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Webster 1913 Edition

Freedom

Free′dom

(frē′dŭm)
,
Noun.
[AS.
freódōm
;
freó
free +
-dom
. See
Free
, and
-dom
.]
1.
The state of being free; exemption from the power and control of another; liberty; independence.
Made captive, yet deserving
freedom
more.
Milton.
2.
Privileges; franchises; immunities.
Your charter and your caty’s
freedom
.
Shakespeare
3.
Exemption from necessity, in choise and action;
as, the
freedom
of the will
.
4.
Ease; facility;
as, he speaks or acts with
freedom
.
5.
Frankness; openness; unreservedness.
I emboldened spake and
freedom
used.
Milton.
6.
Improper familiarity; violation of the rules of decorum; license.
7.
Generosity; liberality.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.
Syn. – See
Liberty
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Freedom

FREE'DOM

,
Noun.
1.
A state of exemption from the power or control of another; liberty; exemption from slavery, servitude or confinement. Freedom is personal, civil, political, and religious. [See Liberty.]
2.
Particular privileges; franchise; immunity; as the freedom of a city.
3.
Power of enjoying franchises.
4.
Exemption from fate, necessity, or any constraint in consequence of predetermination or otherwise; as the freedom of the will.
5.
Any exemption from constraint or control.
6.
Ease or facility of doing any thing. He speaks or acts with freedom.
7.
Frankness; boldness. He addressed his audience with freedom.
8.
License; improper familiarity; violation of the rules of decorum; with a plural. Beware of what are called innocent freedoms.

Definition 2024

freedom

freedom

English

Noun

freedom ‎(countable and uncountable, plural freedoms)

  1. (uncountable) The state of being free, of not being imprisoned or enslaved.
    Having recently been released from prison, he didn't know what to do with his newfound freedom.‎
  2. (countable) The lack of a specific constraint, or of constraints in general; a state of being free, unconstrained.
    • 2013 June 7, Gary Younge, “Hypocrisy lies at heart of Manning prosecution”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 18:
      The dispatches […] also exposed the blatant discrepancy between the west's professed values and actual foreign policies. Having lectured the Arab world about democracy for years, its collusion in suppressing freedom was undeniable as protesters were met by weaponry and tear gas made in the west, employed by a military trained by westerners.
    Freedom of speech is a basic democratic value.‎
    People in our city enjoy many freedoms.‎
    Every child has a right to freedom from fear and freedom from want.‎
  3. Frankness; openness; unreservedness.
    • Milton
      I emboldened spake and freedom used.
  4. Improper familiarity; violation of the rules of decorum.

Usage notes

  • The phrase "freedom from" can have as an object: fear, want, hunger, pain, disease, stress, depression, debt, poverty, necessity, violence, war, advertising, addiction, etc.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Etymology

From Middle English freedom, fredom, from Old English frēodōm ‎(“freedom, state of free-will, charter, emancipation, deliverance”), from Proto-Germanic *frijadōmaz ‎(“freedom”), equivalent to free +‎ -dom. Cognate with North Frisian fridoem ‎(“freedom”), Dutch vrijdom ‎(“freedom”), Low German frīdom ‎(“freedom”), Middle High German vrītuom ‎(“freedom”), Norwegian fridom ‎(“freedom”).

Pronunciation

  • enPR: frē'dəm, IPA(key): /ˈfɹiːdəm/

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