free·ma·son·ry

(frē′mā′sən-rē)

1. Freemasonry The institutions, precepts, and rites of the Freemasons.

2. Spontaneous fellowship and sympathy among a number of people.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

freemasonry

(ˈfriːˌmeɪsənrɪ)

natural or tacit sympathy and understanding

Freemasonry

(ˈfriːˌmeɪsənrɪ)

1. the institutions, rites, practices, etc, of Freemasons

2. Freemasons collectively

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

free•ma•son•ry

(ˈfriˌmeɪ sən ri)

n.

1. secret or tacit brotherhood.

2. (cap.) the principles, practices, etc., of Freemasons.

[1400–50]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	freemasonry - a natural or instinctive fellowship between people of similar interests; "he enjoyed the freemasonry of the Press" companionship, fellowship, society, company - the state of being with someone; "he missed their company"; "he enjoyed the society of his friends"
	2.	Freemasonry - Freemasons collectively Masonry secret society - a society that conceals its activities from nonmembers Freemason, Mason - a member of a widespread secret fraternal order pledged to mutual assistance and brotherly love

Translations

freemasonry

[ˈfriːˌmeɪsnrɪ] N → masonería f, francmasonería f (fig) → compañerismo m, camaradería f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

freemasonry

[ˈfriːmeɪs^ənri] n → franc-maçonnerie ffree of charge adv [work, provide] → gratuitement; [get] → gratuitement
to be available free of charge → être gratuit(e)free pass n → passe mfree period n → heure f de permanencefree port n → port m franc

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

freemasonry

[ˈfriːˌmeɪs/ənrɪ] n → massoneria

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

There is a sort of freemasonry among gentlewomen, is there not?

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For the reasons mentioned in the preceding chapter, and from some other matrimonial concessions, well known to most husbands, and which, like the secrets of freemasonry, should be divulged to none who are not members of that honourable fraternity, Mrs Partridge was pretty well satisfied that she had condemned her husband without cause, and endeavoured by acts of kindness to make him amends for her false suspicion.

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'Besides, it's a freemasonry. I sketch myself, and you know what that implies.'

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He firmly believed in the possibility of the brotherhood of men united in the aim of supporting one another in the path of virtue, and that is how Freemasonry presented itself to him.

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They liked Owen immensely and had that feeling of having known him for many years which distinguishes the freemasonry of the house of Joseph.

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In our already-mentioned freemasonry as fellow-sufferers, and in his good-natured companionship with me, it was our evening habit to compare the way we bit through our slices, by silently holding them up to each other's admiration now and then - which stimulated us to new exertions.

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Probably its regular visitants, like the initiates of freemasonry, wished that there were something a little more tremendous to keep to themselves concerning it; but they were not a closed community, and many decent seniors as well as juniors occasionally turned into the billiard-room to see what was going on.

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It is singular, nevertheless, to remark the shyness that exists among many members of the present class, all of whom we might expect to recognize one another by the freemasonry of mutual goodness, and to embrace like brethren, giving God thanks for such various specimens of human excellence.

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Beekeeping is a freemasonry. A beekeeper cannot deceive a brother-mason.

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But as he ordered breakfast to be got ready with all speed, and on its being set before him gave indisputable tokens of a hearty appetite, the Lion received him, as usual, with a hospitable welcome; and treated him with those marks of distinction, which, as a regular customer, and one within the freemasonry of the trade, he had a right to claim.

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You'll not think, Mr Dorrit,' and here he laughed again in the easiest way, 'that I am lapsing into the freemasonry of the craft--for it's not so; upon my life I can't help betraying it wherever I go, though, by Jupiter, I love and honour the craft with all my might--if I propose a stipulation as to time and place?'

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Weller and his friends was strictly confined to the freemasonry of the craft; consisting of a jerking round of the right wrist, and a tossing of the little finger into the air at the same time.

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