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Principal or most eminent in any quality or action; most distinguished; having most influence; taking the lead; most important; as, the chief topic of conversation; the chief interest of man.

Care in selecting; judgment or skill in distinguishing what is to be preferred, and in giving a preference; discrimination. I imagine they [the apothegms of Cæsar] were collected with judgment and choice. Bacon.

gainst a reluctant party without suit. -- Chose in possession, a thing in possession, as distinguished from a thing in action. -- Chose local, a thing annexed to a place, as a mill. -- Chose transitory, a thing which is movable. Cowell. Blount.

Incidental; relating to, but not essential. We must therefore distinguish between the essentials in religious worship . . . and what is merely circumstantial. Sharp.

One who enjoys the freedom and privileges of a city; a freeman of a city, as distinguished from a foreigner, or one not entitled to its franchises. That large body of the working men who were not counted as citizens and had not so much as a vote to serve as an anodyne to their stomachs. G. Eliot.

ifferent patches of fields are composed of a kind of metal wire secured to the ground; as distinguished from champlevé enamel, in which the ground is engraved or scooped out to receive the enamel. S. Wells Williams.

ton, woolen, or linen, adapted to be made into garments; specifically, woolen fabrics, as distinguished from all others.

A first-class passenger car, as distinguished from a drawing- room car, sleeping car, etc. It is sometimes loosely applied to any passenger car.

to prevent water from running bellow; esp. the fore-and-aft pieces of a hatchway frame as distinguished from the transverse head ledges. [Written also combings.]

asting trade, trade carried on by water between neighboring ports of the same country, as distinguished fron foreign trade or trade involving long voyages. -- Coasting vessel, a vessel employed in coasting; a coaster.

Common sensation or general sensibility, as distinguished from the special sensations which are located in, or ascribed to, separate organs, as the eye and ear. It is supposed to depend on the ganglionic system.

The distinguishing mark worn by an armed knight, usually upon the helmet, and by his retainers and followers: Hence, in general, a badge worn by a retainer or dependent, to indicate the person or party to which he belonged; a token by which a thing may be known. Wearing the liveries and cognizance of their master. Pres…

which the particles of a body are united throughout the mass, whether like or unlike; -- distinguished from adhesion, which unites bodies by their adjacent surfaces. Solids and fluids differ in the degree of cohesion, which, being increased, turns a fluid into a solid. Arbuthnot.

t is lagerly used where [Written also coak.] Gas coke, the coke formed in gas retorts, as distinguished from that made in ovens.

Any hue distinguished from white or black.

Without color; not distinguished by any hue; transparent; as, colorless water.

A body of troops formed in ranks, one behind the other; -- contradistinguished from line. Compare Ploy, and Deploy.

Not distinguished or exceptional; inconspicuous; ordinary; plebeian; -- often in a depreciatory sense. The honest, heart-felt enjoyment of common life. W. Irving. This fact was infamous And ill beseeming any common man, Much more a knight, a captain and a leader. Shak. Above the vulgar flight of common souls. A. Murpph…

The mass of the people, as distinguished from the titled chasses or nobility; the commonalty; the common people. [Eng.] 'T is like the commons, rude unpolished hinds, Could send such message to their sovereign. Shak. The word commons in its present ordinary signification comprises all the people who are under the rank…

. -- Knights companions, in certain honorary orders, the members of the lowest grades as distinguished from knights commanders, knights grand cross, and the like.