Apr 15, 2017 · If so, my analysis amounts to a rule in search of actual usage—a prescription rather than a description. In any event, the impressive rise of "free of" against "free from" over …

Aug 16, 2011 · 6 For free is an informal phrase used to mean "without cost or payment." These professionals were giving their time for free. The phrase is correct; you should not use it where …

Sep 16, 2011 · The choice of prepositions depends upon the temporal context in which you're speaking. "On ~ afternoon" implies that the afternoon is a single point in time; thus, that …

Feb 2, 2012 · What is the opposite of free as in "free of charge" (when we speak about prices)? We can add not for negation, but I am looking for a single word.

Q&A for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts

Mar 29, 2025 · The economic concept is free rider. However, when your friends shows up at your house every weekend and drinks all your beer without contributing anything, he's free loading.

Mar 4, 2011 · I got a bit mixed up just now regarding the difference between "complimentary" and "complementary". My colleagues were arguing about the correct spelling of "complimentary …

Mar 4, 2017 · ' Free ' absolutely means 'free from any sorts constraints or controls. The context determines its different denotations, if any, as in 'free press', 'fee speech', 'free stuff' etc.

My company gives out free promotional items with the company name on it. Is this stuff called company swag or schwag? It seems that both come up as common usages—Google …

3 There is no universal one-word replacement for -free. In the context of foods the appropriate portmanteau is gluten-containing -containing can be used universally, although there are other …