0 a hands-free piece of equipment, especially a phone, can be used without needing to hold it in your hand:
1 a piece of equipment, especially a phone, that you can use without needing to hold it in your hand
2 used to describe a piece of equipment, especially a phone, that you can use without needing to hold it:
However, the audio quality for hands-free operation varied from poor to unacceptable.
Despite the poor sound quality that resulted, all three sites normally used the hands-free sound, which makes overhearing and interruption possible.
This applies in part also to hands-free phones because of the nature of the distraction of a conversation.
Indeed, we are about to issue further advice on both hand-held and hands-free phones.
The issue is purely whether it is better to use a hands-free phone than to use a hand-held phone.
It is true that all sorts of things, including speaking into a hands-free mobile phone, divert the driver's attention.
Perhaps we should consider the general issue of mobile phone use—both hands-free and hands-held sets—while driving.
People can use one—preferably a hands-free one, rather than breaking the law with a hand-held one—to leave a message or to make a quick reply.
