From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishlibertylib‧er‧ty /ˈlɪbəti $ -ər-/ ●●○ noun (plural liberties) 1 freedom [uncountable]FREE TO DO WHAT YOU WANT the freedom and the right to do whatever you want without asking permission or being afraid of authority the fight for liberty and equalityindividual/personal liberty threats to individual libertyreligious/political/economic liberty struggles for political liberty2 legal right [countable usually plural]RIGHT/HAVE THE RIGHT TO a particular legal right liberties such as freedom of speech → civil liberty3 without permission [singular]OFFEND something you do without asking permission, especially which may offend or upset someone elsetake the liberty of doing something I took the liberty of cancelling your reservation.4 → be at liberty to do something5 → take liberties with somebody/something6 → at libertyCOLLOCATIONSadjectivesindividual/personal libertyAny law that increases police power may be seen as a threat to individual liberty.religious libertyThe American Constitution protects religious liberty.political libertyThe party has a tradition of fighting for increased political liberty.economic libertyThe country is slowly moving towards democracy and economic liberty.verbsprotect somebody's libertyThe right to vote is one of the most powerful means we have to protect our liberty.deprive somebody of their liberty (=take liberty away from someone)a prisoner who has been deprived of his libertyinfringe on/restrict somebody's liberty (=limit someone's liberty)Will the new security measures infringe on our liberty?threaten somebody's libertyThe government should not be so strong that it threatens individual liberty.
Examples from the Corpus
liberty• civil liberties• It is only we-alone and in lonely place-who stand between tyranny and liberty.• While I am still free, I am at liberty to take my pleasure when I choose.• But it cheapens liberty and diminishes the nation.• They were fighting for liberty and equality.• But emphasis has now shifted from liberty to order.• At the most, therefore, one can only inquire whether individual liberty was increasing in fact, or not.• Most had escaped but some were freed by owners newly inspired by the idea of liberty.• Wright is correct to see Paisley's interpretation of liberty as a development of this view.• Many people think that compulsory ID cards interfere with personal liberty.• The Constitution promises liberty and justice to all citizens.• Hayek views the growing dominance of the conception of law as thesis as posing a grave threat to liberty.individual/personal liberty• These measures are an important extension of consumers' rights and some safeguard of individual liberty.• The value of individual liberty is not absolute, but is subject to the authority of established government.• A libertarian society was seen as one which was based on individual liberty.• The accent was on lifting restrictions on individual liberty.• A heavy burden is placed on the magistrates to protect individual liberty from the abuse of police power.• If the government determines the interests of the state, does this harbour any threat to individual liberty?• Attempts to force equality are unacceptable also because they directly undermine individual liberty, a value of far greater importance.• Does this incursion upon individual liberty without consent serve a worthwhile purpose or rest upon some important principle?take the liberty of doing something• I took the liberty of helping myself to a piece of cake.• I took the liberty of inviting my friend Carlo along.• I took the liberty of planting a listening device in the jukebox you ... earned.• I took the liberty of telling my office I could be reached here.• Might I take the liberty of reminding Sir that Sir's favourite programme's on the air soon?• Next I took the liberty of calling on his daughter, Mrs. Carolan.LibertyLiberty an independent British organization which aims to defend and increase the rights of ordinary citizens. Before it changed its name in 1988, Liberty was called the National Council for Civil Liberties.Origin liberty (1300-1400) French liberté, from Latin libertas, from liber “free” 