Public
['pʌblɪk]
Definition
(noun.) a body of people sharing some common interest; 'the reading public'.
(adj.) affecting the people or community as a whole; 'community leaders'; 'community interests'; 'the public welfare' .
(adj.) not private; open to or concerning the people as a whole; 'the public good'; 'public libraries'; 'public funds'; 'public parks'; 'a public scandal'; 'public gardens'; 'performers and members of royal families are public figures' .
Checked by Jeannette--From WordNet
Definition
(a.) Of or pertaining to the people; belonging to the people; relating to, or affecting, a nation, state, or community; -- opposed to private; as, the public treasury.
(a.) Open to the knowledge or view of all; general; common; notorious; as, public report; public scandal.
(a.) Open to common or general use; as, a public road; a public house.
(n.) The general body of mankind, or of a nation, state, or community; the people, indefinitely; as, the American public; also, a particular body or aggregation of people; as, an author's public.
(n.) A public house; an inn.
Editor: Lou
Synonyms and Synonymous
a. [1]. Of the whole, not private.[2]. Open, notorious, generally known.[3]. Common, general.
n. [Preceded by The.] Persons, men, society, the people, the community, the world.
Checked by Jacques
Synonyms and Antonyms
SYN:Open, notorious, common, social, national, exoteric, general, generally_known
ANT:Close, secret, private, domestic, secluded, solitary, personal, individual
Typed by Benjamin
Definition
adj. of or belonging to the people: pertaining to a community or a nation: general: common to or shared in by all: generally known.—n. the people: the general body of mankind: the people indefinitely: a public-house tavern.—ns. Pub′lican the keeper of an inn or public-house: (orig.) a farmer-general of the Roman taxes: a tax-collector; Publicā′tion the act of publishing or making public: a proclamation: the act of printing and sending out for sale as a book: that which is published as a book &c.—ns.pl. Pub′lic-bills -laws &c. bills laws &c. which concern the interests of the whole people; Pub′lic-funds money lent to government for which interest is paid of a stated amount at a stated time.—ns. Pub′lic-house a house open to the public: one chiefly used for selling beer and other liquors: an inn or tavern; Pub′lic-institū′tion an institution kept up by public funds for the public use as an educational or charitable foundation; Pub′licist one who writes on or is skilled in public law or on current political topics; Public′ity the state of being public or open to the knowledge of all: notoriety; Pub′lic-law (see International).—adv. Pub′licly.—adjs. Pub′lic-mind′ed -spir′ited having a spirit actuated by regard to the public interest: with a regard to the public interest.—ns. Pub′licness; Pub′lic-opin′ion the view which the people of a district or county take of any question of public interest; Pub′lic-pol′icy the main principles or spirit upon which the law of a country is constructed; Pub′lic-spir′it a strong desire and effort to work on behalf of the public interest.—adv. Pub′lic-spir′itedly.—n. Pub′lic-spir′itedness.—n.pl. Pub′lic-works permanent works or improvements made for public use or benefit.—Public health the department in any government municipality &c. which superintends sanitation; Public holiday a general holiday ordained by parliament; Public lands lands belonging to government esp. such as are open to sale grant &c.; Public orator an officer of English universities who is the voice of the Senate upon all public occasions; Public school (see School).—In public in open view.
Inputed by Estella
Examples
- How she had to work and thrum at these duets and sonatas in the Street, before they appeared in public in the Square! William Makepeace Thackeray. Vanity Fair.
- For the easy expression of public opinion in government is a clue to what services are needed and a test of their success. Walter Lippmann. A Preface to Politics.
- It is not contrary to justice, that both Ireland and America should contribute towards the discharge of the public debt of Great Britain. Adam Smith. An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations.
- This accident caused some delay, but the other tubes were in the meantime progressing, and the completed bridge was opened for public traffic on the 21st of October, 1850. Frederick C. Bakewell. Great Facts.
- As for society, he was carried every other day into the hall where the boys dined, and there sociably flogged as a public warning and example. Charles Dickens. Oliver Twist.
- The foreign language, the limited time, the public display. Charlotte Bronte. Villette.
- I am sorry that Miss Sutherland has troubled you about this little matter, for I think it is far better not to wash linen of the sort in public. Arthur Conan Doyle. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
- The newspapers had previously published articles showing the unusual capacity and performance of the battery, and public interest had thus been greatly awakened. Frank Lewis Dyer. Edison, His Life and Inventions.
- I have heard from my uncle how well you speak in public, so that every one is sorry when you leave off, and how clearly you can explain things. George Eliot. Middlemarch.
- We have opened all the public-houses in the place, and left our adversary nothing but the beer-shops--masterly stroke of policy that, my dear Sir, eh? Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers.
- However, I determined to cut all public amusements as soon as I knew Worcester to be in contact with the enemies of old England. Harriette Wilson. The Memoirs of Harriette Wilson.
- There was a public holiday; the streets were decorated by gay banners and made glad with music. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
- They would have been considered as guests of the public, and the religion of the country would have operated in their favour. Benjamin Franklin. Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin.
- Since then the revolver has become a great weapon in both private and public warfare. William Henry Doolittle. Inventions in the Century.
- How they got there and what right they had there, the British public did not ask. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
Inputed by Adeline