Dependency: English Vocabulary List

allowed complete freedom to do whatever one desires

"She feels free as a bird."

"After finishing all her exams, she felt as free as a bird, ready to travel the world without any worries."

completely free to act as one wishes

"The manager got a blank check."

"The manager got a blank check to redesign the department and hired whoever he wanted."

the state in which one is completely free to do what one desires without any worries or disturbances

"The designer had a free hand."

"The designer had a free hand and created a completely original look without any restrictions."

the state in which one is completely free to do or say what one desires

"The manager gave the team free rein."

"Some parents give complete free rein to their children without any rules or supervision which can be dangerous."

‌to do what one pleases, free of control and interference of others

"She is her own master now."

"Ever since he started his own business, he has been his own master and no one tells him what to do."

to allow someone to be completely free to do whatever they want

"Let the dog loose now."

"The zookeeper decided to let the playful monkeys loose in the enclosure to observe their natural behaviors."

to fail to control a person or thing as strictly as one did before

"Loosen your grip on that."

"The teacher had to loosen her grip on classroom discipline to allow for more student-led discussions."

to be the determining factor of something, particularly by making its occurrence or success possible

"Effort holds the key."

"Effective communication is believed to hold the key to resolving the long-standing international dispute between the two nations."

to manage one's own affairs and take responsibility for one's own actions and decisions

"He learned to paddle his own canoe."

"After graduating from university the young man decided to paddle his own canoe instead of working for his father company."

to start behaving independently instead of relying on others for help or support

"It is time to cut the cord."

"It is time for the young man to cut the umbilical cord and move out of his parents basement."

to be able to successfully defend oneself against harsh criticism or in difficult situations

"She can hold her own in a debate."

"The small company held its own against the large competitors and managed to stay in business."

to be capable of making one's own decisions without being influenced by others

"My daughter has a mind of her own."

"Even as a young child she had a mind of her own and refused to follow the crowd."

someone who has complete control over their decisions, particularly those concerning the future

"Be the master of your own fate."

"The entrepreneur is the master of his own destiny and makes all the important decisions for his life."

without receiving any help or support from others

"He did it all off his own bat."

"The enterprising student started the charity off his own bat without any help from teachers."

to have the freedom to go anywhere one wants in a particular place

"I have the run of the house today."

"While his parents were away the teenager had the run of the entire house."

to let a person do as they wish without trying to help or control them

"Leave him to his devices."

"The parents decided to leave their teenage children to their own devices for the weekend, trusting them to be responsible."

to rely on a particular thing in order to help and support one

"He hangs his hat on logic."

"In times of uncertainty, she always had her strong faith to hang her hat on for comfort and guidance."

not bound by the legal rules and consequences that others must follow

"He thinks he is above the law."

"No one, not even the wealthiest citizens, should believe they are above the law and immune to its consequences."

to benefit from another's success or achievements, often without contributing much themselves

"He rode on his famous father's coattails."

"The lazy actor rode on his famous father coattails to get movie roles he did not deserve."

(of a grown adult) excessively dependent on or controlled by someone else, usually a parent or a partne

"He is still tied to his mother's apron strings."

"The grown man was still tied to his mother apron strings and could not make any decision without her."

through one's hard work

"He earned it by sweat of brow."

"She achieved her success through sheer determination and by the sweat of her brow, working tirelessly for years."