Is the meaning of "to grant the freedom to" closer to "to permit"/"to allow" or closer to "to facilitate"? [closed]

Solution 1:

Freedictionary.com defines grant:

1.To allow or consent to the fulfillment of (something requested):

grant permission to speak frankly; grant a request.

2. a To give or confer officially or formally:

grant voting rights to citizens; grant diplomatic immunity.

It defines freedom in several ways:

1. a. The condition of not being in prison or captivity: gave the prisoners their freedom.

   b. The condition of being free of restraints, especially the ability to act without control or interference by another or by circumstance:

In retirement they finally got the freedom to travel.

2. a. The condition of not being controlled by another nation or political power; political independence.

   b. The condition of not being subject to a despotic or oppressive power; civil liberty.

   c. The condition of not being constrained or restricted in a specific aspect of life by a government or other power:

   freedom of assembly.

   d. The condition of not being a slave.

3. a. The condition of not being affected or restricted by a given circumstance or condition: freedom from want.

   b. The condition of not being bound by established conventions or rules:

   The new style of painting gave artists new freedoms.

4. The capacity to act by choice rather than by determination, as from fate or a deity; free will:

   We have the freedom to do as we please all afternoon.

5. The right to unrestricted use; full access:

   was given the freedom of their research facilities.

6. Ease or facility of movement: loose sports clothing, giving the wearer freedom.strong text

Based on the definitions and the options you give, it seems the best answer is

4. You have permitted X to do Y and you will not interfere.

Technically, granting X freedom does not speak to whether X actually can do Y.

The interaction of individual freedoms is a complex menagerie of considerations. In oversight situations, an overseer grants freedom with the implied understanding that she can intervene when necessary to protect the interests of the organization, which retains discrete corporate freedoms. This complexity is why we put contracts in writing. We pay lawyers big bucks to review contracts before we sign them, and litigate them when we believe they have been broken. Defining the freedoms we grant to others in specific detail is a fine art that goes well beyond defining the word freedom. The rest of the questions are above my pay grade :-)

Solution 2:

To “grant the freedom” is closer to “to permit”/“to allow” than “to facilitate.” As to the four choices you offered: 4. something else.

GRANT (transitive verb)

1 a: to consent to carry out for a person: allow fulfillment of (grant a request) b: to permit as a right, privilege, or favor (luggage allowances granted to passengers) 2: to bestow or transfer formally (grant a scholarship to a student); specifically: to give the possession or title of by a deed 3 a: to be willing to concede

Origin of GRANT

Middle English, from Anglo-French granter, graanter, from Vulgar Latin credentare, from Latin credent-, credens, present participle of credere to believe—more at creed

First Known Use: 13th century

Synonyms: acknowledge, agree, allow, concede, confess, fess (up), admit, own (up to)

Merriam-Webster Dictionary online

To grant, in your context (definition b), is to award, bestow, or give permission to proceed in a given endeavor or domain of action. Grant carries no explicit connotations of either adding or removing other conditions or contingencies affecting fulfillment of the granted action or endeavor. That said, “granting permission” does carry the implication that the one who has bestowed such permission is not intent upon impeding (but rather, facilitating) progress toward fulfillment of the granted action or endeavor.