–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 3e8 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.

< d21 tr>

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 bound1 (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 bound1 (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.

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 free.

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.

236 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.

a game of chance played at a table marked off with numbers from 1 to 36, one or two zeros, and several other sections affording the players a variety of betting opportunities, and having in the center a revolving, dishlike device (roulette wheel) into which a small ball is spun to come to rest finally in one of the 37 or 38 compartments, indicating the winning number and its c 92b haracteristics, as odd or even, red or black, and between 1 and 18 or 19 and 36.

2.	a small wheel, esp. one with sharp teeth, mounted in a handle, for making lines of marks, dots, or perforations: engravers' roulettes; a roulette for perforating sheets of postage stamps.

3.	Philately. a row of short cuts, in which no paper is removed, made between individual stamps to permit their ready separation.

–verb (used with object)

4.	to mark, impress, or perforate with a roulette.

–noun

1.	an amusement or pastime: children's games.

2.	the material or equipment used in playing certain games: a store selling toys and games.

3.	a competitive activity involving skill, chance, or endurance on the part of two or more persons who play according to a set of rules, usually for their own amusement or for that of spectators.

4.	a single occasion of such an activity, or a definite portion of one: the final game of the season; a rubber of three games at bridge.

5.	the number of points required to win a game.

6.	the score at a particular stage in a game: With five minutes to play, the game was 7 to 0.

7.	a particular manner or style of playing a game: Her game of chess is improving.

8.	anything resembling a game, as in requiring skill, endurance, or adherence to rules: the game of diplomacy.

9.	a trick or strategy: to see through someone's game.

10.	fun; sport of any kind; joke: That's about enough of your games.

11.	wild animals, including birds and fishes, such as are hunted for food or taken for sport or profit.

12.	the flesh of such wild animals or other game, used as food: a dish of game.

13.	any object of pursuit, attack, abuse, etc.: The new boy at school seemed to be fair game for practical jokers.

14. 5af

Informal. a business or profession: He's in the real-estate game.

15.	Archaic. fighting spirit; pluck.

–adjective

16.	pertaining to or composed of animals hunted or taken as game or to their flesh.

17.	having a fighting spirit; plucky.

18.	Informal. having the required spirit or will (often fol. by for or an infinitive): Who's game for a hike through the woods?

–verb (used without object)

19.	to play games of chance for stakes; gamble.

–verb (used with object)

20.	to squander in gaming (usually fol. b 92b y away).

—Idioms

21.	die game, a. to die after a brave struggle. b. to remain steadfast or in good spirits at the moment of defeat: He knew that as a candidate he didn't have a chance in the world, but he campaigned anyway and died game.

22.	make game of, to make fun of; ridicule: to make game of the weak and defenseless.

23.	play games, to act in an evasive, deceitful, manipulative, or trifling manner in dealing with others: Don't play games with me—I want to know if you love me or not!

24.	play the game, Informal. a. to act or play in accordance with the rules. b. to act honorably or justly: We naively assumed that our allies would continue to play the game.