v. Obs. Forms: 1 fréolsian, 3 Orm. fre(o)llsenn, 4 frels(en. [OE. fréolsian, f. fréols str. masc., neut. ‘freedom, time of freedom, festival,’ also as adj. ‘free’; cf. OFris. frîhals freedom, OHG. frîhals free man, freedom, ON. frials adj. free, Goth. freihals freedom; the sb. (adj.) means literally ‘free neck’: see FREE a. and HALS.]
1. trans. To keep (a holy day) free from work; to celebrate.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Exod. xxxiv. 21. Wirc six daȝas and freolsa ðone seofoðan.
c. 1200. Ormin, 8895.
| To frellsenn þær þatt heȝhe tid | |
| O þatt Judisskenn wise. |
2. To set (a person) free; to free, release.
c. 1250. Lord’s Prayer, in Rel. Ant., I. 22.
| And leod us in tol na fandinge, | |
| bot frels us fra alle ivele þinge. |
a. 1300. Cursor M., 10082 (Cott.). His folk to frels fra sin and scam.
