The Graeco-Roman (Indo-European) 'liber' -- not English _free_.

From Short/Lewis,

līber , ĕra, ĕrum

old form,

loebesum et loebertatem antiqui dicebant liberum et libertatem.

Ita Graeci

λοιβὴν et λείβειν,
Paul. ex Fest. p. 121 Müll.; cf. 2. Liber), adj.

Gr. root

λιφ-,

λίπτω,

to desire;

cf. Sanscr. lub-dhas, desirous; Lat. libet, libido,

------ but also cognate with e-leuth-ero, according to Liddell/Scott entry on 'eleutheros', online.

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I.

'liber' is

that acts according to his own will and pleasure, is his own master.

free, unrestricted, unrestrained, unimpeded, unshackled;

independent, frank, open, bold (opp. servus, servilis).


I. In gen.; constr. absol., with ab, the abl., and poet. also with gen.
(a). Absol.:

dictum est ab eruditissimis viris, nisi sapientem liberum esse neminem. Quid est enim libertas? Potestas vivendi ut velis

Cic. Par. 5, 1, 33:

an ille mihi liber, cui mulier imperat, cui leges imponit, praescribit, jubet, vetat? etc.,

id. ib. 5, 2, 36:

ad scribendi licentiam liber

id. N. D. 1, 44, 123:

agri immunes ac liberi

Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 69, § 166:

integro animo ac libero causam defendere

unprejudiced, unbiased, id. Sull. 31, 86:

liberi ad causas solutique veniebant

not under obligations, not bribed, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 78 § 192; cf.:

libera lingua

Plaut. Cist. 1, 2, 9:

cor liberum

id. Ep. 1, 2, 43:

vocem liberam mittere adversus aliquem

Liv. 35, 32, 6:

libera verba animi proferre

Juv. 4, 90:

judicium audientium relinquere integrum ac liberum

Cic. Div. 2, 72, 150:

aliquid respuere ingenuo liberoque fastidio

id. Brut. 67, 236:

libero tempore, cum soluta nobis est eligendi optio

id. Fin. 1, 10, 33:

tibi uni vexatio direptioque sociorum impunita fuit ac libera

id. Cat. 1, 7, 18:

pars quaestionum vaga et libera et late patens

id. de Or. 2, 16, 67:

liberum arbitrium eis populo Romano permittente

Liv. 31, 11 fin.; cf. id. 37, 1, 5:

“mandata,”

full powers, unlimited authority, id. 37, 56; 38, 8:

“fenus,” unlimited, id. 35, 7: custodia, free custody (i. e. confinement to a house or to a town), id. 24, 45; Vell. 1, 11, 1;

“v. custodia,

II.: legatio, v. legatio: suffragia,” the right of voting freely, Juv. 8, 211:

“locus,” free from intruders, undisturbed, secure, Plaut. Poen. 1, 1, 49; 3, 2, 25; id. Cas. 3, 2, 4: aedes,

a free house,

free dwelling (assigned to the use of ambassadors of friendly nations during their stay in Rome), Liv. 30, 17 fin.; 35, 23; 42, 6:

“lectulus,” i. e. not shared with a wife, Cic. Att. 14, 13, 5: toga (poet. for virilis toga),

a man's (prop. of one who is his own master), Ov. F. 3, 771: “vestis,” id. ib. 3,

777: “libera omnia sibi servare,” to reserve to one's self full liberty, Plin. Ep. 1

, 5.—Comp.: “hoc liberiores et solutiores sumus, quod, etc.,” Cic. Ac. 2, 3, 8: “est finitimus oratori poëta, numeris astrictior paulo, verborum licentia liberior,” id. de Or. 1, 16, 70: “liberiores litterae,” id. Att. 1, 13, 1: “amicitia remissior esse debet et liberior et dulcior,” freer, more unrestrained, more cheerful, id. Lael. 18 fin.: “paulo liberior sententia,” Quint. 4, 2, 121: “liberior in utramque partem disputatio,” id. 7, 2, 14: “fusiores liberioresque numeri,” id. 9, 4, 130: “officia liberiora plenioraque,” id. 6, 1, 9: “(flumina) campo recepta Liberioris aquae,” freer, less impeded, Ov. M. 1, 41; cf.: “(Tiberinus) campo liberiore natat,” freer, opener, id. F. 4, 292: “liberiore frui caelo,” freer, opener, id. M. 15, 301.—Sup.: “liberrimum hominum genus, comici veteres tradunt, etc.,” the frankest, most free-spoken, Quint. 12, 2, 22; cf.: “liberrime Lolli,” most frank, most ingenuous, Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 1: “indignatio,” id. Epod. 4, 10.—


(b).

Free or exempt from, void of; with ab:

“Mamertini vacui, expertes, soluti ac liberi fuerunt ab omni sumptu, molestia, munere,”

Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 10, § 23; cf.: “(consul) solutus a cupiditatibus, liber a delictis,” id. Agr. 1, 9, 27: “ab observando homine perverso liber,” id. Att. 1, 13, 2: “liber a tali irrisione Socrates, liber Aristo Chius,” id. Ac. 2, 39, 123: “ab omni animi perturbatione liber,” id. Off. 1, 20, 67; id. N. D. 2, 21, 55: “loca abdita et ab arbitris libera,” id. Att. 15, 16, B: “libera a ferro crura,” Ov. P. 1,

6, 32: “animus liber a partibus rei publicae,” Sall. C. 4.—

(g). With abl.: “animus omni liber curā et angore,” free from, without, Cic. Fin. 1,
15: “animus religione,” Liv. 2, 36: “animus cogitationibus aliis,” Quint. 11, 2, 35: “mens omnibus vitiis,” id. 12, 1, 4; cf.: “liberis odio et gratia mentibus,” id. 5, 11, 37: “omni liber metu,” Liv. 7, 34: “liber invidia,” Quint. 12, 11, 7: “equus carcere,” Ov. Am. 2, 9, 20.—

(d). With gen. (poet.): “liber laborum,” Hor. A. P. 212: “fati gens Lydia,” Verg. A. 10, 154: “curarum,” Luc. 4, 384. —Comp.: “liberior campi,” having a wider space, Stat. S. 4, 2, 24.—（ε) Liberum est, with subject-clause: “quam (opinionem) sequi magis probantibus liberum est,” it is free, permitted, allowable, Quint. 6, 3, 112; Plin. Ep. 1, 8: “dies eligere certos liberum erat,” Plin. 30, 2, 6, § 16.—So in abl. absol.: “libero, quid firmaret mutaretve,” Tac. A. 3, 60.
II. In partic.

A. Free, in a social point of view, not a slave (opp. servus; “also to ingenuus): neque vendendam censes quae libera est,” Ter. Ad. 2, 1, 40; cf. id. ib. v. 28: “dis habeo gratiam quom aliquot affuerunt liberae, because slaves were not permitted to testify,” id. And. 4, 4, 32; opp. ingenuus, free-born: “quid ea? ingenuan' an festucā facta e servā liberast?” Plaut. Mil. 1, 1, 14: “in jure civili, qui est matre liberā, liber est,” Cic. N. D. 3, 18, 45; id. Caecin. 36, 96: “si neque censu, neque vindictā, nec testamento liber factus est (servus), non est liber,” id. Top. 2, 10: “quae (assentatio) non modo amico, sed ne libero quidem digna est,” of a freeman, id. Lael. 24, 89; Quint. 11, 1, 43: “liberorum hominum alii ingenui sunt, alii libertini,” Gai. Inst. 1, 10; cf. sqq.: ex ancilla et libero jure gentium servus nascitur, id. ib. 1, 82; cf. § 85; Paul. Sent. 2, 24, 1 sqq.—

B.

Free, in a political point of view; “said both of a people not under monarchical rule and of one not in subjection to another people,” Cic. Rep. 1, 32, 48; cf.: “ut ex nimia potentia principum oritur interitus principum, sic hunc nimis liberum populum libertas ipsa servitute afficit,” id. ib. 1, 44, 68: “liber populus,” id. ib. 3, 34, 46: “(Demaratus) vir liber ac fortis,” democratic, republican, fond of liberty, id. ib. 2, 19, 34: “civitates liberae atque immunes,” free from service, Liv. 37, 55: “provinciae civitatesque liberae,” Suet. Vesp. 8: “libera ac foederata oppida,” id. Calig. 3: “Roma patrem patriae Ciceronem libera dixit,” Juv. 8, 244.—
C. In a bad sense, esp. with reference to sensual pleasure, unbridled, unchecked, unrestrained, licentious: “quam liber harum rerum multarum siet (Juppiter),” Plaut. Am. prol. 105: “adulescens imprudens et liber,” Ter. Eun. 3, 1, 40; cf.: “sit adulescentia liberior,” somewhat freer, Cic. Cael. 18, 42: “amores soluti et liberi,” id. Rep. 4, 4, 4: “consuetudo peccandi,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 76, § 177.—Hence, adv.: lībĕrē , freely, unrestrictedly, without let or hinderance; frankly, openly, boldly: “qui nihil dicit, nihil facit, nihil cogitat denique, nisi libenter ac libere,” Cic. Par. 5, 1, 34: “animus somno relaxatus solute movetur et libere,” id. Div. 2, 48, 100: “respirare,” id. Quint. 11, 39: “constanter et libere (me gessi),” id. Att. 4, 16, 9: “consilium dare,” id. Lael. 13, 44: “aliquid magis accusatorie quam libere dixisse,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 72, § 176: “omnia libere fingimus et impune,” Quint. 6, 1, 43: “ut ingredi libere (oratio), non ut licenter videatur errare,” Cic. Or. 23, 77.— Comp.: “liberius vivendi fuit potestas,” Ter. And. 1, 1, 23: “loqui,” Cic. Planc. 13, 33: “fortius liberiusque defendere,” Quint. 12, 1, 21: “liberius si Dixero quid,” Hor. S. 1, 4, 103: “maledicere,” id. ib. 2, 8, 37: “longius et liberius exseritur digitus,” Quint. 11, 3, 92; cf. id. 11, 3, 97: “ipsaque tellus Omnia liberius, nullo poscente, ferebat,” freely, of itself, spontaneously, Verg. G. 1, 127.


----- Points to consider:

'free' in INANIMATE contexts. " freely moving body" (Grice, Actions and Events"
-- 'free will' proper. How proper?