freak
part of speech
noun (a freak, freaks); adjective (freak); verb (freak out, freaks out, freaked out, freaking out)
meaning for a pupil
1) A freak event is very unusual and unexpected: a freak storm, a freak accident. tree →
2) (informal) A freak is a person who is very keen on something: a fitness freak, a control freak. tree →
3) (informal) To freak out is to become very scared, upset or excited. tree →
4) (rude) Calling a person a freak means they are strange or not normal; it is hurtful. tree →
5) (old) A freak was a person or animal with an unusual body shown at fairs; this is now seen as cruel. tree →
sense in the lessons
In news and stories: freak weather, freak accident. In everyday slang: "Don't freak out!", "He's a neat freak". In anti-bullying lessons: calling someone a freak is name-calling. Phrases: freak out, freak accident, freak of nature, neat freak, control freak.
examples
- A freak hailstorm hit the town in summer. tree →
- She broke her arm in a freak accident. tree →
- Don't freak out, it's only a spider! tree →
- My dad is a neat freak: everything must be tidy. tree →
- I freaked out when the lights went off. tree →
- Calling people freaks is bullying. tree →
- The kid is a maths freak and loves puzzles. tree →
- A freak wave knocked over the sandcastle. tree →
- The young man wondered at this strange freak, and went laughing in search of the maiden. tree →
note
Informal. "Freak out" is a phrasal verb: freaked out. "Freaking" is a mild swear substitute in American slang ("freaking cold"), best avoided in formal talk. Adjective: freaky (strange, scary).
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «freak» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.