independent

independent
    adj 1: free from external control and constraint; "an
           independent mind"; "a series of independent judgments";
           "fiercely independent individualism" [ant: {dependent}]
    2: (of political bodies) not controlled by outside forces; "an
       autonomous judiciary"; "a sovereign state" [syn:
       {autonomous}, {independent}, {self-governing}, {sovereign}]
    3: (of a clause) capable of standing syntactically alone as a
       complete sentence; "the main (or independent) clause in a
       complex sentence has at least a subject and a verb" [syn:
       {independent}, {main(a)}] [ant: {dependent}, {subordinate}]
    4: not controlled by a party or interest group
    n 1: a neutral or uncommitted person (especially in politics)
         [syn: {mugwump}, {independent}, {fencesitter}]
    2: a writer or artist who sells services to different employers
       without a long-term contract with any of them [syn:
       {freelancer}, {freelance}, {free-lance}, {free lance},
       {independent}, {self-employed person}]
    

Independent \In`de*pend"ent\, n.
   1. (Eccl.) One who believes that an organized Christian
      church is complete in itself, competent to
      self-government, and independent of all ecclesiastical
      authority.
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   Note: In England the name is often applied (commonly in the
         pl.) to the Congregationalists.
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   2. (Politics) One who does not acknowledge an obligation to
      support a party's candidate under all circumstances; one
      who exercises liberty in voting.
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Independent \In`de*pend"ent\, a. [Pref. in- not + dependent: cf.
   F. ind['e]pendant.]
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   1. Not dependent; free; not subject to control by others; not
      relying on others; not subordinate; as, few men are wholly
      independent.
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            A dry, but independent crust.         --Cowper.
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   2. Affording a comfortable livelihood; as, an independent
      property.
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   3. Not subject to bias or influence; not obsequious;
      self-directing; as, a man of an independent mind.
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   4. Expressing or indicating the feeling of independence;
      free; easy; bold; unconstrained; as, an independent air or
      manner.
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   5. Separate from; exclusive; irrespective.
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            That obligation in general, under which we conceive
            ourselves bound to obey a law, independent of those
            resources which the law provides for its own
            enforcement.                          --R. P. Ward.
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   6. (Eccl.) Belonging or pertaining to, or holding to the
      doctrines or methods of, the Independents.
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   7. (Math.) Not dependent upon another quantity in respect to
      value or rate of variation; -- said of quantities or
      functions.
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   8. (U. S. Politics) Not bound by party; exercising a free
      choice in voting with either or any party.
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   {Independent company} (Mil.), one not incorporated in any
      regiment.

   {Independent seconds watch}, a stop watch having a second
      hand driven by a separate set of wheels, springs, etc.,
      for timing to a fraction of a second.

   {Independent variable}. (Math.) See {Dependent variable},
      under {Dependent}.

   Syn: Free; uncontrolled; separate; uncoerced; self-reliant;
        bold; unconstrained; unrestricted.
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219 Moby Thesaurus words for "independent":
      Laodicean, abounding in riches, affluent, alien, anythingarian,
      apart, apart from, apathetic, arbitrary, aside from, autarchic,
      autarkic, autonomous, barring, besides, beyond, big-rich, bold,
      centrist, comfortable, competent, controlled, detached,
      disconnected, discrete, discretional, discretionary,
      disgustingly rich, disinterested, disjunct, disrelated,
      dissociated, distinct, elective, erect, even, except for,
      excluding, exclusive of, exotic, external, extraneous, fat,
      fence-sitter, fifty-fifty, firm-minded, flush, foreign, forward,
      free, free lance, free spirit, free trader, free will,
      free-spirited, freethinker, freewheeling, frightfully rich,
      gratuitous, half-and-half, house-proud, ignoring, impartial,
      importunate, in funds, in the money, incommensurable, incomparable,
      independently rich, independently wealthy, indifferent, individual,
      individualist, individualistic, inner-directed, insular,
      irrelative, irrespective of, isolated, isolationist,
      latitudinarian, liberal, libertarian, libertine, loaded, loner,
      luxurious, made of money, maverick, midway, moderate, moneyed,
      mugwump, mugwumpian, mugwumpish, neuter, neutral, nonaligned,
      noncommitted, nonconformist, nonmandatory, nonpartisan,
      nothingarian, notwithstanding, offered, on the fence, oofy,
      optional, opulent, other, outlandish, outside, passive, prideful,
      proffered, prosperous, proud, proud as Lucifer, proud-blooded,
      proud-looking, proud-minded, proud-spirited, proudful,
      proudhearted, provided for, purse-proud, pushy, removed, rich,
      rich as Croesus, rolling in money, rugged individualist, segregate,
      self-acting, self-active, self-asserting, self-assertive,
      self-assured, self-centered, self-confident, self-contained,
      self-controlled, self-dependent, self-determined, self-determining,
      self-directing, self-esteeming, self-expressive, self-governed,
      self-governing, self-helpful, self-helping, self-improving,
      self-possessed, self-reliant, self-respecting, self-restrained,
      self-subsistent, self-sufficient, self-supporting, self-sustained,
      self-sustaining, separate, separated, sovereign, spontaneous,
      stiff-necked, strange, strong-minded, strong-willed, swing vote,
      third force, third world, third-force, third-world, unaffiliated,
      unallied, unasked, unassociated, unbesought, unbiased, unbidden,
      uncalled-for, uncoerced, uncommitted, uncommitted voter,
      uncompelled, unconnected, uncontrolled, undecided, unearned,
      unfettered, unforced, uninfluenced, uninvited, uninvolved,
      unlimited, unprejudiced, unpressured, unprompted, unrelatable,
      unrelated, unrequested, unrequired, unrestrained, unrestricted,
      unsolicited, unsought, voluntary, volunteer, wallowing in wealth,
      warm, wealthy, well provided for, well-fixed, well-heeled,
      well-off, well-to-do, willful