3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Familiar  \Fa*mil`iar\,  a.  [OE.  familer  familier,  F.  familier, 
  fr  L.  familiaris,  fr  familia  family.  See  {Family}.] 
  1.  Of  or  pertaining  to  a  family;  domestic.  ``Familiar 
  feuds.''  --Byron. 
 
  2.  Closely  acquainted  or  intimate,  as  a  friend  or  companion; 
  well  versed  in  as  any  subject  of  study;  as  familiar  with 
  the  Scriptures. 
 
  3.  Characterized  by  or  exhibiting,  the  manner  of  an  intimate 
  friend;  not  formal;  unconstrained;  easy;  accessible.  ``In 
  loose,  familiar  strains.''  --Addison. 
 
  Be  thou  familiar,  but  by  no  means  vulgar.  --Shak. 
 
  4.  Well  known  well  understood;  common;  frequent;  as  a 
  familiar  illustration. 
 
  That  war,  or  peace,  or  both  at  once,  may  be  As 
  things  acquainted  and  familiar  to  us  --Shak. 
 
  There  is  nothing  more  familiar  than  this  --Locke. 
 
  5.  Improperly  acquainted;  wrongly  intimate.  --Camden. 
 
  {Familiar  spirit},  a  demon  or  evil  spirit  supposed  to  attend 
  at  call  --1  Sam.  xxviii.  3,  7-9. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Familiar  \Fa*mil"iar\,  n. 
  1.  An  intimate;  a  companion. 
 
  All  my  familiars  watched  for  my  halting.  --Jer.  xx 
  10. 
 
  2.  An  attendant  demon  or  evil  spirit.  --Shak. 
 
  3.  (Court  of  Inquisition)  A  confidential  officer  employed  in 
  the  service  of  the  tribunal,  especially  in  apprehending 
  and  imprisoning  the  accused. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  familiar 
  adj  1:  (often  followed  by  `with')  well  known  or  easily  recognized; 
  "a  familiar  figure";  "he  was  familiar  with  those 
  roads";  "familiar  songs";  "familiar  guests"  [ant:  {unfamiliar}] 
  2:  within  normal  everyday  experience;  common  and  ordinary; 
  "familiar  ordinary  objects  found  in  every  home";  "a 
  familiar  everyday  scene";  "a  familiar  excuse";  "a  day  like 
  any  other  filled  with  familiar  duties  and  experiences" 
  [ant:  {strange}] 
  3:  (usually  followed  by  `with')  well  informed  about 
  "conversant  with  business  trends";  "familiar  with  trends 
  in  education"  [syn:  {conversant(p)},  {familiar(p)}] 
  4:  natural  and  unstudied;  "using  their  Christian  names  in  a 
  casual  way";  "lectured  in  a  familiar  style"  [syn:  {free-and-easy}, 
  {casual}] 
  5:  having  mutual  interests  or  affections;  of  established 
  friendship;  "on  familiar  terms";  "pretending  she  is  on  an 
  intimate  footing  with  those  she  slanders"  [syn:  {intimate}] 
  6:  taking  undue  liberties;  "young  women  disliked  the  familiar 
  tone  he  took  with  them";  "instructors  should  not  be 
  familir  in  their  behavior  toward  students  of  the  opposite 
  sex"  [syn:  {overfamiliar}] 
  n  1:  a  person  attached  to  the  household  of  a  high  official  (as  a 
  pope  or  bishop)  who  renders  service  in  return  for 
  support 
  2:  a  person  who  is  frequently  in  the  company  of  another; 
  "drinking  companions";  "comrades  in  arms"  [syn:  {companion}, 
  {comrade},  {fellow},  {associate}] 
  3:  a  spirit  (usually  in  animal  form)  that  acts  as  an  assistant 
  to  a  witch  or  wizard  [syn:  {familiar  spirit}] 

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