free

{{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}}

verb

VERB + FREE

▪ struggle to, try to

▪

She struggled to free herself from his grip.

▪ manage to

PREPOSITION

▪ from

▪

They succeeded in freeing their friends from prison.

▪ of

▪

He had finally been freed of his responsibilities.

PHRASES

▪ be freed on bail

▪

The court ruled that he should be freed on bail of $50 000.

Free is used with these nouns as the object: ↑capital, ↑captive, ↑hostage, ↑inmate, ↑mind, ↑prisoner, ↑slave, ↑tongue

{{Roman}}II.{{/Roman}}

adj., adv.

1 not controlled by rules

VERBS

▪ be, feel, seem

▪ become

▪ remain

▪ leave sb

▪

The government wants to leave companies free to make their own decisions.

ADVERB

▪ completely, entirely, quite, totally

▪

The students are entirely free to choose their own courses.

▪ truly

▪ fairly, reasonably, relatively

PREPOSITION

▪ from

▪

The organization wants to remain free from government control.

2 not in prison; not restricted/trapped

VERBS

▪ be, roam, run

▪

animals roaming free across the plains

▪ break, get, pull

▪

The ship broke free from its moorings.

▪

They tied him up but he managed to get free.

▪

She managed to pull free of her attacker.

▪ go, walk

▪

He said he would let the prisoners go free.

▪

She walked free from jail.

▪ remain

▪ cut sb/sth, let sb/sth, pull sb/sth, set sb/sth

▪

He was trapped by his leg, but his rescuers cut him free.

▪

They let their prisoner free.

▪

The birds were set free.

ADVERB

▪ completely, entirely, totally

▪ truly

3 costing nothing

VERBS

▪ be, come

▪

This attractive poster comes free with the magazine.

ADVERB

▪ absolutely, completely, entirely, totally

▪ virtually

PHRASES

▪ for free

▪

We might be able to get some plants for free.

▪ free of charge

▪

We will send you our booklet free of charge.

PREPOSITION

▪ for

▪

The exhibition is free for children under ten.

4 free from/of sth without sth

VERBS

▪ be

▪ become

▪ remain, stay

▪ keep sth

▪

We've managed to keep the garden free of weeds this year.

ADVERB

▪ completely, entirely, totally

▪

At last he's totally free from pain.

▪ relatively

▪ virtually

5 not being used

VERBS

▪ be, seem

▪ become

▪ keep sth

▪

The hospital needs to keep some beds free for emergencies.

ADVERB

▪ completely

6 not busy

VERBS

▪ be

▪

Are you free this afternoon?

▪ keep sth

▪

We try and keep Sundays free.

ADVERB

▪ completely, entirely, totally

▪ fairly, pretty, reasonably

Free is used with these nouns: ↑access, ↑accommodation, ↑admission, ↑advice, ↑agent, ↑association, ↑booze, ↑buffet, ↑CD, ↑choice, ↑clinic, ↑collection, ↑competition, ↑concert, ↑consultation, ↑copy, ↑country, ↑coupon, ↑distribution, ↑drink, ↑election, ↑electricity, ↑end, ↑enquiry, ↑enterprise, ↑entertainment, ↑entry, ↑exchange, ↑exercise, ↑expression, ↑flow, ↑gift, ↑gig, ↑hand, ↑handout, health service, ↑hotline, ↑improvisation, ↑instruction, ↑interpretation, ↑jazz, ↑kick, ↑labour, ↑leaflet, ↑lift, ↑love, ↑mailing list, ↑man, ↑market, ↑membership, ↑merchandise, ↑movement, ↑nation, ↑offer, ↑overdraft, ↑pardon, ↑parking, ↑pass, ↑passage, ↑prescription, ↑press, ↑publicity, ↑quotation, ↑quote, ↑registration, ↑rent, ↑rental, ↑republic, ↑ride, ↑sample, ↑seminar, ↑service, ↑site, ↑society, ↑software, ↑space, ↑speech, ↑spirit, ↑subscription, ↑thinker, ↑thought, ↑ticket, ↑time, ↑trade, ↑trader, ↑trading, ↑transfer, ↑translation, ↑travel, ↑treatment, ↑trial, ↑trip, ↑tuition, ↑union, ↑use, ↑verse, ↑vote, ↑weight, ↑will, ↑world

{{Roman}}III.{{/Roman}}

adv.

Free is used with these verbs: ↑call, ↑distribute, ↑provide, ↑roam, ↑supply, ↑wriggle