Chapter 55

Geck (?), n. [D. gek fool, fop; akin to G. geck; cf. Icel. gikkr a pert, rude person.] 1. Scorn, derision, or contempt. [Prov. Eng.]

2. An object of scorn; a dupe; a gull. [Obs.]

To become the geck and scorn O'the other's villainy.

Shak.

Geck, v. t. [Cf. OD. ghecken, G. gecken. See Geck, n.]

1. To deride; to scorn; to mock. [Prov. Eng.]

2. To cheat; trick, or gull. [Obs.] Johnson.

Geck, v. i. To jeer; to show contempt. Sir W. Scott.

Geck"o (gk"), n.; pl. Geckoes (-z). [Cf. F. & G. gecko; -- so called from the sound which the animal utters.] (Zoˆl.) Any lizard of the family GeckonidÊ. The geckoes are small, carnivorous, mostly nocturnal animals with large eyes and vertical, elliptical pupils. Their toes are generally expanded, and furnished with adhesive disks, by which they can run over walls and ceilings. They are numerous in warm countries, and a few species are found in Europe and the United States. See Wall gecko, Fanfoot.

Geck*o"tian (?), n. (Zoˆl.) A gecko.

Ged, Gedd (&?;), n. The European pike.

Gee (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Geed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Geeing.] 1. To agree; to harmonize. [Colloq. or Prov. Eng.] Forby.

2. [Cf. G. j¸, interj., used in calling to a horse, It. giÚ, F. dia, used to turn a horse to the left.] To turn to the off side, or from the driver (i.e., in the United States, to the right side); -- said of cattle, or a team; used most frequently in the imperative, often with off, by drivers of oxen, in directing their teams, and opposed to haw, or hoi. [Written also jee.]

In England, the teamster walks on the right-hand side of the cattle; in the United States, on the left-hand side. In all cases, however, gee means to turn from the driver, and haw to turn toward him.

Gee ho, or Gee whoa. Same as Gee.

Gee, v. t. [See Gee to turn.] To cause (a team) to turn to the off side, or from the driver. [Written also jee.]

Geer (?), Geer"ing. [Obs.] See Gear, Gearing.

Geese (?), n., pl. of Goose.

Geest (?), n. [Cf. LG. geest, geestland, sandy, dry and, OFries. gst, gst, gstlond, gstlond, fr. Fries. gst barren. Cf. Geason.] Alluvial matter on the surface of land, not of recent origin. R. Jameson.

Geet (?), n. [See Jet.] Jet. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Geez (?), n. The original native name for the ancient Ethiopic language or people. See Ethiopic.

Ge*hen"na (g*hn"n), n. [L. Gehenna, Gr. Ge`enna, Heb. G Hinnm.] (Jewish Hist.) The valley of Hinnom, near Jerusalem, where some of the Israelites sacrificed their children to Moloch, which, on this account, was afterward regarded as a place of abomination, and made a receptacle for all the refuse of the city, perpetual fires being kept up in order to prevent pestilential effluvia. In the New Testament the name is transferred, by an easy metaphor, to Hell.

The pleasant valley of Hinnom. Tophet thence And black Gehenna called, the type of Hell.

Milton.

Ge"ic (?), a. [Gr. &?; earth.] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or derived from, earthy or vegetable mold.

Geic acid. (Chem.) See Humin.

Ge"in (?), n. [Gr. &?; earth.] (Chem.) See Humin.

Geis"sler tube` (?). (Elec.) A glass tube provided with platinum electrodes, and containing some gas under very low tension, which becomes luminous when an electrical discharge is passed through it; -- so called from the name of a noted maker in germany. It is called also Pl¸cker tube, from the German physicist who devised it.

Gei"to*nog"a*my (?), n. [Gr. &?; neighbor + &?; marriage.] (Bot.) Fertilization of flowers by pollen from other flowers on the same plant.

Gel"a*ble (?), a. [L. gelare to congeal: cf. F. gelable. See Geal.] Capable of being congealed; capable of being converted into jelly.

||Gel"a*da (?), n. (Zoˆl.) A baboon (Gelada Ruppelli) of Abyssinia, ||remarkable for the length of the hair on the neck and shoulders of ||the adult male.

Ge*las"tic (?), a. [Gr. &?; inclined to laugh, from &?; to laugh.] Pertaining to laughter; used in laughing. "Gelastic muscles." Sir T. Browne.

Ge*lat"i*fi*ca"tion (?), n. [Gelatin + L. -ficare. (in comp.) to make. See - fy.] (Physiol. Chem.) The formation of gelatin.

Gel`a*tig"e*nous (?), n. [Gelatin + -genous.] (Physiol. Chem.) Producing, or yielding, gelatin; gelatiniferous; as, the gelatigeneous tissues.

Gel"a*tin, Gel"a*tine (&?;), n. [F. gÈlatine, fr. L. gelare to congeal. See Geal.] (Chem.) Animal jelly; glutinous material obtained from animal tissues by prolonged boiling. Specifically (Physiol. Chem.), a nitrogeneous colloid, not existing as such in the animal body, but formed by the hydrating action of boiling water on the collagen of various kinds of connective tissue (as tendons, bones, ligaments, etc.). Its distinguishing character is that of dissolving in hot water, and forming a jelly on cooling. It is an important ingredient of calf's- foot jelly, isinglass, glue, etc. It is used as food, but its nutritious qualities are of a low order.

Both spellings, gelatin and gelatine, are in good use, but the tendency of writers on physiological chemistry favors the form in -in, as in the United States Dispensatory, the United States Pharmacopúia, Fownes' Watts' Chemistry, Brande & Cox's Dictionary.

Blasting gelatin, an explosive, containing about ninety-five parts of nitroglycerin and five of collodion. -- Gelatin process, a name applied to a number of processes in the arts, involving the use of gelatin. Especially: (a) (Photog.) A dry-plate process in which gelatin is used as a substitute for collodion as the sensitized material. This is the dry-plate process in general use, and plates of extreme sensitiveness are produced by it. (b) (Print.) A method of producing photographic copies of drawings, engravings, printed pages, etc., and also of photographic pictures, which can be printed from in a press with ink, or (in some applications of the process) which can be used as the molds of stereotype or electrotype plates. (c) (Print. or Copying) A method of producing facsimile copies of an original, written or drawn in aniline ink upon paper, thence transferred to a cake of gelatin softened with glycerin, from which impressions are taken upon ordinary paper. -- Vegetable gelatin. See Gliadin.

Ge*lat"i*nate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gelatinated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Gelatinating.] To convert into gelatin, or into a substance resembling jelly.

Ge*lat"i*nate, v. i. To be converted into gelatin, or into a substance like jelly.

Lapis lazuli, if calcined, does not effervesce, but gelatinates with the mineral acids.

Kirwan.

Ge*lat`i*na"tion (?), n. The act of process of converting into gelatin, or a substance like jelly.

Gel"a*tine (?), n. Same as Gelatin.

Gel`a*tin*if"er*ous (?), a. [Gelatin + -ferous.] (Physiol. Chem.) Yielding gelatin on boiling with water; capable of gelatination.

Gel`a*tin"i*form (?), a. Having the form of gelatin.

Ge*lat`i*ni*za"tion (?), n. Same as Gelatination.

Ge*lat"i*nize (?), v. t. 1. To convert into gelatin or jelly. Same as Gelatinate, v. t.

2. (Photog.) To coat, or otherwise treat, with gelatin.

Ge*lat"i*nize (?), v. i. Same as Gelatinate, v. i.

Ge*lat"i*nous (?), a. [Cf. F. gÈlatineux.] Of the nature and consistence of gelatin or the jelly; resembling jelly; viscous.

Ge*la"tion (?), n. [L. gelatio a freezing, fr. gelare to freeze.] (Astron.) The process of becoming solid by cooling; a cooling and solidifying.

Geld (?), n. [AS. gild, gield, geld, tribute, payment, fr. gieldan to pay, render. See Yield.] Money; tribute; compensation; ransom.[Obs.]

This word occurs in old law books in composition, as in danegeld, or danegelt, a tax imposed by the Danes; weregeld, compensation for the life of a man, etc.

Geld (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gelded or Gelt (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Gelding.] [Icel. gelda to castrate; akin to Dan. gilde, Sw. g‰lla, and cf. AS. gilte a young sow, OHG. galt dry, not giving milk, G. gelt, Goth. gilpa siclke.] 1. To castrate; to emasculate.

2. To deprive of anything essential.

Bereft and gelded of his patrimony.

Shak.

3. To deprive of anything exceptionable; as, to geld a book, or a story; to expurgate. [Obs.] Dryden.

Geld"a*ble (?), a. Capable of being gelded.

Geld"a*ble, a. [From Geld money.] Liable to taxation. [Obs.] Burrill.

Geld"er (?), n. One who gelds or castrates.

Gel"der-rose (?), n. Same as Guelder-rose.

Geld"ing (?), n. [Icel. gelding a gelding, akin to geldingr wether, eunuch, Sw. g‰lling gelding, Dan. gilding eunuch. See Geld, v. t.] A castrated animal; -- usually applied to a horse, but formerly used also of the human male.

They went down both into the water, Philip and the gelding, and Philip baptized him.

Wyclif (Acts viii. 38).

Geld"ing, p. pr., a., & vb. n. from Geld, v. t.

Gel"id (jl"d), a. [L. gelidus, fr. gelu frost, cold. See Cold, and cf. Congeal, Gelatin, Jelly.] Cold; very cold; frozen. "Gelid founts." Thompson.

Ge*lid"i*ty (?), n. The state of being gelid.

Gel"id*ly (?), adv. In a gelid manner; coldly.

Gel"id*ness, n. The state of being gelid; gelidity.

Gel"ly (jl"l), n. Jelly. [Obs.] Spenser.

Ge*los"copy (?), n. [Gr. &?; to laugh + -scopy.] Divination by means of laughter.

Ge*lose" (?), n. [See Gelatin.] (Chem.) An amorphous, gummy carbohydrate, found in Gelidium, agar-agar, and other seaweeds.

Gel*se"mic (?), a. Gelseminic.

Gel"se*mine (?), n. (Chem.) An alkaloid obtained from the yellow jasmine (Gelsemium sempervirens), as a bitter white semicrystalline substance; -- called also gelsemia.

Gel`se*min"ic (?), n. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or derived from, the yellow jasmine (Gelsemium sempervirens); as, gelseminic acid, a white crystalline substance resembling esculin.

||Gel*se"mium (?), n. [NL., fr. It. gelsomino jasmine.] 1. (Bot.) A ||genus of climbing plants. The yellow (false) jasmine (Gelsemium ||sempervirens) is a native of the Southern United States. It has showy ||and deliciously fragrant flowers.

2. (Med.) The root of the yellow jasmine, used in malarial fevers, etc.

Gelt (?), n. [See 1st Geld.] Trubute, tax. [Obs.]

All these the king granted unto them . . . free from all gelts and payments, in a most full and ample manner.

Fuller.

Gelt, n. [See Gelt, v. t.] A gelding. [Obs.] Mortimer.

Gelt, n. Gilding; tinsel. [Obs.] Spenser.

Gem (?), n. [OE. gemme precious stone, F. gemme, fr. L. gemma a precious stone, bud.] 1. (Bot.) A bud.

From the joints of thy prolific stem A swelling knot is raised called a gem.

Denham.

2. A precious stone of any kind, as the ruby, emerald, topaz, sapphire, beryl, spinel, etc., especially when cut and polished for ornament; a jewel. Milton.

3. Anything of small size, or expressed within brief limits, which is regarded as a gem on account of its beauty or value, as a small picture, a verse of poetry, a witty or wise saying.

Artificial gem, an imitation of a gem, made of glass colored with metallic oxide. Cf. Paste, and Strass.

Gem v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gemmed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Gemming] 1. To put forth in the form of buds. "Gemmed their blossoms." [R.] Milton.

2. To adorn with gems or precious stones.

3. To embellish or adorn, as with gems; as, a foliage gemmed with dewdrops.

England is . . . gemmed with castles and palaces.

W. Irving.

Ge*ma"ra (?), n. [Heb.] (Jewish Law) The second part of the Talmud, or the commentary on the Mishna (which forms the first part or text).

Ge*mar"ic (?), a. Pertaining to the Gemara.

Ge*ma"rist (?), n. One versed in the Gemara, or adhering to its teachings.

Gem"el (?), a. [OF. gemel twin, F. jumeau, L. gemellus twin, doubled, dim. of geminus. See Gemini, and cf. Gimmal.] (Her.) Coupled; paired.

Bars gemel (Her.), two barrulets placed near and parallel to each other.

Gem"el (?), n. 1. One of the twins. [Obs.] Wyclif.

2. (Heb.) One of the barrulets placed parallel and closed to each other. Cf. Bars gemel, under Gemel, a.

Two gemels silver between two griffins passant.

Strype.

Gemel hinge (Locksmithing), a hinge consisting of an eye or loop and a hook. -- Gemel ring, a ring with two or more links; a gimbal. See Gimbal. -- Gemel window, a window with two bays.

Gem`el*lip"a-rous (?), a. [L. gemellipara, fem., gemellus twin + parere to bear, produce.] Producing twins. [R.] Bailey.

Gem"i*nal (?), a. [L. geminus twin.] A pair. [Obs.] Drayton.

Gem"i*nate (?), a. [L. geminatus, p. p. of genimare to double. See Gemini.] (Bot.) In pairs or twains; two together; binate; twin; as, geminate flowers. Gray.

Gem"i*nate (?), v. t. To double. [R.] B. Jonson.

Gem`i*na"tion (?), n. [L. geminatio.] A doubling; duplication; repetition. [R.] Boyle.

||Gem"i*ni (?), n. pl. [L., twins, pl. of geminus; cf. Skr. j&?;mi ||related as brother or sister.] (Astron.) A constellation of the ||zodiac, containing the two bright stars Castor and Pollux; also, the ||third sign of the zodiac, which the sun enters about May 20th.

Gem`i*ni*flo"rous (?), a. [L. geminus twin + flos, floris, flower.] (Bot.) Having the flowers arranged in pairs.

Gem"i*nous (?), a. [L. geminus.] Double; in pairs. Sir T. Browne.

Gemi*ny (?), n. [See Gemini.] Twins; a pair; a couple. [Obs.] Shak.

||Gem`i*to"res (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. L. gemere, gemitum, to sign, ||moan.] (Zoˆl.) A division of birds including the true pigeons.

||Gem"ma (?), n.; pl. GemmÊ (#). [L., a bud.] 1. (Bot.) A leaf bud, as ||distinguished from a flower bud.

2. (Biol.) A bud spore; one of the small spores or buds in the reproduction of certain Protozoa, which separate one at a time from the parent cell.

Gem*ma"ceous (?), a. Of or pertaining to gems or to gemmÊ; of the nature of, or resembling, gems or gemmÊ.

Gem"ma*ry (?), a. [L. gemmarius. See Gem.] Of or pertaining to gems.

<! p. 618 !>

Gem"ma*ry (?), n. A receptacle for jewels or gems; a jewel house; jewels or gems, collectively.

Gem"mate (?), a. [L. gemmatus, p. p. of gemmare to put forth buds, fr. gemma bud.] (Bot.) Having buds; reproducing by buds.

Gem"ma*ted (?), a. Having buds; adorned with gems or jewels.

Gem*ma"tion (?), n. [Cf. F. gemmation.]

1. (Biol.) The formation of a new individual, either animal or vegetable, by a process of budding; an asexual method of reproduction; gemmulation; gemmiparity. See Budding.

2. (Bot.) The arrangement of buds on the stalk; also, of leaves in the bud.

Gem"me*ous (?), a. [L. gemmeus. See Gem.] Pertaining to gems; of the nature of gems; resembling gems. Pennant.

Gem*mif"er*ous (?), a. [L. gemma bud + -ferous: cf. F. gemmifËre.] Producing gems or buds; (Biol.) multiplying by buds.

Gem`mi*fi*ca"tion (?), n. [L. gemma bud + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See - fy.] (Biol.) The production of a bud or gem.

Gem`mi*flo"rate (?), a. [L. gemma bud + flos, floris, flower.] (Bot.) Having flowers like buds.

Gem"mi*ness (?), n. The state or quality of being gemmy; spruceness; smartness.

{ ||Gem*mip"a*ra (?) ||Gem*mip"a*res (?) } n. pl. [NL., fr. L. gemma bud + parere to produce.] (Zoˆl.) Animals which increase by budding, as hydroids.

Gem`mi*par"i*ty (?), n. (Biol.) Reproduction by budding; gemmation. See Budding.

Gem*mip"a*rous (?), a. [Cf. F. gemmipare.] (Biol.) Producing buds; reproducing by buds. See Gemmation, 1.

Gem*mos"i*ty (?), n. [L. gemmosus set with jewels. See Gem.] The quality or characteristics of a gem or jewel. [Obs.] Bailey.

Gem`mu*la"tion (?), n. [From L. gemmula, dim. of gemma bud.] (Biol.) See Gemmation.

Gem"mule (?), n. [L. gemmula, dim. of gemma: cf. F. gemmule. See Gem.] 1. (Bot.) (a) A little leaf bud, as the plumule between the cotyledons. (b) One of the buds of mosses. (c) One of the reproductive spores of algÊ. (d) An ovule.

2. (Biol.) (a) A bud produced in generation by gemmation. (b) One of the imaginary granules or atoms which, according to Darwin's hypothesis of pangenesis, are continually being thrown off from every cell or unit, and circulate freely throughout the system, and when supplied with proper nutriment multiply by self-division and ultimately develop into cells like those from which they were derived. They are supposed to be transmitted from the parent to the offspring, but are often transmitted in a dormant state during many generations and are then developed. See Pangenesis.

Gem`mu*lif"er*ous (?), a. [Gemmule + -ferous.] Bearing or producing gemmules or buds.

Gem"my (?), a. [From Gem, n.]

1. Full of gems; bright; glittering like a gem.

The gemmy bridle glittered free.

Tennyson.

2. Spruce; smart. [Colloq. Eng.]

Ge*mote" (?), n. [As. gem&?;t an assembly. See Meet, v. t.] (AS. Hist.) A meeting; -- used in combination, as, Witenagemote, an assembly of the wise men.

Gems (?), n. [G.] (Zoˆl.) The chamois.

Gems"bok (?), n. [D.; akin to G. gemsbock the male or buck of the chamois; gemse chamois, goat of the Alps + bock buck.] (Zoˆl.) A South African antelope (Oryx Capensis), having long, sharp, nearly straight horns.

Gems"-horn` (?), n. [G., prop., chamois horn.] (Mus.) An organ stop with conical tin pipes.

Ge*mul" (?), n. (Zoˆl.) A small South American deer (Furcifer Chilensis), with simple forked horns. [Written also guemul.]

-gen (?). [(1) From Gr. -gen-, from the same root as ge`nos race, stock (see Genus). (2) From Gr. suffix -genh`s born. Cf. F. -gËne.] 1. A suffix used in scientific words in the sense of producing, generating: as, amphigen, amidogen, halogen.

2. A suffix meaning produced, generated; as, exogen.

||Ge"na (?), [L., the cheek.] (Zoˆl.) (a) The cheek; the feathered side ||of the under mandible of a bird. (b) The part of the head to which ||the jaws of an insect are attached.

||Ge*nappe" (?), n. [From Genappe, in Belgium.] A worsted yarn or cord ||of peculiar smoothness, used in the manufacture of braid, fringe, ||etc. Simmonds.

||Gen`darme" (?), n.; pl. Gendarmes (#), or Gens d'armes. [F.] 1. ||(Mil.) One of a body of heavy cavalry. [Obs.] [France]

2. An armed policeman in France. Thackeray.

Gen*darm"er*y (?), n. [F. gendarmerie.] The body of gendarmes.

Gen"der (jn"dr), n. [OF. genre, gendre (with excrescent d.), F. genre, fr. L. genus, generis, birth, descent, race, kind, gender, fr. the root of genere, gignere, to beget, in pass., to be born, akin to E. kin. See Kin, and cf. Generate, Genre, Gentle, Genus.]

1. Kind; sort. [Obs.] "One gender of herbs." Shak.

2. Sex, male or female. [Obs. or Colloq.]

3. (Gram.) A classification of nouns, primarily according to sex; and secondarily according to some fancied or imputed quality associated with sex.

Gender is a grammatical distinction and applies to words only. Sex is natural distinction and applies to living objects.

R. Morris.

Adjectives and pronouns are said to vary in gender when the form is varied according to the gender of the words to which they refer.

Gen"der (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gendered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Gendering.] [OF. gendrer, fr. L. generare. See Gender, n.] To beget; to engender.

Gen"der, v. i. To copulate; to breed. [R.] Shak.

Gen"der*less, a. Having no gender.

Gen`e*a*gen"e*sis (?), n. [Gr. &?; race + E. genesis.] (Biol.) Alternate generation. See under Generation.

Gen`e*a*log"ic (?), a. Genealogical.

Gen`e*a*log"ic*al (?), a. [Cf. F. gÈnÈalogique.] Of or pertaining to genealogy; as, a genealogical table; genealogical order. -- Gen`e*a*log"ic*al*ly, adv.

Genealogical tree, a family lineage or genealogy drawn out under the form of a tree and its branches.

Gen`e*al"o*gist (?), n. [Cf. F. gÈnÈalogiste.] One who traces genealogies or the descent of persons or families.

Gen`e*al"o*gize (?), v. i. To investigate, or relate the history of, descents.

Gen`e*al"o*gy (?), n.; pl. Genealogies (#). [OE. genealogi, genelogie, OF. genelogie, F. gÈnÈalogie, L. genealogia, fr. Gr. &?;; &?; birth, race, descent (akin to L. genus) + &?; discourse.]

1. An account or history of the descent of a person or family from an ancestor; enumeration of ancestors and their children in the natural order of succession; a pedigree.

2. Regular descent of a person or family from a progenitor; pedigree; lineage.

Gen"e*arch (?), n. [Gr. &?;; &?; race + &?; a leader.] The chief of a family or tribe.

Gen"e*ra (?), n. pl. See Genus.

Gen`er*a*bil"i*ty (?), n. Capability of being generated. Johnstone.

Gen"er*a*ble (?), a. [L. generabilis.] Capable of being generated or produced. Bentley.

Gen"er*al (?), a. [F. gÈnÈral, fr. L. generalis. See Genus.] 1. Relating to a genus or kind; pertaining to a whole class or order; as, a general law of animal or vegetable economy.

2. Comprehending many species or individuals; not special or particular; including all particulars; as, a general inference or conclusion.

3. Not restrained or limited to a precise import; not specific; vague; indefinite; lax in signification; as, a loose and general expression.

4. Common to many, or the greatest number; widely spread; prevalent; extensive, though not universal; as, a general opinion; a general custom.

This general applause and cheerful shout Argue your wisdom and your love to Richard.

Shak.

5. Having a relation to all; common to the whole; as, Adam, our general sire. Milton.

6. As a whole; in gross; for the most part.

His general behavior vain, ridiculous.

Shak.

7. Usual; common, on most occasions; as, his general habit or method.

The word general, annexed to a name of office, usually denotes chief or superior; as, attorney- general; adjutant general; commissary general; quartermaster general; vicar-general, etc.

General agent (Law), an agent whom a principal employs to transact all his business of a particular kind, or to act in his affairs generally. -- General assembly. See the Note under Assembly. -- General average, General Court. See under Average, Court. -- General court-martial (Mil.), the highest military and naval judicial tribunal. -- General dealer (Com.), a shopkeeper who deals in all articles in common use. -- General demurrer (Law), a demurrer which objects to a pleading in general terms, as insufficient, without specifying the defects. Abbott. -- General epistle, a canonical epistle. -- General guides (Mil.), two sergeants (called the right, and the left, general guide) posted opposite the right and left flanks of an infantry battalion, to preserve accuracy in marching. Farrow. -- General hospitals (Mil.), hospitals established to receive sick and wounded sent from the field hospitals. Farrow. General issue (Law), an issue made by a general plea, which traverses the whole declaration or indictment at once, without offering any special matter to evade it. Bouvier. Burrill. -- General lien (Law), a right to detain a chattel, etc., until payment is made of any balance due on a general account. -- General officer (Mil.), any officer having a rank above that of colonel. -- General orders (Mil.), orders from headquarters published to the whole command. -- General practitioner, in the United States, one who practices medicine in all its branches without confining himself to any specialty; in England, one who practices both as physician and as surgeon. -- General ship, a ship not chartered or let to particular parties. -- General term (Logic), a term which is the sign of a general conception or notion. -- General verdict (Law), the ordinary comprehensive verdict in civil actions, "for the plaintiff" or "for the defendant". Burrill. -- General warrant (Law), a warrant, now illegal, to apprehend suspected persons, without naming individuals.

Syn. General, Common, Universal. Common denotes primarily that in which many share; and hence, that which is often met with. General is stronger, denoting that which pertains to a majority of the individuals which compose a genus, or whole. Universal, that which pertains to all without exception. To be able to read and write is so common an attainment in the United States, that we may pronounce it general, though by no means universal.

Gen"er*al (?), n. [F. gÈnÈral. See General., a.]

1. The whole; the total; that which comprehends or relates to all, or the chief part; -- opposed to particular.

In particulars our knowledge begins, and so spreads itself by degrees to generals.

Locke.