For real

[Dave M]

Last year, the APS forum churned through "for free" quite a bit - and the feeling was that the phrase doesn't really work, because:
(1) "free" isn't a noun, and
(2) either you get something free, or you don't - there's no need for the "for".

I just found myself writing for real, though. Writing about an experimental website being set up at work, I described its structure and principles, then said: "You can try the site for real, by clicking on ~~~".

Why am I more comfortable with "for real" than with "for free"? Clearly, something's different here, as we can't just drop the "for", yet the construction is still ("for" + adjective) = adverb. What's going on?

[Sue M-V]

"For real" isn't a phrase I ever use, and in the example you give, I probably wouldn't have said anything else either - just you can try the site by clicking ... If pushed, I might insert "yourself" between site and by.

On the other hand, if it was possible only to try it virtually, I'd have mentioned that.

The phrases: for free and for real have a distict American ring, to my ears.
Sue

[goofy]

for free

[Paul Doherty]

Nice, goofy. I don't think you were around when we discussed for free last time (unless you have changed name) but some of us (well, me) were in favour, pretty much for the reasons MW gives.

Free is a very overloaded word: it has far too many meanings. What does I got the sheep free mean? For free offers a useful clarification. What about if someone, in my professional role, wants me to do something and I say I'm free next wednesday -- might they think that's a day I work without charge?

Additionally, now that phrases like fat-free are common, sentences like I gave her the book free sound odd. Alternatives are either archaic and may not be understood ("gratis") or are long-winded ("without charge").

No, it fills a useful gap. Use it proudly.

[Dave]

One of the neighbor kids used to say "for reals" in place of "really;" we joked enough about it in our home that our kids caught on that they shouldn't use the phrase!

[Verbivore]

Although I have no use for the expressions (I'm prepared to circumlocute where necessary - but it rarely is) both for free and for real are now well established in Oz - courtesy, I strongly suspect, of technocultural-linguistic imperialism.

They arrived on the back of second-rate imported "entertainment".

[Glyn]

I don't think I could use it, Paul - and certainly not proudly! - since, to dinosaurs like me, it just sounds wrong.
But feel free to raise my eyebrows.

[Barry]

I seem to remember that I too contributed to the for free discussion last time. I'm quite happy to use both for free and for real.