Search Result for "communities": 

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Community \Com*mu"ni*ty\, n.; pl. Communities. [L. communitas: cf. OF. communit['e]. Cf. Commonalty, and see Common.] 1. Common possession or enjoyment; participation; as, a community of goods. [1913 Webster] The original community of all things. --Locke. [1913 Webster] An unreserved community of thought and feeling. --W. Irving. [1913 Webster] 2. A body of people having common rights, privileges, or interests, or living in the same place under the same laws and regulations; as, a community of monks. Hence a number of animals living in a common home or with some apparent association of interests. [1913 Webster] Creatures that in communities exist. --Wordsworth. [1913 Webster] 3. Society at large; a commonwealth or state; a body politic; the public, or people in general. [1913 Webster] Burdens upon the poorer classes of the community. --Hallam. [1913 Webster] Note: In this sense, the term should be used with the definite article; as, the interests of the community. [1913 Webster] 4. Common character; likeness. [R.] [1913 Webster] The essential community of nature between organic growth and inorganic growth. --H. Spencer. [1913 Webster] 5. Commonness; frequency. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Eyes . . . sick and blunted with community. --Shak. [1913 Webster]