1.  general(n = noun.person) full general - a general officer of the highest rank;
Derived form verb general₁, noun generalship₁, noun generalship₂

2.  general(n = noun.person) superior general - the head of a religious order or congregation;
Derived form noun generalship₂

3.  general(n = noun.cognition) - a fact about the whole (as opposed to particular); "he discussed the general but neglected the particular"
Antonym: particular, specific
Derived form adjective general₁, adjective general₂

   general(v = verb.communication) - command as a general; "We are generaled by an incompetent!"
Derived form noun general₁
Sample sentences: Somebody ----s somebody

1.  general(a = adj.all) - applying to all or most members of a category or group; "a general rule"; "comprehensible to the general reader"; "general assistance"; "in general terms"; "the general public"
Antonym: specific
Derived form noun general₃, noun generality₂

2.  general(s = adj.all) - not specialized or limited to one class of things; "general knowledge"; "general studies"
Derived form noun general₃, noun generality₁, noun generality₂

3.  general(s = adj.all) - prevailing among and common to the general public; "the general discontent"

4.  general(a = adj.all) - affecting the entire body; "a general anesthetic"; "general symptoms"
Antonym: local
Derived form noun generality₁, noun generality₂

5.  general(s = adj.all) - somewhat indefinite; "a general description of the merchandise"; "bearing a general resemblance to the original"

6.  general(s = adj.all) cosmopolitan, ecumenical, oecumenical, universal, world-wide, worldwide - of worldwide scope or applicability; "an issue of cosmopolitan import"; "the shrewdest political and ecumenical comment of our time"; "universal experience"

1.  Relating to a genus or kind; pertaining to a whole class or order; as, a general law of animal or vegetable economy. [1913 Webster]

2.  Comprehending many species or individuals; not special or particular; including all particulars; as, a general inference or conclusion. [1913 Webster]

3.  Not restrained or limited to a precise import; not specific; vague; indefinite; lax in signification; as, a loose and general expression. [1913 Webster]

4.  Common to many, or the greatest number; widely spread; prevalent; extensive, though not universal; as, a general opinion; a general custom. [1913 Webster]

5.  Having a relation to all; common to the whole; as, Adam, our general sire. Milton. [1913 Webster]

6.  As a whole; in gross; for the most part. [1913 Webster]

7.  Usual; common, on most occasions; as, his general habit or method. [1913 Webster]

1.  The whole; the total; that which comprehends or relates to all, or the chief part; -- opposed to particular. [1913 Webster]

2.  One of the chief military officers of a government or country; the commander of an army, of a body of men not less than a brigade. In European armies, the highest military rank next below field marshal. [1913 Webster]

3.  The roll of the drum which calls the troops together; as, to beat the general. [1913 Webster]

4.  The chief of an order of monks, or of all the houses or congregations under the same rule. [1913 Webster]

5.  The public; the people; the vulgar. Shak. [1913 Webster]

general, adj. & n.
--adj.
1 a completely or almost universal. b including or affecting all or nearly all parts or cases of things.
2 prevalent, widespread, usual.
3 not partial, particular, local, or sectional.
4 not limited in application; relating to whole classes or all cases.
5 including points common to the individuals of a class and neglecting the differences (a general term).
6 not restricted or specialized (general knowledge).
7 a roughly corresponding or adequate. b sufficient for practical purposes.
8 not detailed (a general resemblance; a general idea).
9 vague, indefinite (spoke only in general terms).
10 chief or principal; having overall authority (general manager; Secretary-General).
--n.
1 a an army officer ranking next below Field Marshal or above lieutenant-general. b US = lieutenant-general, major-general.
2 a commander of an army.
3 a tactician or strategist of specified merit (a great general).
4 the head of a religious order, e.g. of the Jesuits or Dominicans or the Salvation Army.
5 (prec. by the) archaic the public.

Idiom:
as a general rule in most cases. General American a form of US speech not markedly dialectal or regional. General Certificate of Education
1 an examination set esp. for secondary-school pupils at advanced level in England and Wales.
2 the certificate gained by passing it. General Certificate of Secondary Education an examination replacing and combining the GCE ordinary level and CSE examinations. general delivery US the delivery of letters to callers at a post office. general election the election of representatives to a legislature (esp. in the UK to the House of Commons) from constituencies throughout the country. general headquarters the headquarters of a military commander. general meeting a meeting open to all the members of a society etc. general of the army (or air force) US the officer of the highest rank in the army or air force. general practice the work of a general practitioner. general practitioner a doctor working in the community and treating cases of all kinds in the first instance, as distinct from a consultant or specialist. general staff the staff assisting a military commander in planning and administration. general strike a strike of workers in all or most trades. General Synod the highest governing body in the Church of England.
in general
1 as a normal rule; usually.
2 for the most part.

Derivative:
generalness n.

Etymology:
ME f. OF f. L generalis (as GENUS)

N  habit, habitude, assuetude, assuefaction, wont, run, way, common state of things, general state of things, natural state of things, ordinary state of things, ordinary course of things, ordinary run of things, matter of course, beaten path, beaten track, beaten ground, prescription, custom, use, usage, immemorial usage, practice, prevalence, observance, conventionalism, conventionality, mode, fashion, vogue, etiquette, order of the day, cry, conformity, consuetude, dustoor, one's old way, old school, veteris vestigia flammae, laudator temporis acti, rule, standing order, precedent, routine, red-tape, red-tapism, pipe clay, rut, groove, cacoethes, bad habit, confirmed habit, inveterate habit, intrinsic habit, addiction, trick, training, seasoning, second nature, acclimatization, knack, habitual, accustomary, prescriptive, accustomed, of daily occurrence, of everyday occurrence, consuetudinary, wonted, usual, general, ordinary, common, frequent, everyday, household, garden variety, jog, trot, well-trodden, well-known, familiar, vernacular, trite, commonplace, conventional, regular, set, stock, established, stereotyped, prevailing, prevalent, current, received, acknowledged, recognized, accredited, of course, admitted, understood, conformable, according to use, according to custom, according to routine, in vogue, in fashion, in, with it, fashionable, wont, used to, given to, addicted to, attuned to, habituated, in the habit of, habitue, at home in, seasoned, imbued with, devoted to, wedded to, hackneyed, fixed, rooted, deep-rooted, ingrafted, permanent, inveterate, besetting, naturalized, ingrained, habitually, always, as usual, as is one's wont, as things go, as the world goes, as the sparks fly upwards, more suo, more solito, ex more, as a rule, for the most part, usually, generally, typically, most often, most frequently, cela s'entend, abeunt studia in mores, adeo in teneris consuescere multum est, consuetudo quasi altera natura, hoc erat in more majorum, How use doth breed a habit in a man!, magna est vis consuetudinis, morent fecerat usus.

N  generality, generalization, universality, catholicity, catholicism, miscellany, miscellaneousness, dragnet, common run, worldwideness, everyone, everybody, all hands, all the world and his wife, anybody, N or M, all sorts, prevalence, run, general, generic, collective, broad, comprehensive, sweeping, encyclopedical, widespread, universal, catholic, catholical, common, worldwide, ecumenical, oecumenical, transcendental, prevalent, prevailing, rife, epidemic, besetting, all over, covered with, Pan-American, Anglican, Pan-Hellenic, Pan-Germanic, slavic, panharmonic, every, all, unspecified, impersonal, customary, whatever, whatsoever, to a man, one and all, generally, always, for better for worse, in general, generally speaking, speaking generally, for the most part, in the long run.

N  master, padrone, lord, lord paramount, commander, commandant, captain, chief, chieftain, sirdar, sachem, sheik, head, senior, governor, ruler, dictator, leader, boss, cockarouse, sagamore, werowance, lord of the ascendant, cock of the walk, cock of the roost, gray mare, mistress, potentate, liege, liege lord, suzerain, sovereign, monarch, autocrat, despot, tyrant, oligarch, crowned head, emperor, king, anointed king, majesty, imperator, protector, president, stadholder, judge, ceasar, kaiser, czar, tsar, sultan, soldan, grand Turk, caliph, imaum, shah, padishah, sophi, mogul, great mogul, khan, lama, tycoon, mikado, tenno, inca, cazique, voivode, landamman, seyyid, Abuna, cacique, czarowitz, grand seignior, prince, duke, archduke, doge, elector, seignior, marland, margrave, rajah, emir, wali, sheik nizam, nawab, empress, queen, sultana, czarina, princess, infanta, duchess, margravine, czarevna, czarita, maharani, rani, rectrix, regent, viceroy, exarch, palatine, khedive, hospodar, beglerbeg, three-tailed bashaw, pasha, bashaw, bey, beg, dey, scherif, tetrarch, satrap, mandarin, subahdar, nabob, maharajah, burgrave, laird, collector, commissioner, deputy commissioner, woon, the authorities, the powers that be, the government, staff, etat major, aga, official, man in office, person in authority, sircar, sirkar, Sublime Porte, marshal, field marshal, marechal, general, generalissimo, commander in chief, seraskier, hetman, lieutenant general, major general, colonel, lieutenant colonel, major, captain, centurion, skipper, lieutenant, first lieutenant, second lieutenant, sublieutenant, officer, staff officer, aide-de-camp, brigadier, brigade major, adjutant, jemidar, ensign, cornet, cadet, subaltern, noncommissioned officer, warrant officer, sergeant, sergeant major, color sergeant, corporal, corporal major, lance corporal, acting corporal, drum major, captain general, dizdar, knight marshal, naik, pendragon, mayor, mayoralty, prefect, chancellor, archon, provost, magistrate, syndic, alcalde, alcaid, burgomaster, corregidor, seneschal, alderman, councilman, committeeman, councilwoman, warden, constable, portreeve, lord mayor, officer, dewan, fonctionnaire, admiral, admiralty, rear admiral, vice admiral, port admiral, commodore, captain, commander, lieutenant, ensign, skipper, mate, master, officer of the day, OD, navarch, da locum melioribus, der Furst ist der erste Diener seines Staats, the prince is the first servant of his state, lord of thy presence and no land beside.