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general

gen·er·al [ jénnərəl ]

adjective

Definition:

1. overall: relating to or including all or nearly all of the members of a category, group, or whole

a general increase in demand

2. usual: applying or happening in most cases

as a general rule

3. widespread: shared or participated in by many

a general sense that something ought to be done

4. miscellaneous: having a varied content or wide scope

a general store

5. not specialized: unspecialized or lacking specialized knowledge

a book that was intended for the general reader

6. not specific: not specific, detailed, or clearly defined

She spoke in the most general terms.

7. high-ranking: with overall authority, or of superior rank

a general manager

noun (plural gen·er·als)

Definition:

1. high ranking officer: an officer in the U.S. Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps of a rank above lieutenant general, or a Canadian Army or Air Force officer of equivalent rank

2. military
Same as general officer

3. medicine ( informal )
Same as general anesthetic

4. health services ( informal )
Same as general hospital

5. the public: the public as a whole ( archaic )

[12th century. Via French< Latin generalis "of the whole class" < genus "race, kind"]

gen·er·al·ness noun

in general

1. as a whole

2. in most cases or circumstances

Cultural Note


	The General, a movie (1926) starring actor Buster Keaton. Regarded as one of the greatest silent comedies, it is set during the Civil War and is based on a historical incident: the hijack of a Confederate train by Union soldiers. Keaton plays railroad man Johnnie Gray, whose attempts to recapture the train involve superb visual gags, gripping drama, and brilliantly timed stunts.