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

\U`ni*ver"sal\, a. [L. universalis: cf. F. universel,
OF. also universal. See {Universe}.]
1. Of or pertaining to the universe; extending to, including,
   or affecting, the whole number, quantity, or space;
   unlimited; general; all-reaching; all-pervading; as,
   universal ruin; universal good; universal benevolence or
   benefice. ``Anointed universal King.'' --Milton.

         The universal cause Acts not by partial, but by
         general laws.                         --Pope.

         This universal frame began.           --Dryden.

Note: Universal and its derivatives are used in common
      discourse for general and its derivatives. See
      {General}.

2. Constituting or considered as a whole; total; entire;
   whole; as, the universal world. --Shak.

         At which the universal host up dent A shout that
         tore Hell's concave.                  --Milton.

3. (Mech.) Adapted or adaptable to all or to various uses,
   shapes, sizes, etc.; as, a universal milling machine.

4. (Logic) Forming the whole of a genus; relatively unlimited
   in extension; affirmed or denied of the whole of a
   subject; as, a universal proposition; -- opposed to
   {particular}; e. g. (universal affirmative) All men are
   animals; (universal negative) No men are omniscient.

{Universal chuck} (Mach.), a chuck, as for a lathe, having
   jaws which can be moved simultaneously so as to grasp
   objects of various sizes.

{Universal church}, the whole church of God in the world; the
   catholic church. See the Note under {Catholic}, a., 1.

{Universal coupling}. (Mach.) Same as {Universal joint},
   below.

{Universal dial}, a dial by which the hour may be found in
   any part of the world, or under any elevation of the pole.


{Universal instrument} (Astron.), a species of altitude and
   azimuth instrument, the peculiarity of which is, that the
   object end of the telescope is placed at right angles to
   the eye end, with a prism of total reflection at the
   angle, and the eye end constitutes a portion of the
   horizontal axis of the instrument, having the eyepiece at
   the pivot and in the center of the altitude circle, so
   that the eye has convenient access to both at the same
   time.

{Universal joint} (Mach.), a contrivance used for joining two
   shafts or parts of a machine endwise, so that the one may
   give rotary motion to the other when forming an angle with
   it, or may move freely in all directions with respect to
   the other, as by means of a cross connecting the forked
   ends of the two shafts (Fig. 1). Since this joint can not
   act when the angle of the shafts is less than 140[deg], a
   double joint of the same kind is sometimes used for giving
   rotary motion at angles less than 140[deg] (Fig. 2).

{Universal umbel} (Bot.), a primary or general umbel; the
   first or largest set of rays in a compound umbel; --
   opposed to partial umbel. A universal involucre is not
   unfrequently placed at the foot of a universal umbel.

Syn: General; all; whole; total. See {General}.

\U`ni*ver"sal\, n.
1. The whole; the general system of the universe; the
   universe. [Obs.]

         Plato calleth God the cause and original, the nature
         and reason, of the universal.         --Sir W.
                                               Raleigh.

2. (Logic)
   (a) A general abstract conception, so called from being
       universally applicable to, or predicable of, each
       individual or species contained under it.
   (b) A universal proposition. See {Universal}, a., 4.