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free hand

 - 3 dictionary results

free hand

–noun
unrestricted freedom or authority: They gave the decorator a free hand.

Origin:
1925–30
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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free hand  
n.  Freedom to do or decide as one sees fit.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Idioms & Phrases

free hand

Also, free rein. Freedom to do or decide as one sees fit. For example, The teacher gave her assistant a free hand with the class, or They gave me free rein to reorganize the department. The first expression dates from the late 1800s, the second from the mid-1900s.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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