Without special conditions or restrictions

One evening we invited one of my husband's co-workers - who is a computer genius - to dinner and also to have him look at my computer that was but working well. Sometime later, I invited the same person to dinner again, but this time adding that there were "no strings attached" to which he laughed and accepted the invitation whole heartedly

Una sera mio marito ha invitato a cena un suo collaboratore (mago dei computer) che poi ha dato una sistematina al mio computer che stavadando i numeri. Qualche tempo dopo lo abbiamo invitato di nuovo a cena, ma questa volta ho aggiunto "senza secondi fini", al che lui si è messo a ridere ed ha accettato l'invito molto volentieri

Christine's new job was a great one with a great salary, but when she realized that the job came with strings attached, she resigned

Cristina aveva finalmente trovato un ottimo impiego con un ottimo stipendio, ma quando ha capito che c'erano sotto secondi fini, ha subito dato le dimissioni

If something has strings attached, it can be easily taken back any time by pulling the strings. The Babylonian Talmud mentions this example: a man gives his wife a bill of divorce, which was written on a rolled-up parchment tied shut with strings. The man holds on to the strings, so that he can snatch it back if he changes his mind.