liberar

to free

liberar(lee-beh-rahr)

transitive verb

1. (to grant freedom)

a. to free

Al final de la guerra liberaron a todos los prisioneros.

All prisoners were freed at the end of the war.

b. to set free

Liberé a un perro de una trampa para zorros.

I set a dog free from a fox trap.

c. to release (a hostage or a prisoner)

Los terroristas liberaron a los rehenes tras el pago del rescate.

The terrorists released the hostages after the ransom was paid.

d. to liberate (a country or a city)

En 1945, los Aliados liberaron a los Países Bajos de la ocupación nazi.

In 1945, the Allies liberated the Netherlands from Nazi occupation.

2. (to exonerate)

a. to free

Eso no les libera de los compromisos adquiridos.

That doesn't free them from the commitments they have undertaken.

b. to release (from an obligation)

Las partes pueden ser liberadas de su obligación de confidencialidad por mandato judicial.

The parties can be released from the obligation of confidentiality by court order.

c. to exempt (from a payment)

En dichos casos el inquilino queda liberado del pago.

In such cases, the tenant is exempted from the payment.

3. (finance)

a. to deregulate (prices)

El gobierno se propone liberar gradualmente los precios del combustible.

The government's aim is to gradually deregulate fuel prices.

b. to release (shares)

Solo se pueden liberar las acciones cuyo valor esté totalmente cubierto.

Only shares whose full value is covered can be released.

c. to float (currency or exchange rate)

Liberar la divisa podría llevar a una fuerte devaluación de la misma.

Floating the currency might lead to its sharp devaluation.

4. (telecommunications)

a. to unlock

¿Cuánto cobran ustedes por liberar un celular?

How much do you charge to unlock a cell phone?

5. (to give off)

a. to release (energy or a gas)

La energía liberada por el sol no se mantiene siempre constante.

The energy released by the sun is not always the same.

liberarse

pronominal verb

6. (to become emancipated)

a. to liberate oneself

Esas mujeres hicieron lo imposible por liberarse de los condicionamientos sociales.

Those women did everything they could to liberate themselves from social conditioning.

7. (to get rid of; used with "de")

a. to rid oneself of (a feeling or prejudice)

Para poner fin a la discriminación, tendríamos antes que liberarnos de nuestros prejuicios.

In order to put an end to discrimination, we'd first have to rid ourselves of our prejudices.

b. to free oneself from (inhibitions or debts)

Libérate de tus inhibiciones y déjate llevar por la música.

Free yourself from inhibitions and let yourself be carried away by the music.

liberar

transitive verb

1. (ciudad, país)

a. to liberate

2. (rehén, prisionero)

a. to free

liberar a alguien de algoto free somebody from something

pronominal verb

3. (general)

a. to liberate oneself

liberarse de algoto free o liberate oneself from something

Copyright © 2006 Harrap Publishers Limited

liberar

transitive verb

1 [+rehén] to free; release; [+país, pueblo] to liberate

ya han liberado al industrial secuestrado

2

liberar a algn de [+carga, obligación] to free sb of o from; [+peligro] to save sb from; la han liberado de una gran responsabilidad they have freed her of a great responsibility; liberar a algn de un pago to exempt sb from a payment

los han liberado del pago de los derechos aduaneros

3 (Economía) [+precios] to deregulate; [+acción] to pay in full; [+deuda] to release; [+tipo de cambio] to float

4 [+energía, oxígeno] to release

pronominal verb

liberarse

1

liberarse de algo to free o.s. from sth; el preso se liberó de las esposas the prisoner freed himself from o got free of the handcuffs; se ha liberado de su complejo de inferioridad he has rid himself of his inferiority complex

2 (socialmente) to liberate o.s.

las mujeres empiezan a liberarse women are beginning to liberate themselves