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herent power of a government to regulate its police affairs. The term police power is not definitely fixed in meaning. In the earlier cases in the United States it was used as including the whole power of internal government, or the powers of government inherent in every sovereignty to the extent of its dominions (11 P…

Definitely laid down; explicitly stated; clearly expressed; -- opposed to implied; as, a positive declaration or promise. Positive words, that he would not bear arms against King Edward's son. Bacon.

delay; to adjourn; as, to postpone the consideration of a bill to the following day, or indefinitely. His praise postponed, and never to be paid. Cowper.

At once; without delay; forthwith; also, less definitely, soon; shortly; before long; after a little while; by and by. Shak. And presently the fig tree withered away. Matt. xxi. 19.

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.

can be drawn through four points, A., B, C, I, the lines being supposed to be produced indefinitely.

at each corner and one in the middle; especially, such an arrangement of trees repeated indefinitely, so as to form a regular group with rows running in various directions.

One of a system of diverging lines passing through a point, and regarded as extending indefinitely in both directions. See Half-ray. Bundle of rays. (Geom.) See Pencil of rays, below. -- Extraordinary ray (Opt.), that one or two parts of a ray divided by double refraction which does not follow the ordinary law of refr…

More than once; again and again; indefinitely.

Hence, that which is established or settled, as by authority; a thing definitely settled or fixed. Cowper. Nay, as a duty, it had no place or rubric in human conceptions before Christianity. De Quincey.

in reference to the law on some point not necessary to be decided, and not intended to be definitely settled in the cause.

ed of sheets each of which is folded into sixteen leaves; hence, indicating, more or less definitely, a size of a book; -- usually written 16mo, or 16º.

Cut sharply or definitely, or so as to make a clear, well- defined impression, as the lines of an engraved plate, and the like; clear-cut; hence, having great distinctness; well-defined; clear.

a shelf. Hence: To lay on the shelf; to put aside; to dismiss from service; to put off indefinitely; as, to shelve an officer; to shelve a claim.

parents with another person, or who has one of them only. In the latter case, she is more definitely called a half sister. The correlative of brother. I am the sister of one Claudio. Shak.

At a past time indefinitely referred to; once; formerly. Did they not sometime cry "All hail" to me Shak.

That which is stipulated, or agreed upon; that which is definitely arranged or contracted; an agreement; a covenant; a contract or bargain; also, any particular article, item, or condition, in a mutual agreement; as, the stipulations of the allied powers to furnish each his contingent of troops.

Following in time; coming or being after something else at any time, indefinitely; as, subsequent events; subsequent ages or years; a period long subsequent to the foundation of Rome.

A quantity of money or currency; any amount, indefinitely; as, a sum of money; a small sum, or a large sum. "The sum of forty pound." Chaucer. With a great sum obtained I this freedom. Acts xxii. 28.

y a formal vote, the consideration of (a bill, motion, or the like) till called for, or indefinitely.