, facility "spoke the language with ~" e: the quality of being frank, open, or outspoken "answered with ~" f: improper familiarity g: boldness of conception or execution h: unrestricted use "gave him the ~ of their home"
2. a: a political right b: franchise, privilege syn freedom, liberty, license mean the power or condition of acting without compulsion. freedom has a broad range of application from total absence of restraint to merely a sense of not being unduly hampered or frustrated "freedom of the press". liberty suggests release from former restraint or compulsion "the released prisoner had difficulty adjusting to his new liberty". license implies freedom specially granted or conceded and may connote an abuse of freedom "freedom without responsibility may degenerate into license".