Search the Dictionary

A company of people transplanted from their mother country to a remote province or country, and remaining subject to the jurisdiction of the parent state; as, the British colonies in America. The first settlers of New England were the best of Englishmen, well educated, devout Christians, and zealous lovers of liberty.…

ifically applied to negroes or persons having negro blood; as, a colored man; the colored people.

A public assembly of the Roman people for electing officers or passing laws.

as a due; to challenge; to claim; as, justice commands the respect and affections of the people; the best goods command the best price. 'Tis not in mortals to command success. Addison.

er; the chief officer of an army, or of any division of it. A leader and commander to the people. Is. lv. 4.

course; to commune. Milton. Commercing with himself. Tennyson. Musicians . . . taught the people in angelic harmonies to commerce with heaven. Prof. Wilson.

of another. [Eng.] -- The United States Christians Commission, an organization among the people of the North, during the Civil War, which afforded material comforts to the Union soldiers, and performed services of a religious character in the field and in hospitals. -- The United States Sanitary Commission, an organi…

The people; the community. [Obs.] "The weal o' the common." Shak.

The common people; those classes and conditions of people who are below the rank of nobility; the commons. The commonalty, like the nobility, are divided into several degrees. Blackstone. The ancient fare of our kings differed from that of the commonalty in plenteousness only. Landon.

One of the common people; one having no rank of nobility. All below them [the peers] even their children, were commoners, and in the eye law equal to each other. Hallam.

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…

The whole body of people in a state; the public.

The commonalty; the common people. [Obs.] Chaucer. In this struggle -- to use the technical words of the time -- of the "commune", the general mass of the inhabitants, against the "prudhommes" or "wiser" few. J. R. Green.

A body of people having common rights, privileges, or interests, or living in the same place under the same laws and regulations; as, a community of monks. Hence a number of animals living in a common home or with some apparent association of interests. Creatures that in communities exist. Wordsworth.…

Society, in general; people assembled for social intercourse. Nature has left every man a capacity of being agreeable, though not of shining in company. Swift.

To represent as similar, for the purpose of illustration; to liken. Solon compared the people unto the sea, and orators and counselors to the winds; for that the sea would be calm and quiet if the winds did not trouble it. Bacon.

son of, In comparison with, as compared with; in proportion to. [Archaic] "So miserably unpeopled in comparison of what it once was." Addison. -- Comparison of hands (Law), a mode of proving or disproving the genuineness of a signature or writing by comparing it with another proved or admitted to be genuine, in order…

to oblige; to necessitate, either by physical or moral force. Wolsey . . . compelled the people to pay up the whole subsidy at once. Hallam. And they compel one Simon . . . to bear his cross. Mark xv. 21.

. are by the just complaisance and gallantry of our nation the most powerful part of our people. Addison. They strive with their own hearts and keep them down, In complaisance to all the fools in town. Young.

n. What compliances will remove dissension Swift. Ready compliance with the wishes of his people. Macaulay.