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liberal |
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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