general
/ˈd͡ʒɛn.(ə.)ɹəl/
Frequency: 5.47 in modern English
Meaning
adj
Including or involving every part or member of a given or implied entity, whole, etc.; common to all, universal.
adj
Applied to a person (as a postmodifier or a normal preceding adjective) to indicate supreme rank, in civil or military titles, and later in other terms; pre-eminent.
adj
Not limited in use or application; applicable across a broad range.
adj
Giving or consisting of only the most important aspects of something, ignoring minor details; indefinite.
adj
Not of a specific class; miscellaneous.
noun
The holder of a senior military title, originally designating the commander of an army and now a specific rank falling under field marshal (in the British army) and below general of the army or general of the air force in the US army and air forces.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "It is generall / To be mortall: / I haue well espyde / No man may hym hyde / From Deth holow eyed […]."
- ""Among us!" was the general shout, and Peppersorn sat frozen to his chair."
- "That each, who seems a separate whole, Should move his rounds, and fusing all The skirts of self again, should fall Remerging in the general Soul, Is faith as vague as all unsweet: […]"
- "Undoubtedly the age of the Antonines was much better than any later age until the Renaissance, from the point of view of the general happiness."
- "One advantage of having profitable companies in Britain is that they pay large sums in corporate tax into the Exchequer, which in theory at least is used for the general good."
- "For these successes he obtained the rank of Field-Marshal General."
Etymology
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: *ǵenh₁-, general, generālis
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈd͡ʒɛn.(ə.)ɹəl/
- British English: /ˈd͡ʒɛn.(ə.)ɹəl/
Usage
Subject
Wiktionary places this term in Military.