Emily Dickinson Lexicon

FREAK, v.t. [from the same root as the preceding, to break; W. bryc, Ir. breac, speckled, party-colored; like pard, from the Heb. פרד, to divide.]

To variegate; to checker. Freaked with many a mingled hue. Thomson.

FREAK'ISH, a.

Apt to change the mind suddenly; whimsical; capricious. It may be a question, whether the wife or the woman was the more freakish of the two. L'Estrange.

FREAK'ISH-LY, adv.

Capriciously; with sudden change of mind, without cause.

FREAK'ISH-NESS, n.

Capriciousness; whimsicalness.

FRECK'LE, n. [from the same root as freak; W. bryc, Ir. breac, spotted, freckled; W. brycu, to freckle; from breaking, unless by a change of letters it has been corrupted from G. fleck, D. vlak or vlek, Sw. flack, Dan. flek, a spot; which is not probable.]

1. A spot of a yellowish color in the skin, particularly on the face, neck and hands. Freckles may be natural or produced by the action of the sun on the skin, or from the jaundice.
2. Any small spot or discoloration. Evelyn.

FRECK'LED, a.

1. Spotted; having small yellowish spots on the skin or surface; as, a freckled face or neck.
2. Spotted; as, a freckled cowslip. Shak.

FRECK'LED-NESS, a.

The state of being freckled. Sherwood.

FRECK'LE-FAC-ED, a.

Having a face full of freckles. Beaum.

FRECK'LY, a.

Full of freckles; sprinkled with spots.

FRED, n. [Sax. frith, Dan. fred, Sw. frid, G. friede, D. vreede, peace; as in Frederic, dominion of peace, or rich in peace; Winfred, victorious peace.]

Our ancestors called a sanctuary, fredstole, a seat of peace.

FREE, a. [Sax. frig, freoh, free; frigan, freogan, to free; G. frei; D. vry; Dan. fri; Sw. fri; all contracted from frig, which corresponds with Heb. and Ch. פרק, Syr. ܦܪܩ, Sam. qrp, Ar. فَرَقَ faraka, to break, to separate, to divide, to free, to redeem, &c. See Frank.]

1. Being at liberty; not being under necessity or restraint, physical or moral; a word of general application to the body, the will or mind, and to corporations.
2. In government, not enslaved; not in a state of vassalage, or dependence; subject only to fixed laws, made by consent, and to a regular administration of such laws; not subject to the arbitrary will of a sovereign or lord; as, a free state, nation or people.
3. Instituted by a free people, or by consent or choice of those who are to be subjects, and securing private rights and privileges by fixed laws and principles; not arbitrary or despotic; as, a free constitution or government. There can be no free government without a democratical branch in the constitution. J. Adams.
4. Not imprisoned, confined or under arrest; as, the prisoner is set free.
5. Unconstrained; unrestrained; not under compulsion or control. A man is free to pursue his own choice; he enjoys free will.
6. Permitted; allowed; open; not appropriated; as, places of honor and confidence are free to all; we seldom hear of a commerce perfectly free.
7. Not obstructed; as the water has a free passage or channel; the house is open to a free current of air.
8. Licentious; unrestrained. The reviewer is very free in his censures.
9. Open; candid; frank; ingenuous; unreserved; as, we had a free conversation together. Will you be free and candid to your friend? Otway.
10. Liberal in expenses; not parsimonious; as, a free purse; a man is free to give to all useful institutions.
11. Gratuitous; not gained by importunity or purchase. He made him a free offer of his services. It is a free gift. The salvation of men is of free grace.
12. Clear of crime or offense; guiltless; innocent. My hands are guilty, but my heart is free. Dryden.
13. Not having feeling or suffering; clear; exempt; with from; as, free from pain or disease; free from remorse.
14. Not encumbered with; as, free from a burden.
15. Open to all, without restriction or without expense; as, a free school.
16. Invested with franchises; enjoying certain immunities; with of; as, a man free of the city of London.
17. Possessing without vassalage or slavish conditions; as, free of his farm. Dryden.
18. Liberated from the government or control of parents, or of guardian or master. A son or an apprentice, when of age, is free.
19. Ready; eager; not dull; acting without spurring or whipping; as, a free horse.
20. Genteel; charming. [Not in use.] Chaucer.

FREE, v.t.

1. To remove from a thing any encumbrance or obstruction; to disengage from; to rid; to strip; to clear; as, to free the body from clothes; to free the feet from fetters; to free a channel from sand.
2. To set at liberty; to rescue or release from slavery, captivity or confinement; to loose; the prisoner is freed from arrest.
3. To disentangle; to disengage.
4. To exempt. He that is dead is freed from sin. Rom. vi.
5. To manumit; to release from bondage; as, to free a slave.
6. To clear from water, as a ship by pumping.
7. To release from obligation or duty. To free from or free of, is to rid of, by removing, in any manner.

FREE-A'GEN-CY, n.

The state of acting freely, or without necessity or constraint of the will.

FREE-BENCH', n.

A widow's dower in a copyhold. Blackstone.

FREE'BOOT-ER, n. [D. vrybuiter; G. freibeuter. See Booty.]

One who wanders about for plunder; a robber; a pillager; a plunderer. Bacon.

FREE'BOOT-ING, n.

Robbery; plunder; a pillaging. Spenser.

FREE'BORN, a.

Born free; not in vassalage; inheriting liberty.

FREE-CHAP'EL, n.

In England, a chapel founded by the king, and not subject to the jurisdiction of the ordinary. The king may also grant license to a subject to found such a chapel. Cowel. Free city, in Germany, an imperial city, not subject to a prince, but governed by its own magistrates. Encyc.

FREE'COST, n.

Without expense; freedom from charges. South.

FREED, pp.

Set at liberty; loosed; delivered from restraint; cleared of hindrance or obstruction.

FREE-DEN'I-ZEN, n.

A citizen. Jackson.

FREED'-MAN, n.

A man who has been a slave and is manumitted.

FREE'DOM, n.

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. Swift.
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.

FREE-FISH'ERY, n.

A royal franchise or exclusive privilege of fishing in a public river. Encyc.

FREE'FOOT-ED, a.

Not restrained in marching. [Not used.] Shak.