What is "FREAK"

An example I think of for the ordinary insult form is from the movie Hercules [https://youtu.be/3oFGPH6Yu8A?t=180](https://youtu.be/3oFGPH6Yu8A?t=180)

A freak is, literally, a one-off. "A freak accident" means an accident that nobody could have seen coming and prevented, just for how weird the circumstances were that caused it. It can also be applied to people, though I would say it's not polite and should be avoided. There used to be "freak shows" in the 1800s to mid-1900s where people would pay to see "freaks", who were poeple who had rare or unusual looks (mixed in with a lot of fraud). Chan and Eng are a famous pair who made their living this way, who were conjoined twins. There's an old movie called "Freaks" about one of those shows, I think it's in the public domain and can be found online. PT Barnum is a famous promoter of these shows. These shows popularized calling people "freaks", and it became a popular mild insult. Not an actual swear word so children could use it pretty freely. The word drifted away from referring to unique physical appearances, and could be used to demean anyone awkward or eccentric. Again, I wouldn't advise using it.

It’s started to be used as slang outside of its normal meaning. You’ll see people saying the phrase “match my freak” and other variations, or “get your freak on” as another example. Freak in this context is being used like the word “kink”, with freak generally implying something sexually deviant. There are also plenty of cases where it is used for its standard definition as someone weird, abnormal, deviant, etc.

There are quite a few definitions. It’s a pretty versatile word.

It has a lot of definitions. Most of the negative ones have been covered here.  It was also a popular term in 1960s counterculture where people would self describe as freaks ("long haired hippie freaks")  to say that they didn't follow mainstream social norms.  Sometimes you would also say freaky about someone who is sexually promiscuous or engaged in like, fetish stuff and that could be positive. The verb "freak out" is almost always negative though, like "he freaked out when he found out his burger had onions"

'Freak' can be used as a substitute for 'f*ck' in American English. Usually if the speaker doesn't use profanity or when profanity isn't appropriate to the setting.

Not really, they're not one and the same rather "freak" has a more negative connotation. It's offensive really, "weird" is more subdued imo I seem to remember a song saying "get your freak on" (I think) and it just meant to dance weird. Only other example I can think of

A freak in the US can mean who is sexually innovative in bed. ‘She looks quiet but she’s a freak’

As others have said, it really depends on the context, that would effect what it means. OP do you have more context??

In some situations, calling somebody a freak would be extremely offensive, almost like calling them “subhuman.” If somebody refers to a trans person, or somebody with a disability for example, as a freak, it would be incredibly bad. However, it can also mean “extremely unique / not human” in a positive sense, if you’re referring to a good trait. One use that hasn’t been covered by anybody else is in regard to an exceptional athlete. Saying that an athlete is a “freak of nature” means that they are exceptional in their sport, usually based of physical attributes. Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, Lance Armstrong (pre-roid confirmation…) all would be called freaks. There’s even a current basketball player whose nickname is “the Greek Freak” because of his size and agility.

Le freak c'est chic ! I couldn't help myself, sorry ^ ^

It can be used to describe someone who is very good at something, or someone who is very enthusiastic about something. It can also be used to describe someone who is different from other people, or someone who is considered to be strange or unusual. In the past, itwas often used in a negative way, to describe people who were considered to be mentally ill or physically deformed. However, in recent years the word has been reclaimed by some people as a way to celebrate their differences. * Someone who is very good at something: "She's a freak on the dance floor." * Someone who is very enthusiastic about something: "He's a fitness freak." * Someone who is different from other people: "She's a bit of a freak, but I like her." * Someone who is considered to be strange or unusual: "He's a real freak of nature." It's meaning can vary depending on the context in which it is used.

Ok so Oldest version i can find (which is the meaning the others stem from) is someone who is unusual. Freak shows were a thing in victorian england where people with various abnormalities would be showcased to the public When someone "freaks out" it's kinda saying they're temporarily insane because of some circumstance. "I crashed my moms car, she will *freak out* when she finds out" Freaky is basically anything, as long as it makes you feel kinda off. "Ever think we could get hit by a meteor like the dinosaurs? freaky hub?" freak accident: accident in the sense of a car accident but stranger. Its not a freak accident when a car rear ends another car in traffic, it's a screw up but you expect it. It's a freak accident when your parked car suddenly rolls down your driveway into the road and then gets hit, nobody expected that some folks are pointing out "match my freak" it's a more recent phrase saying "yeah i'm weird, you have to be ok with that if we're going to be friends"

*Freak (n)* = a weird person *Freak accident* = a sudden, unexpected, usually harmful accident, e.g. a tree suddenly falling on your house. *Freak of nature* = an abnormality or deformity in nature, e.g. a horse with two heads. Also used as an insult. *Freaky (adj)* = weird or creepy. Can also mean kinky in a sexual context. *Freak out (v)* = become very emotional either from anger, excitement, or fear. It can also mean to scare someone or make them uncomfortable, e.g. “that scary mask is freaking me out” *Freaking* = a less vulgar version of “fucking” used as an interjection, e.g. “I hate this freaking place!” or “I freaking love you!” etc.

Few speakers are going to know the original meaning of words they use, but I'm always digging into the etymology of everyday words to hone my precision with them. The Middle English roots are something like "a sudden change of mind" and we see this in the modern, usually negative context of going crazy or a sudden outburst or panic **"If you do that again I'm going to freak"** \--- **"He just started freaking out"** or even **"Calm down, you're starting to really freak me out man!"** \--- and this capriciousness is sometimes applied broader not just to behavior **"It was a freak accident"** (a random out of nowhere one) Historically "**freak shows**" were circus events where people would pay to see a variety of performers many of whom had one or a number of disabilities, deformities, birth defects, or who were just foreign and unusual to the locals. So we see it as traditionally having an emphasis on the unusual, the deranged, and there it takes on the stereotypes about madness or violent outbreak. This link to mental-illness probably gives us further modern examples like **"Oh my god, you're such a control freak"** which emphasizes how someone is particularly obsessive about something. Or a **"Math Freak"** would be someone unusually interested in and weirdly good at math. It's always been a way for a bully to describe a group of kids he finds unusual **"Get a load of these freaks"** But then we have political influences. In the 60s and 70s in America, freak began to be used to denigrate hippies and peace-loving drug-using countercultural youths. Conservatives derided their sexual practices which disgusted them. I think this where it takes on a sexual meaning, to be like those "freaks" preaching free love. **"Getting their freak on"** and **"Doing freaky things"** or **"I heard she's a freak in the sheets"** And in the same breath, it loses some of it's negativity because now people start transforming it and proudly identifying as unusual compared to those they don't want to be like, or even making sexual boasts with it. You do see it as something positive more nowadays. **"Bro's a freak"** means he's super skilled and unnaturally good at something. Still emphasizes the unusual or bizarre feelings of the word.

This can’t be how learners should get their definitions; I refuse to live in a world where people post on Reddit instead of using a dictionary. It’s an important skill to develop, OP. Please look it up, and come back if you have questions about the definition.