(verb) : lībĕro, āvi, ātum, 1 (old form of the
* Fut. perf. liberasso, Plaut. Most. 1, 3, 66), 1. liber, to make or set free, to free, liberate (syn. vindico).
* Lit., to release from slavery, to free, manumil: amicas emite, liberate,Plaut. Most. 1, 1, 22: liberem ego te?id. Men. 5, 7, 35: servos,Caes. B. C. 3, 9: sese,Cic. de Or. 1, 40, 182: aliquem vindictā liberare,Plin. Ep. 7, 16, 4.
* Transf.
* In gen., to free, release, extricate, deliver (cf. levo) a person or thing from something (an obligation, debt, difficulty, etc.); constr.: aliquem (aliquid) ab aliqua re, with simple abl.; less freq. with gen.
* With personal objects.
* In partic.
* With abl.: divortio te liberabo incommodis, Poët. ap. Auct. Her. 2, 24, 38: defensionum laboribus senatoriisque muneribus liberatus,Cic. Tusc. 1, 1, 1: aliquem culpā,id. Att. 13, 22, 3: aliquem invidiā,id. N. D. 1, 6, 13: aliquem suspicione crudelitatis,id. Fam. 1, 2, 3: aliquem magnā sollicitudine,id. Att. 6, 1, 10; cf.: populum metu,id. Rep. 1, 16, 25: liberatus omni perturbatione animi,id. ib. 1, 17, 28: aliquem periculo,Caes. B. C. 3, 83: obsidione,id. B. G. 4, 19: se aere alieno,to pay a debt,Cic. Att. 6, 2, 4.
* With inanim. and abstr. objects: eum (mundum) ab omni erratione liberavit,Cic. Univ. 6; cf. below, at the end of this number: quorum linguae sic inhaererent, ut loqui non possent, eae scalpello resectae liberarentur,would be set free,id. Div. 2, 46, 96: liberare agros, to free or exempt from taxes, id. Agr. 1, 4, 10: publica liberare,id. ib. 2, 21, 57; cf.: liberari omnia Asiae emporia portusque,Liv. 32, 33: liberata vectigalia,id. 41, 28: fundum alii obligatum liberare,Dig. 18, 1, 41: liberare fidem,to discharge one's promise, keep one's word,Cic. Fl. 20, 47: liberare promissa,to cancel promises, to make them void and of no effect,id. Off. 1, 10, 33: nomina,to settle debts,Liv. 7, 21: impensam, to clear or repay expenses, Col. 3, 3.—Of an abstr. object: divinum animum corpore liberatum cogitatione complecti,Cic. Tusc. 1, 22, 51.
* With ex: multos ex incommodis pecuniā,Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 9, § 23.—(ε) With simple acc.: vectigales multos ac stipendiarios liberavit,exempted from taxes,Cic. Prov. Cons. 5, 10: Volusii liberandi, meum fuit consilium,to release from obligation,id. Fam. 5, 20, 4: Buthrotios cum Caesar decreto suo liberavisset, viz.,from a division of their lands,id. Att. 16, 16, C, 11: amotusque post triumphum abdicatione dictaturae terror et linguam et animos liberaverat hominum,Liv. 6, 16, 8: (debitores) capitis deminutione liberantur,i. e. from debt,Gai. Inst. 3, 84 al.
* To absolve or acquit in a court of justice (syn.: absolvo, solvo): aliquem, opp. condemnare,Cic. Clu. 22, 60: aliquem crimine aliquo,Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 29, § 71: liberatur Milo, non eo consilio profectus esse, is acquitted of the charge of having undertaken a journey with the design, etc., id. Mil. 18, 47: reum a judicibus hoc defensionis modo liberari non posse,Quint. 7, 4, 20.—Very rarely with acc. of the charge: crimen libidinis confessio intemperantiae liberavit,Val. Max. 8, 1, 12.
* To clear, i. e. to pass, traverse, cross over a place without hinderance (post - Aug.): flumen,Front. Strat. 1, 5, 3; 4, 7, 28; Hyg. Fab. 257: angustias freti,Front. Strat. 1, 4, 13: limen,Petr. 136.
* Templa liberata, freed from buildings that obstructed the view, i. e. having a free prospect, Cic. Leg. 2, 8, 21.

s. TLL