Hyper Dictionary

English Dictionary Computer Dictionary Thesaurus Dream Dictionary Medical Dictionary


Search Dictionary:  

Meaning of GRATUITOUS

Pronunciation:  gru'tooitus

WordNet Dictionary
 
 Definition: 
  1. [adj]  without cause; "a gratuitous insult"
  2. [adj]  unnecessary and unwarranted; "a strikers' tent camp...was burned with needless loss of life"
  3. [adj]  costing nothing; "complimentary tickets"
 
 Sponsored Links: 
 
 Synonyms: complimentary, costless, free, gratis(p), needless, uncalled-for, unmerited, unnecessary, unneeded, unpaid
 

 

 

Webster's 1913 Dictionary
 
 Definition: 
\Gra*tu"i*tous\a. [L. gratuitus, from gratus
pleasing. See {Grate}, a., {Gratis.}]
1. Given without an equivalent or recompense; conferred
   without valuable consideration; granted without pay, or
   without claim or merit; not required by justice.
         We mistake the gratuitous blessings of Heaven for
         the fruits of our own industry.       --L'Estrange.
2. Not called for by the circumstances; without reason,
   cause, or proof; adopted or asserted without any good
   ground; as, a gratuitous assumption.
         Acts of gratuitous self-humiliation.  --De Quincye.
   -- {Gra*tu"i*tous*ly}, adv. -- {Gra*tu"i*tous*ness}, n.
 
Thesaurus Terms
 
 Related Terms: accorded, aimless, allowed, amorphous, arbitrary, autonomous, baseless, bestowed, biggety, bluff, bottomless, brash, capricious, casual, charitable, cheeky, chutzpadik, cocky, complimentary, contemptuous, costless, crusty, de trop, derisive, desultory, disarticulated, discontinuous, discretional, discretionary, disjunct, disordered, dispensable, dispersed, disproportionate, disrespectful, elective, eleemosynary, erratic, excess, expendable, expenseless, expletive, facy, fitful, flip, flippant, for free, for love, for nothing, formless, free, free as air, free for nothing, free gratis, free of charge, free of cost, free will, freebie, fresh, frivolous, gally, giftlike, given, God-given, granted, gratis, groundless, haphazard, hit-or-miss, immethodical, impertinent, impudent, in excess, inchoate, incoherent, indefensible, independent, indiscriminate, irrational, irregular, malapert, meaningless, misshapen, needless, nervy, nonessential, nonmandatory, nonsymmetrical, nonsystematic, nonuniform, offered, on the house, optional, orderless, pert, planless, pleonastic, proffered, prolix, promiscuous, providential, random, reasonless, redundant, rude, sassy, saucy, self-acting, self-active, self-determined, self-determining, senseless, shapeless, smart, smart-alecky, smart-ass, spare, spasmodic, spontaneous, sporadic, straggling, straggly, supererogatory, superfluous, systemless, tautologic, tautologous, to spare, unarranged, unasked, unbesought, unbidden, unbought, uncalled-for, unclassified, uncoerced, uncompelled, undirected, unessential, unforced, unfounded, ungraded, ungrounded, uninfluenced, uninvited, unjoined, unjustifiable, unjustified, unlooked-for, unmethodical, unnecessary, unneeded, unordered, unorganized, unpaid-for, unpressured, unprompted, unrequested, unrequired, unsolicited, unsorted, unsought, unsupportable, unsymmetrical, unsystematic, untaxed, ununiform, unwarranted, unwelcome, vague, verbose, voluntary, volunteer, vouchsafed, wandering, wanton, willful, willing, wise-ass, without charge
 

 

 

 

COPYRIGHT © 2000-2005 HYPERDICTIONARY.COM HOME | ABOUT HYPERDICTIONARY