| free villus | A chorionic villus that is not attached to the decidua basalis, but is "free" in the maternal blood of the intervillous spaces. Synonym: floating villus. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| free water | Water in the body that can be removed by ultrafiltration and in which substances can be dissolved. (05 Mar 2000) |
| free water clearance | The amount of water excreted in the urine beyond that which would accompany the excreted solutes if the urine were isosmotic with plasma; it represents the loss of body water in excess of solute tending to raise body osmolality and making urine hyposmotic. Unlike other clearance's, it is calculated by subtracting the osmolal clearance from the actual volume of urine excreted per minute. A negative value for free water clearance represents the amount of water that the body has reclaimed from isosmotic tubule fluid to make the urine hyperosmotic and to lower body osmolality. (05 Mar 2000) |
| free wave | <radiobiology> A wave (for example, electromagnetic) traveling in a homogeneous infinite medium (no boundary conditions). (09 Oct 1997) |
| free will | 1. A will free from improper coercion or restraint. "To come thus was I not constrained, but did On my free will." (Shak) 2. The power asserted of moral beings of willing or choosing without the restraints of physical or absolute necessity. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |