free hand
Unrestricted decision power
Free hand describes drawing or sketching done without guides, rulers, or tracing—relying only on the artist's skill and eye: She drew the portrait free hand.
As a noun phrase, a free hand means latitude to act as one chooses: The board gave him a free hand in restructuring the department.
Also spelled freehand.
Freedom from external control
- discretionCareful judgment in speech
- latitudeGeographic or personal freedom
- leewayPermissible margin of freedom
- flexibilityAbility to adapt easily
carte blanche · authority · control · license · permission · trust · empowerment · agency
Hasty informal drawing
- drawCreate with pencil
- doodleMindless rough sketch
- illustrateExplain through depiction
- brushworkPainter's stroke method
stroke · line work · shading · hatching · contour · loose · expressive · spontaneous
independence
Freedom from external control
- discretionCareful judgment in speech
- latitudeGeographic or personal freedom
- leewayPermissible margin of freedom
flexibility · carte blanche · authority · control · license · permission · trust · empowerment · agency · choice
sketch
Hasty informal drawing
- drawCreate with pencil
- doodleMindless rough sketch
- illustrateExplain through depiction
brushwork · stroke · line work · shading · hatching · contour · loose · expressive · spontaneous · imprecise
- leewaywiggle room, latitude, slack, margin, play
free handmicromanagement
Excessive supervisory control
micromanaged · close supervision · controlled · supervised · surveillance
free handstraitjacket
Garment restricting arm movement
restrictions · constraints · limitations · red tape · inflexibility
free handrestriction
Limit on action
constraint · limitation · hands tied · restraint · confined