generalityn.
/ˌdʒɛnəˈralᵻti/, U.S. /ˌdʒɛnəˈrælədi/ I. Senses relating to general adj.† 4. The general staff of an army. Obsolete.
1.
a. The fact or quality of being general (in various senses); generalness, imprecision, or (occasionally) an instance of this.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > [noun]
generalty?c1400
generality?a1425
wideness?a1425
generalness1561
?a1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac Grande Chirurgie (N.Y. Acad. Med.) f. 80 (MED) Solucion forsoþ of continuite is set for generalitee i. kynde [L. genere]..& how many beþ spices of it.
?a1450 in C. von Nolcken Middle Eng. Transl. Rosarium Theol. (1979) 57 Petre apostele, for þe primatte or first dignite of his aposteleed, bare in figurate generalite þe persoun of holy chirche.
c1485 ( G. Hay Bk. Law of Armys (2005) 170 Vnder a claus of generalitee.
1540 T. Wyatt Let. to Cromwell in W. H. Siek T. Wyatt's Compl. Holograph Writings (1974) ii. 619 [He] takithe occasion at the generalite off the article off his owne mariage..wherin is no mention off dote nor dowaire.
1587 A. Fleming et al. Holinshed's Chron. (new ed.) III. 1027/1 So also was it generallie doone throughout all England, in which generalitie this citie was of a particularitie.
1628 T. Spencer Art of Logick 256 As we found in a simple axiome, so shall we finde in a simple Syllogisme..generalitie, and specialitie.
1726 J. Ayliffe Parergon Juris Canonici Anglicani 346 A Libel ought..to be free from..Generality, Obscurity, Duplicity, Conditionality, and Disunity.
1775 E. Burke Corr. (1844) II. 84 When an epitaph is very short, it is in danger of getting into a cold generality.
1805 J. Foster Essays II. iv. iii. 150 That uncoloured neutral vehicle of expression..which may be called the language of generality.
1857 W. Whewell Hist. Inductive Sci. (ed. 3) I. 208 The Predicables are the five steps which the gradations of generality and particularity introduce;—genus, species, difference, individual, accident.
1865 G. Grote Plato I. i. 86 Handled in a spirit of empty generality, without facts or particulars.
1936 Mind 45 185 The waltz is a species of dance, i.e. subordinate in generality to it, and therefore the connateness between dancing and the waltz is asymmetrical.
1968 Brit. Jrnl. Psychiatry 114 1064/1 Early learning may be characterized by generality rather than specificity.
1992 Times Lit. Suppl. 28 Feb. 26/4 Altogether, it is a hard book to use... Many passages are at a high level of generality, and the overall effect is rather stodgy.
b. Broad occurrence or distribution; prevalence; commonness. Now rare.
ΚΠ
1563 N. Winȝet Certain Tractates (1888) I. 76 Nocht distincting this generalitie of sin.
1597 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie v. i. 3 The generalitie of which perswasion argueth, that God hath imprinted it by nature.
1623 G. Markham Countrey Contentments (rev. ed.) i. vi. 217 Oats..are of all manner of graine the cheapest because of their generality.
1692 J. Ray Dissol. World (1732) ii. 118 Save only the Generality of it [sc. the Deluge].
1796 E. Burke Two Lett. Peace Regicide Directory France i. 68 We must not always judge of the generality of the opinion by the noise of the acclamation.
1874 R. Brown Man. Bot. iii. ix.419 Degrees of sterility.—The researches of Kölreuter and Gärtner show that there is a ‘high generality of some degree of sterility’ among hybrids.
1901 Daily Chron. 3 Sept. 7/4 The generality of the two-meal system in hot countries.
c. Wide or general applicability.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > relationship > relevance or pertinence > [noun]
pertinency1603
pertinence1610
touch1612
applicability1644
applicableness1647
relevancy1678
pertinentness1727
application1731
relevance1787
applicancy1808
extendibility1820
generality1830
germaneness1872
pointfulness1897
aboutness1906
1830 J. F. W. Herschel Prelim. Disc. Study Nat. Philos. 102 We arrive at axioms of the highest degree of generality of which science is capable.
1871 J. Tyndall Fragm. Sci. (1879) I. iii. 87 Let us test the generality of this conclusion.
1932 C. I. Lewis & C. H. Langford Symbolic Logic ix. 282 Functions like this one, which can be expressed in equivalent form by means of functions of a lower degree of generality, will be said to be reducible.
1991 Lang. in Society 20 iv. 603 In order to assure the generality of our findings, the communities were selected to represent all of the major dialect groups.
2. † b. In plural. The general course. Obsolete. rare.
a. A thing which is general; †a general class (obsolete); a general point, principle, or law; (in later use chiefly) a general proposition or statement, esp. one regarded as excessively broad or sweeping. Usually in plural.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > [noun] > a general class, point, proposition, or description
generalityc1443
general1550
universality1572
c1443 R. Pecock Reule of Crysten Religioun (1927) 404 (MED) A mannys desijr schal be more pullid vp and we schulen be more feruently and quycly moued to desire and aske, if we aske boonys in her dyuersite specialitees, þan if we aske hem alle to gidere vndir oon generalite.
1540 T. Wyatt Let. to Cromwell in W. H. Siek T. Wyatt's Compl. Holograph Writings (1974) ii. 616 By cause I perceyvid I shold have of hym but suche generalites I stake not wt hym in that matter.
1541 in Bannatyne Misc. (1827) I. 262 Certain generaliteis contenit into sum of the saids artikles.
1551 Bp. S. Gardiner Of Presence in Sacrament 37 b It hath no apparaunce of lernyng in scriptures, to conclude vnder one consideration a specialtie, & a generalitie.
1562 T. Norton tr. J. Calvin Inst. Christian Relig. (new ed.) ii. iv. 139 Vnder the example of one speciall sort, he comprehendeth the whole generalitie [1561 generaltie].
1597 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie v. ix. 16 With..popular capacities nothing doth more preuaile then vnlimited generalities.
1623 N. Ferrar Diary 24 Feb. in D. R. Ransome 17th-cent. Polit. & Financial Papers (1996) i. 27 Allwaies the Spanyards had treated uppon generallyties & would never com to the particulars.
1640 Bp. J. Hall Episcopacie ii. §11. 147 Lest any man should construe these words onely of a generality of reverent respects.
1656 J. Smith Myst. Rhetorique Unvail'd 191 Apposition is a figure of Construction... This figure is made for a threefold consideration: viz. 1. For the restraining of a generality: as, Animal equus, a living creature, an horse.
1791 E. Burke Appeal New to Old Whigs 23 It was always in his power to bring the questions from generalities to facts.
1822 W. Hazlitt Table-talk II. viii. 193 Keep to your sounding generalities, your tinkling phrases and all will be well.
1860 J. L. Motley Hist. Netherlands (1868) I. ii. 63 He was very cautious to confine himself to generalities.
1868 J. E. T. Rogers Man. Polit. Econ. viii. 72 The illustration was, that food increases in an arithmetical, population in a geometrical ratio. This generality has been adversely commented on, and with justice.
1942 Far Eastern Surv. 11 222/1 A study of the Japanese mind, couched not in facile generalities but in terms of actual people observed by the author.
1996 Church Hist. 65 664 A certain type of person wants broad generalities about a historical period, uncluttered by oddities, exceptions, or messy details.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > existence > state or condition > tendency > [noun] > course or direction
current1607
generalitiesa1628
bent1649
duct1650
turn1690
run1699
movement1789
swim1869
trend1884
a1628 F. Greville Life of Sidney (1651) xvi. 221 Ever guiding the generalities of the Voyage.
3. Usually with plural agreement.
a. The greater part of a set of persons or things; the bulk, the majority.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > wholeness > incompleteness > part of whole > [noun] > a great part or proportion > the greater part, the majority
the more partOE
the best part ofOE
(the) more parta1350
(the) most parta1350
(the) most part alla1350
(the) most party1372
for (also be, in) the most part (also deal, party)a1387
the better part ofa1393
the mo?a1400
most forcea1400
substancea1413
corsec1420
generalty?c1430
the greater partc1430
three quartersc1470
generalityc1485
the most feck1488
corpse1533
most1553
nine-tenths?1556
better half1566
generality?1570
pluralityc1570
body1574
the great body (of)1588
flush1592
three fourths1600
best1601
heap1609
gross1625
lump1709
bulk1711
majority1714
nineteen in twenty1730
balance1747
sweighta1800
heft1816
chief1841
the force1842
thick end1847
c1485 ( G. Hay Bk. Knychthede (1993) iii. 15 All the generalitee of knychtis jn erde.
1648 Bp. J. Wilkins Math. Magick i. xi. 70 The generality of men, especially the wisest sort amongst them.
a1690 Bp. E. Hopkins Serm. (1708) vii. 140 These Things the generality of Mankind..firmly believe.
1694 J. Collier Misc. iii. 12 To be fond of any thing..because the generality of Mankind wants it,..arises from an unbenevolent and ungenerous Temper.
1703 tr. G. Della Casa Galateo of Manners 44 With such idle insignificant Stuff; for such the generality of Dreams are.
1734 T. Smith Jrnl. 4 Apr. (1849) 266 As hot a day as the generality of summer.
1759 W. Robertson Hist. Scotl. I. iii. 240 An hundred merks Scotch was the allowance which their liberality afforded to the generality of Ministers.
1808 J. Webster Elem. Nat. Philos. (new ed.) 156 The generality of clouds are suspended at about the height of a mile.
1837 ‘N. Polson’ Subaltern's Sick Leave 111 There were and still are Boers too in this province, but the generality of the population is British.
1845 J. R. McCulloch Treat. Taxation ii. iv. 192 It would then, like the generality of customs duties, fall wholly on the importers, or on the consumers here.
1889 M. H. Hayes Illustr. Horse-breaking ii. 64 The generality of men, when they lunge a colt or filly, will circle the young one more to the left than to the right.
1945 Times 16 Nov. 5/5 For the generality of the population nearly all the caloric requirement can be supplied by carbohydrate foods of vegetable origin.
1999 Resid. Renting (National Federation Residential Landlords) Dec. 14/3 The generality of landlords want their good tenants to stay in order to minimise voids.
b. The greater part of a set or group of people; people in general or as a whole, the multitude. Now rare.Sometimes difficult to distinguish from elliptical use of 3a.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > [noun] > the generality
commona1382
commonalty1547
generality?1570
commonality1647
the ruck1847
the world > relative properties > wholeness > incompleteness > part of whole > [noun] > a great part or proportion > the greater part, the majority
the more partOE
the best part ofOE
(the) more parta1350
(the) most parta1350
(the) most part alla1350
(the) most party1372
for (also be, in) the most part (also deal, party)a1387
the better part ofa1393
the mo?a1400
most forcea1400
substancea1413
corsec1420
generalty?c1430
the greater partc1430
three quartersc1470
generalityc1485
the most feck1488
corpse1533
most1553
nine-tenths?1556
better half1566
generality?1570
pluralityc1570
body1574
the great body (of)1588
flush1592
three fourths1600
best1601
heap1609
gross1625
lump1709
bulk1711
majority1714
nineteen in twenty1730
balance1747
sweighta1800
heft1816
chief1841
the force1842
thick end1847
?1570 tr. Shepardes Kalendar (rev. ed.) xx. sig. H.i Hereafter foloweth how euery estate should order them in their degree... Of all women... The generalitie.
1582 R. Mulcaster 1st Pt. Elementarie xv. 101 By writing as the generalitie doth, he gaineth the generalitie to be of his side.
1622 R. Hawkins Observ. Voiage South Sea xlv. 111 Whatsoever belongeth to her of tackling, sayles, or Ordinance, is to bee preserved for the generalitie: saving a peece of Artillery for the Captaine.
1624 J. Smith Gen. Hist. Virginia iv. 119 Many will make hay whilst the sunne doth shine, how euer it shall faire with the generality.
1660 T. Stanley Hist. Philos. III. i. 8 His Country summoned him to some publick employment, that he might benefit the generality.
1722 D. Defoe Jrnl. Plague Year 22 The Generality stay'd, and seem'd to abide the worst.
1790 J. Beattie Let. in Sir W. Forbes Life (1824) ccxiii. 380 It is plain that the generality are actuated by a levelling principle of the worst kind.
1876 J. B. Mozley Serm. preached Univ. of Oxf. iv. 84 The generality are sent into the world for their own moral benefit.
1897 F. Hall in Nation (N.Y.) 64 396/2 The phrases here collected will reveal, to the generality who read this letter, that, [etc.].
1991 A. Hourani Hist. Arab Peoples ii. xi. 175 Philosophy was for the élite (khass ); for the generality (amm ), the literal meaning was sufficient.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > warrior > soldier > leader or commander > officer or soldier of rank > [noun] > staff officer > staff of officers
ordinary1526
generality1578
generalty1643
staff1781
état-major1805
headquarters1812
horse guards1826
higher command1842
high command1904
family1907
1578 T. Nicholas tr. F. Lopez de Gómara Pleasant Hist. Conquest W. India 99 The other letter was firmed by the generalitye [Sp. cabildo] and chiefest of the army.
1676 London Gaz. No. 1094/1 The Imperial Generality is now broke up from Eslingen, and the whole Army marches towards the Rhine.
II. Senses relating to French généralité; cf. generalty n. II.† 6. The title or position of general. Obsolete. rare.
5. French History. A fiscal and administrative division of the historic kingdom of France, under the control of an officer called général des finances or intendant.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > rule or government > territorial jurisdiction or areas subject to > an administrative division of territory > [noun] > in France
canton1611
generalty1611
generality1615
arrondissement1746
section1785
commune1790
department1793
inspection1888
1615 E. Grimeston tr. P. d'Avity Estates 78 In euery generallitie there are diuers elections or places for the receipt of the reuenues.
1630 tr. G. Botero Relations Famous Kingdomes World (rev. ed.) 167 Of these Generalities are twenty and one in all France.
1714 tr. French Bk. of Rates 156 Forbidding also the Intendants and Governours of Provinces or Generalities..to deliver any..Permits, for bringing any such Goods into France.
1792 A. Young Trav. France 577 The kingdom was parcelled into generalities, with an intendant at the head of each.
1811 J. Black tr. A. von Humboldt Polit. Ess. New Spain I. 282 The generalities in France were governed by sub-delegates, who exercised their functions under the orders of the intendant.
1877 J. Morley Crit. Misc. 2nd Ser. 194 There were three different divisions of France in the 18th Century... Third, the Generality, or a district defined for fiscal and administrative purposes.
1917 C. D. Hazen French Revol. & Napoleon i. 61 The real, prosaic work was done in the thirty six ‘generalities’, as another set of divisions was called.
1998 Cartographica (Nexis) Dec. In 1630-35, the monarchy had created a new corps of officers, the intendants, which it placed in the provinces or generalites.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > warrior > soldier > leader or commander > officer by rank > [noun] > general > position of
generalship1575
generalate1613
generaltya1645
generality1686
generalcy1840
1686 F. Spence tr. A. Varillas Ἀνεκδοτα Ἑτερουιακα 99 They changed his generality [Fr. Généralité] and quality of Count, into that of Duke.
Phrases
In adverbial phrases. P1. in (also under) a generality and variants: (a) in a general manner; in general terms; (b) †in a group, as a whole, collectively (obsolete). Now rare.
ΚΠ
1482 Monk of Evesham 76 As y haue schortely aboue seyde vnder a certen generalyte.
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 149 This for an introduction & in a generalytie to shewe howe many partes of speche there be.
1588 in Harl. Misc. (Malham) II. 77 The people of his country, in a generality, did amongst themselves determine, that, [etc.].
1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie i. xiv. 26 The new Comedy came in place, more ciuill and pleasant a great deale and not touching any man by name, but in a certaine generalitie glancing at euery abuse.
1677 J. Logan Analogia Honorum ii. ix. 48 In this our Kingdom, it is my Opinion, that a Baron may be described in a generality, answerable unto every special kind thereof in this manner.
2003 North Bay (Ont.) Nugget (Nexis) 3 July You are, of course, correct. I spoke in a generality; heart attacks in women your age are rare enough to be considered medical curiosities.
P2. in generality: for the most part, in general; (also) in general terms. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > in general [phrase] > in general terms or not in detail
in substancec1425
in gross1430
at large1533
generally speaking1549
in generality1563
in the general1584
as to the general1617
in general1621
by and large1707
in the vague1851
1563 2nd Tome Homelyes sig. Rrrr.iii Howesoeuer the worlde in generalitie is forgetfull of God: let vs particularly attende to our tyme.
1576 W. Lambarde Perambulation of Kent 6 Hauing thus before hand exhibited in generalitie, the names, scituation, and compasse of the Realme [etc.].
1606 T. Palmer Ess. Meanes to make Trauailes more Profitable ii. 69 Now seeing all people of a State are vnder subiection in generalitie, in this place the nature of a people must bee sought out of such as are free from slauery and miserie.
a1639 D. Digges Compl. Ambassador (1655) 371 I can as yet deliver your Lordship no more, but this in generality.
1905 Times 5 Aug. 7/1 Conservatives..would specifically adopt measures which in generality they were willing to allow to pass by.
P3. in (also for) the generality: in the majority of cases; for the most part; (also occasionally) in general terms. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > in general [phrase] > for the most part
for the more party1372
for (also be, in) the most part (also deal, party)a1387
for the more partc1405
for (the) most partc1405
much dealc1425
in substancea1450
for the mostc1531
in (also for) the generality1580
for the general1581
in (also for, on, upon) the maina1591
largely1594
principally1600
in chiefa1616
mainly1640
nine times (parts, etc.) out of (also in, of) ten1648
greatly1742
as a rule1828
1580 Hooper's Certeine Expos. Psalmes f. 113 In the generalitie we be very godly, and can commend al godly martyrs and sufferers for Gods sake: but (alas) in the particularitie we be very vngodly.
1647 T. May Hist. Parl. i. ii. 19 On which side the common people in the generality..stood.
1655 H. L'Estrange Reign King Charles 19 The Country Captains of the Train-bands were (for the generality) very unskilfull.
1684 R. Howlett School Recreat. 10 If you would chuse a swift, light Hound, the York-shire one in the generality will please you.
1709 F. Hauksbee Physico-mech. Exper. v. 159 Small Loadstones (for the generality) have a stronger attractive Power (in proportion to their bulk) than the large ones have.
1726 J. Ayliffe Parergon Juris Canonici Anglicani 159 And these Certificates do only in the generality mention the Parties Contumacies and Disobedience.
1756 G. Smith tr. Laboratory (new ed.) II. i. 12 For the generality, they [sc. the medals] are made of pure gold or silver.
1817 W. Irving Let. 26 May in Lett. W. Irving to H. Brevoort (1927) II. 29 In the generality our booksellers are so much on the grasp and the stretch that they never know what their profits are.
1890 Eng. Hist. Rev. 5 52 His highness did what he pleased in the generality.
1963 Times 8 May 12/1 The Commons, in the generality, nevertheless seemed basically agreed that security was the main question.
2006 Africa News (Nexis) 17 Nov. Angola's National Assembly approved on Thursday evening, in generality, the Government's General Programme for the 2007/2008 biennium.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2009; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.?a1425