Search the Dictionary

To prepare for public examination by private instruction; to train by special instruction. [Colloq.] I coached him before he got his scholarship. G. Eliot.

ner; without warmth, animation, or feeling; with indifference; calmly. Withdraw unto some private place, And reason coldly of your grievances. Shak.

the rights and privileges acquired by its citizens in their own land. By some authorities private international law rests on this comity, but the better opinion is that it is part of the common law of the land, and hence is obligatory as law.

ffic. The public becomes powerful in proportion to the opulence and extensive commerce of private men. Hume.

That which relates or belongs to one; business; affair. The private concerns of fanilies. Addison.

One who keeps the entrance to an edifice, public or private; a doorkeeper; a janitor, male or female.

A small or private assembly, especially of an ecclesiastical nature. [Obs.] Bacon.

A private meeting; a close or secret assembly. The verdicts pronounced by this conclave (Johnson's Club) on new books, were speedily known over all London. Macaulay. To be in conclave, to be engaged in a secret meeting; -- said of several, or a considerable number of, persons.

blame; disapprobation. In every other sense of condemnation, as blame, censure, reproof, private judgment, and the like. Paley.

A narrow passage for private communication.

to a priest in order to obtain sacramental absolution. Auricular confession . . . or the private and special confession of sins to a priest for the purpose of obtaining his absolution. Hallam.

Private conversation; (pl.) secrets shared; as, there were confidences between them. Sir, I desire some confidence with you. Shak. Confidence game, any swindling operation in which advantage is taken of the confidence reposed by the victim in the swindler. -- Confidence man, a swindler. -- To take into one's confiden…

An assembly for religious worship; esp., such an assembly held privately, as in times of persecution, by Nonconformists or Dissenters in England, or by Covenanters in Scotland; -- often used opprobriously, as if those assembled were heretics or schismatics. The first Christians could never have had recourse to nocturna…

derisively, a very small number of persons. -- Lance corporal, an assistant corporal on private's pay. Farrow. -- Ship's corporal (Naut.), a petty officer who assists the master at arms in his various duties.

A secret opinion or purpose; a private matter. Thilke lord . . . to whom no counsel may be hid. Gower.

A private signal, word, or phrase, which must be given in order to pass a sentry; a watchword.

Covered over; private; hid; secret; disguised. How covert matters may be best disclosed. Shak. Whether of open war or covert guile. Milton

Secretly; in private; insidiously.

A writ to commission private persons to do some act in place of a judge, as to examine a witness, etc. Bouvier.

ke a denizen; to confer the rights of citizenship upon; to naturalize. [Obs.] There was a private act made for denizing the children of Richard HillStrype.