free and easy
Idioms-
Casual, relaxed, as in His style of writing is free and easy . In the 1930s and 1940s this phrase gained currency as part of a slogan for a brand of cigarettes, which were said to be “free and easy” to inhale. [c. 1700]
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Careless, sloppy, morally lax, as in This administration was free and easy with the taxpayers' money , or These girls hate to be considered free and easy . [First half of 1900s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Americans who got used to free and easy returns are now running into unexpected mail-in fees, shrinking return windows, more questions and new delays, Esther Fung writes for the Journal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
The hormonal coil, the copper coil and the implant are primarily used to prevent pregnancy and should be free and easy to access through NHS services.
From BBC ● Dec. 7, 2023
But the secrecy that pervades this trial is indicative of a broader expectation in the digital sector whereby everything and anything is permitted because it’s free and easy to use.
From Slate ● Oct. 25, 2023
About 20 years ago, the federal government mulled creating an option that would make it free and easy for most Americans to file their taxes electronically.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 5, 2023
Jo understood why Laurie ‘primmed up his mouth’ when speaking of Kate, for that young lady had a standoff-don’t-touch-me air, which contrasted strongly with the free and easy demeanor of the other girls.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
