Free v.

Pa. t. and pa. pple. freed. [OE. fréon, fréoȝ(e)an, = MHG. vrîjen, ON. fría, friá:—OTeut. *frijêjan, f. *frijo- FREE a.]

  1.  trans. To make free; to set at liberty; to release or deliver from bondage or constraint.

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Lev. xxv. 10. On þam forȝifenisse ȝeare man sceal freoȝan ælcne þeowan.

c. 1205.  Lay., 882.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 2787.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 16942 (Cott.). Þan war we frehed all.

c. 1470.  Henry the Minstrel, Wallace, VIII. 1580. Thai frede the folk, in Ingland for to gang.

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, X. xiii., heading.

1572.  Satir. Poems Reform., xxxi. 107.

1611.  Bible, 2 Macc. ii. 22. And recouered againe the Temple renowned all the world ouer, and freed the citie, and vpheld the lawes, which were going downe, the Lord being gracious vnto them with al fauour.

1639.  S. Du Verger, trans. Camus’ Admir. Events, 23. Like a furious Tigres, who runnes her selfe amongst the weapons of the hunters, seeking to free her young ones.

1693.  Dryden, Persius’ Sat., V. 182.

1841.  Lane, Arab. Nts., I. 64. He who beats his slave without fault, or slaps him on the face, his atonement for this is freeing him.

1865.  Kingsley, Herew. (1866), II. ii. 30. He freed one of those four.

  b.  Const. from, † of.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 103, 5. He ben þanne fried of þe deueles þralshipe.

1340.  Ayenb., 262. Ac vri ous uram queade.

1613.  Purchas, Pilgrimage (1614), 284. The Portugals still retaine their Indian-Seas and Traffique, and not onely freed that their Castle from Turkish bondage, but had meanes to fortifie it better, by the Ordnance, which the Turkes in their hastie flight had left behinde.

1651.  Hobbes, Leviath., III. xl. 250. The same Covenant was renewed with Isaac; and afterwards with Jacob; but afterwards no more, till the Israelites were freed from the Egyptians.

1736.  Butler, Anal., I. vi. Wks. 1874, I. 116. The child would doubtless be highly delighted to find himself freed from the restraints of fear and shame, with which his playfellows were fettered and embarrassed.

1816.  J. Wilson, City of Plague, III. i.

1875.  Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), IV. 234, Theaetetus, Introduction. The want of the Greek mind in the fourth century before Christ, was not another theory of rest or motion, or being or atoms, but rather a philosophy which could free the mind from the power of abstractions and alternatives, and show how far rest and how far motion, how far the universal principle of being, and the multitudinous principle of atoms, entered into the composition of the world; which could distinguish between the true and false analogy, and allow the negative as well as the positive a place in human thought.

  2.  To relieve or deliver from, rid or ease of (a burden, obligation, inconvenience); to exempt from (payment, tribute, etc.), confer immunity upon. † In early use chiefly, to exempt (a church, etc.) from feudal services or exactions.

O. E. Chron., an. 777. Seo kyning freode þa þæt mynstre Wocingas wið cining & wið biscop & wið eorl & wið ealle men.

c. 1205.  Lay., 10213. Freoden alle þe chirchen.

c. 1425.  Found. St. Bartholomew’s (E.E.T.S.), 16. Or ony othir chirch yn all Inglonde, that is most y freid.

1530.  Palsgr., 558/1. I free a marchandyse or person that shulde paye a somme or tale. Je quitte.

1573.  Satir. Poems Reform., xii. 80. Thocht of this feir thow salbe fred.

1598.  Hakluyt, Voy., I. 172. The said marchants should be exempted and freed from all custome and imposition of small clothes.

1630.  R. Johnson, Relations of the Most Famous Kingdoms, etc., 95. If it be a blessing, to enjoy the preaching of the Gospell, to be freed from corrupt and absurd ceremonies, [etc.].

1748.  Anson’s Voy., II. ii. 137. We were now freed from the apprehensions of our provisions falling short, before we could reach some amicable port.

1761.  Hume, Hist. Eng., II. xxvii. 123. He freed their subjects from all oaths of allegiance and gave their dominions to every one who could take possession of them.

1818.  Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), III. 314. The lands would be held of nobody, and freed from all feudal services.

1842.  A. Combe, Physiol. Digestion (ed. 4), 74. From all these inconveniences we are entirely freed by the stomach being placed under the dominion of the involuntary nerves.

1866.  Crump, Banking, ix. 198. That Bank of England notes should be freed from stamp duty.

1874.  Green, Short Hist., iv. § 2. 171. The towns had long since freed themselves from all payment of the dues or fines exacted by the King.

  † b.  intr. To free with: = ‘To dispense with’ (see DISPENSE v. 9). Obs.

1561.  Abp. Parker, Corr. (1853), 126. If that this young student had a dispensation for the delay of his orders-taking, yet he were not freed with for his laity, and the bishop might repel him at his institution and so should [he] bestow his cost but in vain.

  † c.  trans. To grant immunity from the operation of a thing; to make safe or secure from. Obs.

1611.  Shaks., Wint. T., IV. iv. 444.

1613.  Purchas, Pilgrimage (1614) 311. Chederles hereby freed from death, rides about euery where on his horse (which thence also dranke in immortality) & delighteth in battels.

1659.  D. Pell, Impr. Sea, 382. There are but few Trees … that are free’d from the Thunder, save the Lawrel.

  d.  To relieve or rid of the presence of a person. Const. from, of.

1580.  Sidney, Arcadia, II. (1590), 134. Meaning to free him of so serpentine a companion as I am.

a. 1639.  Spottiswood, Hist. Ch. Scotl., II. (1655), 74. How soon the Cardinal was freed of the Earl of Lenox, he set himself to pursue those that were called Hereticks.

1821.  Scott, Kenilw., ix. Desirous to get her house freed of her guest.

1833.  Ht. Martineau, Fr. Wines & Pol., viii. 129. The gentleman soon chose to free the family of his presence.

1844.  H. H. Wilson, Brit. India, III. 124. To free his rear from a force which cut off his communication with Rangoon.

  † e.  To clear from blame or stain; to show or declare to be guiltless; to absolve, acquit. Obs.

1593.  Shaks., Lucr., 1208.

1611.  Bible, Rom. vi. 7. He that is dead, is freed from sinne.

  f.  To relieve, unburden (one’s mind).

1869.  Trollope, He knew, etc., I. xxvi. 204. ‘It is a matter in which I am bound to tell you what I think.’ ‘Very well. Now, if you have freed your mind, I will tell you my purpose.’

  3.  To clear, disengage, or disentangle (a thing) from some obstruction or encumbrance. Const. from, of.

1613.  Purchas, Pilgrimage (1614), 759. Much faire and open grounds, freed from woods.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 835.

1796.  Mrs. Glasse, Cookery, xvii. 280. Savoloys. Take six pounds of young pork, free it from bone and skin.

1820.  Keats, Eve St. Agnes, xxvi.

1837.  Goring & Pritchard, Microgr., 202–3. A purifier … for freeing the gases of their impurities.

1886.  Law Times, LXXX. 23 Jan., 213/2. Has anyone ever succeeded in freeing a ship at sea in a warm latitude from cockroaches?

  b.  Naut. (See quot. 1627.)

1627.  Capt. Smith, Seaman’s Gram., vi. 27. Free the Boat is to baile or cast out the water.

1769.  Falconer, Dict. Marine (1789), S s. There is no resource for the crew, except to free her by the pumps.

1867.  Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., s.v. To free a pump, to disengage or clear it.

1892.  Law Times Rep., LXV. 590/1. A ship … fouled her propeller, and it became necessary to put her upon the ground in order to free it.

  c.  To get (oneself) loose, disengage, extricate.

1659.  D. Pell, Impr. Sea, 507. Till you have got up your Anchors, and freed yourselves from the shore.

1665.  Hooke, Microgr., 37. Its parts will be shaken and agitated, and so by degrees free and extricate themselves from one another.

1852.  Miss Yonge, Cameos, I. xxxv. 301. In 1298 Edward, having freed himself from his difficulties in England and France, hurried to the north to put down in person what in his eyes was not patriotism, but rebellion.

  † d.  To open so as to allow free passage. Obs.

1690.  Dryden, Don Sebast., IV. i.

  † 4.  To remove so as to leave the place clear, banish, get rid of. Obs.

1599.  Daniel, Octavia to Antonius, li. Free thine owne torment, and my griefe release.

1605.  Shaks., Macb., III. vi. 35.

1613.  Heywood, Brazen Age, II. ii. Wks. 1874, III. 239.

1638.  Ford, Fancies, II. ii. Free suspition.

  † b.  Naut. To bale out (water) from a ship.

1634.  Capt. Smith, Virginia, III. v. 56. Such mighty waues ouerracked vs in that small barge that with great labour we kept her from sinking by freeing out the water.

  † 5.  To leap or get clear over, clear (a ditch, etc.). Cf. F. franchir. Obs.

1653.  Urquhart, Rabelais, I. xxiii. He … made him [a horse] go the high saults, bounding in the aire, free the ditch with a skip.

1785.  Burns, Death & Dr. Hornbook, iii.

1799.  Hist., in New Ann. Reg., 299/1. Rallying such of his troops as had been able to free these abysses, Desolles surprised and attacked Glurentz.

  † 6.  To frank (a letter): see FRANK v.² 1. Obs.

1775.  Johnson, Lett. to H. Thrale, Feb. Please to free this letter to Miss Lucy Porter at Lichfield.

1823.  Mirror, I. 26 April, 414/2. The frivolous occasions on which those who do not free their letters often write.

  7.  Lead-mining. To register (a new mine, vein, etc.) by making the customary specified payment to the barmaster. Also, to free for.

1601.  High Peak Art., lii. in Mander, Derbysh. Min. Gloss. (1824), 131. If any Miner or Miners or other person or persons do free or pay a Meare.

1653.  Manlove, Lead-Mines, 51 (E.D.S.).

1747.  Hooson, Miner’s Dict., s.v. Break-off, I am obliged to Free for a new Vein, or Forfeit the same to the Lord.

1851.  Act 14 & 15, Vic., c. 94, Sched. i. § 12. If any Miner shall work any Mine or Vein without having duly freed the same.

  8.  intr. (See quot.) ? U.S.

1889.  Century Dict., Free, intrans., To make free; take liberties: followed by with. [Colloq.]

  Hence Freed ppl. a.

1710.  Pope, Windsor For., 407.

1837.  Ht. Martineau, Soc. Amer., II. 116. Restless slave-holders, whose uneasiness has urged them to struggle in their toils, and find themselves unable to get out but by the loss of everything, (but honour and conscience,) pointed out to me the laws of their States, whereby the manumission of slaves is rendered difficult or impossible to the master, remaining on the spot, and prospectively fatal to the freed slave;—pointed out to me these laws as rendering abolition impossible.