4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Liberal  \Lib"er*al\  (l[i^]b"[~e]r*al),  a.  [F.  lib['e]ral,  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.  --Milton. 
 
  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.  --Shak. 
 
  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 
  --Hazlitt. 
 
  Note:  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 
 
  Usage:  {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. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  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}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  liberal 
  adj  1:  showing  or  characterized  by  broad-mindedness;  "a  broad 
  political  stance";  "generous  and  broad  sympathies";  "a 
  liberal  newspaper";  "tolerant  of  his  opponent's 
  opinions"  [syn:  {broad},  {tolerant}] 
  2:  having  political  or  social  views  favoring  reform  and 
  progress 
  3:  tolerant  of  change;  not  bound  by  authoritarianism, 
  orthodoxy,  or  tradition  [ant:  {conservative}] 
  4:  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  openhanded  grandfather"  [syn:  {big}, 
  {bighearted},  {bounteous},  {bountiful},  {freehanded},  {handsome}, 
  {giving},  {openhanded}] 
  5:  not  literal;  "a  loose  interpretation  of  what  she  had  been 
  told";  "a  free  translation  of  the  poem"  [syn:  {free},  {loose}] 
  n  1:  a  person  who  favors  a  political  philosophy  of  progress  and 
  reform  and  the  protection  of  civil  liberties  [syn:  {progressive}] 
  [ant:  {conservative}] 
  2:  a  person  who  favors  an  economic  theory  of  laissez-faire  and 
  self-regulating  markets 
 
  From  U.S.  Gazetteer  (1990)  [gazetteer]: 
 
  Liberal,  KS  (city,  FIPS  39825) 
  Location:  37.04472  N,  100.93553  W 
  Population  (1990):  16573  (6663  housing  units) 
  Area:  24.6  sq  km  (land),  0.0  sq  km  (water) 
  Zip  code(s):  67901 
  Liberal,  MO  (city,  FIPS  41906) 
  Location:  37.55878  N,  94.51598  W 
  Population  (1990):  684  (339  housing  units) 
  Area:  2.1  sq  km  (land),  0.0  sq  km  (water) 
  Zip  code(s):  64762 

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