free hand

See also: freehand and free-hand

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

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Noun

free hand (plural free hands)

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see free,‎ hand.
   • 1991, Daniel Berg, Shipwreck Diving, page 26:

     Wreck divers as well as night divers and cave divers have found that having a light or lights mounted on their head allows the divers to have free hands while being able to see.

2. (idiomatic) free rein
   • 2023 August 23, Malcom Holmes tells Paul Stephen, “A mission to develop GCR's legacy”, in RAIL, number 990, page 38:

     "Since I've been here, I've been given a fairly free hand by the GCR board to get on with things, properly understand the organisation from a different perspective, and develop a new business plan for the future," he tells RAIL.

Translations

free rein — see free rein