freely

B1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈfɹili/ UK /ˈfɹiːli/ See IPA manual

Freq #6513

Meanings

1

adv
Without being controlled, limited, or stopped.

You can talk freely; no one will overhear us.
2

adv
Willingly, by your own choice.

I will freely help you whenever you need it.
3

adv
In large amounts; without restriction.

The wine was flowing freely at the party.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adv · without being controlled,... openly

2 adv · willingly, by your own choice. willingly

3 adv · in large amounts; without... abundantly

Word family

Derived forms unfreely

Related forms costlesslyfrankly openly

Etymology

From Middle English frely, freelich, from Old English frēolīc (“free, freeborn, glorious, stately, magnificent, noble, beautiful, charming”), equivalent to free + -ly. Compare Middle Low German vrilik, vrigelik (“free”), Middle High German vrīlich (“free”).

frely Middle English frēolīc Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# freely

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** adv
**IPA (US):** /ˈfɹili/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈfɹiːli/
**Frequency rank:** 6513

## Meanings
1. Without being controlled, limited, or stopped.
2. Willingly, by your own choice.
3. In large amounts; without restriction.

## Examples
- You can talk freely; no one will overhear us.
- I will freely help you whenever you need it.
- The wine was flowing freely at the party.

## Derived Forms
- unfreely

## Related Forms
- costlessly
- frankly
- openly

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: frely
- Root: frēolīc

## Etymology
From Middle English frely, freelich, from Old English frēolīc (“free, freeborn, glorious, stately, magnificent, noble, beautiful, charming”), equivalent to free + -ly. Compare Middle Low German vrilik, vrigelik (“free”), Middle High German vrīlich (“free”).

## AI Etymology
Freely comes from Middle English frely, freelich, from Old English frēolīc (“free, freeborn, glorious, stately, magnificent, noble, beautiful, charming”), equivalent to free + -ly. Compare Middle Low German vrilik, vrigelik (“free”), Middle High German vrīlich (“free”). In current use, the main senses are “Without being controlled, limited, or stopped” and “Willingly, by your own choice”.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

markdown