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pragmaticmore about pragmatic

pragmatic

 

  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Pragmatic  \Prag*mat"ic\,  Pragmatical  \Prag*mat"ic*al\,  a.  [L. 
  pragmaticus  busy,  active,  skilled  in  business,  especially  in 
  law  and  state  affairs,  systematic,  Gr  ?,  fr  ?  a  thing  done 
  business,  fr  ?  to  do:  cf  F.  pragmatique  See  {Practical}.] 
  1.  Of  or  pertaining  to  business  or  to  affairs;  of  the  nature 
  of  business;  practical;  material;  businesslike  in  habit  or 
  manner. 
 
  The  next  day  .  .  .  I  began  to  be  very  pragmatical. 
  --Evelyn. 
 
  We  can  not  always  be  contemplative,  diligent,  or 
  pragmatical,  abroad;  but  have  need  of  some 
  delightful  intermissions.  --Milton. 
 
  Low  pragmatical,  earthly  views  of  the  gospel. 
  --Hare. 
 
  2.  Busy;  specifically,  busy  in  an  objectionable  way 
  officious;  fussy  and  positive;  meddlesome.  ``Pragmatical 
  officers  of  justice.''  --Sir  W.  Scott. 
 
  The  fellow  grew  so  pragmatical  that  he  took  upon  him 
  the  government  of  my  whole  family.  --Arbuthnot. 
 
  3.  Philosophical;  dealing  with  causes,  reasons,  and  effects, 
  rather  than  with  details  and  circumstances;  --  said  of 
  literature.  ``Pragmatic  history.''  --Sir  W.  Hamilton. 
  ``Pragmatic  poetry.''  --M.  Arnold. 
 
  {Pragmatic  sanction},  a  solemn  ordinance  or  decree  issued  by 
  the  head  or  legislature  of  a  state  upon  weighty  matters; 
  --  a  term  derived  from  the  Byzantine  empire.  In  European 
  history,  two  decrees  under  this  name  are  particularly 
  celebrated.  One  of  these  issued  by  Charles  VII.  of 
  France,  A.  D.  1438,  was  the  foundation  of  the  liberties  of 
  the  Gallican  church;  the  other  issued  by  Charles  VI  of 
  Germany,  A.  D.  1724,  settled  his  hereditary  dominions  on 
  his  eldest  daughter,  the  Archduchess  Maria  Theresa. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Pragmatic  \Prag*mat"ic\,  n. 
  1.  One  skilled  in  affairs. 
 
  My  attorney  and  solicitor  too  a  fine  pragmatic. 
  --B.  Jonson 
 
  2.  A  solemn  public  ordinance  or  decree. 
 
  A  royal  pragmatic  was  accordingly  passed. 
  --Prescott. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  pragmatic 
  adj  1:  concerned  with  practical  matters;  "a  matter-of-fact  (or 
  pragmatic)  approach  to  the  problem";  "a  matter-of-fact 
  account  of  the  trip"  [syn:  {matter-of-fact},  {pragmatical}] 
  2:  of  or  concerning  the  theory  of  pragmatism  [syn:  {pragmatical}] 
  3:  guided  by  practical  experience  and  observation  rather  than 
  theory;  "a  hardheaded  appraisal  of  our  position";  "a 
  hard-nosed  labor  leader";  "completely  practical  in  his 
  approach  to  business";  "not  ideology  but  pragmatic 
  politics"  [syn:  {hardheaded},  {hard-nosed},  {practical}]




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