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universality|juːnɪvɜːˈsælɪtɪ|
[a. F. universalité, OF. universaliteit (14th c.; = It. universalità, Sp. -idad, Pg. -idade), or ad. late L. ūniversālitās (Boethius), f. L. ūniversālis: see universal a. and -ity.]
I.
1. The fact or quality of extending over, existing in, or belonging to the whole (of something expressed in or implied by the context); esp. extension, occurrence, prevalence, or diffusion throughout the whole world, everywhere, or in all things.
c1374Chaucer Boeth. v. pr. v. (1868) 169 Þat is..þat resoun lokeþ and comprehendiþ by resoun of vniuersalite [L. in ratione universitatis], boþe þat þat is sensible and þat þat is ymaginable. 1587Golding De Mornay 351 All men knowe, that cheefly Auerrhoes vrgeth the eternitie of the World, and the vniuersalitie of one onely Mynd. 1589Puttenham Eng. Poesie i. ix. (Arb.) 38 The Nobilitie and dignitie of the Art considered aswell by vniuersalitie as antiquitie. 1624H. Mason Art of Lying ii. 25 Persons claimeth..Universality, Antiquity, and Consent, for this..vpstart fancie of their owne. 1686Caldwell Papers (Maitl. Cl.) I. 168 The French language, being, because of its universalitie, so very necessarie for converse. 1707Mortimer Husb. 501 The Planting of Fruit-Trees;..and the Advantages of it, which consist..in the Universality of it, there being hardly any Soil, but one sort..or other may be raised on them. 1760–72H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) IV. 78 God..cannot depart from..that universality of essence, by and in which alone all essences subsist. 1811Pinkerton Petral. p. xxxvi, Experiments more and more evince the universality of iron. 1879Farrar St. Paul II. 266 He has shown the universality of guilt, and the universality of grace.
b. Of a church or religion, esp. Roman Catholicism: Extension to the whole world or all men.
Freq. in 17th cent.; now rare or Obs.
1559A. P. tr. Vincent of Lirins' Golden Treatise (title-p.), The antiquitie, and vniuersalitie, of the Catholicke Religion. 1574Whitgift Def. Aunsw. ii. 106 This strengthneth the Papistes vniversalitie. 1608Willet Hexapla Exod. 551 Vniuersalitie and multitude..is no good rule to know the right church..by. 1691Sir T. P. Blount Ess. 90 That thing call'd Vniversality, is so slight an Evidence of Truth, that even Truth it self is asham'd of it. 1728Chambers Cycl. s.v., The Catholicks assert the Universality of their Church, both as to Time, and Persons. 1730J. Denne (title), Want of Universality no just Objection to the Truth of the Christian Religion. 1874Green Short Hist. ix. §1 He dismissed with contempt the accepted test of universality.
†c. Of persons with reference to power or authority (see universal a. 2). Obs.
1620T. Granger Div. Logike 228 Gregory pronounced the same of Iohn Patriarch of constantinople affecting vniuersalitie. 1661Morgan Sph. Gentry iii. vii. 67 The pope, who hath usurped the Universality, will have his triple Crown, to signifie his dominion over the Universe.
2. The fact or quality of extending or applying to, affecting or prevailing among, all the members of a class of persons or things; relation to or inclusion of all individuals, cases, or instances.
1577Harrison England ii. xix. (1877) i. 307 If a man may presentlie giue a ghesse at the vniuersalitie of this euill. 1634T. Norton's Calvin's Inst. Table of Contents, The universality of the promises of salvation maketh nothing against the doctrine of the predestination of the reprobate. 1695J. Edwards Perfect. Script. 342 The universality of the slaughter. 1764Harmer Observ. ii. §17. 75 The tents of the Arabs are with great universality black. 1771Sir J. Reynolds Disc. iv. (1778) 113 He might have seen it in an instance or two; and he mistook accident for universality. 1829Gen. P. Thompson Exerc. (1842) I. 132 Closely connected with the universality of suffrage, is the opportunity of its frequent exercise. 1873Holland A. Bonnic. ix. 162 The universality of the influence which they [sc. religious revivals] exert during the time of their highest activity.
b. Of laws, etc., esp. with reference to validity.
1712Berkeley Pass. Obed. Wks. 1871 III. 138 The universality of this mathematical rule. 1747Gentl. Mag. 120/2 That we are not sure of the universality of this law. 1855Brewster Newton I. xiii. 381 Every new comet, every new planet,..proclaims the universality of Newton's philosophy. 1874Carpenter Ment. Phys. ii. xvi. 634 The universality of the Law of Gravitation.
†3. The study or contemplation of things from a general point of view. Obs. rare.
1605Bacon Adv. Learn. i. v. §5 Another error..is, that after the distribution of particular arts and sciences, men haue abandoned vniuersalitie, or Philosophia prima. Ibid. ii. To the King §6 If any man think philosophy and universality to be idle studies, he doth not consider that all professions are from thence served and supplied.
4. The quality or character of extending to or comprehending all or (more usually) a great variety of subjects; unbounded or very great versatility of (mind, genius, etc.).
1765H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Paint. III. 11 The following [pictures] by Streater..show the universality of his talent. 1818–9Lady Morgan Autobiog. (1859) 203 His gigantic labours..indicate the universality of the highest order of mind. 1824Miss Mitford Village Ser. i. 17 A man..of that peculiar universality of genius which forms..a handy fellow. 1871‘M. Legrand’ Cambr. Freshm. 112 The universality of my friend's mind.
b. Capacity for, knowledge of, interest in, all or many things or pursuits; width or extensiveness of understanding, knowledge, or sympathy.
1831Carlyle Sart. Res. ii. iv, Whereby..the vague universality of a Man shall find himself ready-moulded into a specific Craftsman. 1855Hawthorne Eng. Note-bks. (1870) I. 375 Perhaps there may be a universality in his face. 1856R. A. Vaughan Mystics I. 7 One quality in Gower I have always especially liked,—his universality. 1862Macm. Mag. 240 The universality of the heart, which enables them to feel for, and make allowances for all. 1900E. Holmes What is Poetry? 65 Universality, not individuality, is of the essence of the poet's genius.
c. The fact of knowing everybody or a large number of persons; extensiveness of (acquaintance).
1791Paine Rights of Man 89 By the universality of his acquaintance. 1838Ticknor in Life, etc. (1876) II. ix. 182 He added, that he himself had never seen him so as to know him..; a curious fact, considering Roger's own universality.
II.
5. The entire or whole body or number, the whole, of the people, a nation, mankind, etc., regarded collectively; also, the bulk or mass of the people. Now arch. (Cf. university 2.)
1561T. Norton Calvin's Inst. i. 7 Shall the whole vniuersalitie of the world be without this prerogatiue? 1588Copy of a Letter in Harl. Misc. (1809) II. 82 The universality of the people through the realm. 1655Theophania 77 The vast frame of the world may be shaken, and the universality of nature suffer a change. 1673Essex Papers (Camden) I. 65 Y⊇ Universallity of their Clergie,..& all their Merchants. 1680H. More Apocal. Apoc. 163 One mighty City..consisting of the Universality of Cities considered as one. 1709Strype Ann. Reformation ii. 72 So averse did the universality of the nation stand against popery. 1737L. Clarke Hist. Bible vi. 356/1 Innumerable Acclamations..by the Universality of the People. 1874Green Short Hist. iv. §5. 203 The consent of the prelates, earls, barons, and universality of the realm.
†b. The whole world; the universe. Obs. rare.
a1586Sidney Arcadia iii. x, What madd furie can ever so enveagle any conceipte, as to see our mortall..selves to have a reason, and that this universalitie (whereof we are but the lest pieces) should be utterly devoide thereof? 1593Queen Elizabeth Boeth. iii. pr. xii. 72 That God was he that ruld the vniuersalitie by the raynes of goodnes.
†c. The whole people or state; the people in general. Obs.
1614Raleigh Hist. World v. iii. 496 The Common happinesse of the vniuersalitie. 1644[H. Parker] Jus Populi 18 The Parliament differs many wayes from the rude bulk of the universality. 1675Machiavelli's Prince xvii. Exorbitant mercy has an ill effect upon the whole universality.
†d. The whole subject; a matter or subject regarded generally or as a whole. Obs.—1
1726Leoni Alberti's Archit. II. 5/1, I shall speak first of those wherein this particular Art is most concerned; and as for the others, which relate to the universality, they shall serve by way of epilogue.
6. pl. Something which extends to all the members of a class; a general statement or description, a generality. Obs.
a1591H. Smith Sinful Man (1592) A 5 To the Heathen hee shewed vniuersalities and antiquities. 1608D. T[uvill] Ess. Pol. & Mor. 9 Simple men; who..beeing vnable to iudge, or conceiue of vniuersalities, suffer themselues..to be wholly guided by their externall sense. 1629H. Burton Truth's Triumph 210 The deceitful man loueth to walke in vniuersalities or generalities. 1647Jer. Taylor Lib. Proph. ix. 162 If you can..determine those great questions which consist much in universalities, then also you may determine the particulars.
†b. A universal medicine or remedy; a panacea. Obs.—1
1756W. Toldervy Hist. 2 Orphans IV. 126 Men who..poyson you with universalities, medicines that are generally ineffectual, and of whose formations they are quite unacquainted.
†7. A collective whole or body, as distinct from one of the parts of which it is composed. (Cf. 5.)
1622Breton Strange News C 3 b, Neare the chiefe Citie of Nullibi, in an vniuersalitie, in stead of an Vniuersitie,..there was a deepe studient in the secrets of Nature. 1642View Print. Book int. Observat. 8 Kingdome or Regnum denotes an universalitie or body collected. [1875Poste Gaius ii. com. (ed. 2) 290 As single things can be bequeathed, so can a universality.]
†8. Something which exists everywhere or in all things: a universal being. Obs.—1
1681Whole Duty Nations 7 He himself is the prime Unity and Universality. |