free lunch: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal, often used in business and economics contexts.
Quick answer
What does “free lunch” mean?
A lunch provided without charge.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A lunch provided without charge.
Something obtained without cost or effort; an advantage or benefit that appears to be free but actually has hidden costs or consequences.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is identical in meaning and application.
Connotations
Identical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English due to its association with Milton Friedman's economic writings.
Grammar
How to Use “free lunch” in a Sentence
There is no such thing as a free lunch.Don't expect a free lunch.They offered us a free lunch.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “free lunch” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They tried to free-lunch their way through the conference.
- He's been free-lunching off his colleagues for months.
American English
- She free-lunched her way into several business deals.
- Stop trying to free-lunch from the system.
adjective
British English
- The free-lunch mentality pervades the industry.
- We need to avoid free-lunch thinking in this project.
American English
- His free-lunch approach to investing caused problems.
- The free-lunch culture in startups is changing.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used to warn against business proposals that seem too good to be true.
Academic
Employed in economics to illustrate the principle of opportunity cost.
Everyday
Used when someone receives an unexpected gift or benefit.
Technical
In software, refers to features that seem free but have trade-offs in performance or privacy.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “free lunch”
- Using as a countable noun without article: *"He got free lunch" (should be "a free lunch").
- Confusing with "free food" which lacks the idiomatic economic connotation.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The phrase became popular through economist Milton Friedman's 1975 book, though similar concepts appeared earlier in economic literature.
Yes, it can refer to an actual complimentary meal, though the idiomatic usage is more common in certain contexts.
It's informal in everyday use but accepted in formal economic and business writing as a recognized idiom.
Start with the literal meaning, then introduce the economic principle using simple examples like 'free apps that sell your data.'
A lunch provided without charge.
Free lunch: in British English it is pronounced /ˌfriː ˈlʌntʃ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌfri ˈlʌntʃ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “There's no such thing as a free lunch.”
- “Looking for a free lunch.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Remember the phrase by thinking: FREE LUNCH = FREquently Lacks UNderstanding of CHarges (hidden costs).
Conceptual Metaphor
ECONOMIC TRANSACTIONS ARE MEALS (with costs as the price of the meal).
Practice
Quiz
What does 'there's no such thing as a free lunch' primarily express?