From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Free \Free\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Freed; p. pr. & vb. n.
Freeing.] [OE. freen, freoien, AS. fre['o]gan. See Free,
a.]
1. To make free; to set at liberty; to rid of that which
confines, limits, embarrasses, oppresses, etc.; to
release; to disengage; to clear; -- followed by from, and
sometimes by off; as, to free a captive or a slave; to be
freed of these inconveniences. --Clarendon.
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Our land is from the rage of tigers freed. --Dryden.
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Arise, . . . free thy people from their yoke.
--Milton.
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2. To remove, as something that confines or bars; to relieve
from the constraint of.
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This master key
Frees every lock, and leads us to his person.
--Dryden.
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3. To frank. [Obs.] --Johnson.
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