befri

Danish

Verb

befri (past tense befriede or befriet, past participle befriet)

1. to free, set free
2. to relieve (someone) of a toilsome burden

Derived terms

• befrier
• befrielse

References

• “befri” in Den Danske Ordbog
• “befri” in Ordbog over det danske Sprog

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Middle Low German, from the prefix be- +‎ fri ("to free, to set free"). Compare with Swedish befria.

Verb

befri (imperative befri, present tense befrir, present passive befris, simple past befridde, past participle befridd, present participle befriende)

1. to free, set free (make free), liberate, deliver

   En svær mengde samlet seg utenfor fengslet og befridde fangen.

   A huge crowd gathered outside the prison and freed / liberated the prisoner.

   Jeg har sett hvordan folket mitt blir mishandlet i Egypt, og har hørt klagen deres, og jeg har steget ned for å befri dem.

   I have seen how my people are mistreated in Egypt, heard their moans, and I have descended to deliver them. (Acts of the Apostles, 7,34)

Usage notes

The suffix replaces the use of auxiliary words in certain situations, such as in the phrase gjøre fri, where be- replaces gjøre, but the word is essentially a synonym to the verb fri.

Synonyms

• frelse, fri, fri ut, løskjøpe, redde, unnsette, utfri, avlaste, forløse, frigjøre, frita, lette

Derived terms

• befri seg fra
• befriende (adjective)
• befrielse
• befrier
• befriet

 

References

• “befri” in The Ordnett Dictionary
• “befri” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
• Bibelen.no - search on "befri"