1. (

• emancipate ,
• liberate ,

) give equal rights to; of women and minorities ;

2. (

• free ,
• liberate ,
• release ,
• unloose ,
• unloosen ,
• loose

) grant freedom to; free from confinement ;

3. (

• liberate ,
• set_free ,

) grant freedom to; "The students liberated their slaves upon graduating from the university" ;

4. (

• release ,
• free ,
• liberate ,

) release (gas or energy) as a result of a chemical reaction or physical decomposition ;