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Having no sign expressive of quantity; indefinite. See Predesignate.

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.

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

d 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…

eavens, is conceived of as divided; hence, in general, a portion of space or territory of indefinite extent; country; province; district; tract. If thence he 'scappe, into whatever world, Or unknown region. Milton.

More than once; again and again; indefinitely.

An indefinite number of terms succeeding one another, each of which is derived from one or more of the preceding by a fixed law, called the law of the series; as, an arithmetical series; a geometrical series.

on 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.

s limited to a smaller district; as, Wiltshire, Yorkshire, Richmondshire, Hallamshire. An indefinite number of these hundreds make up a county or shire. Blackstone.

Having no shore or coast; of indefinite or unlimited extent; as, a shoreless ocean. Young.

rtion or sum; composed of a quantity or number which is not stated; -- used to express an indefinite quantity or number; as, some wine; some water; some persons. Used also pronominally; as, I have some. Some theoretical writers allege that there was a time when there was no such thing as society. Blackstone.…

Anything unknown, undetermined, or not specifically designated; a certain indefinite thing; an indeterminate or unknown event; an unspecified task, work, or thing. There is something in the wind. Shak. The whole world has something to do, something to talk of, something to wish for, and something to be employed about.…

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

At some indefinite time. [R.]

A pile of poles or wood, indefinite in quantity. Against every pillar was a stack of billets above a man's height. Bacon.

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.

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

Hence, indefinitely, a great number. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand. Ps. xci. 7.