liberal

[LibĀ·er*al]

One who favors greater freedom in political or religious matters; an opponent of the established systems; a reformer; in English politics, a member of the Liberal party, so called. Cf. Whig.

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Free by birth; hence, befitting a freeman or gentleman; refined; noble; independent; free; not servile or mean; as, a liberal ancestry; a liberal spirit; liberal arts or studies.

Noun
a person who favors a political philosophy of progress and reform and the protection of civil liberties

Noun
a person who favors an economic theory of laissez-faire and self-regulating markets

Adjective S.
showing or characterized by broad-mindedness; "a broad political stance"; "generous and broad sympathies"; "a liberal newspaper"; "tolerant of his opponent''s opinions"

Adjective
tolerant of change; not bound by authoritarianism, orthodoxy, or tradition

Adjective S.
not literal; "a loose interpretation of what she had been told"; "a free translation of the poem"

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Adjective S.
given or giving freely; "was a big tipper"; "the bounteous goodness of God"; "bountiful compliments"; "a freehanded host"; "a handsome allowance"; "Saturday''s child is loving and giving"; "a liberal backer of the arts"; "a munificent gift"; "her fond and

Adjective S.
having political or social views favoring reform and progress


a.
Free by birth; hence, befitting a freeman or gentleman; refined; noble; independent; free; not servile or mean; as, a liberal ancestry; a liberal spirit; liberal arts or studies.

a.
Bestowing in a large and noble way, as a freeman; generous; bounteous; open-handed; as, a liberal giver.

a.
Bestowed in a large way; hence, more than sufficient; abundant; bountiful; ample; profuse; as, a liberal gift; a liberal discharge of matter or of water.

a.
Not strict or rigorous; not confined or restricted to the literal sense; free; as, a liberal translation of a classic, or a liberal construction of law or of language.

a.
Not narrow or contracted in mind; not selfish; enlarged in spirit; catholic.

a.
Free to excess; regardless of law or moral restraint; licentious.

a.
Not bound by orthodox tenets or established forms in political or religious philosophy; independent in opinion; not conservative; friendly to great freedom in the constitution or administration of government; having tendency toward democratic or republican, as distinguished from monarchical or aristocratic, forms; as, liberal thinkers; liberal Christians; the Liberal party.

n.
One who favors greater freedom in political or religious matters; an opponent of the established systems; a reformer; in English politics, a member of the Liberal party, so called. Cf. Whig.


Liberal

Lib"er*al , a. [F. lib'82ral, L. liberalis, from liber free; perh. akin to libet, lubet,it pleases, E. lief. Cf. Deliver.] 1. Free by birth; hence, befitting a freeman or gentleman; refined; noble; independent; free; not servile or mean; as, a liberal ancestry; a liberal spirit; liberal arts or studies. " Liberal education." Macaulay. " A liberal tongue." Shak. 2. Bestowing in a large and noble way, as a freeman; generous; bounteous; open-handed; as, a liberal giver. " Liberal of praise." Bacon.
Infinitely good, and of his good As liberal and free as infinite.
3. Bestowed in a large way; hence, more than sufficient; abundant; bountiful; ample; profuse; as, a liberal gift; a liberal discharge of matter or of water.
His wealth doth warrant a liberal dower.
4. Not strict or rigorous; not confined or restricted to the literal sense; free; as, a liberal translation of a classic, or a liberal construction of law or of language. 5. Not narrow or contracted in mind; not selfish; enlarged in spirit; catholic. 6. Free to excess; regardless of law or moral restraint; licentious. " Most like a liberal villain." Shak. 7. Not bound by orthodox tenets or established forms in political or religious philosophy; independent in opinion; not conservative; friendly to great freedom in the constitution or administration of government; having tendency toward democratic or republican, as distinguished from monarchical or aristocratic, forms; as, liberal thinkers; liberal Christians; the Liberal party.
I confess I see nothing liberal in this " order of thoughts," as Hobbes elsewhere expresses it.
&hand; Liberal has of, sometimes with, before the thing bestowed, in before a word signifying action, and to before a person or object on which anything is bestowed; as, to be liberal of praise or censure; liberal with money; liberal in giving; liberal to the poor. The liberal arts. See under Art. -- Liberal education, education that enlarges and disciplines the mind and makes it master of its own powers, irrespective of the particular business or profession one may follow. Syn. -- Generous; bountiful; munificent; beneficent; ample; large; profuse; free. -- Liberal, Generous. Liberal is freeborn, and generous is highborn. The former is opposed to the ordinary feelings of a servile state, and implies largeness of spirit in giving, judging, acting, etc. The latter expresses that nobleness of soul which is peculiarly appropriate to those of high rank, -- a spirit that goes out of self, and finds its enjoyment in consulting the feelings and happiness of others. Generosity is measured by the extent of the sacrifices it makes; liberality, by the warmth of feeling which it manifests.

Liberal

Lib"er*al, n. One who favors greater freedom in political or religious matters; an opponent of the established systems; a reformer; in English politics, a member of the Liberal party, so called. Cf. Whig.

Free by birth; hence, befitting a freeman or gentleman; refined; noble; independent; free; not servile or mean; as, a liberal ancestry; a liberal spirit; liberal arts or studies.

One who favors greater freedom in political or religious matters; an opponent of the established systems; a reformer; in English politics, a member of the Liberal party, so called. Cf. Whig.

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Usage Examples

Former President Bill Clinton, who is widely regarded as a political mastermind, may have sounded like a traditional liberal at the beginning of his term in office. But what ultimately defined his presidency was his amazing pliability on matters of principle.

Fashion is quite inclusive and good at embracing different things and different forms of beauty. It's a very liberal industry. You can be yourself. Just not overweight.

Even a liberal reporter is a patriot, wants the best for this country. And people, your fair and balanced friends at Fox, don't fully understand that.

A liberal knows that the only certainty in this life is change but believes that the change can be directed toward a constructive end.

A liberal education is at the heart of a civil society, and at the heart of a liberal education is the act of teaching.

A liberal education... frees a man from the prison-house of his class, race, time, place, background, family and even his nation.

Freedom is absolutely necessary for the progress in science and the liberal arts.

Misspelled Form

liberal, kliberal, oliberal, pliberal, :liberal, kiberal, oiberal, piberal, :iberal, lkiberal, loiberal, lpiberal, l:iberal, luiberal, l8iberal, l9iberal, loiberal, ljiberal, lkiberal, luberal, l8beral, l9beral, loberal, ljberal, lkberal, liuberal, li8beral, li9beral, lioberal, lijberal, likberal, livberal, ligberal, lihberal, linberal, li beral, liveral, ligeral, liheral, lineral, li eral, libveral, libgeral, libheral, libneral, lib eral, libweral, lib3eral, lib4eral, libreral, libseral, libderal, libwral, lib3ral, lib4ral, librral, libsral, libdral, libewral, libe3ral, libe4ral, liberral, libesral, libedral, libeeral, libe4ral, libe5ral, libetral, libefral, libeeal, libe4al, libe5al, libetal, libefal, libereal, liber4al, liber5al, libertal, liberfal, liberqal, liberwal, libersal, liberzal, liberql, liberwl, libersl, liberzl, liberaql, liberawl, liberasl, liberazl, liberakl, liberaol, liberapl, libera:l, liberak, liberao, liberap, libera:, liberalk, liberalo, liberalp, liberal:.

Other Usage Examples

A liberal is a man or a woman or a child who looks forward to a better day, a more tranquil night, and a bright, infinite future.

Conservative humor is frankly harder than liberal humor. You get points for just being liberal. You can get more points if you make fun of your own side sometimes.

A liberal is a man who is willing to spend somebody else's money.

A rich man told me recently that a liberal is a man who tells other people what to do with their money.

Conservative, n: A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal who wishes to replace them with others.

For the liberal state to accommodate a diversity of beliefs while having few positive convictions is one of the more admirable achievements of civilization.

Every fundamentalist movement I've studied in Judaism, Christianity and Islam is convinced at some gut, visceral level that secular liberal society wants to wipe out religion.

As with most liberal sexual ideas, what makes the world a better place for men invariably makes it a duller and more dangerous place for women.

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