freed
/friː/ (bre, ipa) · [frˈid] /friː/ (ame, ipa) · [frˈid] /ˈfrē/ (ame, mw)
freed — verb
- freedpresent simple I / you / we / they
- freeds3rd person singular
- freeding-ing form
- freededpast simple
1. to set a person free from jail or captivity by an official decision
to set a person free from jail or captivity by an official decision
The court freed Reema after new evidence showed she was not guilty.
free + person + after [reason]
Quan was freed from the detention centre after three weeks.
free + from + place
The government freed all political prisoners during the peace talks.
A court order freed the hostage after months of negotiation.
文法句型
free + person + from/out of + place
用法筆記
Subject is typically a court, government, or authority with legal power. The preposition 'from' marks the place of confinement.
常見錯誤
2. to make a person, animal, or object become loose when it is stuck, trapped, or t
to make a person, animal, or object become loose when it is stuck, trapped, or tangled in something
João freed his dog from the wire fence using a pair of pliers.
free + animal + from + [trap]
The firefighter freed the trapped driver from the crushed car.
free + person + from + [vehicle/debris]
Yumi tried to free her hair from the tangled headphone cord.
Hassan gently freed the bird that had flown into the garage.
- release
less specific; can be used for catching as well as freeing from traps
- extricate
more formal, sounds more technical
- disentangle
specifically for tangled objects
文法句型
free + person/animal/object + from + [trap/entanglement]
用法筆記
The object is a person, animal, or thing that is physically stuck. The preposition 'from' marks the trap or entanglement. This sense is common in rescue and emergency contexts.
常見錯誤
3. to take away the rules or restrictions that stop a person or organization from a
to take away the rules or restrictions that stop a person or organization from acting as they wish
The new law freed small businesses from many reporting requirements.
free + entity + from + [obligation]
Élise felt that studying abroad freed her from her family's strict expectations.
free + person + from + [abstract restriction]
The committee voted to free the trade market from government price controls.
Daniel wanted to free himself from the daily routine of office work.
文法句型
free + person/entity + from + [restriction/obligation]
用法筆記
Can take a reflexive pronoun as object ('free himself / herself / themselves from...'). The restriction is often an abstract concept — a rule, expectation, or burden — rather than a physical trap.
常見錯誤
4. to make money, time, space, or other resources become available so that they can
to make money, time, space, or other resources become available so that they can be used for a particular purpose
Selling the old car freed enough cash for a down payment on a house.
free + [resource] + for + [purpose]
The manager rearranged the schedule to free up two hours for team training.
free up + time
Noa cleared out the spare room to free space for a home office.
Layla freed her evenings by hiring someone to clean the house.
- free up
phrasal verb; more common in spoken English than 'free' alone for this sense
- make available
more formal; used in official or business writing
- release
used for resources like funds or data
文法句型
free + [resource] + for + [purpose]
free up + [resource]
用法筆記
This sense is very common in business and planning contexts. The phrasal form 'free up' is especially frequent in everyday speech. The resource freed is always something usable — money, time, space, personnel, or data.
常見錯誤
freed — adjective
- freedpositive
- freedercomparative
- freedestsuperlative
1. able to do what you want without being stopped or controlled by others, rules, o
able to do what you want without being stopped or controlled by others, rules, or outside forces
Femi felt truly free after leaving his strict school and starting university.
free to + infinitive for permission
In a free society, citizens can express opinions without fear of punishment.
collocation: free society
The children were free to choose any book they liked from the library shelves.
As a free adult, Yuki decided to travel alone for the first time.
- independent
focuses on not being controlled by others, often used for countries or people
- unrestricted
more formal; emphasizes no rules or limits
- at liberty
formal; often used in official or legal contexts
- restricted
limited by specific rules or boundaries
- confined
physically limited to a small space
文法句型
free to + infinitive
用法筆記
Often followed by 'to + infinitive' to describe what someone is permitted or able to do without restriction.
常見錯誤
2. relaxed and informal; not limited by strict social rules, conventions, or formal
relaxed and informal; not limited by strict social rules, conventions, or formal expectations
The party was free and easy, with guests chatting and laughing together.
phrase: free and easy
Rohan enjoyed the free teaching style at art school, where students painted what they felt.
Indra has always been a free spirit who travels wherever the road takes her.
Their conversation was open and free, touching on topics they never discussed before.
- casual
less intense than 'free'; simply means not formal
- uninhibited
stronger; describes someone who acts without embarrassment
- relaxed
focuses on a calm, unstressed atmosphere
- formal
following strict rules of behaviour or dress
- constrained
held back by social pressure or rules
文法句型
free and easy
用法筆記
Commonly used in the fixed phrase 'free and easy' to describe a social setting where people behave casually. 'Free spirit' is another common fixed phrase describing a person who lives unconventionally.
3. not costing any money; given or available without payment
not costing any money; given or available without payment
Children under five can visit the museum for free on weekends.
adverbial use: for free
The hotel offers free breakfast for all guests staying overnight.
adjective before noun: free breakfast
Lisa downloaded a free app that helps her learn new languages every day.
The gallery gives free guided tours every Saturday morning at ten.
- complimentary
formal; something given for free as a courtesy, often by a business
- gratis
formal; from Latin, used in written notices
- on the house
informal; paid for by the business, especially at restaurants or bars
- paid
requiring payment
- chargeable
formal; a fee is required
文法句型
free + noun
be free
用法筆記
Common in advertising and retail contexts. 'For free' is an adverbial phrase used after verbs like 'get', 'have', or 'enter'. As an adjective, it appears before the noun ('free sample') or after 'be' ('the sample is free').
常見錯誤
4. not held in prison, slavery, or captivity; having personal liberty and the right
not held in prison, slavery, or captivity; having personal liberty and the right to move freely
After ten years in prison, Takeshi was finally a free man again.
collocation: free man
The activists worked to help free people in countries where slavery still existed.
The hostages were set free after the police negotiated for three days.
Sojourner Truth was a free woman who bravely spoke out against slavery.
- liberated
more formal; often describes a group or country freed from oppression
- released
specifically let out of prison or confinement
- emancipated
formal; freed from legal, political, or social restrictions
- imprisoned
held in prison
- captive
held as a prisoner, often with limited freedom
- enslaved
forced to work as a slave
文法句型
set + noun + free
free + noun (person)
用法筆記
Often used after the verb 'set' — 'set someone free' is the most common phrasal pattern. 'Free' here is part of the resultative construction; 'they set him free' means 'they caused him to become free'.
常見錯誤
5. not fixed, fastened, or held in position; able to move or be moved without restr
not fixed, fastened, or held in position; able to move or be moved without restriction
The free end of the rope swung wildly in the wind during the storm.
collocation: free end
Mira let her hair hang free as she cycled down the hill in the afternoon.
verb pattern: let + noun + free
One of the screws came free from the shelf, so we had to fix it.
Tariq pulled the trapped bird free from the net and let it fly away.
- loose
more common; not firmly fixed in place
- unfastened
not closed or fixed; often describes buttons, belts, or doors
- detached
separated from something it was attached to
文法句型
the + noun + end/edge
break/cut + noun + free
用法筆記
Often follows verbs like 'come', 'break', 'cut', 'pull', 'shake' in resultative constructions: 'come free' means 'become loose'. 'Let loose' is a near-synonym but more common for living things.
常見錯誤
6. not busy with other tasks; not already claimed or taken by someone; ready for a
not busy with other tasks; not already claimed or taken by someone; ready for a new use or meeting
Beatriz checked her diary to see if she was free for lunch on Friday.
free for + event/activity
Excuse me, is this seat free or are you saving it for someone?
question: Is this [noun] free?
The doctor has a free slot at three o'clock this afternoon.
Are you free next Tuesday to help me move into my new apartment?
- available
more general; free for a particular purpose or time
- unoccupied
formal; not in use, especially for seats, rooms, or buildings
- empty
describes a seat, table, or container with nothing or no one in it
文法句型
be free
keep + time + free
用法筆記
Common in questions about availability ('Is this seat free?') and scheduling ('I'm free on Tuesday'). Distinguish from sense 1 (NOT LIMITED): here the focus is on having no prior commitments, not on having permission or absence of rules.
常見錯誤
7. not affected, troubled, or burdened by something unwanted, such as pain, problem
not affected, troubled, or burdened by something unwanted, such as pain, problems, debt, or a difficult duty
After paying off all his loans, Nikhil felt free from financial worry.
collocation: free from + worry
The new dam kept the village free from the threat of flooding.
Sofia wants a society free from violence and fear.
Bao was finally free from the pain after the doctor treated his knee.
- burdened
opposite of free from hardship
- subject to
opposite of free from rules or obligations
文法句型
free from + noun
free of + noun
用法筆記
Often followed by 'from' (free from pain) or 'of' (free of charge). 'Free from' tends to be used with abstract burdens, while 'free of' is more common with concrete things like costs or errors.
常見錯誤
8. willing to give or use something, especially money, advice, or criticism, in a g
willing to give or use something, especially money, advice, or criticism, in a generous or unrestricted way
Grandpa was always free with his pocket money whenever we visited him.
pattern: be free with + money
Mert is free with his cooking tips for anyone who asks.
The theatre director was free with her praise after the wonderful performance.
Auntie Lin is free with her advice whether you want it or not.
- generous
broader meaning; free with often implies giving freely of something intangible
- lavish
more intense and often about money or gifts
- unstinting
formal; describes giving without limits
- stingy
unwilling to give or share
- tight-fisted
informal; unwilling to spend money
文法句型
be free with + noun
用法筆記
The object after 'with' is typically something the person controls: money, time, advice, praise, or criticism. Can suggest a positive (generous) or mildly negative (too ready to share) tone depending on context.
9. existing in a pure, uncombined state rather than joined with other elements to f
existing in a pure, uncombined state rather than joined with other elements to form a compound; used especially of chemical elements
Free nitrogen makes up about seventy-eight percent of the Earth's atmosphere.
collocation: free nitrogen
The scientist collected free hydrogen from the chemical reaction in the lab.
Gold is sometimes found in nature as free metal rather than inside ore.
- uncombined
direct synonym; more general and less technical
- pure
broader meaning; not limited to chemical contexts
文法句型
free + noun (chemical element)
用法筆記
Primarily a technical term used in chemistry contexts. Often paired with element names: free oxygen, free nitrogen, free hydrogen, or with 'free electrons' in physics.
10. not following the original words or form exactly; giving the general meaning or
not following the original words or form exactly; giving the general meaning or a looser version rather than a precise, word-for-word copy
Léa did a free translation of the Japanese poem for her literature class.
collocation: free translation
The movie is a free adaptation of the classic fairy tale with a modern ending.
A free interpretation lets each viewer bring their own feelings to the painting.
Sahil produced a free version of the ancient text for modern readers.
- loose
more informal; can imply less careful
- liberal
similar but slightly more formal
- non-literal
formal and descriptive
文法句型
free + noun (translation, adaptation, version)
用法筆記
Used especially with translation, adaptation, interpretation, or version. The opposite is 'literal' or 'strict'. A free translation is not necessarily wrong — it prioritises natural flow over exact word matching.