liberal : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: liberal	by the DICT Development Group
4 results for liberal
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
liberal adj showing or characterized by broad-mindedness; "a broad political stance"; "generous and broad sympathies"; "a liberal newspaper"; "tolerant of his opponent's opinions" Synonym(s): broad, large-minded, liberal, tolerant having political or social views favoring reform and progress tolerant of change; not bound by authoritarianism, orthodoxy, or tradition Antonym(s): conservative 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" Synonym(s): big, bighearted, bounteous, bountiful, freehanded, handsome, giving, liberal, openhanded not literal; "a loose interpretation of what she had been told"; "a free translation of the poem" Synonym(s): free, loose, liberal n a person who favors a political philosophy of progress and reform and the protection of civil liberties Synonym(s): liberal, liberalist, progressive Antonym(s): conservative, conservativist a person who favors an economic theory of laissez-faire and self-regulating markets
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Liberal \Lib"eral\, 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 Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Liberal \Lib"eral\ (l[icr]b"[etil]r[ait]l), a. [F. lib[82]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. [bd] Liberal education.[b8] --Macaulay. [bd] A liberal tongue.[b8] --Shak. 2. Bestowing in a large and noble way, as a freeman; generous; bounteous; open-handed; as, a liberal giver. [bd] Liberal of praise.[b8] --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. [bd] Most like a liberal villain.[b8] --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 [bd] order of thoughts,[b8] 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 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