general

Including or involving every part or member of a given or implied entity, whole, etc.; common to all, universal.

Adjective

  1. Including or involving every part or member of a given or implied entity, whole, etc.; common to all, universal.
    • It is generall / To be mortall: / I haue well espyde / No man may hym hyde / From Deth holow eyed […]. - c. 1495, John Skelton, "Vppon a deedman's hed":
    • "Among us!" was the general shout, and Peppersorn sat frozen to his chair. - 1842, Douglas Jerrold, “Mr Peppersorn ‘At Home’”, in Cakes and Ale:
    • That each, who seems a separate whole, Should move his rounds, and fusing all The skirts of self again, should fall Remerging in the general Soul, Is faith as vague as all unsweet: […] - 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson],...

    Synonyms: common universal catholic ecumenical general generic nonsingular nonspecific unparticular unsingular unspecific

    Antonyms: specific special particular concrete discrete individual peculiar proper singular

  2. Applied to a person (as a postmodifier or a normal preceding adjective) to indicate supreme rank, in civil or military titles, and later in other terms; pre-eminent.
    • For these successes he obtained the rank of Field-Marshal General. - 1865, Edward Cust, Lives of the Warriors of the Thirty Years War, page 527:
    • He becomes the chief chartered libertine, the whoremaster-general flourishing his "standard" over a female army […]. - 2002, James Turner, Libertines and Radicals in Early Modern London, page 122:
  3. Prevalent or widespread among a given class or area; common, usual.
    • ‘I can't quite afford you the sympathy you expect upon this score,’ I replied; ‘the misfortune is so general, that it belongs to one half of the species […].’ - 1817, Sir Walter Scott, chapter IX, in Rob Roy:
    • The general opinion on Baz Luhrmann's overstuffed epic Australia seems to be that it throws in everything but the kitchen sink, and then tosses that in too, just to be sure. - 2008 December 20, John Patterson, “Home...

    Synonyms: typical usual common average basic bog-standard common as bums common as dirt common as muck common as pig tracks dime a dozen everyday frequent general habitual nonrare par for the course pedestrian plain quotidian regular routinary routine ten a penny

    Antonyms: abnormal uncommon

  4. Not limited in use or application; applicable across a broad range.
    • M. Venizelos went to Athens from Paris early last January in response to a general invitation from the Greek populace. - 1924 March 17, Time:
    • Already in the primary school work is conducted for the purpose of equipping the pupils with those elements of general knowledge which are closely related to the military preparation of future warriors. - 1947 October...
    • Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is a general term indicating a rapid heartbeat (tachycardia) coming from the top chambers of the heart - in essence, above (supra) the lower chamber (ventricular). - 2009, Douglas P....

    Synonyms: broad generic catholic common ecumenical general nonsingular nonspecific universal unparticular unsingular unspecific

  5. Giving or consisting of only the most important aspects of something, ignoring minor details; indefinite.
    • As she thus spoke, the entrance of the servants with dinner cut off all conversation but that of a general nature. - 1817, Sir Walter Scott, chapter X, in Rob Roy:
    • There was a moment's pause. The Princess broke in with some casual remark and once more the conversation became general. - 1941, W Somerset Maugham, Up at the Villa, Vintage, published 2004, page 24:
    • The quick answer is that the 1893 Exposition was simply so important — "the greatest event in the history of the country since the Civil War," as Harper's put it that October — but that feels too general. - 2006 July...
  6. Not of a specific class; miscellaneous.
    • general goods
    • His measured, springless walk was the walk of the skilled countryman as distinct from the desultory shamble of the general labourer […]. - 2007, Alan Cheuse, “A Little Death”, in Southern Review, volume 43, number 3,...

Origin

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *ǵénh₁os Proto-Italic *genos Latin genus, generis Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Latin generālisbor. Anglo-Norman generalbor. Middle French generalbor. ▲ Latin generālisder. Middle English general English general From Middle English general, in turn from Anglo-Norman general, generall, Middle French general, and their source, Latin generālis, from genus (“class, kind”) + -ālis (“-al”).

Forms

more general most general General gen. gen Gen. Gen genl gen'l Genl Gen'l generall

Adverb

  1. In a general or collective manner or sense; in most cases; upon the whole.

Forms

General gen. gen Gen. Gen genl gen'l Genl Gen'l generall

Derived

abbot general accountant general adjutant general adjutant-general advocate general agent general annual general meeting artificial general intelligence attorney-general attorney general bond for general purposes brigadier general buck general captain general caviar to the general colonel general combat general commandant-general commanding general commissary general consulate general consul general consul-general director-general

Noun

  1. The holder of a senior military title, originally designating the commander of an army and now a specific rank falling under field marshal (in the British army) and below general of the army or general of the air force in the US army and air forces.
    • General Eisenhower was the first SACEUR.
  2. A great strategist or tactician.
    • Hannibal was one of the greatest generals of the ancient world.
  3. A general fact or proposition; a generality.
    • We have dealt with the generals; now let us turn to the particulars.
  4. The head of certain religious orders, especially Dominicans or Jesuits.
  5. The equivalent of a king in Chinese chess, the xiangqi piece that is confined to the palace, moves orthogonally one point at a time, and whose loss decides the game.
  6. Synonym of admiral, a senior naval title, a great naval strategist or tactician.

    Synonyms: admiral

  7. Short for general servant, a maid-of-all-work, a servant able to be assigned to any task in a household.
    • Then the servants left and there was only one, a General. A great deal of your comfort and happiness depends on having a good General. - 1899, E. Nesbit, The Story of the Treasure Seekers:
    • My general is sister to your second housemaid. - 1918 March, Rebecca West [pseudonym; Cicily Isabel Fairfield], chapter I, in The Return of the Soldier, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., published...
  8. Short for general election, a regular election for most offices in a region or country.
    • Sure, this candidate is the favorite in the primary among the party faithful, but how is he going to do in the general?
  9. Short for general anesthetic, a substance used to numb most feeling throughout the body.
  10. Short for general anesthesia, the category of substances used to numb most feeling throughout the body or an instance of such substances.
  11. Short for general insurance, the area of the insurance industry dealing with policies for the general public.
    • I work in general.

Forms

generals General gen. gen Gen. Gen genl gen'l Genl Gen'l generall

Hyponyms

brigadier general colonel general general of aviation general of the air force general of the army lieutenant general major general sergeant major general sergeant-major general

Related

hetman

Derived

General Lagos

Verb

  1. To lead (soldiers) as a general.
    • Generalled by Mrs. Hauksbee, who, again, had all Mrs. Mallowe's wisdom at her disposal, proud of himself and, in the end, believing in himself because he was believed in, Otis Yeere stood ready for any fortune that...

Forms

generals generaling generalling generaled generalled General gen. gen Gen. Gen genl gen'l Genl Gen'l generall