*public*

a. [ L. publicus, poblicus, fr. populus people: cf. F. public. See People. ] 1. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

To the public good
Private respects must yield. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

He [ Alexander Hamilton ] touched the dead corpse of the public credit, and it sprung upon its feet. D. Webster. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Open to the knowledge or view of all; general; common; notorious; as, public report; public scandal. [ 1913 Webster ]

Joseph, . . . not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. Matt. i. 19. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Open to common or general use; as, a public road; a public house. “The public street.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

public act or
public statute (Law), an act or statute affecting matters of public concern. Of such statutes the courts take judicial notice. --
Public credit. See under Credit. --
Public funds. See Fund, 3. --
Public house, an inn, or house of entertainment. --
Public law. (a) See International law, under International. (b) A public act or statute. --
Public nuisance. (Law) See under Nuisance. --
Public orator. (Eng. Universities) See Orator, 3. --
Public stores, military and naval stores, equipments, etc. --
Public works, all fixed works built by civil engineers for public use, as railways, docks, canals, etc.; but strictly, military and civil engineering works constructed at the public cost. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

The public is more disposed to censure than to praise. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A public house; an inn. [ Scot. ] Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

In public, openly; before an audience or the people at large; not in private or secrecy. “We are to speak in public.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. publicanus: cf. F. publicain. See Public. ] 1. (Rom. Antiq.) A farmer of the taxes and public revenues; hence, a collector of toll or tribute. The inferior officers of this class were often oppressive in their exactions, and were regarded with great detestation. [ 1913 Webster ]

As Jesus at meat . . . many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. Matt. 1x. 10. [ 1913 Webster ]

How like a fawning publican he looks! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The keeper of an inn or public house; one licensed to retail beer, spirits, or wine. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. publicatio confiscation: cf. F. publication. See Publish. ] 1. The act of publishing or making known; notification to the people at large, either by words, writing, or printing; proclamation; divulgation; promulgation; as, the publication of the law at Mount Sinai; the publication of the gospel; the publication of statutes or edicts. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of offering a book, pamphlet, engraving, etc., to the public by sale or by gratuitous distribution. [ 1913 Webster ]

The publication of these papers was not owing to our folly, but that of others. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That which is published or made known; especially, any book, pamphlet, etc., offered for sale or to public notice; as, a daily or monthly publication. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. An act done in public. [ R. & Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

His jealousy . . . attends the business, the recreations, the publications, and retirements of every man. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

Publication of a libel (Law), such an exhibition of a libel as brings it to the notice of at least one person other than the person libeled. --
Publication of a will (Law), the delivery of a will, as his own, by a testator to witnesses who attest it. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Public-spirited. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. publiciste. ] A writer on the laws of nature and nations; one who is versed in the science of public right, the principles of government, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Whig leaders, however, were much more desirous to get rid of Episcopacy than to prove themselves consummate publicists and logicians. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. publicité. ] The quality or state of being public, or open to the knowledge of a community; notoriety; publicness. [ 1913 Webster ]

. A pamphlet which, in some States of the United States having the initiative or referendum, is mailed to the voters to inform them as to the nature of a measure submitted by the initiative or referendum. The pamphlet contains a copy of the proposed law and arguments for and against it by those favoring and opposing it, respectively. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. t. 1. to make public; to announce.
Syn. -- publicise, air, bare. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. Specifically: To announce in a manner intended to reach a large audience.
Syn. -- advertise, advertize, call attention to. [ WordNet 1.5 ] [ +PJC ]

adv. 1. With exposure to popular view or notice; without concealment; openly; as, property publicly offered for sale; an opinion publicly avowed; a declaration publicly made. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. In the name of the community. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Public-spirited. -- Pub"lic-mind`ed*ness, n. [1913 Webster]

n. 1. The quality or state of being public, or open to the view or notice of people at large; publicity; notoriety; as, the publicness of a sale. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The quality or state of belonging to the community; as, the publicness of property. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (a) In Great Britain, any of various schools maintained by the community, wholly or partly under public control, or maintained largely by endowment and not carried on chiefly for profit; specif., and commonly, any of various select and usually expensive endowed schools which give a liberal modern education or prepare pupils for the universities. Eton, Harrow, Rugby, and Winchester are of this class. (b) In the United States, a free primary, grammar, or high school maintained by the local government. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. 1. Having, or exercising, a disposition to advance the interest of the community or public; as, public-spirited men. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Dictated by a regard to public good; as, a public-spirited project or measure. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Pub"lic-spir`it*ed*ly, adv. -- Pub"lic-spir`it*ed*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ or sometimes }. A corporation, such as a railroad company, lighting company, water company, etc., organized or chartered to follow a public calling or to render services more or less essential to the general public convenience or safety. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ F. république, L. respublica commonwealth; res a thing, an affair + publicus, publica, public. See Real, a., and Public. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Common weal. [ Obs. ] B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A state in which the sovereign power resides in the whole body of the people, and is exercised by representatives elected by them; a commonwealth. Cf. Democracy, 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In some ancient states called republics the sovereign power was exercised by an hereditary aristocracy or a privileged few, constituting a government now distinctively called an aristocracy. In some there was a division of authority between an aristocracy and the whole body of the people except slaves. No existing republic recognizes an exclusive privilege of any class to govern, or tolerates the institution of slavery. [ 1913 Webster ]

Republic of letters, The collective body of literary or learned men. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F. républicain. ] 1. Of or pertaining to a republic. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Roman emperors were republican magistrates named by the senate. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Consonant with the principles of a republic; as, republican sentiments or opinions; republican manners. [ 1913 Webster ]

Republican party. (U.S. Politics) (a) An earlier name of the Democratic party when it was opposed to the Federal party. Thomas Jefferson was its great leader. (b) One of the existing great parties. It was organized in 1856 by a combination of voters from other parties for the purpose of opposing the extension of slavery, and in 1860 it elected Abraham Lincoln president. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who favors or prefers a republican form of government. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (U.S.Politics) A member of the Republican party. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zool.) (a) The American cliff swallow. The cliff swallows build their nests side by side, many together. (b) A South African weaver bird (Philetaerus socius). These weaver birds build many nests together, under a large rooflike shelter, which they make of straw. [ 1913 Webster ]

Red republican. See under Red. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. républicanisme. ] 1. A republican form or system of government; the principles or theory of republican government. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Attachment to, or political sympathy for, a republican form of government. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The principles and policy of the Republican party, so called [ U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Republicanized p. pr. & vb. n. Republicanizing ] [ Cf. F. républicaniser. ] To change, as a state, into a republic; to republican principles; as, France was republicanized; to republicanize the rising generation. D. Ramsay. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Cf. LL. republicare. ] To make public again; to republish. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]