general

[jen-er-uh l] /ˈdʒɛn ər əl/
adjective
1.
of or pertaining to all persons or things belonging to a group or category:
a general meeting of the employees.
2.
of, pertaining to, or true of such persons or things in the main, with possible exceptions; common to most; prevalent; usual:
the general mood of the people.
3.
not limited to one class, field, product, service, etc.; miscellaneous:
the general public; general science.
4.
considering or dealing with overall characteristics, universal aspects, or important elements, especially without considering all details or specific aspects:
general instructions; a general description; a general resemblance one to another.
5.
not specific or definite:
I could give them only a general idea of what was going on.
6.
(of anesthesia or an anesthetic) causing loss of consciousness and abolishing sensitivity to pain throughout the body.
7.
having extended command or superior or chief rank:
the secretary general of the United Nations; the attorney general.
noun
8.
Military.
  1. U.S. Army and Air Force. an officer ranking above a lieutenant general and below a general of the army or general of the air force.
  2. U.S. Army. an officer of any of the five highest ranks: a brigadier general, major general, lieutenant general, general, or general of the army.
  3. U.S. Marine Corps. an officer holding the highest rank in the corps.
  4. (in numerous armies) an officer in the highest, second, or third highest rank, as one ranking immediately below a field marshal in the British army.
9.
Ecclesiastical. the chief official of a religious order.
10.
something that is general; generality.
11.
Archaic. the general public.
Idioms
12.
in general,
  1. with respect to the whole class referred to; as a whole:
    He likes people in general.
  2. as a rule; usually:
    In general, the bus is here by 9 a.m.
Origin
1250-1300; Middle English < Latin generālis, equivalent to gener- (stem of genus) genus + -ālis -al1
Related forms
generalness, noun
pseudogeneral, adjective
undergeneral, noun
Synonyms
1, 2. customary, prevailing, regular, ordinary; catholic. General, common, popular, universal agree in the idea of being nonexclusive and widespread. General means belonging to, or prevailing throughout, a whole class or body collectively, irrespective of individuals: a general belief. Common means shared by all, and belonging to one as much as another: a common interest; common fund; but use of this sense is frequently avoided because of ambiguity of sense. Popular means belonging to, adapted for, or favored by the people or the public generally, rather than by a particular (especially a superior) class: the popular conception; a popular candidate. Universal means found everywhere, and with no exceptions: a universal longing. 5. ill-defined, inexact, imprecise, approximate.
Antonyms
1. special, limited. 5. definite, exact, precise.
British Dictionary definitions for in general

general

/ˈdʒɛnərəl; ˈdʒɛnrəl/
adjective
1.
common; widespread: a general feeling of horror at the crime
2.
of, including, applying to, or participated in by all or most of the members of a group, category, or community
3.
relating to various branches of an activity, profession, etc; not specialized: general office work
4.
including various or miscellaneous items: general knowledge, a general store
5.
not specific as to detail; overall: a general description of the merchandise
6.
not definite; vague: give me a general idea of when you will finish
7.
applicable or true in most cases; usual
8.
(prenominal or immediately postpositive) having superior or extended authority or rank: general manager, consul general
9.
Also pass. designating a degree awarded at some universities, studied at a lower academic standard than an honours degree See honours (sense 2)
10.
(med) relating to or involving the entire body or many of its parts; systemic
11.
(logic) (of a statement) not specifying an individual subject but quantifying over a domain
noun
12.
an officer of a rank senior to lieutenant general, esp one who commands a large military formation
13.
any person acting as a leader and applying strategy or tactics
14.
a general condition or principle: opposed to particular
15.
a title for the head of a religious order, congregation, etc
16.
(med) short for general anaesthetic
17.
(archaic) the people; public
18.
in general, generally; mostly or usually
Derived Forms
generalness, noun
Word Origin
C13: from Latin generālis of a particular kind, from genus kind
Word Origin and History for in general

general

adj.

c.1200, "comprehensive, inclusive, full," from Latin generalis "relating to all, of a whole class" (contrasted with specialis), from genus (genitive generis) "stock, kind" (see genus). General store attested by 1810, American English; a general hospital (1737) is one not restricted to one class of persons or type of disease.

n.

late 14c., "whole class of things or persons," from general (adj.). Meaning "commander of an army" is 1570s, shortening of captain general, from Middle French capitaine général. The English adjective was affixed to civic officer designations by late 14c. to indicate superior rank and extended jurisdiction.

Slang definitions & phrases for in general

general

Related Terms

armchair general, buck general


Idioms and Phrases with in general

in general

.
Referring to a group of persons or a subject as a whole, as opposed to particular ones. For example, I am speaking about contracts in general, or Girls in general mature at a younger age than boys. [ Late 1300s ]
For an antonym, see in particular
.
For the most part; commonly, usually. For example, In general the children behaved very well, or Our winters are quite mild in general. [ Early 1700s ]
Encyclopedia Article for in general

general

title and rank of a senior army officer, usually one who commands units larger than a regiment or its equivalent or units consisting of more than one arm of the service. Frequently, however, a general is a staff officer who does not command troops but who plans their operations in the field. General, lieutenant general, and major general are the first, second, and third grades of general officers in many armies. The United States Army, Air Force, and Marines have a fourth general officer grade, brigadier general (brigadier in the British Army). The highest U.S. Army rank, five-star general of the army, was created in 1944 and was conferred upon Henry Harley "Hap" Arnold, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur, and George C. Marshall in that year and upon Omar N. Bradley in 1950. The four-star rank of general of the army of the United States was established for Ulysses S. Grant in 1866 and was bestowed later upon William T. Sherman and Philip Sheridan; the unique four-star rank of general of the armies of the United States, created in 1799 for George Washington but never held by him, was conferred upon John J. Pershing in 1919.

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