of, pertaining to, or affecting a population or a community as a whole: public funds; a public nuisance.
2.
done, made, acting, etc., for the community as a whole: public prosecution.
3.
open to all persons: a public meeting.
4.
of, pertaining to, or being in the service of a community or nation, esp. as a government officer: a public official.
5.
maintained at the public expense and under public control: a public library; a public road.
6.
generally known: The fact became public.
7.
familiar to the public; prominent: public figures.
8.
open to the view of all; existing or conducted in public: a public dispute.
9.
pertaining or devoted to the welfare or well-being of the community: public spirit.
10.
of or pertaining to all humankind; universal.
–noun
11.
the people constituting a community, state, or nation.
12.
a particular group of people with a common interest, aim, etc.: the book-buying public.
13.
BritishInformal. a tavern; public house.
—Idioms
14.
go public,
a.
to issue stock for sale to the general public.
b.
to present private or previously concealed information, news, etc., to the public; make matters open to public view: The Senator threatened to go public with his Congressional-reform plan.
15.
in public, not in private; in a situation open to public view or access; publicly: It was the first time that she had sung in public.
16.
make public, to cause to become known generally, as through the news media: Her resignation was made public this morning.
[Origin: 1400–50; < L pūblicus (earlier pōblicus, pōplicus, akin to populuspeople); r. late ME publique < MF < L, as above]
Of, concerning, or affecting the community or the people: the public good.
Maintained for or used by the people or community: a public park.
Capitalized in shares of stock that can be traded on the open market: a public company.
Participated in or attended by the people or community: "Opinions are formed in a process of open discussion and public debate"(Hannah Arendt).
Connected with or acting on behalf of the people, community, or government: public office.
Enrolled in or attending a public school: transit passes for public students.
Open to the knowledge or judgment of all: a public scandal.
n.
The community or the people as a whole.
A group of people sharing a common interest: the reading public.
Admirers or followers, especially of a famous person. See Usage Note at collective noun.
[Middle English publik, from Old French public, from Latin pūblicus, alteration (influenced by pūbēs, adult population) of poplicus, from populus, people, of Etruscan origin.]
1436, "of or pertaining to the people," from O.Fr. public (1311), from L. publicus, altered (by influence of L. pubes "adult population, adult") from Old L. poplicus "pertaining to the people," from populus "people." Meaning "open to all in the community" is from 1542. The noun meaning "the community" is attested from 1611. Public enemy is attested from 1756. Public relations first recorded 1913 (after an isolated use by Thomas Jefferson in 1807); abbreviation P.R. is from 1942. Public school is from 1580, originally, in Britain, a grammar school endowed for the benefit of the public, but most have evolved into boarding-schools for the well-to-do. The main modern meaning in U.S., "school (usually free) provided at public expense and run by local authorities," is attested from 1644. For public house, see pub.
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" [ant: private]
2.
affecting the people or community as a whole; "community leaders"; "community interests"; "the public welfare"
noun
1.
people in general considered as a whole; "he is a hero in the eyes of the public" [syn: populace]
2.
a body of people sharing some common interest; "the reading public"
of, for, or concerning, the people (of a community or nation) in general Example: a public library; a public meeting; Public opinion turned against him; The public announcements are on the back page of the newspaper; This information should be made public and not kept secret any longer.
Main Entry: pub·lic Function: adjective 1 a: exposed to general view <public indecency> b: known or recognized by many or most
people 2 a: of, relating to, or affecting all of the people or the whole area of a nation or state <public statutes> b: of or relating to a government
: authorized by, administered by, or acting for the people as a political entity <public expenditures> <the public prosecutor> c: of, relating to, or
being in the service of the community or nation <holding public office> d: provided for, used by, or containing the records of a government agency <the post office and
other public buildings> 3: of or relating to people in general 4: of or relating to business or community interests as opposed to private affairs
<public policy> <a matter of public concern> 5: devoted to the general or national welfare <actions motivated by public spirit> 6: accessible to or shared by all members of the community <a public hearing> <a public park> —compare PRIVATE 7: capitalized in shares that can be freely traded on the open market —often used with go —pub·lic·lyadverb
Peo"ple\, n. [OE. peple, people, OF. pueple, F. peuple, fr. L. populus. Cf. Populage, Public, Pueblo.]1. The body of persons who compose a community, tribe, nation, or race; an aggregate of individuals forming a whole; a community; a nation. Unto him shall the gathering of the people be. --Gen. xlix. 10. The ants are a people not strong. --Prov. xxx. 25. Before many peoples, and nations, and tongues. --Rev. x. 11. Earth's monarchs are her peoples. --Whitter. A government of all the people, by all the people, for all the people. --T. Parker. Note: Peopleis a collective noun, generally construed with a plural verb, and only occasionally used in the plural form (peoples), in the sense of nations or races. 2. Persons, generally; an indefinite number of men and women; folks; population, or part of population; as, country people; -- sometimes used as an indefinite subject or verb, like on in French, and man in German; as, people in adversity. People were tempted to lend by great premiums. --Swift. People have lived twenty-four days upon nothing but water. --Arbuthnot. 3. The mass of comunity as distinguished from a special class; the commonalty; the populace; the vulgar; the common crowd; as, nobles and people. And strive to gain his pardon from the people. --Addison. 4. With a possessive pronoun: (a) One's ancestors or family; kindred; relations; as, my people were English. (b) One's subjects; fellow citizens; companions; followers. "You slew great number of his people." --Shak. Syn: People, Nation. Usage: When speaking of a state, we use people for the mass of the community, as distinguished from their rulers, and nation for the entire political body, including the rulers. In another sense of the term, nation describes those who are descended from the same stock; and in this sense the Germans regard themselves as one nation, though politically subject to different forms of government.
Pub"lic\, 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. To the public good Private respects must yield. --Milton. He [Alexander Hamilton] touched the dead corpse of the public credit, and it sprung upon its feet. --D. Webster. 2. Open to the knowledge or view of all; general; common; notorious; as, public report; public scandal. Joseph, . . . not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. --Matt. i. 19. 3. Open to common or general use; as, a public road; a public house. "The public street." --Shak. Public act or 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.
Pub"lic\, 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. The public is more disposed to censure than to praise. --Addison. 2. A public house; an inn. [Scot.] --Sir W. Scott. In public, openly; before an audience or the people at large; not in private or secrecy. "We are to speak in public." --Shak.
Pub"li*can\, 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. As Jesus at meat . . . many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. --Matt. 1x. 10. How like a fawning publican he looks! --Shak. 2. The keeper of an inn or public house; one licensed to retail beer, spirits, or wine.
Pub"lish\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Published; p. pr. & vb. n. Publishing.] [F. publier, L. publicare, publicatum. See Public, and -ish.]1. To make public; to make known to mankind, or to people in general; to divulge, as a private transaction; to promulgate or proclaim, as a law or an edict. Published was the bounty of her name. --Chaucer. The unwearied sun, from day to day, Does his Creator's power display, And publishes to every land The work of an almighty hand. --Addison. 2. To make known by posting, or by reading in a church; as, to publish banns of marriage. 3. To send forth, as a book, newspaper, musical piece, or other printed work, either for sale or for general distribution; to print, and issue from the press. 4. To utter, or put into circulation; as, to publish counterfeit paper. [U.S.] To publish a will (Law), to acknowledge it before the witnesses as the testator's last will and testament. Syn: To announce; proclaim; advertise; declare; promulgate; disclose; divulge; reveal. See Announce.
Re*pub"lic\ (r?-p?b"l?k), n. [F. r['e]publique, L. respublica commonwealth; res a thing, an affair + publicus, publica, public. See Real, a., and Public.]1. Common weal. [Obs.] --B. Jonson. 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. Note: 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. Republic of letters, The collective body of literary or learned men.
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