Committee - Commonwealth

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Committee (?), n. [From , v. t.] (Law) One to whom the charge of the person or estate of another, as of a lunatic, is committed by suitable authority; a guardian.
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Committeeman (?), n. A member of a committee.
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Committer (?), n. 1. One who commits; one who does or perpetrates. South.
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2. A fornicator. [Obs.] T. Decker.
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Committible (?), a. Capable of being committed; liable to be committed. [R.] Sir T. Browne.
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Commix (?), v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Commixed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Commixing.] [Pref. com- + mix: cf. L. commixtus, p. p. of commiscere. See .] To mix or mingle together; to blend.
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The commixed impressions of all the colors do stir up and beget a sensation of white. Sir I. Newton.
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To commix
With winds that sailors rail at. Shak.
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Commixion (?), n. [See .] Commixture. Shak.
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Commixtion (?; 106), n. [L. commixtio.] Commixture; mingling. [R.]
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An exact commixtion of the ingredients. Boyle.
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Commixture (?; 135), n. [L. commixtura.] 1. The act or process of mixing; the state of being mingled; the blending of ingredients in one mass or compound.
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In the commixture of anything that is more oily or sweet, such bodies are least apt to putrefy. Bacon.
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2. The mass formed by mingling different things; a compound; a mixture. Bacon.
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Commodate (?), n. [L. commodatum thing lent, loan.] (Scots Law) A gratuitous loan.
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Commode (?), n. [F. commode, fr. commode convenient, L. commodus; com- + modus measure, mode. See .] 1. A kind of headdress formerly worn by ladies, raising the hair and fore part of the cap to a great height.
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Or under high commodes, with looks erect. Granville.
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2. A piece of furniture, so named according to temporary fashion; as: (a) A chest of drawers or a bureau. (b) A night stand with a compartment for holding a chamber vessel. (c) A kind of close stool. (d) A movable sink or stand for a wash bowl, with closet.
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Commodious (?), a. [LL. commodiosus, fr. L. commodum convenience, fr. commodus. See .] Adapted to its use or purpose, or to wants and necessities; serviceable; spacious and convenient; roomy and comfortable; as, a commodious house. “A commodious drab.” Shak. “Commodious gold.” Pope.
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The haven was not commodious to winter in. Acts xxvii. 12.

Syn. -- Convenient; suitable; fit; proper; advantageous; serviceable; useful; spacious; comfortable.
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Commodiously, adv. In a commodious manner.
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To pass commodiously this life. Milton.
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Commodiousness, n. State of being commodious; suitableness for its purpose; convenience; roominess.
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Of cities, the greatness and riches increase according to the commodiousness of their situation. Sir W. Temple.
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The commodiousness of the harbor. Johnson.
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Commodity (?), n.; pl. Commodities (#). [F. commodité, fr. L. commoditas. See .] 1. Convenience; accommodation; profit; benefit; advantage; interest; commodiousness. [Obs.]
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Drawn by the commodity of a footpath. B. Jonson.
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Men may seek their own commodity, yet if this were done with injury to others, it was not to be suffered. Hooker.
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2. That which affords convenience, advantage, or profit, especially in commerce, including everything movable that is bought and sold (except animals), -- goods, wares, merchandise, produce of land and manufactures, etc.
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3. A parcel or quantity of goods. [Obs.]
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A commodity of brown paper and old ginger. Shak.
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Commodore (?), n. [Prob. a corruption of commander, or Sp. comendador a knight of a military order who holds a commandery; also a superior of a monastery, fr. LL. commendare to command. Cf. , , .] 1. (U. S. Navy) An officer who ranks next above a captain; sometimes, by courtesy, the senior captain of a squadron. The rank of commodore corresponds with that of brigadier general in the army.
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2. (British Navy) A captain commanding a squadron, or a division of a fleet, or having the temporary rank of rear admiral.
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3. A title given by courtesy to the senior captain of a line of merchant vessels, and also to the chief officer of a yachting or rowing club.
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4. A familiar for the flagship, or for the principal vessel of a squadron or fleet.
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Common (?), a. [Compar. Commoner (?); superl. Commonest.] [OE. commun, comon, OF. comun, F. commun, fr. L. communis; com- + munis ready to be of service; cf. Skr. mi to make fast, set up, build, Goth. gamains common, G. gemein, and E. mean low, common. Cf. , , n. & v.] 1. Belonging or relating equally, or similarly, to more than one; as, you and I have a common interest in the property.
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Though life and sense be common to men and brutes. Sir M. Hale.
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2. Belonging to or shared by, affecting or serving, all the members of a class, considered together; general; public; as, properties common to all plants; the common schools; the Book of Common Prayer.
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Such actions as the common good requireth. Hooker.
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The common enemy of man. Shak.
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3. Often met with; usual; frequent; customary.
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Grief more than common grief. Shak.
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4. Not distinguished or exceptional; inconspicuous; ordinary; plebeian; -- often in a depreciatory sense.
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The honest, heart-felt enjoyment of common life. W. Irving.
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This fact was infamous
And ill beseeming any common man,
Much more a knight, a captain and a leader. Shak.
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Above the vulgar flight of common souls. A. Murphy.
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5. Profane; polluted. [Obs.]
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What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. Acts x. 15.
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6. Given to habits of lewdness; prostitute.
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A dame who herself was common. L'Estrange.
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Coloq. Common bar (Law) Same as Blank bar, under . -- Coloq. Common barrator (Law), one who makes a business of instigating litigation. -- Coloq. Common Bench , a name sometimes given to the English Court of Common Pleas. -- Coloq. Common brawler (Law), one addicted to public brawling and quarreling. See . -- Coloq. Common carrier (Law), one who undertakes the office of carrying (goods or persons) for hire. Such a carrier is bound to carry in all cases when he has accommodation, and when his fixed price is tendered, and he is liable for all losses and injuries to the goods, except those which happen in consequence of the act of God, or of the enemies of the country, or of the owner of the property himself. -- Coloq. Common chord (Mus.), a chord consisting of the fundamental tone, with its third and fifth. -- Coloq. Common council , the representative (legislative) body, or the lower branch of the representative body, of a city or other municipal corporation. -- Coloq. Common crier , the crier of a town or city. -- Coloq. Common divisor (Math.), a number or quantity that divides two or more numbers or quantities without a remainder; a common measure. -- Coloq. Common gender (Gram.), the gender comprising words that may be of either the masculine or the feminine gender. -- Coloq. Common law , a system of jurisprudence developing under the guidance of the courts so as to apply a consistent and reasonable rule to each litigated case. It may be superseded by statute, but unless superseded it controls. Wharton. It is by others defined as the unwritten law (especially of England), the law that receives its binding force from immemorial usage and universal reception, as ascertained and expressed in the judgments of the courts. This term is often used in contradistinction from statute law. Many use it to designate a law common to the whole country. It is also used to designate the whole body of English (or other) law, as distinguished from its subdivisions, local, civil, admiralty, equity, etc. See . -- Coloq. Common lawyer , one versed in common law. -- Coloq. Common lewdness (Law), the habitual performance of lewd acts in public. -- Coloq. Common multiple (Arith.) See under . -- Coloq. Common noun (Gram.), the name of any one of a class of objects, as distinguished from a proper noun (the name of a particular person or thing). -- Coloq. Common nuisance (Law), that which is deleterious to the health or comfort or sense of decency of the community at large. -- Coloq. Common pleas , one of the three superior courts of common law at Westminster, presided over by a chief justice and four puisne judges. Its jurisdiction is confined to civil matters. Courts bearing this title exist in several of the United States, having, however, in some cases, both civil and criminal jurisdiction extending over the whole State. In other States the jurisdiction of the common pleas is limited to a county, and it is sometimes called a county court. Its powers are generally defined by statute. -- Coloq. Common prayer , the liturgy of the Church of England, or of the Protestant Episcopal church of the United States, which all its clergy are enjoined to use. It is contained in the Book of Common Prayer. -- Coloq. Common school , a school maintained at the public expense, and open to all. -- Coloq. Common scold (Law), a woman addicted to scolding indiscriminately, in public. -- Coloq. Common seal , a seal adopted and used by a corporation. -- Coloq. Common sense . (a) A supposed sense which was held to be the common bond of all the others. [Obs.] Trench. (b) Sound judgment. See under . -- Coloq. Common time (Mus.), that variety of time in which the measure consists of two or of four equal portions. -- Coloq. In common , equally with another, or with others; owned, shared, or used, in community with others; affecting or affected equally. -- Coloq. Out of the common , uncommon; extraordinary. -- Coloq. Tenant in common , one holding real or personal property in common with others, having distinct but undivided interests. See Joint tenant, under . -- Coloq. To make common cause with , to join or ally one's self with.

Syn. -- General; public; popular; national; universal; frequent; ordinary; customary; usual; familiar; habitual; vulgar; mean; trite; stale; threadbare; commonplace. See , , .
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Common (?), n. 1. The people; the community. [Obs.] “The weal o' the common.” Shak.
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2. An inclosed or uninclosed tract of ground for pleasure, for pasturage, etc., the use of which belongs to the public; or to a number of persons.
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3. (Law) The right of taking a profit in the land of another, in common either with the owner or with other persons; -- so called from the community of interest which arises between the claimant of the right and the owner of the soil, or between the claimants and other commoners entitled to the same right.
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Coloq. Common appendant , a right belonging to the owners or occupiers of arable land to put commonable beasts upon the waste land in the manor where they dwell. -- Coloq. Common appurtenant , a similar right applying to lands in other manors, or extending to other beasts, besides those which are generally commonable, as hogs. -- Coloq. Common because of vicinage or Coloq. Common because of neighborhood , the right of the inhabitants of each of two townships, lying contiguous to each other, which have usually intercommoned with one another, to let their beasts stray into the other's fields. - - Coloq. Common in gross or Coloq. Common at large , a common annexed to a man's person, being granted to him and his heirs by deed; or it may be claimed by prescriptive right, as by a parson of a church or other corporation sole. Blackstone. -- Coloq. Common of estovers , the right of taking wood from another's estate. -- Coloq. Common of pasture , the right of feeding beasts on the land of another. Burill. -- Coloq. Common of piscary , the right of fishing in waters belonging to another. -- Coloq. Common of turbary , the right of digging turf upon the ground of another.
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Common, v. i. 1. To converse together; to discourse; to confer. [Obs.]
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Embassadors were sent upon both parts, and divers means of entreaty were commoned of. Grafton.
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2. To participate. [Obs.] Sir T. More.
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3. To have a joint right with others in common ground. Johnson.
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4. To board together; to eat at a table in common.
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Commonable (?), a. 1. Held in common. “Forests . . . and other commonable places.” Bacon.
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2. Allowed to pasture on public commons.
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Commonable beasts are either beasts of the plow, or such as manure the ground. Blackstone.
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Commonage (?), n. [Cf. OF. communage.] The right of pasturing on a common; the right of using anything in common with others.
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The claim of commonage . . . in most of the forests. Burke.
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commonality n. 1. the sharing of common attributes.
Syn. -- commonness.
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2. a characteristic held in common; a common feature.
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commonalty, commonality (?), n.; pl. Commonalties (#). [OF. communalté; F. communauté, fr. communal. See .] 1. The common people; those classes and conditions of people who are below the rank of nobility; the commons.
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The commonalty, like the nobility, are divided into several degrees. Blackstone.
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The ancient fare of our kings differed from that of the commonalty in plenteousness only. Landon.
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2. The majority or bulk of mankind. [Obs.] Hooker.
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Commoner (?), n. 1. One of the common people; one having no rank of nobility.
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All below them [the peers] even their children, were commoners, and in the eye of the law equal to each other. Hallam.
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2. A member of the House of Commons.
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3. One who has a joint right in common ground.
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Much good land might be gained from forests . . . and from other commonable places, so as always there be a due care taken that the poor commoners have no injury. Bacon.
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4. One sharing with another in anything. [Obs.] Fuller.
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5. A student in the university of Oxford, Eng., who is not dependent on any foundation for support, but pays all university charges; - - at Cambridge called a pensioner.
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6. A prostitute. [Obs.] Shak.
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Commonish, a. Somewhat common; commonplace; vulgar.
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Commonition (?), n. [L. commonitio. See .] Advice; warning; instruction. [Obs.] Bailey.
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Commonitive (?), a. Monitory. [Obs.]
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Only commemorative and commonitive. Bp. Hall.
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Commonitory (?), a. [L. commonitorius.] Calling to mind; giving admonition. [Obs.] Foxe.
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Commonly (?), adv. 1. Usually; generally; ordinarily; frequently; for the most part; as, confirmed habits commonly continue through life.
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2. In common; familiarly. [Obs.] Spenser.
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Commonness, n. 1. State or quality of being common or usual; as, the commonness of sunlight.
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2. Triteness; meanness.
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Commonplace (?), a. Common; ordinary; trite; as, a commonplace person, or observation.
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Commonplace, n. 1. An idea or expression wanting originality or interest; a trite or customary remark; a platitude.
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2. A memorandum; something to be frequently consulted or referred to.
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Whatever, in my reading, occurs concerning this our fellow creature, I do never fail to set it down by way of commonplace. Swift.
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Coloq. Commonplace book , a book in which records are made of things to be remembered.
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Commonplace, v. t. To enter in a commonplace book, or to reduce to general heads. Felton.
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Commonplace, v. i. To utter commonplaces; to indulge in platitudes. [Obs.] Bacon.
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Commonplaceness, n. The quality of being commonplace; commonness.
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common room, common-room n. a room, usually at a school or university, set aside for the common use of everyone. It usually has comfortable chairs for reading or conversation, and some provision for obtaining refreshments.
Syn. -- .
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Commons (?), n. pl., 1. The mass of the people, as distinguished from the titled classes or nobility; the commonalty; the common people. [Eng.]
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'T is like the commons, rude unpolished hinds,
Could send such message to their sovereign. Shak.
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The word commons in its present ordinary signification comprises all the people who are under the rank of peers. Blackstone.
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2. The House of Commons, or lower house of the British Parliament, consisting of representatives elected by the qualified voters of counties, boroughs, and universities.
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It is agreed that the Commons were no part of the great council till some ages after the Conquest. Hume.
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3. Provisions; food; fare, -- as that provided at a common table in colleges and universities.
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Their commons, though but coarse, were nothing scant. Dryden.
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4. A club or association for boarding at a common table, as in a college, the members sharing the expenses equally; as, to board in commons.
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5. A common; public pasture ground.
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To shake his ears, and graze in commons. Shak.
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Coloq. Doctors' Commons , a place near St. Paul's Churchyard in London where the doctors of civil law used to common together, and where were the ecclesiastical and admiralty courts and offices having jurisdiction of marriage licenses, divorces, registration of wills, etc. -- Coloq. To be on short commons , to have a small allowance of food. [Colloq.]
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Common sense (?). See Common sense, under .

Commonty (?), n. (Scots Law) A common; a piece of land in which two or more persons have a common right. Bell.
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Commonweal (?), n. [Common + weal.] Commonwealth.
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Such a prince,
So kind a father of the commonweal. Shak.
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Commonwealth (?; 277), n. [Common + wealth well-being.] 1. A state; a body politic consisting of a certain number of men, united, by compact or tacit agreement, under one form of government and system of laws.
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The trappings of a monarchy would set up an ordinary commonwealth. Milton.
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☞ This term is applied to governments which are considered as free or popular, but rarely, or improperly, to an absolute government. The word signifies, strictly, the common well-being or happiness; and hence, a form of government in which the general welfare is regarded rather than the welfare of any class.
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2. The whole body of people in a state; the public.
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3. (Eng. Hist.) Specifically, the form of government established on the death of Charles I., in 1649, which existed under Oliver Cromwell and his son Richard, ending with the abdication of the latter in 1659.

Syn. -- State; realm; republic.
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