"public" - meanings, definitions, synonyms, thesaurus and antonyms

\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.