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单词 character
释义

character


character

distinctive feature or attribute; nature; disposition; makeup: It is against her character to be anything other than kind.
Not to be confused with:caricature – a picture that exaggerates a person’s features to produce a comic or grotesque effect: Political cartoonists often use caricature to illustrate the character of their subject.

char·ac·ter

C0246500 (kăr′ək-tər)n.1. a. The combination of mental characteristics and behavior that distinguishes a person or group. See Synonyms at disposition.b. The distinguishing nature of something. See Synonyms at quality.2. a. Moral strength; integrity: an educational program designed to develop character.b. Public estimation of someone; reputation: personal attacks that damaged her character.3. Biology A structure, function, or attribute of an organism, influenced by genetic, environmental, and developmental factors.4. a. A person considered as having a specific quality or attribute: "Being a man of the world and a public character, [he] took everything as a matter of course" (George Eliot).b. A person considered funny or eccentric: catcalls from some character in the back row.5. a. A person portrayed in an artistic piece, such as a drama or novel.b. A person or animal portrayed with a personality in comics or animation: a cartoon character.c. Characterization in fiction or drama: a script that is weak in plot but strong in character.d. Status or role; capacity: in his character as the father.6. A description of a person's attributes, traits, or abilities.7. A formal written statement as to competency and dependability, given by an employer to a former employee; a recommendation.8. a. A mark or symbol used in a writing system.b. A Chinese character.9. Computers a. One of a set of symbols, such as letters or numbers, that are arranged to express information.b. The numerical code representing such a character.10. Mathematics The trace function of a representation.11. a. A style of printing or writing: "Here is the hand and seal of the Duke; you know the character" (Shakespeare).b. A cipher or code for secret writing.adj.1. Of or relating to one's character.2. a. Specializing in the interpretation of often minor roles that emphasize fixed personality traits or specific physical characteristics: a character actor.b. Of or relating to the interpretation of such roles by an actor: the character part of the hero's devoted mother.3. Dedicated to the portrayal of a person with regard to distinguishing psychological or physical features: a character sketch.tr.v. charac·tered, charac·ter·ing, charac·ters Archaic 1. To write, print, engrave, or inscribe.2. To portray or describe; characterize.Idioms: in character Consistent with someone's general character or behavior: behavior that was totally in character. out of character Inconsistent with someone's general character or behavior: a response so much out of character that it amazed me.
[Middle English carecter, distinctive mark, imprint on the soul, from Old French caractere, from Latin charactēr, from Greek kharaktēr, from kharassein, to inscribe, from kharax, kharak-, pointed stick.]
char′ac·ter·less adj.

character

(ˈkærɪktə) n1. the combination of traits and qualities distinguishing the individual nature of a person or thing2. one such distinguishing quality; characteristic3. moral force; integrity: a man of character. 4. a. reputation, esp a good reputationb. (as modifier): character assassination. 5. a summary or account of a person's qualities and achievements; testimonial: my last employer gave me a good character. 6. capacity, position, or status: he spoke in the character of a friend rather than a father. 7. (Literary & Literary Critical Terms) a person represented in a play, film, story, etc; role8. an outstanding person: one of the great characters of the century. 9. informal an odd, eccentric, or unusual person: he's quite a character. 10. an informal word for person: a shady character. 11. (Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) a symbol used in a writing system, such as a letter of the alphabet12. (Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) printing Also called: sort any single letter, numeral, punctuation mark, or symbol cast as a type13. (Computer Science) computing any letter, numeral, etc, which is a unit of information and can be represented uniquely by a binary pattern14. (Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) a style of writing or printing15. (Genetics) genetics any structure, function, attribute, etc, in an organism, which may or may not be determined by a gene or group of genes16. (Literary & Literary Critical Terms) a short prose sketch of a distinctive type of person, usually representing a vice or virtue17. in character typical of the apparent character of a person or thing18. out of character not typical of the apparent character of a person or thingvb (tr) 19. (Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) to write, print, inscribe, or engrave20. rare to portray or represent[C14: from Latin: distinguishing mark, from Greek kharaktēr engraver's tool, from kharassein to engrave, stamp] ˈcharacterful adj ˈcharacterless adj

char•ac•ter

(ˈkær ɪk tər)

n. 1. the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of a person or thing. 2. one such feature or trait; characteristic. 3. moral or ethical quality: a woman of strong character. 4. qualities of honesty, fortitude, etc.; integrity. 5. reputation: a stain on one's character. 6. distinctive, often interesting qualities: an old pub with a lot of character. 7. a person, esp. with reference to behavior or personality: a suspicious character. 8. an odd, eccentric, or unusual person. 9. a person represented in a drama, story, etc. 10. a role, as in a play or film. 11. status or capacity: in his character of a justice of the peace. 12. a symbol used in a system of writing: Chinese characters. 13. a significant visual mark or symbol. 14. an account of a person's qualities, abilities, etc.; reference. 15. (in 17th- and 18th-century literature) a sketch of a particular virtue or vice represented in a person or type. 16. any trait, function, structure, or substance of an organism resulting from the effect of one or more genes. 17. any encoded unit of computer-usable data representing a symbol, as a letter, number, or puncuation mark, or a space, carriage return, etc. 18. a cipher or cipher message. adj. 19. (of a theatrical role) having or requiring eccentric, comedic, ethnic, or other distinctive traits. 20. (of an actor) acting or specializing in such roles. v.t. Archaic. 21. to portray; describe. 22. to engrave; inscribe. Idioms: in (or out of) character, a. in accord with (or in violation of) one's usual behavior and disposition. b. in accordance with (or deviating from) behavior appropriate to the role assumed by an actor. [1275–1325; Middle English caractere < Middle French < Latin charactēr < Greek charaktḗr graving tool, its mark] char′ac•ter•ful, adj. char′ac•ter•less, adj. syn: character, personality refer to the sum of the characteristics possessed by a person. character refers esp. to the moral qualities and ethical standards that make up the inner nature of a person: a man of sterling character. personality refers particularly to outer characteristics, as wittiness or charm, that determine the impression that a person makes upon others: a pleasing personality. See also reputation.

character

, reputation - Character is what one is; reputation is what one is thought to be by others.See also related terms for reputation.

Character

 

See Also: PERSONAL TRAITS, REPUTATION

  1. As the sun is best seen at its rising and setting, so men’s native dispositions are clearest seen when they are children and when they are dying —Robert Boyle
  2. A character is like an acrostic … read it forward, backward, or across, it still spells the same thing —Ralph Waldo Emerson
  3. Character is like a tree, and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing —Abraham Lincoln
  4. Character is like white paper; if once blotted, it can hardly ever be made to appear white as before —Joel Hawes
  5. A character, like a kettle, once mended always wants mending —Jean-Jacques Rousseau
  6. Character, like porcelain ware, must be painted before it is glazed. There can be no change after it is burned in —Henry Ward Beecher
  7. A man of words and not of deeds is like a garden full of weeds. And when the weeds begin to grow, it’s like a garden full of snow —Nursery rhyme

    This dates back to the eighteenth century.

  8. The reputation of a man is like his shadow, gigantic when it precedes him, and pigmy in its proportions when it follows —Alexandre de Talleyrand
  9. Some people, like modern shops, hang everything in their windows and when one goes inside nothing is to be found —Berthold Auerbach
  10. The soundness of his nature was like the pure paste under a fine glaze —Edith Wharton
  11. A vein of iron buried inside her moral frame, like a metal armature inside a clay statue —Carlos Baker
  12. Your moral character must be not only pure, but, like Caesar’s wife, unsuspected —Lord Chesterfield

character

A number, letter, or symbol.
Thesaurus
Noun1.character - an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)character - an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story); "she is the main character in the novel"fictional character, fictitious characterimaginary being, imaginary creature - a creature of the imagination; a person that exists only in legends or myths or fiction
2.character - a characteristic property that defines the apparent individual nature of something; "each town has a quality all its own"; "the radical character of our demands"lineament, qualityattribute, dimension, property - a construct whereby objects or individuals can be distinguished; "self-confidence is not an endearing property"texture - the essential quality of something; "the texture of Neapolitan life"
3.character - the inherent complex of attributes that determines a persons moral and ethical actions and reactions; "education has for its object the formation of character"- Herbert Spencerfibre, fibertrait - a distinguishing feature of your personal naturepersonality - the complex of all the attributes--behavioral, temperamental, emotional and mental--that characterize a unique individual; "their different reactions reflected their very different personalities"; "it is his nature to help others"spirit - a fundamental emotional and activating principle determining one's characterthoughtfulness - the trait of thinking carefully before actingresponsibleness, responsibility - a form of trustworthiness; the trait of being answerable to someone for something or being responsible for one's conduct; "he holds a position of great responsibility"integrity - moral soundness; "he expects to find in us the common honesty and integrity of men of business"; "they admired his scrupulous professional integrity"
4.character - an actor's portrayal of someone in a play; "she played the part of Desdemona"persona, theatrical role, role, partpersonation, portrayal, characterization, enactment - acting the part of a character on stage; dramatically representing the character by speech and action and gesturebit part, minor role - a small roleheavy - a serious (or tragic) role in a playhero - the principal character in a play or movie or novel or poemingenue - the role of an innocent artless young woman in a playname part, title role - the role of the character after whom the play is namedheroine - the main good female character in a work of fictionbaddie, villain - the principal bad character in a film or work of fiction
5.character - a person of a specified kind (usually with many eccentricities)character - a person of a specified kind (usually with many eccentricities); "a real character"; "a strange character"; "a friendly eccentric"; "the capable type"; "a mental case"eccentric, type, caseadult, grownup - a fully developed person from maturity onward
6.character - good repute; "he is a man of character"reputation, repute - the state of being held in high esteem and honor
7.character - a formal recommendation by a former employer to a potential future employer describing the person's qualifications and dependability; "requests for character references are all too often answered evasively"character reference, referencegood word, recommendation, testimonial - something that recommends (or expresses commendation of) a person or thing as worthy or desirable
8.character - a written symbol that is used to represent speechcharacter - a written symbol that is used to represent speech; "the Greek alphabet has 24 characters"grapheme, graphic symbolprinted symbol, written symbol - a written or printed symbolallograph - a variant form of a grapheme, as `m' or `M' or a handwritten version of that graphemecheck character - a character that is added to the end of a block of transmitted data and used to check the accuracy of the transmissionsuperscript, superior - a character or symbol set or printed or written above and immediately to one side of another charactersubscript, inferior - a character or symbol set or printed or written beneath or slightly below and to the side of another characterASCII character - any member of the standard code for representing characters by binary numbersligature - character consisting of two or more letters combined into onecapital letter, majuscule, uppercase, upper-case letter, capital - one of the large alphabetic characters used as the first letter in writing or printing proper names and sometimes for emphasis; "printers once kept the type for capitals and for small letters in separate cases; capitals were kept in the upper half of the type case and so became known as upper-case letters"lowercase, lower-case letter, minuscule, small letter - the characters that were once kept in bottom half of a compositor's type casetype - printed characters; "small type is hard to read"percent sign, percentage sign - a sign (`%') used to indicate that the number preceding it should be understood as a proportion multiplied by 100asterisk, star - a star-shaped character * used in printingdagger, obelisk - a character used in printing to indicate a cross reference or footnotediesis, double dagger, double obelisk - a character used in printing to indicate a cross reference or footnotealphabetic character, letter of the alphabet, letter - the conventional characters of the alphabet used to represent speech; "his grandmother taught him his letters"blank, space - a blank character used to separate successive words in writing or printing; "he said the space is the most important character in the alphabet"phonetic symbol - a written character used in phonetic transcription of represent a particular speech soundmathematical symbol - a character that is used to indicates a mathematical relation or operationrune, runic letter - any character from an ancient Germanic alphabet used in Scandinavia from the 3rd century to the Middle Ages; "each rune had its own magical significance"pictograph - a graphic character used in picture writingideogram, ideograph - a graphic character that indicates the meaning of a thing without indicating the sounds used to say it; "Chinese characters are ideograms"radical - a character conveying the lexical meaning of a logogramstenograph - a shorthand character
9.character - (genetics) an attribute (structural or functional) that is determined by a gene or group of genesattribute - an abstraction belonging to or characteristic of an entityunit character - (genetics) a character inherited on an all-or-none basis and dependent on the presence of a single genegenetic science, genetics - the branch of biology that studies heredity and variation in organisms
Verb1.character - engrave or inscribe characters onengrave, inscribe, grave, scratch - carve, cut, or etch into a material or surface; "engrave a pen"; "engraved the trophy cupt with the winner's"; "the lovers scratched their names into the bark of the tree"

character

noun1. personality, nature, make-up, cast, constitution, bent, attributes, temper, temperament, complexion, disposition, individuality, marked traits There is a side to his character which you haven't seen yet.2. nature, kind, quality, constitution, calibre Moscow's reforms were socialist in character.3. (Informal) person, sort, individual, type, guy (informal), fellow What an unpleasant character he is!4. reputation, honour, integrity, good name, rectitude, uprightness He's begun a series of attacks on my character.5. courage, resolution, determination, guts (informal), pluck, grit, bravery, backbone, fortitude, staying power, strength of mind, dauntlessness She showed real character in her refusal to give up.6. role, part, persona He plays the film's central character.7. eccentric, card (informal), original, nut (slang), flake (slang, chiefly U.S.), oddity, oddball (informal), odd bod (informal), queer fish (Brit. informal), wacko or whacko (informal) He'll be sadly missed. He was a real character.8. symbol, mark, sign, letter, figure, type, device, logo, emblem, rune, cipher, hieroglyph Chinese characters inscribed on a plaqueQuotations
"Genius is formed in quiet, character in the stream of human life" [Goethe Torquato Tasso]
"Character is much easier kept than recovered" [Thomas Paine The American Crisis]
"A man's character is his fate" [Heraclitus On the Universe]
"Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing" [Abraham Lincoln]
"Fate and character are the same concept" [Novalis Heinrich von Ofterdingen]

character

noun1. The combination of emotional, intellectual, and moral qualities that distinguishes an individual:complexion, disposition, makeup, nature, personality.2. Moral or ethical strength:fiber, honesty, integrity, principle.3. A distinctive element:attribute, characteristic, feature, mark, peculiarity, property, quality, savor, trait.4. A statement attesting to personal qualifications, character, and dependability:recommendation, reference, testimonial.5. Public estimation of someone:name, report, reputation, repute.Informal: rep.6. An important, influential person:dignitary, eminence, leader, lion, nabob, notability, notable, personage.Informal: big-timer, heavyweight, somebody, someone, VIP.Slang: big shot, big wheel, bigwig, muckamuck.7. A person who is appealingly odd or curious:oddity, original.Informal: card, oddball.8. A person portrayed in fiction or drama:persona, personage.9. A conventional mark used in a writing system:sign, symbol.
Translations
特征角色人物名声品质

character

(ˈkӕrəktə) noun1. the set of qualities that make someone or something different from others; type. You can tell a man's character from his handwriting; Publicity of this character is not good for the firm. 性格 特征2. a set of qualities that are considered admirable in some way. He showed great character in dealing with the danger. 特質 品质3. reputation. They tried to damage his character. 名聲 名声4. a person in a play, novel etc. Rosencrantz is a minor character in Shakespeare's `Hamlet'. 角色 角色5. an odd or amusing person. This fellow's quite a character! 怪人 怪人6. a letter used in typing etc. Some characters on this typewriter are broken. (打字用的)字母 （打字用的）字母 ˌcharacterˈistic adjective (negative uncharacteristic) typical (of a person etc). He spoke with characteristic shyness; That kind of behaviour is characteristic of him. 特有的 特有的 noun a typical quality. It is one of his characteristics to be obstinate. 特徵 特征ˌcharacteˈristically adverb 特有地 特有地ˈcharacterize, ˈcharacterise verb1. to be the obvious feature of. The giraffe is characterized by its long neck. 顯出...的特徵 表示...的特性2. to describe (as). She characterized him as weak and indecisive. 描繪 描绘ˌcharacteriˈzation, ˌcharacteriˈsation noun 特徵描述 特性，特征

character

→ 人物zhCN, 特征zhCN

character


shifty-looking

Having or of an untrustworthy, dubious, or deceptive appearance. There are always a bunch of shifty-looking characters around this part of town at night, so let's not linger! I didn't feel great about the deal when John's shifty-looking business partner came along to sign the papers.

original character

The initial and/or intended meaning or state of something, especially if it has changed over time. Please be sure to keep the original character of the statement you are paraphrasing. I have to translate this story, and I have no idea if I'm capturing its original character. The renovations were done in keeping with the original character of the building.See also: character

character assassination

A deliberate attempt to destroy the reputation of a public figure by releasing, revealing, or creating defamatory or damaging information about them. The so-called expose on the senator is character assassination, pure and simple. Releasing those decades-old photos this late in the campaign amounts to character assassination—and it will probably work.See also: character

in character

1. Very typical of the way someone would normally speak or behave. I've come to realize that the selfishness and nasty comments are all pretty in character for him. A: "The last time I saw her, she was trying to hook up with Janet's boyfriend." B: "Yeah, that sounds in character, all right."2. Consistent with the traits or characteristics assigned to the character that one plays, as in a film or play. Don't be afraid, sweetie. Daddy's just in character—he's pretending to be a bad man for his movie! As part of his method acting, he remained in character for the full nine months of filming.See also: character

out of character

1. Very unlike the way someone would normally speak or behave; uncharacteristic. That outburst was certainly out of character. Tom is usually very happy and laid back. I had no idea her grades were getting so low—that's so out of character for Jane.2. Inconsistent with the traits or characteristics assigned to the character that one plays, as in a film or play. She is a consummate professional. She didn't even go out of character when a part of the set collapsed halfway through the scene. You're playing an 18th-century princess—saying "totally awesome" is a bit out of character, don't you think?See also: character, of, out

stay in character

To continue exhibiting the traits and characteristics assigned to the character that one plays. As part of his method acting, he remained in character for the full nine months of shooting.See also: character, stay

saintly black character

In film and literature, a stock black character who exists solely to aid white characters, often through the use of magical powers or mystical intuition. Also known as the "Magical Negro." The Green Mile is often cited as a film that perpetuates the saintly black character trope.See also: black, character

pitch character

1. The emotional impact, shape, or dynamic that a particular musical pitch provides. The subtle change in the pitch character changes the piece from one of hopefulness and peace to one of hesitation and sadness.2. A fictional character, especially a cartoon person or animal, used to sell a product or say a particular line in an advertisement. The '80s saw the introduction of dozens of cheap pitch characters disguised regular cartoons telling kids to buy all sorts of breakfast cereal and plastic junk. Some of the most widely recognized cartoons started life as pitch characters for everything from cleaning products to cigarettes.See also: character, pitch

suspicious character

A dubious, suspicious, or potentially immoral or unlawful person. The security guard caught a suspicious character hanging around the back entrance to the warehouse. I've always thought he was a bit of a suspicious character, so I was a bit nervous when Janet said she was going to work for him.See also: character, suspicious

shady character

A dubious, suspicious, or potentially immoral or unlawful person. The security guard caught a shady character hanging around the back entrance to the warehouse. I've always thought he was a bit of a shady character, so I was a bit nervous when Janet said she was going to work for him.See also: character, shady

character assassination

Fig. seriously harming someone's reputation. The review was more than a negative appraisal of his performance. It was total character assassination.See also: character

in character

Fig. typical of someone's behavior. For Tom to shout that way wasn't at all in character. He's usually quite pleasant. It was quite in character for Sally to walk away angry.See also: character

out of character

 1. unlike one's usual behavior. Ann's remark was quite out of character. It was out of character for Ann to act so stubborn. 2. inappropriate for the character that an actor is playing. Bill went out of character when the audience started giggling. Bill played the part so well that it was hard for him to get out of character after the performance.See also: character, of, out

shady character

 and a suspicious characterFig. an untrustworthy person; a person who makes people suspicious. There is a suspicious character lurking about in the hallway. Please call the police.See also: character, shady

in character

Consistent with someone's general personality or behavior. For example, Her failure to answer the invitation was completely in character. This usage dates from the mid-1700s, as does the antonym, out of character, as in It was out of character for him to refuse the assignment. See also: character

ˌin/ˌout of ˈcharacter

(of somebody’s behaviour, etc.) of the kind you would/would not expect from them; characteristic/uncharacteristic: That unpleasant remark she made was quite out of character. ♢ ‘I’m sure it was Bill I saw from the bus. He was arguing with a police officer.’ ‘Well, that’s in character, anyway!’See also: character, of, out

in character

Consistent with someone's general character or behavior: behavior that was totally in character.See also: character

out of character

Inconsistent with someone's general character or behavior: a response so much out of character that it amazed me.See also: character, of, out

character


character

1. a person represented in a play, film, story, etc.; role 2. Computing any letter, numeral, etc., which is a unit of information and can be represented uniquely by a binary pattern 3. Genetics any structure, function, attribute, etc., in an organism, which may or may not be determined by a gene or group of genes 4. a short prose sketch of a distinctive type of person, usually representing a vice or virtue

Character

 

in literature, a personage depicted with relative completeness and individuality. A literary character engages in actions, thoughts, experiences, and speech that are conditioned by a given social and historical milieu and that reveal the author’s moral and aesthetic concept of human life. A fictional character unites universal human traits with traits that are individualized and unique. He unites the objective social and psychological reality of human life, which provides the foundation for literary characterization, with the author’s subjective interpretation and evaluation. As a result of this unity the literary character appears as a new reality and a created personality which, while it represents an actual individual, also clarifies that individual ideologically. It is precisely the conceptual nature of the literary character that distinguishes the view of this character expressed in literary criticism from the meanings of the term “character” in psychology, philosophy, and sociology.

The reader’s concept of a literary protagonist is created through the protagonist’s outer and inner gestures (including speech), physical appearance, authorial and other traits, and the place and role of the protagonist in the plot development. A fictional situation is comprised of the interrelationship between the character and his milieu, which is an artistic depiction of the character’s social, historical, intellectual, cultural, and natural surroundings. The conflicts between man and society, man and nature, and man and his earthly fate, as well as man’s inner conflicts, are all reflected in fictional conflicts.

The depiction of a character in its diversity and dynamism is a trait of fiction and of most dramas and motion pictures with complex plots. A concern with character depiction marked the separation of literature as an art form from syncretic, preliterary religious and publicist literature of the biblical or medieval type. The concept of character originated in ancient Greece, where literature first became an independent branch of human creativity.

However, the ancient Greeks’ concept of character as an aspect of literature differed from the modern concept. Since the plot was foremost in the presentation of ideological content, the characters were distinguished primarily not by their personality but by the role they played in the plot. In later epochs there was a different interrelationship between the characters and the plot: it was not the events as such but “the personalities of the characters who bring the events to life that make the poet select one event over another. Only the characters are sacred to him” (G. E. Lessing, Hamburgische Dramaturgic Moscow-Leningrad, 1936, p. 92). The concept of the independent ideological and artistic significance of the character existed in classical literature. For example, in Plutarch’s Parallel Lives the protagonists are compared with one another both in terms of their fate and of their character. A similar dual concept of the literary character dominated until the 18th century and was expressed by Diderot as the relationship between a character’s innate disposition and his social position.

In the development of the concept of the character, the literatures of two epochs were of particular importance: those of the Renaissance and of classicism. The literary characters of the Renaissance lacked a well-defined personality and were universal human types, although a protagonist could consciously and deliberately change his behavior. Moreover, the correlation between the universal traits in the protagonist’s character with his function in the plot—his fate—revealed to the protagonist his inadequacy in relation to his social and historical fate. This anticipated the realist concept of character in the 19th and 20th centuries: “Man is either more than his fate or less than his humanity” (M. M. Bakhtin, Voprosy literatury, 1970, no. 1, p. 119).

In Shakespeare’s works, many characters have a third dimension, as personages with an individual self-consciousness. Classicism returned to a rigid, static depiction of character but also focused on the self-consciousness of the individual, who had to choose between duty and passion. However, a character viewed against the background of duty and impersonal passion in classical literature had no value in itself but was only a means of correlating two universal, parallel lines.

At all these stages of intellectual and literary development, character was viewed as a nonhistorical and universal basis of human nature; in K. Marx’ words, as “an abstraction inherent in each single individual” (K. Marx and F. Engels, Soch., 2nd ed., vol. 3, p. 3). Romanticism asserted that the individual was autonomous and an end in himself; this elevated the individual above his innate psychological nature as well as his social status. During the romantic period a new concept of the literary character developed: the character was identified with his own inner world. Later, 19th-century critical realism created an innovative concept of the individual character as a historically unique link between the personality and its environment. The romantic tradition was continued in the late 19th century and the 20th century by the symbolists and existentialists.

A new concept of the fictional character was advanced by Hegel, who asserted that the character is “an integrated human individuality” that reveals “universal, substantial active forces” of various types. The character is “the true focus” of depiction since it unites universality and individuality “as elements of its totality.” The character should be revealed in all the manifold aspects of its individual traits and not be “the plaything of only one passion,” for in that case the character “appears as though existing outside itself.” A character should be “an entire independent world, a complete, living person, not an allegorical abstraction of a single character trait” (Estetika, vol. 1, Moscow, 1968, pp. 244–46). Hegel’s theory, which drew on a number of earlier works of literature, in many ways anticipated later realistic literature, in which characters undergo a process of inner development. This development is continuous, is never completed, and cannot be completed since it is determined by a constant interaction with historical circumstances.

Post-Hegelian literary theory was based on realistic art and firmly emphasized the importance of that which was individualized and specific in a literary character. Post-Hegelian literary theory advanced and solved the problem of the conceptual nature of literary characters and established the necessity of an authorial ideological viewpoint in the depiction of character. In the realistic literature of the 19th and 20th centuries the characters embody the authors’ varied and sometimes contradictory concepts of human personality. For example, in Balzac’s works the fundamental principle of individuality is universal human nature perceived in an anthropological sense. A person’s individuality is in a process of continuous development, since the influence of the external environment on this fundamental principle is also continuous and without end. It is the individual person who determines the extent of these influences.

In the works of Dostoevsky, the determinism of circumstances gives rise to individual self-determination; the character of the protagonist is an inexhaustible source of individual potentialities. A different concept of the incompleteness of literary characters is found in the works of L. N. Tolstoy: in Tolstoy’s words, the author could “clearly express the changeable nature of man, the fact that the same person can be an evildoer or an angel, a wise man or an idiot, a strong man or a helpless creature” (Poln. sobr. soch., vol. 53, 1953, p. 187). To Tolstoy, the author must seek to reveal in the individual, who is alienated from others by society’s conventions, that which is universally human and innate—the “complete man.”

The authors of the new novel (nouveau roman) rejected fictional individuality in favor of impersonality, as embodied in characters who had lost their personal identity owing to alienation and conformism. In the depiction of this impersonality, the character as such functioned in a subordinate role, as a mere support.

Literary works that follow the method of socialist realism have inherited concepts of the character from a number of earlier literary trends, particularly 19th-century realism. Such works affirm the modern view of the factors determining a character’s individuality: social, historical, and political reality in their revolutionary development. As a result, the sociopsychological individuality of characters in the works of socialist realism crystallizes into a concretely historical individuality. In the literature of the 1960’s and 1970’s, stress has been placed on the individual’s moral striving, his responsibility for his own inner world, and his responsibility toward others.

REFERENCES

Hegel. Estetika, vol. 1. Moscow, 1968. Pages 244–53.
Sotsialisticheskii realizm i klassicheskoe nasledie (Problema kharaktera): Sb. st. Moscow, 1960.
Problema kharaktera v sovremennoi sovetskoi literature. Moscow-Leningrad, 1962.
Bocharov, S. G. “Kharaktery i obstoiatel’stva.” In Teoriia literatury, [book 1]. Moscow, 1962.
Bakhtin, M. M. Problemy poetiki Dostoevskogo, 3rd ed. Moscow, 1972. Pages 78–129.
Bakhtin, M. M. “Epos i roman.” In Voprosy literatury i estetiki. Moscow, 1975.
Likhachev, D. S. Chelovek v literature drevnei Rusi, [2nd ed.]. Moscow, 1970.
Ginzburg, L. O psikhologicheskoi proze. [Leningrad] 1971.
Ginzburg, L. O literaturnom geroe. Leningrad, 1979.
Averintsev, S. S. Plutarkh i antichnaia biografiia. Moscow, 1973.

V. I. TIUPA

Character

 

in mathematics, a function of special form used in number theory and group theory.

In number theory, a function χ(n) ≢ 0 defined for all integers n is called a character if χ(nm) = χ(n)χ(m) for all n and m and if there exists an integer k, called the period, such that χ(n + k) = χ(n) for all n. The least positive period is called the fundamental modulus of χ, and a character with fundamental modulus k is denoted by χ(n, k).

An example of a character is the principal character modulo k, which is defined as follows: χ(n, k) = 0 if (n, k) > 1, and χ(n, k) = 1 if (n, k) = 1. Another example is χ(n, k) = 0 if (n, k) > 1 and χ(n, k) = (n/k) if (n, k) = 1; here, (n/k) is the Jacobi symbol, and k > 1 is an odd positive integer. A character of degree q modulo k is a character that takes on the value 1 for all numbers a for which the congruence xq ≡ a (mod k) is solvable (seePOWER RESIDUE). Such characters play an important role in the theory of algebraic numbers. Many questions of number theory—for example, the distribution of primes—involve the functions

which are called the Dirichlet L-functions. A special case of such functions is the zeta function ζ(s), for which χ(n) ≡ 1

Because of the periodicity property χ(n + k) = χ(n), characters x(n, k), for fixed k > 1, can be treated as functions defined on a reduced residue system modulo k (which is regarded as a group under multiplication) and satisfying the functional equation

(1) χ(ab) = χ(a)χ(b)

This view of the concept of a character allows us to apply it to any finite commutative group G. Suppose G is of order n, e is the identity element of G, and a is an arbitrary element of G. It then follows that [χ(a)]n = χ(an) = χ(e) = 1. In other words, χ(a) an nth root of unity. In particular,

(2) |χ(a)| ≡ 1

A character of any (not necessarily finite) commutative group G is a function χ(a) defined on G and satisfying (1) and (2). If G is a topological group, then it is required, in addition, that χ(a) be continuous.

The set of characters of a group G forms a group G1 under ordinary multiplication of characters as functions. If G is finite, then G1 is isomorphic to G. In general, the isomorphism does not hold for infinite groups G. For example, if G is the group of integers, then its characters are χ(n) = einϕ, where ϕ is any real number reduced to modulo 2π. Thus, in this case, the group of characters is the same as the group of rotations of a circle. In turn, the group of characters for the group of rotations of a circle is the same as the group of integers [each such character is of the form χ(ϕ) = einϕ]. L. S. Pontriagin extended this duality to a large class of groups; in topology he applied the duality to the solution of duality problems for compact spaces.

REFERENCES

Pontriagin, L. C. Nepreryvnye gruppy, 3rd ed. Moscow, 1973.
Chudakov, N. G. Vvedenie v teoriiu L-funktsii Dirikhle. Moscow-Leningrad, 1947.
Lang, S. Algebra. Moscow, 1968. (Translated from English.)
Borevich, Z. I., and I. R. Shafarevich. Teoriia chisel, 2nd ed. Moscow, 1972.

Character

 

in psychology, the individual’s inner makeup as a well-established structural whole; a person’s “temper,” or disposition, as manifested in the individual’s actions, psychic states, mannerisms, habits, and mode of thought, as well as in the peculiarly human sphere of the emotions. Character is the basis of individual behavior. The study of character is called characterology.

character

[′kar·ik·tər] (computer science) An elementary mark used to represent data, usually in the form of a graphic spatial arrangement of connected or adjacent strokes, such as a letter or a digit. A small collection of adjacent bits used to represent a piece of data, addressed and handled as a unit, often corresponding to a digit or letter. (geophysics) A distinctive aspect of a seismic event, for example, the waveform. (psychology) The sum of a person's relatively fixed personality traits and habitual modes of response.

character

(character)An atom in a character repertoire.

Compare with glyph.

character

A single alphabetic letter, numeric digit, or special symbol such as a decimal point or comma. A character is equivalent to a byte; for example, 50,000 characters take up 50,000 bytes. The word "character" itself takes up nine bytes. See character based.

character


character

 [kar´ak-ter] 1. a quality or attribute indicative of the nature of an object or organism.2. in genetics, an observable property of an organism that is under genetic control; a trait.3. in psychiatry, a term used, especially in the psychoanalytic literature, in much the same way as personality, particularly for those personality traits shaped by life experiences and developmental processes. Compare temperament.acquired character a noninheritable modification produced in an animal as a result of its own activities or of environmental influences.character disorders personality disorders.dominant character a mendelian character that is expressed when it is transmitted by a single gene.mendelian c's in genetics, the separate and distinct traits exhibited by an animal or plant and dependent on the genetic constitution of the organism.primary sex c's those traits of the male and female directly concerned in reproduction.recessive character a mendelian character that is expressed only when transmitted by both genes (one from each parent) determining the trait.secondary sex c's those traits specific to the male and female but not directly concerned in reproduction, such as facial hair, voice depth, and distribution of body fat.sex-conditioned character (sex-influenced character) an autosomal trait whose full expression is conditioned by the sex of the individual, e.g., human baldness.sex-linked character one transmitted consistently to individuals of one sex only, being carried in the sex chromosome.

char·ac·ter

(kar'ak-ter), An attribute in individuals that is amenable to formal and logical analysis and may be used as the basis of generalizations about classes and other statements that transcend individuality. Synonym(s): characteristic (1) [G. charakter, stamp, mark, fr. charassō, to engrave]

character

(kăr′ək-tər)n.1. a. The combination of mental characteristics and behavior that distinguishes a person or group.b. The distinguishing nature of something.2. Biology A structure, function, or attribute of an organism, influenced by genetic, environmental, and developmental factors.
char′ac·ter·less adj.

character

Psychiatry The sum of a person's relatively fixed personality traits and habitual modes of response. See Metacharacter, Personality.

char·ac·ter

(kar'ăk-tĕr) An attribute in people that is amenable to formal and logical analysis and may be used as the basis of generalizations about classes and other statements that transcend individuality.
Synonym(s): characteristic (1) . [G. charaktēr, stamp, mark, fr. charassō, to engrave]

character

a genetic feature of an individual that can be assessed in some way Such features often appear in various alternative ‘forms’, each controlled by different ALLELES. For example, the height of a pea plant is a ‘character’, with tall plants (2 m high) and dwarf plants (0.3 m high) as alternative forms (see QUALITATIVE INHERITANCE). Characters sometimes display a continuous range of forms, as in human height, which may be influenced strongly by environmental conditions (see POLYGENIC INHERITANCE). See also MULTIPLE ALLELISM.

Character

An individual's set of emotional, cognitive, and behavioral patterns learned and accumulated over time.Mentioned in: Personality Disorders

char·ac·ter

(kar'ăk-tĕr) An attribute in individuals that is amenable to formal and logical analysis and may be used as the basis of generalizations about classes and other statements that transcend individuality. [G. charakter, stamp, mark, fr. charassō, to engrave]

Patient discussion about character

Q. He sometimes says things that are out of character for him. My dear husband was diagnosed in Nov of last year with Bipolar. My question is, how do I know if the person I am dealing with is his or him illness? He sometimes says things that are out of character for him. Can anyone help me to comfort him?A. Make sure to surround yourself with supportive people that will listen with open ears and have a shoulder you can cry on when you need to. It is important for partners to also have others to talk to and share with. This is a difficult illness to live with. Educate yourself about the illness and the best ways that you can help your husband and yourself. You are already taking the first steps in joining this group. We are happy to help out. Know that you are not alone...
If you ever need to talk please feel free to message me. I check this site a few times a day.
Take care!

More discussions about character

Character


CHARACTER, evidence. The opinion generally entertained of a person derived from the common re 'port of the people who are acquainted with him. 3 Serg. & R. 336; 3 Mass. 192; 3 Esp. C. 236.
2. There are three classes of cases on which the moral character and conduct of a person in society may be used in proof before a jury, each resting upon particular and distinct grounds. Such evidence is admissible, 1st. To afford a presumption that a particular party has not been guilty of a criminal act. 2d. To affect the damages in particular cases, where their amount depends on the character and conduct of any individual; and, 3d. To impeach or confirm the veracity of a witness.
3.-1. Where the guilt of an accused party is doubtful, and the character of the supposed agent is involved in the question, a presumption of innocence arises from his former conduct in society, as evidenced by his general character, since it is not probable that a person of known probity and humanity, would commit a dishonest or outrageous act in the particular instance. Such presumptions, however, are so remote from fact, and it is frequently so difficult to estimate a person's real character, that they are entitled to little weight, except in doubtful cases. Since the law considers a presumption of this nature to be admissible, it is in principle admissible 'Whenever a reasonable presumption arises from it, as to the fact in question; in practice it is admitted whenever the character of the party is involved in the issue. See 2 St. Tr. 1038 1 Coxes Rep. 424; 5 Serg. & R. 352 3 Bibb, R. 195; 2 Bibb, R. 286; 5 Day, R. 260; 5 Esp. C. 13; 3 Camp. C. 519; 1 Camp. C. 460; Str. R. 925. Tha. Cr. Cas. 230; 5 Port. 382.
4.-2. In some instances evidence in disparagement of character is admissible, not in order to prove or disprove the commission of a particular fact, but with a view to damages. In actions for criminal conversation with the plaintiff's wife, evidence may be given of the wife's general bad character, for want of chastity, and even of particular acts of adultery committed by her, previous to her intercourse with the defendant. B. N. P. 27, 296; 12 Mod. 232; 3 Esp. C. 236. See 5 Munf. 10. In actions for slander and libel, when the defendant has not justified, evidence of the plaintiff's bad character has also been admitted. 3 Camp. C. 251; 1 M. & S. 284; 2 Esp. C. 720; 2 Nott & M'Cord, 511; 1 Nott & M'Cord, 268; and see 11 Johns. R. 38; 1 Root, R. 449; 1 Johns. R. 46; 6 Penna. St. Rep. 170. The ground of admitting such evidence is, that a person of disparaged fame is not entitled to the same measure of damages with one whose character is unblemished. When, however, the defendant justifies the slander, it seems to be doubtful whether the evidence of reports as to the conduct and character of the plaintiff can be received. See 1 M. & S. 286, n (a) 3 Mass. R. 553 1 Pick. R. 19. When evidence is admitted touching the general character of a party, it is manifest that it is to be confined to matters in reference to the nature of the, charge against him. 2 Wend. 352.
5.-3. The party against whom a witness is called, may disprove the fact& stated by him, or may examine other witnesses as to his general character; but they will not be allowed to speak of particular facts or parts of his conduct. B. N. P. 296. For example, evidence of the general character of a prosecutrix for a rape, may be given, as that she was a street walker; but evidence of specific acts of criminality cannot be admitted. 3 Carr. & P. 589. The regular mode is to inquire whether the witness under examination has the means of knowing the former witness general character, and whether from such knowledge he would believe, him on his oath. 4 St. Tr. 693; 4 Esp. C. 102. In answer to such evidence against character, the other party may cross-examine the witness as to his means of knowledge, and the grounds of his opinion; or he may attack such witness general character, and by fresh evidence support the character of his own. 2 Stark. C. 151; Id. 241; St. Ev. pt. 4, 1753 to 1758; 1 Phil. Ev. 229. A party cannot give evidence to confirm the good character of a witness, unless his general character has been impugned by his antagonist. 9 Watts, R. 124. See, in general, as to character, Phil. Ev. Index, tit. Character; Stark. Ev. pl. 4, 364 Swift's Ev. 140 to 144 5 Ohio R. 227; Greenl. Ev. Sec. 54; 3 Hill, R. 178 Bouv. Inst. Index, h.t.

AcronymsSeechronic

character


  • all
  • noun
  • verb

Synonyms for character

noun personality

Synonyms

  • personality
  • nature
  • make-up
  • cast
  • constitution
  • bent
  • attributes
  • temper
  • temperament
  • complexion
  • disposition
  • individuality
  • marked traits

noun nature

Synonyms

  • nature
  • kind
  • quality
  • constitution
  • calibre

noun person

Synonyms

  • person
  • sort
  • individual
  • type
  • guy
  • fellow

noun reputation

Synonyms

  • reputation
  • honour
  • integrity
  • good name
  • rectitude
  • uprightness

noun courage

Synonyms

  • courage
  • resolution
  • determination
  • guts
  • pluck
  • grit
  • bravery
  • backbone
  • fortitude
  • staying power
  • strength of mind
  • dauntlessness

noun role

Synonyms

  • role
  • part
  • persona

noun eccentric

Synonyms

  • eccentric
  • card
  • original
  • nut
  • flake
  • oddity
  • oddball
  • odd bod
  • queer fish
  • wacko or whacko

noun symbol

Synonyms

  • symbol
  • mark
  • sign
  • letter
  • figure
  • type
  • device
  • logo
  • emblem
  • rune
  • cipher
  • hieroglyph

Synonyms for character

noun the combination of emotional, intellectual, and moral qualities that distinguishes an individual

Synonyms

  • complexion
  • disposition
  • makeup
  • nature
  • personality

noun moral or ethical strength

Synonyms

  • fiber
  • honesty
  • integrity
  • principle

noun a distinctive element

Synonyms

  • attribute
  • characteristic
  • feature
  • mark
  • peculiarity
  • property
  • quality
  • savor
  • trait

noun a statement attesting to personal qualifications, character, and dependability

Synonyms

  • recommendation
  • reference
  • testimonial

noun public estimation of someone

Synonyms

  • name
  • report
  • reputation
  • repute
  • rep

noun an important, influential person

Synonyms

  • dignitary
  • eminence
  • leader
  • lion
  • nabob
  • notability
  • notable
  • personage
  • big-timer
  • heavyweight
  • somebody
  • someone
  • VIP
  • big shot
  • big wheel
  • bigwig
  • muckamuck

noun a person who is appealingly odd or curious

Synonyms

  • oddity
  • original
  • card
  • oddball

noun a person portrayed in fiction or drama

Synonyms

  • persona
  • personage

noun a conventional mark used in a writing system

Synonyms

  • sign
  • symbol

Synonyms for character

noun an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)

Synonyms

  • fictional character
  • fictitious character

Related Words

  • imaginary being
  • imaginary creature

noun a characteristic property that defines the apparent individual nature of something

Synonyms

  • lineament
  • quality

Related Words

  • attribute
  • dimension
  • property
  • texture

noun the inherent complex of attributes that determines a persons moral and ethical actions and reactions

Synonyms

  • fibre
  • fiber

Related Words

  • trait
  • personality
  • spirit
  • thoughtfulness
  • responsibleness
  • responsibility
  • integrity

noun an actor's portrayal of someone in a play

Synonyms

  • persona
  • theatrical role
  • role
  • part

Related Words

  • personation
  • portrayal
  • characterization
  • enactment
  • bit part
  • minor role
  • heavy
  • hero
  • ingenue
  • name part
  • title role
  • heroine
  • baddie
  • villain

noun a person of a specified kind (usually with many eccentricities)

Synonyms

  • eccentric
  • type
  • case

Related Words

  • adult
  • grownup

noun good repute

Related Words

  • reputation
  • repute

noun a formal recommendation by a former employer to a potential future employer describing the person's qualifications and dependability

Synonyms

  • character reference
  • reference

Related Words

  • good word
  • recommendation
  • testimonial

noun a written symbol that is used to represent speech

Synonyms

  • grapheme
  • graphic symbol

Related Words

  • printed symbol
  • written symbol
  • allograph
  • check character
  • superscript
  • superior
  • subscript
  • inferior
  • ASCII character
  • ligature
  • capital letter
  • majuscule
  • uppercase
  • upper-case letter
  • capital
  • lowercase
  • lower-case letter
  • minuscule
  • small letter
  • type
  • percent sign
  • percentage sign
  • asterisk
  • star
  • dagger
  • obelisk
  • diesis
  • double dagger
  • double obelisk
  • alphabetic character
  • letter of the alphabet
  • letter
  • blank
  • space
  • phonetic symbol
  • mathematical symbol
  • rune
  • runic letter
  • pictograph
  • ideogram
  • ideograph
  • radical
  • stenograph

noun (genetics) an attribute (structural or functional) that is determined by a gene or group of genes

Related Words

  • attribute
  • unit character
  • genetic science
  • genetics

verb engrave or inscribe characters on

Related Words

  • engrave
  • inscribe
  • grave
  • scratch
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