Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Public?

\Pub"lic\, a. [L. publicus, poblicus, fr. populus people: cf. F. public. See {People}.] 1. Of or pertaining to the people; belonging to the people; relating to, or affecting, a nation, state, or community; -- opposed to {private}; as, the public treasury. To the public good Private respects must yield. --Milton. He [Alexander Hamilton] touched the dead corpse of the public credit, and it sprung upon its feet. --D. Webster. 2. Open to the knowledge or view of all; general; common; notorious; as, public report; public scandal. Joseph, . . . not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. --Matt. i. 19. 3. Open to common or general use; as, a public road; a public house. ``The public street.'' --Shak. {Public act} or {statute} (Law), an act or statute affecting matters of public concern. Of such statutes the courts take judicial notice. {Public credit}. See under {Credit}. {Public funds}. See {Fund}, 3. {Public house}, an inn, or house of entertainment. {Public law}. (a) See {International law}, under {International}. (b) A public act or statute. {Public nuisance}. (Law) See under {Nuisance}. {Public orator}. (Eng. Universities) See {Orator}, 3. {Public stores}, military and naval stores, equipments, etc. {Public works}, all fixed works built by civil engineers for public use, as railways, docks, canals, etc.; but strictly, military and civil engineering works constructed at the public cost.
\Pub"lic\, n. 1. The general body of mankind, or of a nation, state, or community; the people, indefinitely; as, the American public; also, a particular body or aggregation of people; as, an author's public. The public is more disposed to censure than to praise. --Addison. 2. A public house; an inn. [Scot.] --Sir W. Scott. {In public}, openly; before an audience or the people at large; not in private or secrecy. ``We are to speak in public.'' --Shak.