sb. and a. Also 6 lyb-, 7–8 -in. [ad. L. lībertīn-us (in sense 2 perh. through F. libertin, recorded from 1542), f. lībertus made free, cogn. w. līber free.]
A. sb.
1. Rom. Antiq. A freedman; one manumitted from slavery; also, the son of a freedman.
1382. Wyclif, Acts vi. 9. Summe risen of the synagoge, that was clepid of Libertyns.
1533. Bellenden, Livy, IV. (1822), 315. Quhidder ane servand or ane libertine war maid consull.
1540–1. Elyot, Image Gov., 34. Libertine, that is to saie, any man of a bonde ancestour.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 411. A mean commoner of Rome, descended from the race of Libertines or Slaues newly infranchised.
1631. Selden, Titles Hon. (ed. 2), Ep. Ded. As if one could be put into the state of a Libertine, without a former seruitude!
1644. Jus Pop., 52. Who could more powerfully sway in the Palace than Eunuchs, Grooms and Libertines?
1726. Ayliffe, Parergon, 24. There are some Persons forbidden to be Accusers … as Libertines against their Patrons.
1727. Lardner, Credib. Gosp. Hist., I. iii. § 4. Libertinus or Libertine, is one who had been a slave, but has now obtained his freedom.
¶ b. Misused for: A freeman (of a city). rare–1.
c. 1611. Chapman, Iliad, XVI. 50. He … vsde me like a fugitiue; an Inmate in a towne, That is no citie libertine, nor capable of their gowne.
2. a. pl. The name given to certain antinomian sects of the early sixteenth century, which arose in France and elsewhere on the continent. b. Later, in wider sense: One who holds free or loose opinions about religion; a free-thinker.
1563–83. Foxe, A. & M., II. 1613/1. Euen the infidels, Turkes, Iewes, Anabaptistes, and Libertines, desire felicitie as well as the Christians.
1589. Acts Privy Council (1898), XVII. 424. In those Lowe Countryes there are Sectaryes, as Annabaptystes, Lybertines, and soche lyke.
1604. R. Cawdrey, Table Alph., Libertine, loose in religion, one that thinks he may doe what he listeth.
1612. T. Taylor, Comm. Titus, ii. 14. Neither wanted their Libertins in those daies, that … thought They might doe what they listed.
1646. P. Bulkeley, Gospel Covt., IV. 297. The old plea of loose Libertines in the Apostles time; I have faith, saith one, and though I have no works, yet my faith will save me.
1698. Norris, Pract. Disc., IV. 254. The Libertins, and Profane Spirits of the Age are apt to Reason, or rather Mutiny against the Ways of God.
1762. Goldsm., Nash, 48. People of all ways of thinking, even from the libertine to the methodist.
1831. Brewster, Newton (1855), II. xviii. 163. Flamsteed never scrupled to denounce Halley as a libertine and an infidel.
1876. J. Parker, Paracl., II. xvii. 283. The intellectual libertine who denies everything that cannot be certified by the senses.
c. transf. One who follows his own inclinations or goes his own way; one who is not restricted or confined.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., I. i. 48. When he speakes, The Ayre, a Charter’d Libertine, is still.
1612. T. Taylor, Comm. Titus, iii. 1. Romish policie, that they might become the absolute libertines of the world … hath withdrawn the neckes of the clergie from vnder Ciuill Power.
1628. Bp. Hall, Serm. Chr. Liberty, Rem. Wks. (1660), 27. What is this, but … to professe our selves, not Libertines, but licentiate of disorder?
1642. Rogers, Naaman, 116. Those Pharisees in the Gospel … Christ himselfe was a libertine to them and their strictnesse.
1698. Lister, Journey Paris (1699), 39. Though Rubens in his History is too much a Libertine in this respect, yet there is in this very place, which we now describe, much truth in the habit of his principal Figures.
1870. Dickens, E. Drood, iv. He is the chartered libertine of the place.
3. A man who is not restrained by moral law, esp. in his relations with the female sex; one who leads a dissolute, licentious life. † Rarely applied to a woman.
1593. G. Harvey, Pierce’s Supererog., 45. The whole brood of venereous Libertines, that knowe no reason but appetite, no Lawe but Luste.
1593. Nashe, Christ’s T., 29 b. Twenty thousand of these dreggy lees of Libertines hiu’d vnto him in a moment.
1602. Shaks., Ham., I. iii. 49. Whilst like a puft and recklesse Libertine Himselfe.
1633. Massinger, Guardian, II. v. The plump Dutch Frow, the stately dame of Spain, The Roman libertine, and sprightful Tuscan.
1713. Rowe, Jane Shore, i. That man the lawless libertine may rove, Free and unquestion’d through the wilds of love.
1750. Johnson, Rambler, No. 77, ¶ 14. The giddy libertine, or drunken ravisher.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, xiv. Since when is it that the principal libertine has altered his morals so much?
1855. Prescott, Philip II. (1857), 80. His life … was that of a libertine.
4. At Aberdeen University: A student who has no bursary.
1782. Orem, Chanonry Aberd., 175. The janitor … hath twenty shillings Scots from every bursar, and two shillings and six pence sterling from libertines.
1818. Kennedy, Ann. Aberd., II. 392. Since the original foundation of the college, the students have been distinguished by the titles of bursars, and libertines, or free scholars.
B. adj.
1. Manumitted from slavery (see A. 1). rare.
1600. Holland, Livy, XXII. i. 432. The verie Libertine or enfranchised women.
1795. Macknight, Apost. Epistles (1820), IV. 547. 4000 of the Libertine race were transported.
2. Acknowledging no law in religion or morals; free-thinking; antinomian. Also occas. Pertaining to the sects known as ‘Libertines.’
1577. Northbrooke, Dicing (1843), 36. The doctrine of the gospell is not a libertine doctrine.
1640. Bp. Hall, Chr. Moder., II. x. 82. Even among the Christians themselves, what foule charges of libertine doctrine are layd upon them by false teachers!
1693. Tillotson, Pref. to Wilkins’ Nat. Relig. The pernicious doctrines of the Antinomians, and of all other libertine-enthusiasts.
1702. C. Mather, Magn. Chr., II. ii. (1852), 115. Religion … had like to have died … through a libertine and Brownistick spirit.
1708. Swift, Sentim. Ch. Eng. Man, Wks. 1755, II. I. 55. Persons of libertine and atheistical tenets.
1858. M. Pattison, Ess. (1889), II. 18. The Libertine party instantly saw the opportunity afforded of turning opinion against the pastors.
1861. Trench, 7 Ch. Asia, 84. In the Apocalypse of St. John we find these libertine errors already full blown.
1901. Expositor, June, 412. The libertine tendencies of Gentile Christians in Asia Minor.
3. Free or unrestrained in constitution, habit, conduct or language. Now rare or Obs.
1589. G. Harvey, Pierce’s Supererog. (1593), 139. Although that same French Mirrour be … stuffed with geere homely enough, fit for a Libertine & frantique Theame; yet doth it [etc.].
1631. T. Powell, Tom All Trades (1876), 167. A more libertine disposition.
1668. Evelyn, Mem. (1857), II. 36. Amongst other libertine libels, there was … a bold petition of the poor w—s to Lady Castlemaine.
1689–90. Temple, Ess. Poetry, Wks. 1731, I. 238. There is something in the Genius of Poetry, too libertine to be confined to so many Rules.
1768–74. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), II. 79. The libertine ant will choose her own settlement.
1847. Emerson, Wood Notes, II. Poems 70. He is free and libertine, Pouring of his power the wine To every age, to every race.
† b. Of literary composition, translation: Extremely free. Obs.
1656. Cowley, Pindar. Odes, Pref. The Grammarians perhaps will not suffer this libertine way of rendring foreign Authors to be called Translation.
a. 1683. Oldham, Poet. Wks., Pref. (1686), 3. The Satyr and Odes of the Author … I have translated in the same libertine way.
1710. Steele, Tatler, No. 172, ¶ 2. I have rambled in this Libertine Manner of Writing by way of Essay.
1760. H. Walpole, Lett. to Sir D. Dalrymple, 3 Feb. The transitions are as sudden as those in Pindar, but not so libertine.
4. Characterized by habitual disregard of moral law, esp. with regard to the relation of the sexes; licentious, dissolute; characteristic of or resembling a libertine.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. xxv. § 3. 121. The heathen Poets, when they fall upon a libertine passion, doe still expostulate with lawes and moralities, as if they were opposite and malignant to nature.
1699. Burnet, 39 Art., Pref. (1700), 4. A tendency not only to Antinomianism, but to a Libertine course of life.
1762. Gibbon, Misc. Wks. (1814), IV. 132. The frank libertine wit of their old stage.
1804. Anna Seward, Mem. E. Darwin, 375. A band of libertine lovers … plight their promiscuous hymeneals.
a. 1831. Mackintosh, Rev. of 1688, Wks. 1846, II. 11. The attractions of his lively and somewhat libertine conversation were among the means by which he maintained his ground with Charles II.
1886. F. Harrison, Choice of Bks., iii. 51. The Decameron … is redolent of that libertine humanism which stamps the Renascence.
