generaltyn.
/ˈdʒɛnərəlti/, /ˈdʒɛnərl̩ti/, U.S. /ˈdʒɛnərəlti/ I. Senses relating to general adj. Cf. generality n. I.† 1. The fact or quality of being general (in various senses); generalness, breadth; universality. Obsolete.† 4. The general staff of an army. Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > [noun]
generalty?c1400
generality?a1425
wideness?a1425
generalness1561
c1400 J. Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1871) III. 442 Þe generalte of þis preyere lettes not oure Lord God to here syngulere personys, aftur þei ben worþi.
?a1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac Grande Chirurgie (N.Y. Acad. Med.) f. 148 (MED) In dewe administracioun of 6 þingez not naturale, & 3 þat for her generaltee ar annexed to hem, as ar aier, mete & drynke, inanicioun.
a1500 (?c1378) J. Wyclif Eng. Wks. (1880) 431 (MED) Þis mouyde men in many agis to paye to god þe tenþe part, so þat bi þis þey confessiden to hym þe generalte of his lordchip.
1596 W. Lambarde Perambulation of Kent (rev. ed.) 175 The name of this place [sc. Hyde], importing..by the generaltie [1576 generalitie] thereof, some note of woorthinesse.
a1676 M. Hale Hist. Common Law (1713) ii. 24 The Municipal Laws..include in their Generalty all those several Laws which are allowed, as the Rule and Direction of..Judicial Proceedings.
1713 M. Hale Hist. & Anal. Common Law Eng. ii. 24 The Municipal Laws..are of a vast Extent, and indeed include in their Generalty all those several Laws which are allowed.
1719 J. Lilly Pract. Conveyancer I. 321/2 The ensuing Clause..expounds the Generalty of the words of the precedent Branch.
2. The main body, the greater part; the majority of. Usually with plural agreement in later use.
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
?c1430 (c1400) Rule St. Francis (Corpus Cambr.) in F. D. Matthew Eng. Wks. Wyclif (1880) 43 Ȝif it seme ony tyme to þe generalte of mynystris..þat þe forseide mynyster is not sufficient to þe seruyce [etc.].
1525 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles II. ccxxviii. [ccxxiv.] 716 Ye ought rather to entertayne the generaltie of your realme than the ydell wordes of two knyghtes.
1640 T. Nabbes Bride sig. A3 To the Generalty of His Noble friends, Gentlemen of the severall Honorable Houses the Inns of Court.
1673 M. Poole Seasonable Apol. for Relig. 60 It is very likely the generalty of these Objectors are guilty of the gross neglect of some or all these means.
1780 J. Jay Let. 23 May in Sel. Lett. John Jay & Sarah Livingston Jay (2005) ii. 83 One Reason perhaps why the Mules of this Country exceed those of others is that the Generalty of their Horses is better.
1822 Times 27 Dec. 3/2 The incidents are extremely puerile, yet perhaps not unsuited to the taste of the generalty of the holiday folk.
1857 L. Wray in H. S. Olcott Sorgho & Imphee ii. 227 It [sc. imphee] is much more juicy than the generalty of sugar canes, and contains far less woody fiber.
1951 N. Schachner Thomas Jefferson (1957) 772 The generalty of the planters and all of the yeomen, he knew, would continue to follow his banner.
2004 Africa News (Nexis) 1 July Prof. Gana appealed to Nigerians to be patient because the government means well for the generalty of the people of this country.
3. A thing having a general character; a general statement, term, proposition, etc. Now chiefly in plural.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > philosophy > logic > logical classification > [noun] > logical concept > general concept
notiona1398
generalty1442
intention?1545
concept1561
conceit1576
conceptus1643
conception1701
1442 T. Bekington Let. in G. Williams Mem. Reign Henry VI (1872) II. 181 (MED) And so ye may grounde you upon the generalte, ffor the same Archediaken [promised] al the children to be at our disposicion.
1502 in Lett. Rich. III & Hen. VII (Rolls) II. 108 He had shewid to them no specialties of our communicacions, but only the generalties.
1533 T. More Apol. xlv, in Wks. 916/1 This pacifyer will fall fro the bablyng of a generaltie..and come to the naming of any one persone special.
1567 J. Maplet Greene Forest f. 8v I must needes..speake of the Gem: for that we haue beene occasioned, and shall be hereafter to vse it as the generaltie or notion of the name.
1735 tr. Rep. Sir H. Yelverton (ed. 3) 223 The Issue is taken on a Specialty, and not on a Generalty.
1850 Southern Literary Messenger 16 187/1 When experimental science shall have so far enlarged its boundaries, as..to see the need of the grand generalties which this poor drunkard has strewn to the winds.
1898 Times 10 Dec. 7/1 These considerations..are no mere generalties, but are based upon close observation of German feeling.
1925 L. Vold in Q. Jrnl. Univ. N. Dakota May 356 The generalities regarding limited specific grants of federal police power and progressive interpretation are not difficult to indicate.
1995 Vancouver Sun (Nexis) 14 Oct. a21 Sihota said the transportation ministry officials may have been talking in generalties about difficulties with the treasury board.
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
1643 W. Prynne Soveraigne Power Parl. App. 178 The Earle of Egmont..by the advice of the Councell of Estate, and of the Generalty, had..been..sent into Spain.
5. French History. = generality n. 5. Obsolete.
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
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Generalité,..a generaltie; a place of generall receit of the finances.
1687 tr. G. Brice New Descr. Paris i. 41 In this Street are many very fair houses. About three or four years since the Sieur Douilly Receiver of the Generalty of Poitiers, built one over against the Nuns of S. Thomas.
1730 T. Salmon Mod. Hist. XII. 445 The Generalties of Montpelier and Toulouse..have but one Intendant; so that there are but twenty-four Intendants in the twenty-five Generalties.
1788 Times 15 Nov. 3/3 Is the number of deputies to be determined in proportion to the governments, generalties, province, [etc.].
1847 G. P. R. James Life Henry IV I. 389 The minister proposed..to visit several of the principal generalties of the kingdom.
6. The office, position, or functions of a general. Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > warrior > soldier > leader or commander > officer by rank > [noun] > general > position of
generalship1575
generalate1613
generaltya1645
generality1686
generalcy1840
a1645 W. Browne tr. M. Le Roy Hist. Polexander (1647) iii. v. 147 The Emperour..put a terrible Army into the Field, divided the Generalty between Achomat and Haly Basha, and gave the command of the Janizaries to Solyman.
1660 B. Francis Poems 13 I hither drew, And like my President supplanted you, First having by my Patrons Policy, Advanced Fleetwood to the Generalty.
Phrases
In adverbial phrases.ΚΠ
1402 T. Hoccleve Lepistre Cupide (Huntington) 403 in Minor Poems (1925) 89 God..If he in womman knowe had swich malice As men of hem recorde in generaltee, Of our lady of lyf reparatrice Nolde han be born.
c1449 R. Pecock Repressor (1860) 130 This present book and The iust apprising of Holi Scripture, as in generalte, schewen vndoutabli..that myche moral philsophie..is..necessarie to be leerned, as weel as the Bible.
1561 T. Norton tr. J. Calvin Inst. Christian Relig. iv. x. f. 67 It specially betokeneth that which had in generaltie rather been pointed to than declared.
1600 J. Darrell Doctr. Possession Demoniakes iii. 90 in True Narrat. Vexation by Devil To sanctify and blesse what soeuer iudgment of god is vpon vs in generalty, or any of vs in particuler.
ΚΠ
a1513 R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) II. f. ccxxvi One other cause was, whiche ensuyth of a Generaltie, that for the more partie one Mayer wyll nat fynesshe that thynge whiche that other begynneth.
1549 M. Coverdale et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. II. 1 Tim. ii. f. viv In a generaltye it is not expedient that the state of the commune wealth shoulde be dysturbed by meanes of vs.
1556 N. Grimald tr. Cicero Thre Bks. Duties Pref. sig. C vii For when she hathe tolde in a generaltie, what is honest..then may men, by intelligence perceiuing the trouth, truly expresse the same in euerie particular deede.
1642 W. Bird Mag. of Honour 52 In this our Common-wealth of England, me thinks that a Baron may be described in a generalty, answerable to every kind thereof in this manner.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2009; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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