Lewis & Short

lībĕro, āvi, ātum, 1 (old form of the fut. perf. liberasso, Plaut. Most. 1, 3, 66), v. a. [1. liber], to make or set free, to free, liberate (syn. vindico).

  1. I. 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.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. 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.
        1. a. With personal objects.
          1. (α) With ab: teque item ab eo vindico ac libero, Cic. Q. Fr. 3, 1: se a Venere, to release one’s self from one’s duty to Venus, id. Div. in Caecil. 17, 53.
          2. (β) 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.
          3. (γ) With gen.: aliquem culpae, Liv. 41, 19: voti liberari, id. 5, 28.
          4. * (δ) 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.
        2. b. 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.
    2. B. In partic.
      1. 1. To absolve or acquit in a court of justice (syn.: absolvo, solvo): aliquem, opp. condemnare, Cic. Clu. 22, 60: aliquem crimine aliquo, id. 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.
      2. 2. 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.
      3. 3. Templa liberata, freed from buildings that obstructed the view, i. e. having a free prospect, Cic. Leg. 2, 8, 21.