Also 7. -at. [f. L. līberāt-, ppl. stem of līberāre, f. līber free.] trans. To set free, set at liberty; to free, release from (something). Chem. To set free from combination.
1623. Cockeram, Liberate, to free one.
c. 1650. Don Bellianis, 206. Four thousand Knights that came to liberate their King.
1671. True Nonconf., 131. Jesus Christ … liberats the Worship of God from the shadows.
1776. Adam Smith, W. N., V. iii. (1869), I. 533. By liberating the public revenue, they might restore vigour to that government of which they themselves had the principal direction.
1784. Cowper, Task, IV. 97. Advanced to some … more than mortal height, That lib’rates and exempts me from them all.
1805. W. Saunders, Min. Waters, 377. The portion of acid thus liberated.
1841. Lane, Arab. Nts., I. 112. I will liberate him from his present sufferings.
1867. Smiles, Huguenots Eng., x. (1880), 172. The six slaves … were eventually liberated by the crew of an English vessel.
1878. Browning, La Saisiaz, 52. Walking slow … Liberates the brain o’erloaded.
Hence Liberating ppl. a.
1868. Browning, Ring & Bk., III. 1296. Thanks to His liberating angel Death.
1883. R. Zimmermann, in Athenæum, 29 Dec., 844/3. The prophet of a liberating … movement.
