Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

General \Gen"er*al\, a. [F. g['e]n['e]ral, fr. L. generalis. See
   {Genus}.]
   1. Relating to a genus or kind; pertaining to a whole class
      or order; as, a general law of animal or vegetable
      economy.

   2. Comprehending many species or individuals; not special or
      particular; including all particulars; as, a general
      inference or conclusion.

   3. Not restrained or limited to a precise import; not
      specific; vague; indefinite; lax in signification; as, a
      loose and general expression.

   4. Common to many, or the greatest number; widely spread;
      prevalent; extensive, though not universal; as, a general
      opinion; a general custom.

            This general applause and cheerful shout Argue your
            wisdom and your love to Richard.      --Shak.

   5. Having a relation to all; common to the whole; as, Adam,
      our general sire. --Milton.

   6. As a whole; in gross; for the most part.

            His general behavior vain, ridiculous. --Shak.

   7. Usual; common, on most occasions; as, his general habit or
      method.

   Note: The word general, annexed to a name of office, usually
         denotes chief or superior; as, attorney-general;
         adjutant general; commissary general; quartermaster
         general; vicar-general, etc.

   {General agent} (Law), an agent whom a principal employs to
      transact all his business of a particular kind, or to act
      in his affairs generally.

   {General assembly}. See the Note under {Assembly}.

   {General average}, {General Court}. See under {Average},
      {Court}.

   {General court-martial} (Mil.), the highest military and
      naval judicial tribunal.

   {General dealer} (Com.), a shopkeeper who deals in all
      articles in common use.

   {General demurrer} (Law), a demurrer which objects to a
      pleading in general terms, as insufficient, without
      specifying the defects. --Abbott.

   {General epistle}, a canonical epistle.

   {General guides} (Mil.), two sergeants (called the right, and
      the left, general guide) posted opposite the right and
      left flanks of an infantry battalion, to preserve accuracy
      in marching. --Farrow.

   {General hospitals} (Mil.), hospitals established to receive
      sick and wounded sent from the field hospitals. --Farrow.

   {General issue} (Law), an issue made by a general plea, which
      traverses the whole declaration or indictment at once,
      without offering any special matter to evade it.
      --Bouvier. --Burrill.

   {General lien} (Law), a right to detain a chattel, etc.,
      until payment is made of any balance due on a general
      account.

   {General officer} (Mil.), any officer having a rank above
      that of colonel.

   {General orders} (Mil.), orders from headquarters published
      to the whole command.

   {General practitioner}, in the United States, one who
      practices medicine in all its branches without confining
      himself to any specialty; in England, one who practices
      both as physician and as surgeon.

   {General ship}, a ship not chartered or let to particular
      parties.

   {General term} (Logic), a term which is the sign of a general
      conception or notion.

   {General verdict} (Law), the ordinary comprehensive verdict
      in civil actions, ``for the plaintiff'' or ``for the
      defendant''. --Burrill.

   {General warrant} (Law), a warrant, now illegal, to apprehend
      suspected persons, without naming individuals.

   Syn: Syn. {General}, {Common}, {Universal}.

   Usage: Common denotes primarily that in which many share; and
          hence, that which is often met with. General is
          stronger, denoting that which pertains to a majority
          of the individuals which compose a genus, or whole.
          Universal, that which pertains to all without
          exception. To be able to read and write is so common
          an attainment in the United States, that we may
          pronounce it general, though by no means universal.

Court \Court\ (k?rt), n. [OF. court, curt, cort, F. co?r, LL.
   cortis, fr. L. cohors, cors, chors, gen. cohortis, cortis,
   chortis, an inclosure, court, thing inclosed, crowd, throng;
   co- + a root akin to Gr. ???? inclosure, feeding place, and
   to E. garden, yard, orchard. See {Yard}, and cf. {Cohort},
   {Curtain}.]
   1. An inclosed space; a courtyard; an uncovered area shut in
      by the walls of a building, or by different building;
      also, a space opening from a street and nearly surrounded
      by houses; a blind alley.

            The courts the house of our God.      --Ps. cxxxv.
                                                  2.

            And round the cool green courts there ran a row Cf
            cloisters.                            --Tennyson.

            Goldsmith took a garret in a miserable court.
                                                  --Macaulay.

   2. The residence of a sovereign, prince, nobleman, or ether
      dignitary; a palace.

            Attends the emperor in his royal court. --Shak.

            This our court, infected with their manners, Shows
            like a riotous inn.                   --Shak.

   3. The collective body of persons composing the retinue of a
      sovereign or person high in authority; all the
      surroundings of a sovereign in his regal state.

            My lord, there is a nobleman of the court at door
            would speak with you.                 --Shak.

            Love rules the court, the camp, the grove. --Sir. W.
                                                  Scott.

   4. Any formal assembling of the retinue of a sovereign; as,
      to hold a court.

            The princesses held their court within the fortress.
                                                  --Macaulay.

   5. Attention directed to a person in power; conduct or
      address designed to gain favor; courtliness of manners;
      civility; compliment; flattery.

            No solace could her paramour intreat Her once to
            show, ne court, nor dalliance.        --Spenser.

            I went to make my court to the Duke and Duchess of
            Newcastle.                            --Evelyn.

   6. (Law)
      (a) The hall, chamber, or place, where justice is
          administered.
      (b) The persons officially assembled under authority of
          law, at the appropriate time and place, for the
          administration of justice; an official assembly,
          legally met together for the transaction of judicial
          business; a judge or judges sitting for the hearing or
          trial of causes.
      (c) A tribunal established for the administration of
          justice.
      (d) The judge or judges; as distinguished from the counsel
          or jury, or both.

                Most heartily I do beseech the court To give the
                judgment.                         --Shak.

   7. The session of a judicial assembly.

   8. Any jurisdiction, civil, military, or ecclesiastical.

   9. A place arranged for playing the game of tennis; also, one
      of the divisions of a tennis court.

   {Christian court}, the English ecclesiastical courts in the
      aggregate, or any one of them.

   {Court breeding}, education acquired at court.

   {Court card}. Same as {Coat card}.

   {Court circular}, one or more paragraphs of news respecting
      the sovereign and the royal family, together with the
      proceedings or movements of the court generally, supplied
      to the newspapers by an officer specially charged with
      such duty. [Eng.] --Edwards.

   {Court day}, a day on which a court sits to administer
      justice.

   {Court dress}, the dress prescribed for appearance at the
      court of a sovereign.

   {Court fool}, a buffoon or jester, formerly kept by princes
      and nobles for their amusement.

   {Court guide}, a directory of the names and adresses of the
      nobility and gentry in a town.

   {Court hand}, the hand or manner of writing used in records
      and judicial proceedings. --Shak.

   {Court lands} (Eng. Law), lands kept in demesne, -- that is,
      for the use of the lord and his family.

   {Court marshal}, one who acts as marshal for a court.

   {Court party}, a party attached to the court.

   {Court rolls}, the records of a court. See{Roll}.

   {Court in banc}, or {Court in bank}, The full court sitting
      at its regular terms for the hearing of arguments upon
      questions of law, as distinguished from a sitting at nisi
      prius.

   {Court of Arches}, {audience}, etc. See under {Arches},
      {Audience}, etc.

   {Court of Chancery}. See {Chancery}, n.

   {Court of Common pleas}. (Law) See {Common pleas}, under
      {Common}.

   {Court of Equity}. See under {Equity}, and {Chancery}.

   {Court of Inquiry} (Mil.), a court appointed to inquire into
      and report on some military matter, as the conduct of an
      officer.

   {Court of St. James}, the usual designation of the British
      Court; -- so called from the old palace of St. James,
      which is used for the royal receptions, levees, and
      drawing-rooms.

   {The court of the Lord}, the temple at Jerusalem; hence, a
      church, or Christian house of worship.

   {General Court}, the legislature of a State; -- so called
      from having had, in the colonial days, judicial power; as,
      the General Court of Massachusetts. [U.S.]

   {To pay one's court}, to seek to gain favor by attentions.
      ``Alcibiades was assiduous in paying his {court} to
      Tissaphernes.'' --Jowett.

   {To put out of court}, to refuse further judicial hearing.