1  definition  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Faculty  \Fac"ul*ty\,  n.;  pl  {Faculties}.  [F.  facult?,  L. 
  facultas  fr  facilis  easy  (cf.  facul  easily),  fr  fecere  to 
  make  See  {Fact},  and  cf  {Facility}.] 
  1.  Ability  to  act  or  perform,  whether  inborn  or  cultivated; 
  capacity  for  any  natural  function;  especially,  an  original 
  mental  power  or  capacity  for  any  of  the  well-known  classes 
  of  mental  activity;  psychical  or  soul  capacity;  capacity 
  for  any  of  the  leading  kinds  of  soul  activity,  as 
  knowledge,  feeling,  volition;  intellectual  endowment  or 
  gift;  power;  as  faculties  of  the  mind  or  the  soul. 
 
  But  know  that  in  the  soul  Are  many  lesser  faculties 
  that  serve  Reason  as  chief.  --Milton. 
 
  What  a  piece  of  work  is  a  man  !  how  noble  in  reason 
  !  how  infinite  in  faculty  !  --Shak. 
 
  2.  Special  mental  endowment;  characteristic  knack. 
 
  He  had  a  ready  faculty,  indeed,  of  escaping  from  any 
  topic  that  agitated  his  too  sensitive  and  nervous 
  temperament.  --Hawthorne. 
 
  3.  Power;  prerogative  or  attribute  of  office.  [R.] 
 
  This  Duncan  Hath  borne  his  faculties  so  meek. 
  --Shak. 
 
  4.  Privilege  or  permission,  granted  by  favor  or  indulgence, 
  to  do  a  particular  thing  authority;  license; 
  dispensation. 
 
  The  pope  .  .  .  granted  him  a  faculty  to  set  him  free 
  from  his  promise.  --Fuller. 
 
  It  had  not  only  faculty  to  inspect  all  bishops' 
  dioceses,  but  to  change  what  laws  and  statutes  they 
  should  think  fit  to  alter  among  the  colleges. 
  --Evelyn. 
 
  5.  A  body  of  a  men  to  whom  any  specific  right  or  privilege  is 
  granted;  formerly,  the  graduates  in  any  of  the  four 
  departments  of  a  university  or  college  (Philosophy,  Law, 
  Medicine,  or  Theology),  to  whom  was  granted  the  right  of 
  teaching  (profitendi  or  docendi)  in  the  department  in 
  which  they  had  studied;  at  present,  the  members  of  a 
  profession  itself  as  the  medical  faculty;  the  legal 
  faculty,  ect. 
 
  6.  (Amer.  Colleges)  The  body  of  person  to  whom  are  intrusted 
  the  government  and  instruction  of  a  college  or  university, 
  or  of  one  of  its  departments;  the  president,  professors, 
  and  tutors  in  a  college. 
 
  {Dean  of  faculty}.  See  under  {Dean}. 
 
  {Faculty  of  advocates}.  (Scot.)  See  under  {Advocate}. 
 
  Syn:  Talent;  gift;  endowment;  dexterity;  expertness; 
  cleverness;  readiness;  ability;  knack. 

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