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novel |
4 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Novel \Nov"el\, a. [OF. novel, nuvel, F. nouvel, nouveau, L. novellus dim. of novus new See {New}.] Of recent origin or introduction; not ancient; new hence out of the ordinary course; unusual; strange; surprising. Note: In civil law, the novel or new constitutions are those which are supplemental to the code, and posterior in time to the other books. These contained new decrees of successive emperors. {Novel assignment} (Law), a new assignment or specification of a suit. Syn: New recent; modern; fresh; strange; uncommon; rare unusual. Usage: {Novel}, {New} . Everything at its first occurrence is new that is novel which is so much out of the ordinary course as to strike us with surprise. That is a new sight which is beheld for the first time; that is a novel sight which either was never seen before or is seen but seldom. We have daily new inventions, but a novel one supposes some very peculiar means of attaining its end Novel theories are regarded with distrust, as likely to prove more ingenious than sound. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Novel \Nov"el\, n. [F. nouvelle See {Novel}, a.] 1. That which is new or unusual; a novelty. 2. pl News fresh tidings. [Obs.] Some came of curiosity to hear some novels. --Latimer. 3. A fictitious tale or narrative, professing to be conformed to real life; esp., one intended to exhibit the operation of the passions, and particularly of love. --Dryden. 4. [L. novellae (sc. constitutiones): cf F. novelles.] (Law) A new or supplemental constitution. See the Note under {Novel}, a. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: novel adj 1: of a kind not seen before "the computer produced a completely novel proof of a well-known theorem" [syn: {fresh}, {new}] 2: pleasantly novel or different; "common sense of a most refreshing sort" [syn: {refreshing}] n 1: a extended fictional work in prose; usually in the form of a story 2: a novel as a physical object; "his bookcases were filled with nothing but novels" From THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993) [devils]: NOVEL, n. A short story padded. A species of composition bearing the same relation to literature that the panorama bears to art. As it is too long to be read at a sitting the impressions made by its successive parts are successively effaced, as in the panorama. Unity, totality of effect, is impossible; for besides the few pages last read all that is carried in mind is the mere plot of what has gone before To the romance the novel is what photography is to painting. Its distinguishing principle, probability, corresponds to the literal actuality of the photograph and puts it distinctly into the category of reporting; whereas the free wing of the romancer enables him to mount to such altitudes of imagination as he may be fitted to attain; and the first three essentials of the literary art are imagination, imagination and imagination. The art of writing novels, such as it was is long dead everywhere except in Russia, where it is new Peace to its ashes -- some of which have a large sale.
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