The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Emancipate \E*man"ci*pate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Emancipated;
   p. pr. & vb. n. Emancipating.] [L. emancipatus, p. p. of
   emancipare to emancipate; e + mancipare to transfer ownership
   in, fr. manceps purchaser, as being one who laid his hand on
   the thing bought; manus hand + capere to take. See Manual,
   and Capable.]
   To set free from the power of another; to liberate; as:
   (a) To set free, as a minor from a parent; as, a father may
       emancipate a child.
   (b) To set free from bondage; to give freedom to; to manumit;
       as, to emancipate a slave, or a country.
       [1913 Webster]

             Brasidas . . . declaring that he was sent to
             emancipate Hellas.                   --Jowett
                                                  (Thucyd. ).
   (c) To free from any controlling influence, especially from
       anything which exerts undue or evil influence; as, to
       emancipate one from prejudices or error.
       [1913 Webster]

             From how many troublesome and slavish impertinences
             . . . he had emancipated and freed himself.
                                                  --Evelyn.
       [1913 Webster]

             To emancipate the human conscience.  --A. W. Ward.
       [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Emancipate \E*man"ci*pate\, a. [L. emancipatus, p. p.]
   Set at liberty.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

emancipate
    v 1: give equal rights to; of women and minorities [syn:
         emancipate, liberate]
    2: free from slavery or servitude [syn: manumit, emancipate]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

21 Moby Thesaurus words for "emancipate":
   affranchise, deliver, discharge, disenthrall, enfranchise, free,
   let go, let loose, liberate, loose, loosen, manumit, release,
   rescue, set at large, set at liberty, set free, unbind, unchain,
   unfetter, unshackle