–adjective

1.	having too much flabby tissue; corpulent; obese: a fat person.

2.	plump; well-fed: a good, fat chicken.

3.	consisting of or containing fat; greasy; oily: fat gravy; fat meat.

4.	profitable, as an office: a fat job on the city commission.

5.	affording good opportunities, esp. for gain: a fat business contract.

6.	wealthy; prosperous; rich: He grew fat on dishonest profits.

7.	big, broad, or extended; thick: a fat sheaf of bills.

8.	plentiful; abundant: a fat supply of food.

9.	plentifully supplied: a fat larder; a fat feast.

10.	dull; stupid: fat clumsiness of manner.

11.	abounding in a particular element: Fat pine is rich in resin.

12.	(of paint) having more oil than pigment. Compare lean 2 (def. 6).

13.	(of coal) highly bituminous; rich in volatile hydrocarbons.

14.	Ceramics. long 1 (def. 25).

15.	fertile, as land: Everything grows in this fat soil.

–noun

16.

any of several white or yellowish greasy substances, forming the chief part of adipose tissue of animals and also occurring d46 in plants, that when pure are colorless, odorless, and tasteless and are either solid or liquid esters of glycerol with fatty acids; fats are insoluble in water or cold alcohol but soluble in ether, chloroform, or benzene: used in the manufacture of soap, paints, and other protective coatings and in cooking.

17.	animal tissue containing much of this substance; loose flesh; flabbiness: to have rolls of fat around one's waist.

18.	the richest or best part of anything.

19.	obesity; corpulence: In his later years, he inclined to fat.

20.	Slang. especially profitable or advantageous work.

21.	an overabundance or excess; superfluity.

22.	action or lines in a dramatic part that permit an actor to display abilities.

23.	Also, phat. Also called lift. Typesetting. matter that can be composed easily and profitably, esp. from standing type, illustrations, or the like: fat work. Compare lean 2 (def. 11).

–verb (used with object), verb (used without object)

24.	to make or become fat.

—Idioms

25.	a fat chance, Slang. a very slight chance; small probability: A fat chance he has of winning the title!

26.	a fat lot, Slang. little or not at all: A fat lot they care about anyone else's troubles!

27.	chew the fat. chew (def. 11).

28.	the fat is in the fire, a. an irrevocable action or chain of events has been started; the die is cast: Now that they have been given an ultimatum, the fat is in the fire. b. the decision, whether good or bad, has been made. c. the crisis is imminent.

29.	the fat of the land, the best or richest of anything obtainable: to live on the fat of the land.

–adjective

1.	enjoying personal rights or liberty, as a person who is not in slavery: a land of free people.

2.	pertaining to or reserved for those who enjoy personal liberty: They were thankful to be living on free soil.

3.	existing under, characterized by, or possessing civil and political liberties that are, as a rule, constitutionally guaranteed by representative government: the free nations of the world.

4.	enjoying political autonomy, as a people or country not under foreign rule; independent.

5.	exempt from external authority, interference, restriction, etc., as a person or one's will, thought, choice, action, etc.; independent; unrestricted.

6.	able to do something at will; at liberty: free to choose.

7.	clear of obstructions or obstacles, as a road or corridor: The highway is now free of fallen rock.

8.	not occupied or in use: I'll try to phone her again if the line is free.

9.	exempt or released from something specified that controls, restrains, burdens, etc. (usually fol. by from or of): free from worry; free of taxes.

10.	having immunity or being safe (usually fol. by from): free from danger.

11.	provided without, or not subject to, a charge or payment: free parking; a free sample.

12.	given without consideration of a return or reward: a free offer of legal advice.

13.	unimpeded, as motion or movement; easy, firm, or swift.

14.	not held fast; loose; unattached: to get one's arm free.

15.	not joined to or in contact with something else: The free end of the cantilever sagged.

16.	acting without self-restraint or reserve: to be too free with one's tongue.

17.	ready or generous in giving; liberal; lavish: to be free with one's advice.

18.	given readily or in profusion; unstinted.

19.	frank and open; unconstrained, unceremonious, or familiar.

20.	unrestrained by decency; loose or licentious: free behavior.

21.	not subject to special regulations, restrictions, duties, etc.: The ship was given free passage.

22.	of, pertaining to, or characterized by free enterprise: a free economy.

23.	that may be used by or is open to all: a free market.

24.	engaged in by all present; general: a free fight.

25.	not literal, as a translation, adaptation, or the like; loose.

26.	uncombined chemically: free oxygen.

27.	traveling without power; under no force except that of gravity or inertia: free flight.

28.	Phonetics. (of a vowel) situated in an open syllable (opposed to checked ).

29.	at liberty to enter and enjoy at will (usually fol. by of): to be free of a friend's house.

30.	not subject to rules, set forms, etc.: The young students had an hour of free play between classes.

31.	easily worked, as stone, land, etc.

32.	Mathematics. (of a vector) having specified magnitude and direction but no specified initial point. Compare bound 1 (def. 9).

33.	Also, large. Nautical. (of a wind) nearly on the quarter, so that a sailing vessel may sail free.

34.	not containing a specified substance (often used in combination): a sugar-free soft drink.

35.	(of a linguistic form) occurring as an independent construction, without necessary combination with other forms, as most words. Compare bound 1 (def. 11).

36.	without cost, payment, or charge.

–adverb

37.	in a free manner; freely.

38.	Nautical. away from the wind, so that a sailing vessel need not be close-hauled: running free.

–verb (used with object)

39.	to make free; set at liberty; release from bondage, imprisonment, or restraint.

40.	to exempt or deliver (usually fol. by from).

41.	to relieve or rid (usually fol. by of): to free oneself of responsibility.

3e8

42.	to disengage; clear (usually fol. by from or of).

—Verb phrase

43.	free up, a. to release, as from restrictions: Congress voted to free up funds for the new highway system. b. to disentangle: It took an hour to free up the traffic jam.

—Idioms

44.	for free, Informal. without charge: The tailor mended my jacket for fre 1512 e.

45.	free and clear, Law. without any encumbrance, as a lien or mortgage: They owned their house free and clear.

46.	free and easy, a. unrestrained; casual; informal. b. excessively or inappropriately casual; presumptuous.

47.	make free with, a. to use as one's own; help oneself to: If you make free with their liquor, you won't be invited again. b. to treat with too much familiarity; take liberties with.

48.	set free, to release; liberate; free: The prisoners were set free.

49.	with a free hand, generously; freely; openhandedly: He entertains visitors with a free hand.

–noun

1.	food and drink considered in terms of its qualities, composition, and its effects on health: Milk is a wholesome article of diet.

2.	a particular selection of food, esp. as designed or prescribed to improve a person's physical condition or to prevent or treat a disease: a diet low in sugar.

3.	such a selection or a limitation on the amount a person eats for reducing weight: No pie for me, I'm on a diet.

4.	the foods eaten, as by a particular person or group: The native diet consists of fish and fruit.

5.	food or feed habitually eaten or provided: The rabbits were fed a diet of carrots and lettuce.

6.	anything that is habitually provided or partaken of: Television has given us a steady diet of game shows and soap operas.

–verb (used with object)

7.	to regulate the food of, esp. in order to improve the physical condition.

8.

to feed.

–verb (used without object)

9.	to select or limit the food one eats to improve one's physical condition or to lose weight: I've dieted all month and lost only one pound.

10.	to eat or feed according to the requirements of a diet.

–adjective

11.	suitable for consumption with a weight-reduction diet; dietetic: diet soft drinks.