Definition of liberty Liberty

/lɪˈbɚti/ - [libertee] - Lib•er•ty

We found 29 definitions of liberty from 9 different sources.

What does liberty mean?

Noun Plural: liberties
liberty - 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"
		freedom the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints
		licence, license the act of giving a formal (usually written) authorization
		latitude scope for freedom of e.g. action or thought; freedom from restriction
		licence, license the act of giving a formal (usually written) authorization
		discretion the trait of judging wisely and objectively; "a man of discernment"
liberty - personal freedom from servitude or confinement or oppression
		freedom the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints
liberty - immunity from arbitrary exercise of authority: political independence
		autonomy
		independency, independence the successful ending of the American Revolution; "they maintained close relations with England even after independence"
liberty - leave granted to a sailor or naval officer
		shore leave
liberty - an act of undue intimacy
		familiarity, impropriety, indecorum

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liberty (Noun)
The condition of being free from control or restrictions.
liberty (Noun)
The condition of being free from imprisonment, slavery or forced labour.
liberty (Noun)
The condition of being free to act, believe or express oneself as one chooses.
liberty (Noun)
Freedom from excessive government control.
liberty (Noun)
A short period when a sailor is allowed ashore.
liberty (Noun)
A breach of social convention often liberties.
liberty (Noun)
A local government unit in medieval England – see liberty.

liberty (n.)
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.
liberty (n.)
Freedom from imprisonment, bonds, or other restraint upon locomotion.
liberty (n.)
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.
liberty (n.)
Privilege; exemption; franchise; immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant; as, the liberties of the commercial cities of Europe.
liberty (n.)
The place within which certain immunities are enjoyed, or jurisdiction is exercised.
liberty (n.)
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.
liberty (n.)
A privilege or license in violation of the laws of etiquette or propriety; as, to permit, or take, a liberty.
liberty (n.)
The power of choice; freedom from necessity; freedom from compulsion or constraint in willing.
liberty (n.)
A curve or arch in a bit to afford room for the tongue of the horse.
liberty (n.)
Leave of absence; permission to go on shore.

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

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.]

Liberty means the condition in which an individual has the ability to act following his or her own will, with other words political freedom.

Liberal conceptions of liberty think mainly of the freedom of the individual from outside compulsion. A socialist perspective, on the other hand, thinks of equality. As such, a socialist connects liberty (i.e. freedom) to the equal distribution of political power (i.e. democracy). They argue that liberty without equality means the domination of the most powerful. Thus, freedom and democracy are seen as connected.

John Stuart Mill, in his work, "On Liberty", was the first to recognize the difference between liberty as the freedom to act and liberty as the absence of coercion (being forced to do something).
disambiguation
Liberty generally means the condition in which an individual has the ability to act following his or her own will.