freely

1. 1
   adverb

   Without anyone interfering or placing limits on what someone does.

   Citizens may now move freely across the border without permits.

   Information flows freely on the open internet.

   Similaropenly, unrestrictedly

   Note

   Nothing is holding the action back here. It is the sense behind talk freely, and it has working uses too. A railwayman's phrase is a locomotive that steams freely, meaning it raises steam easily. "Balmore," writing in 1961 on French steam locomotives, found one that "steamed almost too freely," so that a nervous fireman tended to overfire it.

2. 2
   adverb

   As a matter of one's own choice, rather than under compulsion.

   He freely chose to stay behind and help the others clean up.

   She freely confessed to the prank before anyone could accuse her.

   Similarvoluntarily, willingly, readily, spontaneously

   Oppositereluctantly, unwillingly, grudgingly, involuntarily

   Note

   Here the freedom lies in the person's will, not in their surroundings. The adverb usually comes before the verb, as in freely help, freely admit and freely confess, and it carries the sense of "willingly, unasked." Placed after the verb, as in talk freely, it usually means without restriction. Word order is the quickest way to tell the two apart.

3. 3
   adverb

   In a manner marked by freedom of movement or expression.

   The conversation moved freely from one topic to the next.

   Blood circulated freely through the limb once the bandage was loosened.

   Similarsmoothly, easily, fluidly

   Oppositehaltingly, stiffly

   Note

   The adverb has its own ancestor, Old English frēolīċe, "freely, readily, as a festival." Its German cousin freilich went another way and now means "certainly, of course." In English the core image is unhindered movement, and the verb it pairs with most naturally is flow: wine, talk and blood all flow freely. The comparative is usually more freely, though freelier also exists.

4. 4
   adjective

   Open and frank in manner, not holding anything back.

   Similarfrank, open, candid, unreserved, forthright

   Oppositereserved, guarded, reticent

   Note

   Two separate words share this spelling. The adjective descends from Old English frēolīc, "free, freeborn, noble," where -ly built adjectives, as it still does in friendly and lovely. The everyday adverb comes from a different Old English form, frēolīċe. By Middle English the two had already drawn close, as frely and freelich. Kin such as Middle Low German vrilik show the adjective was a shared Germanic formation.

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