Get Affordable VMs - excellent virtual server hosting


browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
general

more about general

general


  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  General  \Gen"er*al\,  a.  [F.  g['e]n['e]ral,  fr  L.  generalis.  See 
  {Genus}.] 
  1.  Relating  to  a  genus  or  kind  pertaining  to  a  whole  class 
  or  order  as  a  general  law  of  animal  or  vegetable 
  economy. 
 
  2.  Comprehending  many  species  or  individuals;  not  special  or 
  particular;  including  all  particulars;  as  a  general 
  inference  or  conclusion. 
 
  3.  Not  restrained  or  limited  to  a  precise  import;  not 
  specific;  vague;  indefinite;  lax  in  signification;  as  a 
  loose  and  general  expression. 
 
  4.  Common  to  many  or  the  greatest  number;  widely  spread; 
  prevalent;  extensive,  though  not  universal;  as  a  general 
  opinion;  a  general  custom. 
 
  This  general  applause  and  cheerful  shout  Argue  your 
  wisdom  and  your  love  to  Richard.  --Shak. 
 
  5.  Having  a  relation  to  all  common  to  the  whole;  as  Adam, 
  our  general  sire.  --Milton. 
 
  6.  As  a  whole;  in  gross;  for  the  most  part 
 
  His  general  behavior  vain,  ridiculous.  --Shak. 
 
  7.  Usual;  common,  on  most  occasions;  as  his  general  habit  or 
  method. 
 
  Note:  The  word  general,  annexed  to  a  name  of  office,  usually 
  denotes  chief  or  superior;  as  attorney-general; 
  adjutant  general;  commissary  general;  quartermaster 
  general;  vicar-general,  etc 
 
  {General  agent}  (Law),  an  agent  whom  a  principal  employs  to 
  transact  all  his  business  of  a  particular  kind  or  to  act 
  in  his  affairs  generally. 
 
  {General  assembly}.  See  the  Note  under  {Assembly}. 
 
  {General  average},  {General  Court}.  See  under  {Average}, 
  {Court}. 
 
  {General  court-martial}  (Mil.),  the  highest  military  and 
  naval  judicial  tribunal. 
 
  {General  dealer}  (Com.),  a  shopkeeper  who  deals  in  all 
  articles  in  common  use 
 
  {General  demurrer}  (Law),  a  demurrer  which  objects  to  a 
  pleading  in  general  terms,  as  insufficient,  without 
  specifying  the  defects.  --Abbott. 
 
  {General  epistle},  a  canonical  epistle. 
 
  {General  guides}  (Mil.),  two  sergeants  (called  the  right  and 
  the  left  general  guide)  posted  opposite  the  right  and 
  left  flanks  of  an  infantry  battalion,  to  preserve  accuracy 
  in  marching.  --Farrow. 
 
  {General  hospitals}  (Mil.),  hospitals  established  to  receive 
  sick  and  wounded  sent  from  the  field  hospitals.  --Farrow. 
 
  {General  issue}  (Law),  an  issue  made  by  a  general  plea,  which 
  traverses  the  whole  declaration  or  indictment  at  once, 
  without  offering  any  special  matter  to  evade  it 
  --Bouvier.  --Burrill. 
 
  {General  lien}  (Law),  a  right  to  detain  a  chattel,  etc., 
  until  payment  is  made  of  any  balance  due  on  a  general 
  account. 
 
  {General  officer}  (Mil.),  any  officer  having  a  rank  above 
  that  of  colonel. 
 
  {General  orders}  (Mil.),  orders  from  headquarters  published 
  to  the  whole  command. 
 
  {General  practitioner},  in  the  United  States,  one  who 
  practices  medicine  in  all  its  branches  without  confining 
  himself  to  any  specialty;  in  England,  one  who  practices 
  both  as  physician  and  as  surgeon. 
 
  {General  ship},  a  ship  not  chartered  or  let  to  particular 
  parties. 
 
  {General  term}  (Logic),  a  term  which  is  the  sign  of  a  general 
  conception  or  notion. 
 
  {General  verdict}  (Law),  the  ordinary  comprehensive  verdict 
  in  civil  actions,  ``for  the  plaintiff''  or  ``for  the 
  defendant''.  --Burrill. 
 
  {General  warrant}  (Law),  a  warrant,  now  illegal,  to  apprehend 
  suspected  persons,  without  naming  individuals. 
 
  Syn:  Syn.  {General},  {Common},  {Universal}. 
 
  Usage:  Common  denotes  primarily  that  in  which  many  share;  and 
  hence  that  which  is  often  met  with  General  is 
  stronger,  denoting  that  which  pertains  to  a  majority 
  of  the  individuals  which  compose  a  genus,  or  whole. 
  Universal,  that  which  pertains  to  all  without 
  exception.  To  be  able  to  read  and  write  is  so  common 
  an  attainment  in  the  United  States,  that  we  may 
  pronounce  it  general,  though  by  no  means  universal. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  General  \Gen"er*al\,  n.  [F.  g['e]n['e]ral.  See  {General}.,  a.] 
  1.  The  whole;  the  total;  that  which  comprehends  or  relates  to 
  all  or  the  chief  part  --  opposed  to  particular. 
 
  In  particulars  our  knowledge  begins,  and  so  spreads 
  itself  by  degrees  to  generals.  --Locke. 
 
  2.  (Mil.)  One  of  the  chief  military  officers  of  a  government 
  or  country;  the  commander  of  an  army,  of  a  body  of  men  not 
  less  than  a  brigade.  In  European  armies,  the  highest 
  military  rank  next  below  field  marshal. 
 
  Note:  In  the  United  States  the  office  of  General  of  the  Army 
  has  been  created  by  temporary  laws,  and  has  been  held 
  only  by  Generals  U.  S.  Grant,  W.  T.  Sherman,  and  P.  H. 
  Sheridan. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  general 
  adj  1:  applying  to  all  or  most  members  of  a  category  or  group  "the 
  general  public";  "general  assistance";  "a  general 
  rule";  "in  general  terms";  "comprehensible  to  the 
  general  reader"  [ant:  {specific}] 
  2:  not  specialized  or  limited  to  one  class  of  things  "general 
  studies";  "general  knowledge" 
  3:  of  national  scope;  "a  general  election" 
  4:  prevailing  among  and  common  to  the  general  public;  "the 
  general  discontent" 
  5:  (medicine)  affecting  the  entire  body;  "a  general 
  anesthetic";  "general  symptoms"  [ant:  {local}] 
  6:  somewhat  indefinite;  "bearing  a  general  resemblance  to  the 
  original";  "a  general  description  of  the  merchandise" 
  7:  of  worldwide  scope  or  applicability;  "an  issue  of 
  cosmopolitan  import";  "the  shrewdest  political  and 
  ecumenical  comment  of  our  time"-  Christopher  Morley; 
  "universal  experience"  [syn:  {cosmopolitan},  {ecumenical}, 
  {oecumenical},  {universal},  {worldwide}] 
  n  1:  a  general  officer  of  the  highest  rank  [syn:  {full  general}] 
  2:  a  fact  about  the  whole  (as  opposed  to  particular);  "he 
  discussed  the  general  but  neglected  the  particular"  [ant: 
  {particular},  {particular}] 
  v  :  command  as  a  general;  "We  are  generaled  by  an  incompetent!" 




more about general