[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/freak.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / freak

[← F](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/F/)

# freak

«freak» in Mova's school dictionary: **very unusual and unexpected: a freak storm, a freak accident** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

### 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 →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/freak/#m1)

2) (informal) A freak is a person who is very keen on something: a fitness freak, a control freak. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/freak/#m2)

3) (informal) To freak out is to become very scared, upset or excited. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/freak/#m3)

4) (rude) Calling a person a freak means they are strange or not normal; it is hurtful. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/freak/#m4)

5) (old) A freak was a person or animal with an unusual body shown at fairs; this is now seen as cruel. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/freak/#m5)

### 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 →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/freak/#x1)
- She broke her arm in a freak accident. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/freak/#x2)
- Don't freak out, it's only a spider! [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/freak/#x3)
- My dad is a neat freak: everything must be tidy. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/freak/#x4)
- I freaked out when the lights went off. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/freak/#x5)
- Calling people freaks is bullying. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/freak/#x6)
- The kid is a maths freak and loves puzzles. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/freak/#x7)
- A freak wave knocked over the sandcastle. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/freak/#x8)
- The young man wondered at this strange freak, and went laughing in search of the maiden. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/freak/#x9)

### 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](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/freak/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.