Definitions for liberty
ˈlɪb ər tilib·er·ty

Princeton's WordNet(3.00 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. autonomy, libertynoun

   immunity from arbitrary exercise of authority: political independence

2. libertynoun

   freedom of choice

   "liberty of opinion"; "liberty of worship"; "liberty--perfect liberty--to think or feel or do just as one pleases"; "at liberty to choose whatever occupation one wishes"

3. libertynoun

   personal freedom from servitude or confinement or oppression

4. shore leave, libertynoun

   leave granted to a sailor or naval officer

5. familiarity, impropriety, indecorum, libertynoun

   an act of undue intimacy

Wiktionary(4.00 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. libertynoun

   The condition of being free from control or restrictions.

   The army is here, your liberty is assured.

2. libertynoun

   The condition of being free from imprisonment, slavery or forced labour.

   The prisoners gained their liberty from an underground tunnel.

3. libertynoun

   The condition of being free to act, believe or express oneself as one chooses.

   The prisoners were at liberty to speak freely with their lawyers.

4. libertynoun

   Freedom from excess government control.

5. libertynoun

   A short period when a sailor is allowed ashore.

   We're going on a three-day liberty as soon as we dock.

6. libertynoun

   A breach of social convention (often liberties).

   You needn't take such liberties.

7. libertynoun

   A local government unit in medieval England – see liberty.

8. Etymology: From liberte, from liberte, from libertas, from liber; see liberal.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Libertynoun

   Etymology: liberté, French; libertas, Latin.

   1. Freedom, as opposed to slavery.

   My master knows of your being here, and hath threatened to put me into everlasting liberty, if I tell you of it; for he swears, he’ll turn me away. William Shakespeare.

   O liberty! thou goddess, heav’nly bright!
   Profuse of bliss, and pregnant with delight,
   Eternal pleasures in thy presence reign. Addison.

   2. Freedom, as opposed to necessity.

   Liberty is the power in any agent to do, or forbear, any particular action, according to the determination, or thought of the mind, whereby either of them is preferred to the other. John Locke.

   As it is in the motions of the body, so it is in the thoughts of our minds: where any one is such, that we have power to take it up, or lay it by, according to the preference of the mind, there we are at liberty. John Locke.

   3. Privilege; exemption; immunity.

   His majesty gave not an intire country to any, much less did he grant jura regalia, or any extraordinary liberties. Davies.

   4. Relaxation of restraint.5. Leave; permission.

   I shall take the liberty to consider a third ground, which, with some men, has the same authority. John Locke.

Webster Dictionary(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Libertynoun

   the state of a free person; exemption from subjection to the will of another claiming ownership of the person or services; freedom; -- opposed to slavery, serfdom, bondage, or subjection

2. Libertynoun

   freedom from imprisonment, bonds, or other restraint upon locomotion

3. Libertynoun

   a privilege conferred by a superior power; permission granted; leave; as, liberty given to a child to play, or to a witness to leave a court, and the like

4. Libertynoun

   privilege; exemption; franchise; immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant; as, the liberties of the commercial cities of Europe

5. Libertynoun

   the place within which certain immunities are enjoyed, or jurisdiction is exercised

6. Libertynoun

   a certain amount of freedom; permission to go freely within certain limits; also, the place or limits within which such freedom is exercised; as, the liberties of a prison

7. Libertynoun

   a privilege or license in violation of the laws of etiquette or propriety; as, to permit, or take, a liberty

8. Libertynoun

   the power of choice; freedom from necessity; freedom from compulsion or constraint in willing

9. Libertynoun

   a curve or arch in a bit to afford room for the tongue of the horse

10. Libertynoun

    leave of absence; permission to go on shore

Freebase(4.67 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Liberty

   Liberty is the value of individuals to have agency. Different conceptions of liberty articulate the relationship of individuals to society in different ways—including some that relate to life under a social contract or to existence in a state of nature, and some that see the active exercise of freedom and rights as essential to liberty. Understanding liberty involves how we imagine the individual's roles and responsibilities in society in relation to concepts of free will and determinism, which involves the larger domain of metaphysics. Individualist and classical liberal conceptions of liberty typically consist of the freedom of individuals from outside compulsion or coercion, also known as negative liberty. This conception of liberty, which coincides with the libertarian point-of-view, suggests that people should, must, and ought to behave according to their own free will, and take responsibility for their actions, while in contrast, Social liberal conceptions of liberty place an emphasis upon social structure and agency and is therefore directed toward ensuring egalitarianism. In feudal societies, a "liberty" was an area of allodial land where the rights of the ruler or monarch were waived.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(2.00 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Liberty

   lib′ėr-ti, n. freedom to do as one pleases: the unrestrained enjoyment of natural rights: power of free choice: privilege: exemption: relaxation of restraint: the bounds within which certain privileges are enjoyed: freedom of speech or action beyond ordinary civility.—ns. Libertā′rian, one who believes in free-will as opposed to necessity; Libertā′rianism, the doctrine of the freedom of the will, as opposed to necessitarianism; Liber′ticide, a destroyer of liberty; Liber′tinage, debauchery; Lib′ertine, formerly one who professed free opinions, esp. in religion: one who leads a licentious life, a rake or debauchee.—adj. belonging to a freedman: unrestrained: licentious.—n. Lib′ertinism, licentiousness of opinion or practice: lewdness or debauchery.—Liberty of indifference, freedom of the will—because before action the will is undetermined as to acting or not acting; Liberty of the press, liberty to print and publish without previous permission from government.—Cap of liberty (see Bonnet rouge, under Bonnet); Religious liberty, the right of thinking about religion or of worshipping as one likes. [Fr.,—L. libertas.]

The Roycroft Dictionary(1.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. liberty

   1. A password in universal use, and hence of no value. 2. The slogan of a party or sect that seeks to enslave some other party or sect. 3. The lost latchkey to the Citadel of Power. 4. The sacred aeroplane of King Ego. 5. The right to go forth unimpeded from any place, and also to come back. 6. The Northwest Passage to Nowhere. 7. The thing Patrick Henry asked for when the bartender asked him what he would have. 8. Only a comparative term. 9. Responsibility--that is why most men dread it.

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. liberty

   Permission to go on shore or ship-visiting.

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. libertynoun

   LIBERTY: "...rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will, within the limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others.". (Thomas Jefferson to Isaac H. Tiffany, 4 April 1819)

   Through the covid pandemic, we wear a mask to ensure the liberty of others is not infringed upon.

   
   

   Submitted by kdkkovach on January 9, 2022  

2. ---

   liberty

   To have freedom.

   Liberty is vital for all human beings.

   
   

   Submitted by MaryC on March 11, 2020  

Suggested Resources(2.33 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. liberty

   Song lyrics by liberty -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by liberty on the Lyrics.com website.

Who Was Who?(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Liberty

   A huge lady who guards New York harbor and welcomes Italy and Poland to the United States.

Matched Categories

1. • Freedom
   • Independence
   • Leave
   • Misbehavior

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'liberty' in Nouns Frequency: #1939

How to pronounce liberty?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say liberty in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of liberty in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of liberty in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of liberty in a Sentence

1. Auberon Herbert:

   Politics must be the battle of the principles... the principle of liberty against the principle of force.

2. Steve Vladeck:

   Today's move to send the case back to the Oregon state courts is something of a surprise, because this case had been pitched all along as raising the broader constitutional question that the Justices ducked last year in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case, by asking the state courts to reconsider their ruling in light of Masterpiece Cakeshop, the justices are, in effect, asking the Oregon courts if a similarly narrow basis is available for resolving this case -- even though the parties have framed the case as presenting a broader conflict between the constitutional rights to religious liberty and same-sex marriage.

3. Clarence Darrow:

   Liberty is the most jealous and exacting mistress that can beguile the soul and brain of man.

4. David Lloyd George:

   Liberty is not merely a privilege to be conferred; it is a habit to be acquired.

5. Alexander Woollcott:

   I think your slogan Liberty or Death is splendid and whichever one you decide on will be all right with me.

Popularity rank by frequency of use