01. free agent, a
定义: [运动术语]自由球员. (注: 意指职业球员或运动员可以自由与任何队伍签订合约)
例句: Jeremy Lin will be a free agent at season's end and, in theory, could land somewhere else. (林书豪在这个球季结束之后就成为自由球员, 理论上, 他可以加入别的球队)
02. free and clear of external debt, be
定义: 完全没有外债.
例句: According to the Governor's budget, the state would be back in the black, free and clear of external debt. (依照州长的预算. 本州将回复盈余, 不再背负外债)
03. free and easy, be
定义: 自由自在的, 轻松自在的, 无拘无束的.
例句: Now, take it easy. Just act free and easy. No one will know you're nervous. (好了, 放轻松点. 你只要表现出无拘无束的样子. 没有人会知道你在紧张)
04. free as a bird/air, be (as)
定义: 自由自在的, 无忧无虑的.
例句: No, I'm not married. I don't even have a girlfriend. I'm free as the air. (不, 我没结婚. 我连一个女朋友都没有. 我自由自在得很)
05. free fall, a
定义: 急遽下降, 直线下落, 暴跌.
例句: As the drama increased at home and my grades took a free fall at school, I became less and less connected with school life. (当家里的纷争越演越烈的时候, 我学校成绩直线下降, 我变得越来越不喜欢学校的活动)
06. free gift vs. gift
定义: [易混淆字或片语]既然gift赠品就已经是免费; 所以free gift免费赠品就成了多余因为没有要付费的赠品. (注: 意指a gift就足够了)
07. free hand, a
定义: 全权处理.
例句: Fortunately, my bosses were open-minded, and I was given a free hand. I could do whatever I saw fit. (还好, 我老板相当开明, 他让我全权处理事务. 只要我认为是对的事我就可以放手去做)
08. free lunch, a
定义: 平白无故的好处, 免费的午餐, 免费的东西.
例句: By accepting a free lunch, we also accept an implied expectation of reciprocation – of giving back at some future point in time. (由于接受平白无故的好处, 我们也自然接受了它所附带的还人情债义务, 也就是在未来的某一刻做出回报)
09. free of charge
定义: 免费地.
例句: In July, we will provide energy efficiency or water conservation kits to our residents free of charge. (在七月, 我们会免费地提供节能或省水的成套零件给我们居民)
有些市政府提供的免费省水成套零件
10. free of, be
定义: 没有(杂质), 不带/不含(杂质).
例句: Organic wines are not by definition free of preservatives as some might conclude. (不像某些人所认定的, 有机葡萄酒并非因为它们被称为"有机"就不含防腐剂)
11. free ride, a
定义: (搭)便车, 顺风车, 坐享其成, 免费的好处, 平白无故的好处.
例句: You've had a free ride long enough. You have to do your share of the work now. (你已经坐享其成够久了. 此时你也应该做你份内工作了)
12. free store/freeshop, a
定义: 免费商店. (注: 在北欧尤其在荷兰及德国的免费二手货商店供应书籍, 家具, 衣服等等给需要的民众, 一律免费)
例句: Where can I find a free store near me? (哪里才能找到我附近的免费商店?)
位于德国弗莱堡市的免费商店
13. free throw/foul shot, a
定义: [篮球术语]罚球.
例句: Tall players often shoot free throws poorly; though theoretically, taller players should be better at making them. (尽管理论上高个球员应该投罚球更准确, 他们却经常射不中)
投罚球
14. free up, to
定义: 抽空, 空出, 腾出, 清出.
例句: I'll see if I can free up some time on my schedule next week so that we can meet. (我看看是否能在我下周行程安排里腾出一些时间, 这样子我们才能碰面. 注:这句话前半句也可以翻译为: 我会设法在我下周行程安排里腾出一些时间)
15. free/spare time
定义: 闲暇, 空闲时间.
例句: I have no idea what I do in my free time. Yes, I surf the Internet, but most of it is research. (我不清楚我在闲暇时间做些什么. 对, 我喜欢逛网路, 但大部分是做研究工作)
16. freebie/freebee, a
定义: 免费的东西, 样品; 赠品.
例句: Some drug companies advertise through freebies. (有些制药公司经由免费样品做它们广告. 注: 赠品肯定是免费的, 但不是所有的样品都是免费的)
17. free-for-all, a
定义: 无限制, 无规则的竞争, 争议, 群架.
例句: A fight between two students quickly turned into a free-for-all involving all the students on both sides. (两名学生之间的打架迅速地演变成所有参与两派的学生打群架)
18. freeloader, a
定义: 寄生虫, 吃白食的人, 白占便宜的人.
例句: Welfare is for the needy not for the privileged or freeloaders. (社会福利是用来救助贫困人们而不是给特权份子或寄生虫白占便宜)
19. freeze out, to
定义: 不友善地排挤; 强迫辞职; 逼退.
例句: Tom tried to freeze me out of the conversation. (汤姆想尽办法排挤我参与聊天)
20. freeze someone's blood, to
定义: 令人惊吓地颤栗, 令人胆颤心惊.
例句: Seeing my dog, Jack, going into a seizure with violent shaking, thrashing of limbs and foaming at the mouth truly freezes my blood. (看到我的狗, 杰克, 癫痫突然发作, 剧烈抽搐, 四肢死命抖动以及口吐白沫真吓得我胆颤心惊)