general1 adjectivegeneral2 noun
generalgen‧e‧ral1 /ˈdʒenərəl/ ●●● S1 W1 adjective [usually before noun] 
WORD ORIGINgeneral1
Origin:
1100-1200 French, Latin generalis ‘of the whole type’, from genus; ➔ GENUSEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- the general manager
- The course is called 'A General Introduction to Computing'.
- There has been a general decline in educational standards.
- This general description of the countryside oversimplifies what is really a very complicated pattern of soils and climate.
- This course is a general introduction to banking and finance.
- This guidebook will give you a good general idea of the city.
- Twenty years ago, most children got a good general education in public schools.
- Your voice reveals much about your general health.
- A general obligation bond is repaid through property taxes.
- Because of its special mechanism of action, there is no general cross resistance between this drug and antibiotics in other substance classes.
- But, throughout his essay, his use of language suggests that he is making more general claims.
- It may also be asked to consider general staffing matters.
- Perhaps, after all, a general election is only the sublimation of a darned good riot.
- We have no general checks even on preserving our resource base.
- Wilson's position makes sense of a great deal in the history of general biological theory before and since 1900.
THESAURUS
used when saying that something is usually true in most situations, or about most people or things: · In general, temporary jobs are less well-paid.· In general, the bigger a company becomes, the harder it is to maintain customer satisfaction.
another way of saying ‘in general’, which is often used before a verb. Generally can also be used to say that most people have a particular opinion: · Women generally live longer than men.· Newton is generally regarded as the father of modern science.
other ways of saying ‘in general’: · Generally speaking, large breeds of dog are becoming less popular.· He’s a singer who doesn’t do interviews, as a rule.· The graduates are, generally speaking, a confident and articulate group of young people.
used when saying that something is true about most people or things, or about most of something. Largely is slightly more formal than mostly or mainly: · The disease mainly affects women.· Their attempts were largely unsuccessful.· The students were mostly French and German, but there were a few Japanese students too.
used when saying that something is true in most cases, but not in every case: · These problems have for the most part been resolved.· For the most part, the gangs were made up of boys aged between 11 and 16.
used for saying that something is true in most ways or in most cases: · The project was, by and large, a success.· On the whole, people were very friendly.
Longman Language Activatornot containing many details a general description or explanation of something contains the most basic information but does not include all the details: · The course is called 'A General Introduction to Computing'.· This general description of the countryside oversimplifies what is really a very complicated pattern of soils and climate.a general idea (=basic knowledge): · This guidebook will give you a good general idea of the city.
not exact or complete, but with enough details for you to understand something: rough plan/outline etc: · We've drawn up a rough plan but we haven't worked out all the costs.· I have not been able to do more than suggest the rough outline of this approach. a rough idea (=a basic explanation or understanding): · Give us a rough idea of what you're trying to do.
: broad outline/generalization etc giving you basic information, so that you can understand a situation, but not giving many details: · Can you give me a broad outline of what the speech was about?· It's only a short course, but it's enough to give you a broad understanding of the subject.· To say that people are healthier than they used to be is a broad generalization -- the reality is a little more complex.
: outline knowledge/agreement/approval etc based on general principles, not on exact details: · Students taking this course need to have at least an outline knowledge of computing.· The two leaders have reached an outline agreement on controlling short range nuclear weapons.
if you do not go into detail when you are telling someone about something, you only give them the basic facts, without any details: · It was only a quick explanation - he didn't really go into detail.
ways of saying that something usually happens · I don't know where Jack is - he's usually home by this time.· Wolves usually hunt in packs.· What's come over Jim? He isn't usually this grumpy.· The sea here is generally calm.· Generally, these small stores do not keep fresh meat or vegetables.· We're generally finished by about 4:30.
on most occasions, unless something unusual happens: · The museum isn't normally as crowded as this.· His normally cheerful face looked sad for a moment.
use this to say what usually happens: · As a general rule, the police may only enter your house if you invite them in.· We do not, as a rule, provide funds for this type of project.
almost always: · Nine times out of ten I just skip breakfast and have a coffee.· Nine times out of ten, jobs that become vacant are filled from inside the organization.
if something is routinely done, tested, checked etc, it is usually done as part of the normal process of working, doing a job etc: · The cars are routinely tested for safety and reliability before leaving the factory.· We routinely test patients for high blood pressure and diabetes.· It later emerged that prisoners at the camp were routinely tortured, and many executed.
in the way that a particular type of thing usually happens, for example what type of person is usually involved, what group something usually affects etc: · Victims of mugging are typically young men in their early 20s.· This disease typically affects young cattle.· Typically, gasoline taxes are used to fund road-building programs.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
I have a general idea of what I want to express. He spoke in general terms about greater competitiveness. We’re trying to raise awareness about the environment in general and air pollution in particular. I hate paperwork as a general rule. These courses are based around topics of general interest. Watford General Hospital Pat and his friend were in the general area of the crime when it happened. They started walking in the general direction of the pub. the general managerCOLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES You will need to have a general anaesthetic (=one that makes you completely unconscious). I spent the summer helping out as a general dogsbody. during the 1987 general election campaign an attempt to persuade the government to hold a general election (=have a general election) the general manager of Chevrolet The meeting will be open to the general public. a general knowledge quiz the general tenor of her speech
I have a general idea of what I want to express. He spoke in general terms about greater competitiveness. We’re trying to raise awareness about the environment in general and air pollution in particular. I hate paperwork as a general rule. These courses are based around topics of general interest. Watford General Hospital Pat and his friend were in the general area of the crime when it happened. They started walking in the general direction of the pub. the general manager (=that concerns the main aim rather than all the details)· The overall aim of the project is to encourage young people to stay in higher education.· Guided by the general aim of the project, we aimed to reach a number of key objectives.
You will need to have a general anaesthetic (=one that makes you completely unconscious).· The second phase of the project is to improve the town’s overall appearance.
· Many governments have pursued this general approach to economic policy.
(=from most people)· McGill’s views did not meet with general approval.
(=that covers the main features or parts of something, not the details)· The doctor must carry out a general assessment of the patient’s health.
· There’s a common assumption that science is more difficult than other subjects.
· His general attitude to our situation was unsympathetic.
· Our range of programmes come into three broad categories.
· The book begins with some general historical concepts.
· There was general confusion about the effects of the new law.
· Most decisions are reached by general consensus.
· This problem is occurring within a general context of economic difficulty.
(=not detailed)· He started by giving us a general description of the manufacturing process.
(=approximately where something is)· He pointed in the general direction of the village.
I spent the summer helping out as a general dogsbody. (=one in which the whole country votes to elect a government)· Labour’s victory in the general election gave them a huge majority.
(=shared by a lot of people)· The general expectation was for married couples to have children.
· Swimming is good for your mobility and general fitness.
during the 1987 general election campaign an attempt to persuade the government to hold a general election (=have a general election)· The general public is not at any risk from the gas leak.
· The general public are not at any risk from the gas leak.
(=when many people feel there is not much hope)· Amid the general gloom, there are some positive signs.
(=the health of your whole body rather than a particular part)· A balanced diet will improve your general health.
· The general impression was of a very efficiently run company.
· There has been a general improvement in the standard of living.
· There is a need for a general inquiry into the train company’s safety standards.
(=knowledge about a lot of different subjects)· The questions are intended to test your general knowledge.
the general manager of Chevrolet especially British English (=that anyone, or anyone in a particular organization, can go to)· The annual general meeting of the rugby club was held last night.
(=the mood of a group of people)· One soldier expressed the general mood of fear and failure in a letter home.
(=the opinion that most people have about something)· The general opinion seems to be that the government has made a mess of the war.
(=the main ideas or parts of something rather than all the details)· The report gives only a broad outline of the company's performance.
(=concerning the main ideas or parts rather than all the details)· This chapter gives a broad overview of accounting practices in the UK.
· The general pattern of change has been one of upward mobility.
· The study is intended to provide an overall picture of political activity in the nation.
· I’d like to make one further general point.
· Ethnic minorities suffer more than the general population.
· He explained the general principles of the constitution.
The meeting will be open to the general public. a general knowledge quiz· In a general sense, a rapid rate of technological change creates uncertainty.
(=a shortage of lots of different kinds of things or people)· There was a general shortage of skilled workers.
(=when workers from most industries strike)· They threatened to call a general strike.
· There is widespread support for the Government’s proposal.
the general tenor of her speech (=one followed by most people or happening in most places)· There was a general trend towards marriage at a younger age.
(=what most people think)· The general view was that he had done well.
(=a ward for people with a particular medical condition)
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· The first part of this is a more general political question which can not be covered fully in an economics text.· Construction of an appropriate machine shows that phlogiston is but one form of that more general thing, energy.· They are not intended to serve as illustrations of something more general.· For those not afraid of Pythagoras, I 113 could write down a more general formula.· Some of the things I write are technical and aimed mostly at philosophers, and other things are much more general.· A more general consideration also motivates us to include semantics in the grammar of a language.· A more general course in Business Studies, which includes some Law, may be better for your career.· By the 80s it had become more general in the engineering industry.
NOUN· There is general agreement that copyright is a good idea.· There is a general agreement of how it came apart.· However, it is possible to identify a few fairly distinct elements upon which there was general agreement.· All but a few expressed general agreement with government actions.· One of the problems, though, is that there is no general agreement on what these characteristics should be.· Today there is general agreement that ozone is destroyed by chlorine.· Internal problems Inevitably achieving general agreement on market completion involved a delicate balancing of national interests.· Data on the phospholipid composition in gastric mucosa differ, but there is general agreement on the predominance of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine.
· Convenient: Distribution should not be confined to making materials available in the general area of use.· I lined up on the general area and made a gentle descent into the darkness.· It seems worth stating at the outset that there are two ways geographical research in this general area can proceed.· He loves them when no one is in the general area.· Also, assess the general area and facilities.· We will discuss each general area that can influence attention, beginning with comprehending sensations.· This is not surprising, if both reflect memories of an actual event in the same general area.· They spent nine months developing a set of 98 goals in 12 general areas.
· The general consensus is that few horses should be inconvenienced by the ground.· The general consensus is the show was a complete snooze, a letdown that garnered huge ratings and little else.· Most decisions are reached by general consensus with a minimum of formal voting. 7.· I think there is general consensus to change the welfare system; and that abuses should not be tolerated.· There is a general consensus that psychological processes are a function of the whole brain, not of its constituent parts.· In recent years, however, a general consensus has been reached that movies and television must have some influence on behavior.· But the odds being quoted reflect the general consensus that it is a three-horse race between Donegal, Derry and Down.· The general consensus is that worker influence on these boards has been limited.
· Simmons & Simmons energy partner Charles Bankes is set to become Ofgem's first general counsel under a two-year secondment.· Mr McLaughlin, 44 years old, was senior vice president, general counsel and secretary.· Robert Slaughter, the association's general counsel, said this lawsuit will continue.· John Liftin, Kidder general counsel, declined to comment.· Such charges have no basis in fact, according to John H.. Carley, Avis' general counsel.· But Allstate general counsel Robert Pike said agents were given a budget based on performance.
· Governors are responsible for the ethos and general direction of the school.· When I threw a half-hearted punch in his general direction, he knocked me down.· As the general direction of O'Neill's policies became clear, conservative Protestants began to organize against him.· Keoni began to head north-west, in the general direction of Hsu Fu.· Then one of the men shouted something, waving his arms in the general direction of the forest.· We sit down and talk about what has to be done, the general direction we want to go in.· It wasn't a bad one and it plunged wholeheartedly in the general direction of the board.· We will fire him a great distance, in the general direction of a wall in which two slots are cut.
· The party, which is part of the national coalition government, won 29 % in last year's general election.· A further general election in October of the same year gave him a majority of three.· The one factor that still tilts general election predictions in the Tories' favour is that their hillcrest position seems ultimately impregnable.· Their policy is to try to avoid making a decision this side of the general election.· Standing up to voters in the run-up to the general election is another matter.· The general election was now only a few months away.· The general election will be the opportunity for which we have waited.· The call, the first by any network, created the false impression that Bush had won the general election.
· I am advised that there were no serious repercussions for any patient at Sunderland general hospital last year.· For many patients, acute care came in county or city general hospitals where patients with contagious diseases were sent.· The local district general hospital is the only possibility.· We need now to transfer this quality of understanding of human need to general hospitals.· He's being treated for a punctured lung at the town's general hospital.· In others, the general hospital psychiatric service will be able to provide aftercare, including where necessary, family therapy.· The district general hospital in Barnsley, south Yorkshire called for such volunteers when 100 staff went sick.· Setting - Clinical investigation unit of teaching hospital recruiting from diabetes clinics of five teaching hospitals and one district general hospital.
· Of course, many details could be added to this simple description, but the account offered does capture the general idea.· This image then supports the general idea of the duality found throughout all of nature.· Jack has got some great general idea.· But I got the general idea.· It never seemed to occur to him that a general idea might be an entirely different sort of thing from an image.· The general idea is that the string is embedded in the program or operating system.· Again, this conclusion runs counter to the general idea of class differences in women's domesticity.· I know that's the general idea of an endowment mortgage.
· We will remember a general impression, but nothing definite.· Most of us can evaluate their performances only on the basis of a general impression and questionable memory.· The snaps these machines took never portrayed her at her best, but they would give the general impression.· He likes the general impression it makes.· The general impression has been that major capital schemes not requiring Treasury approval have been poorly appraised.· They give a good general impression of the size of the figures involved in a clear visual form.· It is inadequate and misleading to rely on general impressions in such churches.· The general impression of investigators is that the great majority of the graduates, in spite of certain difficulties, enjoy their work.
· It adds, it will be absorbing for all those with a general interest in the subject.· A worse fate has befallen the general interest, mass circulation magazines, once the dominant national media.· Each one of perhaps a group of four should prepare a brief summary of an article of general interest.· A few points of general interest might usefully be restated here.· Cuttings of general interest can be stored under different categories in box files.· As a foreigner and a teacher, I was the object of general interest and respect.· The first is the academic with a general interest in stylistic theory and practice.· Two results of general interest emerge from this preliminary analysis.
· Different titles in the series look at general knowledge, science, space adventure and dinosaurs.· There are three categories: general knowledge, entertainment and sports.· It has no general knowledge source to aid the process of disambiguation.· He indicated that he simply relied on his own general knowledge.· Good question for a general knowledge quiz.· He had an excellent vocabulary and a good fund of general knowledge.· If you have not time to acquire such general knowledge in a field then you hire some one who has.· Even while general knowledge of the virus advances, he said, many clergy are still in the dark.
· Knock in a series of pegs at regular intervals to obtain an overall general level.· If the general level of interest rates rises after issue, then the market price of the bond will fall.· In other words, general levels of income inequality have a positive effect on the incidence of political violence.· Her skills were about average for a child her age, but they were far below her general level of intelligence.· Rates will vary from time to time in line with the general level of interest rates.· Interest rates may vary from time to time in line with the general level of interest rates.· Parents and employers are likely to want a fairly general level of information without too much detail.· Survey questions pitched at a general level may elicit what respondents regard as socially approved values.
· George Hamlyn, 47, has been appointed general manager of Minories' Peugeot dealership at Stockton.· Not long after expressing interest, general manager Dan Duquette decided he has other priorities.· Calls to assistant general manager Mike Port came at a bad time.· But Edward Mertz, the division's general manager, predicts an 8% share by the mid-1990s.· He joined Hearst in 1984 as general manager of the Baltimore radio properties.· Given the commitment of general managers, resources will be found and expertise deployed where it is wanted by the managers.· From there, it was a short leap to the next pernicious development, thinking like a general manager.
· These rights may be waived by the shareholders at a general meeting so that the new capital may be raised by means of a placing.· The newcomer is one election at the annual general meeting of members in the Mourneview Park social club tomorrow night.· However, the rights of any member or of the auditors to insist on a general meeting are entrenched by section 253.· The annual general meeting of the city council then continued, chaired by the new mayor.· A general meeting was called for December 1990 when a new constitution was to be adopted.· The public flogging anticipated at the annual general meeting of the City watchdog, Fimbra, may well fail to materialise.· This is supposed to be a stag party, not an annual general meeting.
· Its incidence in the general population is not clearly established, but it is unlikely to be negligible.· For the general population, beta carotene is not a magic bullet.· Only 4 percent of the general population are black, but nearly one-third of the convicted and imprisoned population are black.· Sure, there are people using illegal substances in the Olympics, just as there are those among the general population.· Teachers are considered the experts in education and, until the current generation, were much better educated than the general population.· Then, like Pritikin, Ornish extended his valuable but limited observations to the general population.· Results have shown very low levels of infection amongst the general population, as was to be expected.· Of those available for adoption, 40 percent are black, although blacks represent only about 13 percent of the general population.
· Preventative medicine should be practised in every general practice surgery in the country.· Gordon Horobin and Maureen Cain both address aspects of general practice.· The model that we have developed is to attach students in pairs to a general practice tutor in a teaching practice.· The second phase would be carried out by the dispersal of nurses and psychologists into general practice surgeries and day hospitals.· From the general practice side this matter is being urgently discussed with both the health board and management executive.· She or he would have to spend a year in general practice to have the opportunity to acquire similar skills.· We recommend the following guidelines for antibiotic treatment of acne in both hospital and general practice.· Could it be that there are many doctors not working because even in general practice part time opportunities are sparse?
· In its first phase, it allows intermediaries, such as DHAs and general practitioners to make the purchases.· In Grampian, 80 percent. of general practitioners gave it the thumbs down.· I am making the extension because of the pressure from general practitioners who have asked me to extend the list size.· In 1991/92 questionnaires were sent to the general practitioners.· In-depth, tape-recorded interviews will be carried out with patients and their general practitioners.· Every family health services authority should enter into discussions with its general practitioners to establish guidelines for the employment of counsellors.· If no further contact can be made the general practitioner should be informed.
· Finally, there are two general principles of delegation that have certainly stood the test of time.· Still, some general principles apply.· Contrary to the general principles of distribution certain products may have to be restricted to named users who have special training.· In this chapter, some general information is organized and summarized to formulate some general principles for meal managers.· Over the last 40 years, the courts have developed general principles of judicial review.· Not every learning challenge can have exciting jackpots but the general principle applies.· There is a general principle that a person can not complain of that which he has consented to.· She is not just waiting for the pace to pick up on general principles.
· The Design centre finally failed because it became too elitist and alienated the general public.· Riots and Disorder To the general public, the most noticeable symptom of the penal crisis is of course the prison riot.· To the general public the result of all this integrated activity has been an enormous improvement in the standard of living.· These are vexed questions that involve the whole community in Western societies: scientists, professionals, and the general public.· The Order also protects the general public from work dangers.· In the last analysis, egalitarian policies will only succeed if they are desired and supported by the general public.· The Fire Precautions Act 1971 was passed in order to improve fire safety standards at premises frequented by the general public.· Even before the compact disc was finally launched to the general public, however, Karajan was making yet another move.
· His general purpose was to humanize prison conditions and to provide prisoners with opportunities for personal reformation.· Since the budgets of all governmental agencies have the same general purpose, certain similarities exist in their forms.· Real-time performance is the highest available from general purpose systems, claims the company.· Everything was housed in general purpose tents.· Although in theory Postscript could be viewed as a general purpose programming language, it is strongly biassed towards visual representation.· There are currently three major classes of general purpose chips.· Princeton raised $ 36.8m last year in individual donations for general purposes.· Fig 1: Three types of crampon points - a curved lobster claw b general purpose c straight lobster claw.
· But as a general rule it can happen at any age and time.· This question was raised by some Amish children in Wisconsin, and the Supreme Court provided some exceptions to this general rule.· The general rule, as above stated, seems on principle just.· This exception to the general rule that perks are taxable is the most important exception.· As a general rule you should avoid unintentionally offending friends or potential friends, but instead flatter or compliment them.· As a general rule, firms should strive to match their loan maturities with their asset maturities.· It is clear that one can not give a general rule.· The importance of the thirty-day exception to the general rule becomes more apparent once you hear the rest of the general rule.
· Peter Phillips was elected as general secretary.· Mengistu is general secretary of the party, which is governed by an 11-member political bureau.
· Violent behaviour, in the most general sense, can only be understood in association with other behaviour within the same society.· A general sense of impunity has added greatly to this situation.· In a general sense this is probably always true but it need not be true in a detailed sense.· Do you have enough time and feel a general sense of satisfaction at the end of each day?· The general sense of well-being in life is lost.· Yet a few rare instances provide us with at least a general sense of the magnitude of this particular organizational cost.· To ignore those who live at home is unacceptable; it runs counter to a general sense of social responsibility.· In a general sense, of course, racism hurt Handy and his counterparts, but so did chaotic distribution.
· Three days previously he had abolished the post of chief of general staff, held by Vice-Adml.· Yet the general staff of overseers is small, only about 40 employees, supplemented by local officials in 94 judicial districts.· Valery Manilov, deputy chief of the general staff.· Anatoly Kvashnin, chief of the general staff, to cut spending on the nuclear arsenal.· Its rear legs have joined the general staff, who are all in discussion with their backs towards me.· The general staff is unhappy and the squaddies disgruntled, but no more than that.· It had no permanent general staff.
· The old general store had gone but the shade thorn tree was still there, bewildered by its surround of concrete pavement.· In addition, picnic supplies can be purchased at general stores within the park.· Upon arrival, they are told that they must buy all their daily supplies at an on-site general store.· It marked a return to the general store of frontier days.· Other amenities include a post office and general store, and a free house, the Bricklayers' Arms.· It has a restaurant and a tiny general store with overpriced merchandise.· Teen-agers and young men lounge on park benches or gather around video games inside a general store.
· When the bluff failed, it is hardly surprising that no-one seriously considered attempting to implement the general strike against war.· Timisoara and Arad were reported to be on a general strike.· With output recovering, the prime minister, Hanna Suchocka decided to stand up to Solidarity's threat to call a general strike.· A general strike, however, organized on June 19 by the National Confederation Union, attracted little support.· Union leaders denied government allegations that the general strike had been time to coincide with Herrera's rebellion.· The Socialist response was a general strike.· Rioters set Chittagong aflame and an effective general strike paralyzed the whole country.
· These will be stated in general terms for the whole allocation.· Until now administration officials have spoken only in very general terms about the possible design, timetable and cost of missile defenses.· Rather than talking in general terms about the desirability of renewal, he began to talk in concrete terms of a timetable.· Mike would never talk about her, except in the most general terms.· In general terms, inflation accounting methods have been concerned with ensuring that capital is being maintained in economic terms.· In the most general terms, evolution is a tight web and ecology a loose one.· In general terms, tax has been largely abolished on most life-time gifts, provided certain important conditions are met.· In general terms, it is not difficult to see why this happened.
· In Donoghue v Stevenson in 1932 the House of Lords shaped a general theory of manufacturer's liability in tort for products.· The general theory of invariants is thus a part of the theory of constraints.· Now the general theory of relativity will be developed formally using tensors.· Easton was searching for an analytic concept that would facilitate the development of a general theory of politics.· Freud himself began to develop a general theory of unconscious emotional processes in human societies.· These suggest a new general theory, accounting for economic, religious and ideological groups as well as states and nations.· Without an advocacy stage few general theories in biology would ever have arisen.· This was achieved by Einstein's general theory of relativity, which was formulated in 1915.
· Be brief because the answers are needed only to explore general trends at this stage.· While the general trend for growing plants is increasing, there is some variation about each current level.· However, there was absolutely no doubt about the general trend.· But I can give you some idea of general trends in your life.· That is not evidence of a general trend.· Nevertheless the general trend indicated is of a decrease in temperature.· These general trends once again disguise some interesting regional and local variations in results.· Coupled with this general trend, Belladonna's feather-headed approach to the music began to grate with the other members.
· But from a general view the status of the junior adventure story is unassailable.· But this was not the general view.· It is not the general view of the small locally-based businesses in the Enterprise Zone.· The general view was that yes, women are seen as females first and musicians second.· In contrast, the general view is that disposing of high-level waste must involve isolation and containment.· Choose a sequence which opens with a general view of the setting.· Again in Speyside there was some disagreement with the general view, with half choosing the late time as an option.· In another fundamental respect, Marx's general view is also well borne out.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► the general staff► be on (general) release
- But these things aren't for public consumption.
- Far from it, what they say for public consumption appears to be at odds with what they are saying privately.
- Most of its contents was judged too personal-and possibly too politically sensitive-for public consumption.
- This Government talks tough for public consumption but has no stomach for action.
- Those on the right endorse the first half of the argument but not the second, at least for public consumption.
- When the media found out, his private exercise of his personal beliefs became a subject for public consumption.
- Organizers of the president's funeral plan a large ceremony for the general public, and a small, private affair for his family.
- She is a poet who is admired by other poets but not well-known to the general public.
- Very little official information is given to the general public.
- We want the committee to include at least five members of the general public.
- Does he accept that the general public will not mind in the least paying to see these magnificent treasures?
- Each is covered almost immediately and, so far as the general public is concerned, left virtually without trace.
- Federman said this gender difference is consistent with that in the general public.
- No Press appeals were made for assistance from the general public.
- The symbol gets the same message across to your existing employees, to the business community and to the general public.
- They are not responsible to the general public.
- This task it has admirably fulfilled, becoming very popular with the general public.
- We have made great strides in de-emphasising the beer parties, but not many people in the general public have noticed.
- He was the mandatory of his people, the trustee of the general good.
- Surely that is to the general good.
- He found the lieutenant colonel, although only touching fifty, almost impossibly grand.
- He had been a lieutenant colonel in public relations in Baltimore.
- He landed at night, and was met at base ops by a lieutenant colonel.
- He retired, still a lieutenant general, in 1972.
- One 12-year-old boy arrived, claiming to be a lieutenant colonel.
- She is a nice enough lady whose husband is a lieutenant colonel, U. S. Army, retired.
- Short was a three-star lieutenant general commanding the Army in Hawaii.
- Three years as a legislative liaison, six years in the state senate, four tedious years as lieutenant governor.
- Anything of quality was exciting in those days, for the usual run of food was of a dullness today hardly comprehensible.
- Credit taken by the general run of consumers - those not in an extremity of financial need - was not specially regulated.
- In the normal run of things I would have had no business there, no access.
- It has been designed to be different from the usual run of the mill international tax conference.
- It ought to be said that this particular extract poses more difficulties than the normal run of parish registers.
- This, however, was not the normal run of things.
- What should we do when confronted with claims which are conspicuously at odds with the general run of experience?
- A joint communiqué issued after the meetings was couched in general terms and did not refer to the cessation of hostilities.
- I can understand why the whole phlogiston business would have been thought less than important in practical terms.
- Rather than talking in general terms about the desirability of renewal, he began to talk in concrete terms of a timetable.
- These will be stated in general terms for the whole allocation.
- They are, in practical terms, the experts.
- They do not have the ego-satisfaction of having thought up a brand new idea but in practical terms they do well.
- Those aspects of the business not capable of being expressed in financial terms may have an important effect on its success.
- Yet in intellectual and to some extent in practical terms her attitudes were overwhelmingly conservative.
WORD FAMILYnoungeneralizationgeneralgeneralistgeneralityadjectivegeneralgeneralistgeneralizedverbgeneralizeadverbgenerally
1not detailed describing or relating to only the main features or parts of something, not the details: a general introduction to computing I skimmed through it to get a general impression of the text. I have a general idea of what I want to express. He spoke in general terms about greater competitiveness.2in general a)usually or in most situations: In general, about 10% of the candidates are eventually offered positions. b)used when talking about the whole of a situation, group, or thing, rather than specific parts of it: a feeling of dissatisfaction with life in general These policies are unpopular with politicians and people in general. We’re trying to raise awareness about the environment in general and air pollution in particular.3relating to whole involving the whole of a situation, group, or thing, rather than specific parts of it: There has been a general decline in standards. ways to improve your general health4ordinary ordinary or usual: general cooking and cleaning I hate paperwork as a general rule.5most people shared by or affecting most people, or most of the people in a group: These courses are based around topics of general interest. How soon can the drug be made available for general use?6not limited not limited to one use, activity, subject etc: The next ten minutes passed in general conversation. It’s a good general fertilizer. Watford General Hospital This type of microphone is suitable for general use.7approximate used to talk about an approximate area or direction: Pat and his friend were in the general area of the crime when it happened. They started walking in the general direction of the pub.8job used in the name of a job to show that the person who does it has complete responsibility: the general manager the Attorney GeneralTHESAURUSin general used when saying that something is usually true in most situations, or about most people or things: · In general, temporary jobs are less well-paid.· In general, the bigger a company becomes, the harder it is to maintain customer satisfaction.generally another way of saying ‘in general’, which is often used before a verb. Generally can also be used to say that most people have a particular opinion: · Women generally live longer than men.· Newton is generally regarded as the father of modern science.generally speaking/as a rule other ways of saying ‘in general’: · Generally speaking, large breeds of dog are becoming less popular.· He’s a singer who doesn’t do interviews, as a rule.· The graduates are, generally speaking, a confident and articulate group of young people.mostly/mainly/largely used when saying that something is true about most people or things, or about most of something. Largely is slightly more formal than mostly or mainly: · The disease mainly affects women.· Their attempts were largely unsuccessful.· The students were mostly French and German, but there were a few Japanese students too.for the most part used when saying that something is true in most cases, but not in every case: · These problems have for the most part been resolved.· For the most part, the gangs were made up of boys aged between 11 and 16.by and large/on the whole used for saying that something is true in most ways or in most cases: · The project was, by and large, a success.· On the whole, people were very friendly.general1 adjectivegeneral2 noun
generalgeneral2 noun WORD ORIGINgeneral2
Origin:
1500-1600 general officerEXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- But as it was, when the generals entered they had it all their own presumptuous way.
- He simply notified the attorney general of a threat to the public peace and asked him to enforce federal law.
- His edge was none too great for a general who planned to attack a heavily fortified position.
- I was a general at the head of an army, and the objectives were clearly defined.
- In general, Forbes opposes any law that raises the cost of doing business.
- The Democratic attorney general of Tennessee told Shipley to do what he thought right, and Shipley had gotten his notes together.
- The truth may be that Pyongyang's generals were unwilling to deliver the goods to the Pentagon's generals.
- This does not mean he can get Colin Powell; the general seems to have ruled himself out of the running.
WORD SETS
airbase, nounair chief marshal, nounair commodore, nounaircraftman, nounair force, nounairman, nounair raid, nounair strike, nounair vice-marshal, nounbombardier, nounbomber, nouncarpet-bomb, verbdive-bomb, verbdogfight, nounfighter, nounflight lieutenant, nounflying officer, noungeneral, nounnavigator, nounno-fly zone, nounRAF, the, sortie, nounsortie, verbsquadron, nounsquadron leader, nounstaff sergeant, nounstrafe, verbwing commander, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES You will need to have a general anaesthetic (=one that makes you completely unconscious). I spent the summer helping out as a general dogsbody. during the 1987 general election campaign an attempt to persuade the government to hold a general election (=have a general election) the general manager of Chevrolet The meeting will be open to the general public. a general knowledge quiz the general tenor of her speech
(=that concerns the main aim rather than all the details)· The overall aim of the project is to encourage young people to stay in higher education.· Guided by the general aim of the project, we aimed to reach a number of key objectives.
You will need to have a general anaesthetic (=one that makes you completely unconscious).· The second phase of the project is to improve the town’s overall appearance.
· Many governments have pursued this general approach to economic policy.
(=from most people)· McGill’s views did not meet with general approval.
(=that covers the main features or parts of something, not the details)· The doctor must carry out a general assessment of the patient’s health.
· There’s a common assumption that science is more difficult than other subjects.
· His general attitude to our situation was unsympathetic.
· Our range of programmes come into three broad categories.
· The book begins with some general historical concepts.
· There was general confusion about the effects of the new law.
· Most decisions are reached by general consensus.
· This problem is occurring within a general context of economic difficulty.
(=not detailed)· He started by giving us a general description of the manufacturing process.
(=approximately where something is)· He pointed in the general direction of the village.
I spent the summer helping out as a general dogsbody. (=one in which the whole country votes to elect a government)· Labour’s victory in the general election gave them a huge majority.
(=shared by a lot of people)· The general expectation was for married couples to have children.
· Swimming is good for your mobility and general fitness.
during the 1987 general election campaign an attempt to persuade the government to hold a general election (=have a general election)· The general public is not at any risk from the gas leak.
· The general public are not at any risk from the gas leak.
(=when many people feel there is not much hope)· Amid the general gloom, there are some positive signs.
(=the health of your whole body rather than a particular part)· A balanced diet will improve your general health.
· The general impression was of a very efficiently run company.
· There has been a general improvement in the standard of living.
· There is a need for a general inquiry into the train company’s safety standards.
(=knowledge about a lot of different subjects)· The questions are intended to test your general knowledge.
the general manager of Chevrolet especially British English (=that anyone, or anyone in a particular organization, can go to)· The annual general meeting of the rugby club was held last night.
(=the mood of a group of people)· One soldier expressed the general mood of fear and failure in a letter home.
(=the opinion that most people have about something)· The general opinion seems to be that the government has made a mess of the war.
(=the main ideas or parts of something rather than all the details)· The report gives only a broad outline of the company's performance.
(=concerning the main ideas or parts rather than all the details)· This chapter gives a broad overview of accounting practices in the UK.
· The general pattern of change has been one of upward mobility.
· The study is intended to provide an overall picture of political activity in the nation.
· I’d like to make one further general point.
· Ethnic minorities suffer more than the general population.
· He explained the general principles of the constitution.
The meeting will be open to the general public. a general knowledge quiz· In a general sense, a rapid rate of technological change creates uncertainty.
(=a shortage of lots of different kinds of things or people)· There was a general shortage of skilled workers.
(=when workers from most industries strike)· They threatened to call a general strike.
· There is widespread support for the Government’s proposal.
the general tenor of her speech (=one followed by most people or happening in most places)· There was a general trend towards marriage at a younger age.
(=what most people think)· The general view was that he had done well.
(=a ward for people with a particular medical condition)
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· Gen Larry G.. Smith, who was on track to become the deputy inspector general of the Army.· Smith's appointment as deputy inspector general never took effect.· A deputy attorney general sat ready to protect the interests of the State of California.· Almanzo is a deputy attorney general in Oakland.
· Napoleon, the greatest of all generals, dismissed and disgraced Admiral Bruix when he questioned an order to sail his fleet.· His edge was none too great for a general who planned to attack a heavily fortified position.· The Empire's greatest general and the mightiest Orc Warlord of the age fell upon each other with the fury of ancient enemies.· My son Hannibal will be a great general, because of all my soldiers he best knows how to obey...· Where the father had been a great general, the son was rash and impetuous.· Trinity's makeshift pack were no match for Halifax's big six and Bishop was a great general behind them.
· Chennault had become a major general by this time, and had his own independent military command, the Fourteenth Air Force.
· The abrasive new general brushed aside Stirling's request and proceeded to give him a lecture.· The final axe is expected to come after Birt takes over as the new director general in March.· The hon. Gentleman asked about the new director general designate's previous work.
· These are retired generals, not serving ones.
· His move led to the resignation of his defence minister and many senior generals.
NOUN· Another 76 other police and troops, including an army general, were absolved by the military court after a 15-week trial.· The shelling started despite promises by Yugoslav army generals not to attack.
· We have an attorney general who was a leading opponent of gun control in the Senate.· This week, company officials met with representatives of the attorneys generals of 20 states to discuss the problems.· The Washington state attorney general had not decided whether to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.· Meanwhile, attorneys general from across the United States threatened lawsuits for failure to deliver promised services.· He simply notified the attorney general of a threat to the public peace and asked him to enforce federal law.· Afterward, he was elected Arkansas attorney general and served as governor for 10 years before becoming president.
· In November 1917 he was made a brigadier general in command of a brigade of 3,000 men.· A brigadier general has been put in charge; dozens of police commanders have been replaced by military officers.
· The final axe is expected to come after Birt takes over as the new director general in March.· The restructured department involves the promotion of former commercial director Jamie Robertson-Macleod to director general.· The London Society, in its hard-hitting commentary, also calls for a director general.· Also acting against Britain's interests is that the previous director general before Quistgaard hailed from these isles.· The hon. Gentleman asked about the new director general designate's previous work.
· The inspector general of police declared the pastoral letter seditious and possession of it a crime.· Toward the mid-1970s, the Army inspector general took notice of the situation and began questioning procurement officials.· Gen Larry G.. Smith, who was on track to become the deputy inspector general of the Army.· Smith's appointment as deputy inspector general never took effect.
· Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette got his closer Monday.· Assistant general manager Mike Port had much to do with the computation of that figure.· Sharks general manager Dean Lombardi said.
· The change in the secretary general is likely to stand her in good stead with committee Chairman Jesse Helms, R-N.
VERB· Its headquarters staff includes six generals, headed by its controversial commander, General Maxwell Thurman.· Five police officers, including a general, are on trial for accepting the alleged bribes from Fininvest.
· Some retired generals have voiced doubts, as have active-duty officers.· Although an immediate ban on all anti-personnel mines was endorsed by 15 retired generals, including Gen.
· Often they are treated better than the more than 1 million humans subjected to the same fate by the ruling generals.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► the general staff► be on (general) release
- But these things aren't for public consumption.
- Far from it, what they say for public consumption appears to be at odds with what they are saying privately.
- Most of its contents was judged too personal-and possibly too politically sensitive-for public consumption.
- This Government talks tough for public consumption but has no stomach for action.
- Those on the right endorse the first half of the argument but not the second, at least for public consumption.
- When the media found out, his private exercise of his personal beliefs became a subject for public consumption.
- Organizers of the president's funeral plan a large ceremony for the general public, and a small, private affair for his family.
- She is a poet who is admired by other poets but not well-known to the general public.
- Very little official information is given to the general public.
- We want the committee to include at least five members of the general public.
- Does he accept that the general public will not mind in the least paying to see these magnificent treasures?
- Each is covered almost immediately and, so far as the general public is concerned, left virtually without trace.
- Federman said this gender difference is consistent with that in the general public.
- No Press appeals were made for assistance from the general public.
- The symbol gets the same message across to your existing employees, to the business community and to the general public.
- They are not responsible to the general public.
- This task it has admirably fulfilled, becoming very popular with the general public.
- We have made great strides in de-emphasising the beer parties, but not many people in the general public have noticed.
- He was the mandatory of his people, the trustee of the general good.
- Surely that is to the general good.
- He found the lieutenant colonel, although only touching fifty, almost impossibly grand.
- He had been a lieutenant colonel in public relations in Baltimore.
- He landed at night, and was met at base ops by a lieutenant colonel.
- He retired, still a lieutenant general, in 1972.
- One 12-year-old boy arrived, claiming to be a lieutenant colonel.
- She is a nice enough lady whose husband is a lieutenant colonel, U. S. Army, retired.
- Short was a three-star lieutenant general commanding the Army in Hawaii.
- Three years as a legislative liaison, six years in the state senate, four tedious years as lieutenant governor.
- Anything of quality was exciting in those days, for the usual run of food was of a dullness today hardly comprehensible.
- Credit taken by the general run of consumers - those not in an extremity of financial need - was not specially regulated.
- In the normal run of things I would have had no business there, no access.
- It has been designed to be different from the usual run of the mill international tax conference.
- It ought to be said that this particular extract poses more difficulties than the normal run of parish registers.
- This, however, was not the normal run of things.
- What should we do when confronted with claims which are conspicuously at odds with the general run of experience?
- A joint communiqué issued after the meetings was couched in general terms and did not refer to the cessation of hostilities.
- I can understand why the whole phlogiston business would have been thought less than important in practical terms.
- Rather than talking in general terms about the desirability of renewal, he began to talk in concrete terms of a timetable.
- These will be stated in general terms for the whole allocation.
- They are, in practical terms, the experts.
- They do not have the ego-satisfaction of having thought up a brand new idea but in practical terms they do well.
- Those aspects of the business not capable of being expressed in financial terms may have an important effect on its success.
- Yet in intellectual and to some extent in practical terms her attitudes were overwhelmingly conservative.
WORD FAMILYnoungeneralizationgeneralgeneralistgeneralityadjectivegeneralgeneralistgeneralizedverbgeneralizeadverbgenerally
[countable] an officer of very high rank in the army or air force