Search the Dictionary

The quality or state of being public, or open to the knowledge of a community; notoriety; publicness.

A pamphlet which, in some States of the United States having the initiative or referendum, is mailed to the voters to inform them as to the nature of a measure submitted by the initiative or referendum. The pamphlet contains a copy of the proposed law and arguments for and against it by those favoring and opposing it,…

Utterance abroad; publicity; vent. You gave it air before me. Dryden.

One who gives publicity, proclaims, or blazons; esp., one who blazons coats of arms; a herald. Burke.

Utterance; communication or publicity by words. I am sorry to give breathing to my purpose. Shak.

the tariff.(g) To publicly admit oneself to be homosexual. -- To come out with, to give publicity to; to disclose. -- To come over. (a) To pass from one side or place to another. "Perpetually teasing their friends to come over to them." Addison.

exhibition of; to set in view conspicuously or ostentatiously; to exhibit for the sake of publicity; to parade. Proudly displaying the insignia of their order. Prescott.

cover; to lay open to public inspection, or bring to public notice, as a thing that shuns publicity, something criminal, shameful, or the like; as, to expose the faults of a neighbor. You only expose the follies of men, without arraigning their vices. Dryden.

Intense publicity for a future event, performed in a showy or excessively dramatic manner suggesting an importance not justified by the event; as, the hype surrounding the superbowl is usually ludicrous. [PJC]

To preserve from discovery or publicity; not to communicate, reveal, or betray, as a secret. Great are thy virtues . . . though kept from man. Milton.

Open view; a visible state or condition; public observation; publicity. The duke yet would have dark deeds darkly answered; he would never bring them to light. Shak.

in concealment, constraint, etc., in, or into, a state of freedom, openness, disclosure, publicity, etc.; as, the sun shines out; he laughed out, to be out at the elbows; the secret has leaked out, or is out; the disease broke out on his face; the book is out. Leaves are out and perfect in a month. Bacon. She has not…

To make known by public announcement; to give wide publicity to; to publish abroad; to promulgate; to declare; as, to proclaim war or peace. To proclaim liberty to the captives. Isa. lxi. 1. For the apparel oft proclaims the man. Shak. Throughout the host proclaim A solemn council forthwith to be held. Milton.…

The act of treating with abuse or disrespect, or with undue publicity, or lack of delicacy. 'T were profanation of our joys To tell the laity our love. Donne.

The quality or state of being public, or open to the view or notice of people at large; publicity; notoriety; as, the publicness of a sale.