Word: public Part of Speech: noun Etymology: The adjective and noun are derived from Late Middle English publik, publike (“(adjective) generally observable, public; relating to the general public or public affairs; (noun) a generally observable place or situation”), from Anglo-Norman public, publik, publique, Middle French public, publique, and Old French public (“(adjective) generally observable, public; relating to the general public; official; (noun) community or its members collectively; nation, state; audience, spectators collectively”) (modern French public, publique (obsolete)); and from their etymon Latin pūblicus (“of or belonging to the community, people, or state; general, public”), an alteration of poplicus (influenced by pūbēs (“adult men; male population”)), from poplus (“community; the people, public; nation, state”) (later populus; from Proto-Italic *poplos (“army”); further origin uncertain, possibly from Etruscan or from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- (“to fill”)) + -icus (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’). Related to people, populus, etc. The Middle English word displaced native Old English ceorlfolc and folclic. The verb is derived from the adjective. Pronunciation: /ˈpʌblɪk/, /ˈpʊblɪk/ 1. Chiefly preceded by the: members of the community or the people in general, regardless of membership of any particular group. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Members of the public may not proceed beyond this point. Example: In ſũ [sum], you are a Prince, & a father of people, vvho ought vvith the eye of vviſdome, the hand of fortitude, and the hart of iuſtice to ſet dovvne all priuate conceits, in compariſon of vvhat for the publike is profitable. 2. Preceded by a possessive determiner such as my, your, or their: a group of people who support a particular person, especially a performer, a writer, etc.; an audience, a following. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: By dint of drinking acid tiff, as above mentioned, and smoking segars, in which I am no novice, my Public are to be informed, that I gradually drank and smoked myself into a certain degree of acquaintance with un homme comme il faut [a decent man], one of the few fine old specimens of nobility who are still to be found in France; […] 3. Ellipsis of public house or (dated) public bar (“an inn, a pub: the more basic bar in a public house, as contrasted with the lounge bar or saloon bar which has more comfortable seats, personalized service, etc.”). Labels: abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis, informal, uncountable Example: [T]hese inconsiderate lads will be out of the house, and away to the publicks, wasting their precious time, and, it may be, missing the morning tide. Example: [I]t is a terrible long and slippery descent, and a shocking bad road. At the bottom, however, there is a pleasant public; whereat we must really take a modest quencher, for the down air is provocative of thirst. 4. Often preceded by the and a qualifying word: a particular demographic or group of people, or segment of the population, sharing some common characteristic. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: the cinema-going public Example: the reading public 5. Often preceded by the and a qualifying word: a particular demographic or group of people, or segment of the population, sharing some common characteristic. Labels: countable, uncountable 6. Chiefly preceded by the: a collective body of a politically organized nation or state; a body politic, a nation, a state; also, the interest or well-being of such a collective body; the common good. Labels: countable, obsolete, uncountable 7. At Harvard University: a penalty imposed on a student involving a grade reduction which is communicated to the student's parents or guardian. Labels: US, countable, obsolete, uncountable 8. Chiefly in in public: the presence of spectators or people generally; the open. Labels: uncountable Example: Come follovv vs, / VVe are to ſpeake in publique: for this buſineſſe / VVill raiſe vs all. Example: [W]e went to the Chetto de san Felice, to see the noblemen and their ladies at Basset, a game at cards which is much used, but they play not in public, and all that have inclination to it are in masquerade, without speaking one word, and so they come in, play, loose or gaine, and go away as they please.