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.

General \Gen"er*al\, n. [F. g['e]n['e]ral. See {General}., a.]
   1. The whole; the total; that which comprehends or relates to
      all, or the chief part; -- opposed to particular.

            In particulars our knowledge begins, and so spreads
            itself by degrees to generals.        --Locke.

   2. (Mil.) One of the chief military officers of a government
      or country; the commander of an army, of a body of men not
      less than a brigade. In European armies, the highest
      military rank next below field marshal.

   Note: In the United States the office of General of the Army
         has been created by temporary laws, and has been held
         only by Generals U. S. Grant, W. T. Sherman, and P. H.
         Sheridan.

Source : WordNet®

general
     adj 1: applying to all or most members of a category or group; "the
            general public"; "general assistance"; "a general
            rule"; "in general terms"; "comprehensible to the
            general reader" [ant: {specific}]
     2: not specialized or limited to one class of things; "general
        studies"; "general knowledge"
     3: of national scope; "a general election"
     4: prevailing among and common to the general public; "the
        general discontent"
     5: affecting the entire body; "a general anesthetic"; "general
        symptoms" [ant: {local}]
     6: somewhat indefinite; "bearing a general resemblance to the
        original"; "a general description of the merchandise"
     7: of worldwide scope or applicability; "an issue of
        cosmopolitan import"; "the shrewdest political and
        ecumenical comment of our time"- Christopher Morley;
        "universal experience" [syn: {cosmopolitan}, {ecumenical},
         {oecumenical}, {universal}, {worldwide}]

general
     n 1: a general officer of the highest rank [syn: {full general}]
     2: the head of a religious order or congregation [syn: {superior
        general}]
     3: a fact about the whole (as opposed to particular); "he
        discussed the general but neglected the particular" [ant:
        {particular}, {particular}]

general
     v : command as a general; "We are generaled by an incompetent!"