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
nation |
2 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Nation \Na"tion\, n. [F. nation, L. natio nation, race, orig., a being born, fr natus, p. p. of nasci, to be born, for gnatus gnasci from the same root as E. kin. [root]44. See {Kin} kindred, and cf {Cognate}, {Natal}, {Native}.] 1. (Ethnol.) A part or division, of the people of the earth, distinguished from the rest by common descent, language, or institutions; a race; a stock. All nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues. --Rev. vii. 9. 2. The body of inhabitants of a country, united under an independent government of their own A nation is the unity of a people. --Coleridge. Praise the power that hath made and preserved us a nation. --F. S. Key. 3. Family; lineage. [Obs.] --Chaucer. 4. a One of the divisions of university students in a classification according to nativity, formerly common in Europe. b (Scotch Universities) One of the four divisions (named from the parts of Scotland) in which students were classified according to their nativity. 5. A great number; a great deal -- by way of emphasis; as a nation of herbs. --Sterne. {Five nations}. See under {Five}. {Law of nations}. See {International law}, under {International}, and {Law}. Syn: people; race. See {People}. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: nation n 1: a politically organized body of people under a single government; "the state has elected a new president" [syn: {state}, {country}, {land}, {commonwealth}, {res publica}, {body politic}] 2: the people of a nation or country or a community of persons bound by a common heritage; "a nation of Catholics"; "the whole country worshipped him" [syn: {nationality}, {land}, {country}, {a people}] 3: the territory occupied by a nation; "he returned to the land of his birth"; "he visited several European countries" [syn: {country}, {state}, {land}] 4: a federation of tribes (especially native American tribes); "the Shawnee nation"
more about nation