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gratuitous

   Also found in: Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.01 sec.
gra·tu·i·tous  (gr-t-ts, -ty-)
adj.
1. Given or granted without return or recompense; unearned.
2. Given or received without cost or obligation; free.
3. Unnecessary or unwarranted; unjustified: gratuitous criticism.

[From Latin grtutus; see gwer-2 in Indo-European roots.]

gra·tui·tous·ly adv.
gra·tui·tous·ness n.

gratuitous [grəˈtjuːɪtəs]
adj
1. given or received without payment or obligation
2. without cause; unjustified
3. (Law) Law given or made without receiving any value in return a gratuitous agreement
[from Latin grātuītus, from grātia favour]
gratuitously  adv
gratuitousness  n
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Adj.1.gratuitous - without cause; "a gratuitous insult"
unmerited - not merited or deserved; "received an unmerited honorary degree"
2.gratuitous - costing nothing; "complimentary tickets"; "free admission"
unpaid - not paid; "unpaid wages"; "an unpaid bill"
3.gratuitousgratuitous - unnecessary and unwarranted; "a strikers' tent camp...was burned with needless loss of life"
unnecessary, unneeded - not necessary

gratuitous
adjective unjustified, unnecessary, needless, unfounded, unwarranted, superfluous, wanton, unprovoked, groundless, baseless, uncalled-for, unmerited, causeless The film has been criticized for its gratuitous violence.
unjustified relevant, provoked, justifiable, well-founded
Translations
gratuitous [grəˈtjuːɪtəs] ADJ (= free) → gratuito; (= needless) [violence, sex] → gratuito
gratuitous [grəˈtjuːɪtəs] adj [violence] → gratuit(e)
gratuitous
adjüberflüssig, unnötig; (= unasked-for)unerwünscht
gratuitous [grəˈtjuːɪtəs] adjgratuito/a
gratuitous [grəˈtjuːɪtəs] adjgratuito/a


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
The attack must have all the shocking senselessness of gratuitous blasphemy.
The self-sacrifice of a father or mother, or self-sacrifice with the possibility of a reward, is more comprehensible than gratuitous self-sacrifice, and therefore seems less deserving of sympathy and less the result of free will.
The time and the manner of his asking her appeared like a gratuitous insult to me; and I could have wept with pure vexation.
 
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