ENGLISH
REFERENCE

liberation

n.
US //ˌɫɪˌbɝˈeɪʃən// UK //lˌɪbəɹˈeɪʃən// lib·er·a·tion
  1. 1 setting free (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the act of setting a person or a place free from imprisonment or enemy control.

    the act of setting someone free from imprisonment, slavery, or oppression; the release of a country from occupation.

    Example

    The liberation of the city was celebrated with a huge parade in the streets.

    Example

    Following years of brutal occupation, the liberation of the capital marked a definitive turning point in the regional conflict.
  2. 2 social equality (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Politics

    the movement to get equal rights and freedom for a specific group of people.

    the achievement of equal social rights and status, specifically freedom from historical or structural prejudice.

    Example

    The women's liberation movement changed how people thought about work and home.

    Example

    The seminar focused on the history of various liberation movements and their impact on contemporary civil rights legislation.
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  1. 3 stealing or taking (n.)
    C1 Advanced Humorous Informal

    a funny or polite way to say you took something that does not belong to you.

    a euphemistic or ironic reference to the act of taking or stealing something.

    Example

    I noticed the 'liberation' of a few pens from the office supply cabinet.

    Example

    He jokingly referred to the 'liberation' of his roommate's leftover pizza as a necessary intervention for the sake of fridge space.

    Teacher's tip

    This sense is purely ironic; using it in a serious context will make you sound like you are admitting to a crime while trying to hide it.
Origin

Borrowed from Middle French libération, and from Latin liberatio, liberationem (“a freeing”), from liberare past participle liberatus (“set free”); see liberate. Equivalent to liberate + -ion.

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