Freedom, N. : Oxford English Dictionary 2/20/20, 13:15
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freedom, n. : Oxford English Dictionary 2/20/20, 13:15 Oxford English Dictionary | The definitive record of the English language freedom, n. Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈfriːdəm/, U.S. /ˈfridəm/ Forms: α. eOE freodoom, eOE friadom, OE freodum (rare), OE freogdom (in a late copy), OE freohdom (rare), OE freowdom (probably transmission error), OE frigedom (rare), OE–eME freodom, OE–eME friodom, lOE frigdom, lOE frydom, lOE–eME fridom, eME friedom, ME ffredam, ME ffredom, ME fredam, ME fredame, ME fredowm, ME fredowme, ME freedam, ME freodam, ME–15 ffredome, ME–16 fredome, ME–16 freedome, ME–18 fredom, ME– freedom, 15–16 freedoom, 15–16 freedoome, 16 ffreedom, 16 ffreedome; Scottish pre-17 freddome, pre-17 fredom, pre-17 fredome, pre-17 fredoum, pre-17 fredoume, pre- 17 fredowm, pre-17 fredowme, pre-17 fredum, pre-17 fredume, pre-17 fredwm, pre-17 fredwme, pre-17 freedome, pre-17 freidom, pre-17 freidome, pre-17 fridome, pre-17 friedom, pre-17 friedome, pre-17 17– freedom. β. southern ME uridom, ME vridom. Frequency (in current use): Origin: A word inherited from Germanic. Etymons: FREE adj., -DOM suffix. Etymology: Cognate with or formed similarly to Old Frisian frīdōm (West Frisian frijdom ), Middle Dutch vrīdoem , vrīdom (Dutch vrijdom , vrijdoom , now rare and archaic), Middle Low German vrīdōm , Old High German frītuom (Middle High German vrītuom ) < the Germanic base of FREE adj. + the Germanic base of -DOM suffix. Compare also Old Frisian frīhēd (West Frisian frijheid ), Middle Dutch vrīheid (Dutch vrijheid ), Middle Low German vrīhēt , vrīheit ( > Old Swedish frihet (Swedish frihet )), Old High German frīheit (Middle High German vrīheit , German Freiheit ), and the Germanic forms cited at FRELS v. Compare FREENESS n., LIBERTY n.1 I. The state or fact of being free from servitude, constraint, inhibition, etc.; liberty. 1. 1 a. Exemption or release from slavery or imprisonment; = LIBERTY n. 1b. letter of freedom (now historical): a document emancipating a slave. OE WÆRFERÐ tr. Gregory Dialogues (Corpus Cambr.) (1900) I. i. 12 Ða se Honoratus weox & þeah mid mycclum mægnum, oþ þæt æt nyxstan he wæs gearad mid freodome fram his hlaforde þam forecwedenan. c1225 (▸?c1200) Hali Meiðhad (Bodl.) (1940) l. 50 Nis ha þenne sariliche..akeast & into þeowdom idrahen, þe of se muchel hehschipe & se seli freodom schal lihte se lahe into a monnes þeowdom. ▸ c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) 631 (MED) Þou shalt me, louerd, fre maken..Þoru þe wile i fredom haue. ▸ a1398 J. TREVISA tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add.) f. 72v Slake þe hond fro þy seruaunt and he askeþ fredome. a1425 (▸a1382) Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Corpus Oxf.) (1850) Deut. xv. 13 And whom with freedam thow https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/74395?result=1&rskey=iwydtW&&print Page 1 of 29 freedom, n. : Oxford English Dictionary 2/20/20, 13:15 ȝyuest, thou shalt not suffre to goon awey voyd. c1485 (▸1456) G. HAY Bk. Law of Armys (2005) 104 [The king of France] restorit the pape agayn jn his fredome. 1524 in W. Fraser Douglas Bk. (1885) IV. 89 The Bechep of Sanct Andros is put to his fredoume. 1596 E. SPENSER Second Pt. Faerie Queene V. V. sig. Q8 Thus he long while in thraldome there remayned..Vntill his owne true loue his freedome gayned. 1613 S. PURCHAS Pilgrimage 295 They will write any thing for monie, as letters of freedome for servants to runne away from their Masters. 1692 R. SOUTH 12 Serm. I. 552 Gross Ingratitude in the person..made Free, forfeits his Freedom, and Re- asserts him to his former Conditions of Slavery. 1722 J. STERLING Rival Generals I. i. 15 I know the Captain of the Prison Guards, Aw'd by the Authority of your Name.., Will ne'er dispute the noble Captive's Freedom. 1782 W. COWPER Charity in Poems 172 Neither age nor force Can quell the love of freedom in a horse. 1805 W. GODWIN Fleetwood III. xvi. 267 In prison? my friend in prison? I will rise this moment, and procure his freedom! 1878 Elyria (Ohio) Constit. 19 Sept. The colored Jews boast of their letters of freedom given by an ancient King of India. 1880 ‘E. KIRKE’ Life J. A. Garfield 38 Face to face with the alarming truth that we must lose our own freedom or grant it to the slave. 1934 R. GRAVES I, Claudius xxxi. 450 I became your slave when you first grew up to be Master, and it was you who gave me my freedom, not she, wasn't it? 1956 M. DICKENS Angel in Corner viii. 119 ‘Joe,’ she said, still busy with the cloth, ‘the missus is going to give you your freedom.’ 1967 Jrnl. Afr. Hist. 8 431 The consul would request a letter of freedom from the chief of police for any slave seeking refuge at the consulate. 1993 Dict. National Biogr.: Missing Persons 53/1 In 1334 he was captured and ransomed by the Scots, gaining his freedom in time to fight in Edward III's major Scottish campaign of 1335. 2005 Geographical Sept. 16/1 Towns in the Jamaican mountains where runaway slaves lived in freedom. b. figurative. Liberation from the bondage or dominating influence of sin, spiritual servitude, worldly ties, etc. OE Lord's Prayer I 10 Ne læt usic costunga cnyssan to swiðe, ac þu us freo don [read freodom] gief, folca waldend, from yfla gehwam, a to widan feore. OE BYRHTFERÐ Enchiridion (Ashm.) (1995) II. iii. 116 Hig forwel oft þæt lof gelengað, þæt hig þa syxtan tid wynsumlice geglengað, wilnigende mid þissum þeowdome cuman to ecum freodome. c1330 (▸?c1300) Speculum Guy (Auch.) (1898) 237 (MED) His fredom was binomen him al And put in seruage as a þral. 1340 Ayenbite (1866) 86 Þe oþer uridom is þe ilke þet habbeþ þe guodemen..þet god heþ yvryd..uram þe þreldome of þe dyeule. a1425 J. WYCLIF Sel. Eng. Wks. (1871) II. 240 (MED) Þat lesiþ þe fredom þat Crist haþ purchasid, and https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/74395?result=1&rskey=iwydtW&&print Page 2 of 29 freedom, n. : Oxford English Dictionary 2/20/20, 13:15 makiþ men þralle to synne. 1526 W. BONDE Pylgrimage of Perfection I. sig. Biiiv From the thraldome of the princes of the worlde, to the fredome of glory and kyngdome of god. 1592 tr. F. Du Jon Apocalypsis xxii. 1 Freedome and immunity from all evil. 1700 J. RAY Persuasive to Holy Life 90 True liberty; that is, freedom from the Bondage of Sin and Corruption, from the slavery of Satan, from the dominion of every vile Affection. 1858 J. MARTINEAU Stud. Christianity 108 Our spirit..is so straitened by the bands of sin..that there is no freedom. a1861 T. WINTHROP John Brent (1862) iv. 40 Tunnelling..to find my way out of the prison of doubt into the freedom of faith. 1910 F. P. GRAVES Hist. Educ. (1914) xvi. 237 A new measure for realizing individualism and freedom from the bondage of tradition, and an opportunity to investigate and search for truth, were needed. 2007 Scunthorpe Evening Tel. (Nexis) 8 Feb. 14 We were slaves to sin and wrong but God paid for our freedom. c. Exemption or release from the obligations of a contractual agreement; spec. release from a marriage, divorce. 1861 A. M. MAILLARD Loving & being Loved II. xxi. 245 Give him his freedom,..if you can. 1906 Times 13 Mar. 3/2 The petitioner asked her to give him his freedom, and offered to relieve her of the child. 1957 Los Angeles Times 28 Dec. III. 3/1 Miss Allasio had been under contract to Dino De Laurentiis, but is..seeking her freedom from that deal. 1989 W. HOUSTON Inside Maple Leaf Gardens vii. 71 The reserve clause..made a player the property of his team unless he was traded or given his freedom. 2000 Redbook (Electronic text) Oct. 156 I basically had to buy my freedom—give him my inheritance—as he said he couldn't afford to live on his own. †2. Nobility or generosity of character, magnanimity. Cf. FREE adj. 3. Obsolete. eOE KING ÆLFRED tr. Gregory Pastoral Care (Hatton) (1871) xliv. 323 Ac ðonne hie hit eall ryhtlice gedæled hæbben, ðonne ne teon hie nanwuht ðæs lofes & ðæs geðonces to him, ðylæs hie..him selfum ne te[l]len to mægene hiora freodom [L. suae liberalitatis]. c1275 (▸?a1200) LA! AMON Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 10427 Ich heom habbe i-freoied for mines fader saule & for mine freo-dome. a1375 (▸c1350) William of Palerne (1867) 189 (MED) Bliþe was eche a barn ho best miȝt him plese & folwe him for his fredom & for his faire þewes. c1390 Castle of Love (Vernon) (1967) l. 145 He ȝaf him [sc. Adam]..Feirlek and freodam and muche miht. c1405 (▸c1375) G. CHAUCER Monk's Tale (Hengwrt) l. 564 He of knyghthod and of fredom flour. https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/74395?result=1&rskey=iwydtW&&print Page 3 of 29 freedom, n. : Oxford English Dictionary 2/20/20, 13:15 c1450 tr. G. Deguileville Pilgrimage Lyfe Manhode (Cambr.) (1869) 47 Nay but me shulde thinke suich a yifte ful of gret fredom..and of gret curteysye. ▸ ?a1513 W. DUNBAR Poems (1998) I. 172 On Fredome is led foirfaltour. c1525 J. RASTELL New Commodye Propertes of Women sig. Ci With grace indewid in fredome as alexandre. a1586 Maitl. F. lx. 35 Treuth, mercie, fredome, and iustice, Thir four makis ane nobill king. 3. The state or fact of not being subject to despotic or autocratic control, or to a foreign power; civil liberty; independence. eOE tr.