Commonly Com"mon·ly adverb 1. Usually; generally; ordinarily; frequently; for the most part; as, confirmed habits commonly continue through life.

2. In common; familiarly. [ Obsolete] Spenser.

Commonness Com"mon·ness noun 1. State or quality of being common or usual; as, the commonness of sunlight.

2. Triteness; meanness.

Commonplace Com"mon·place` adjective Common; ordinary; trite; as, a commonplace person, or observation.

Commonplace Com"mon·place` noun 1. An idea or expression wanting originality or interest; a trite or customary remark; a platitude.

2. A memorandum; something to be frequently consulted or referred to.

Whatever, in my reading, occurs concerning this our fellow creature, I do never fail to set it down by way of commonplace .
Swift.

Commonplace book , a book in which records are made of things to be remembered.

Commonplace Com"mon·place` transitive verb To enter in a commonplace book, or to reduce to general heads. Felton.

Commonplace Com"mon·place` intransitive verb To utter commonplaces; to indulge in platitudes. [ Obsolete] Bacon.

Commonplaceness Com"mon·place`ness noun The quality of being commonplace; commonness.

Commons Com"mons noun plural , 1. The mass of the people, as distinguished from the titled classes or nobility; the commonalty; the common people. [ Eng.]

'T is like the commons , rude unpolished hinds,
Could send such message to their sovereign.
Shak.

The word commons in its present ordinary signification comprises all the people who are under the rank of peers.
Blackstone.

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.

It is agreed that the Commons were no part of the great council till some ages after the Conquest.
Hume.

3. Provisions; food; fare, -- as that provided at a common table in colleges and universities.

Their commons , though but coarse, were nothing scant.
Dryden.

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 .

5. A common; public pasture ground.

To shake his ears, and graze in commons .
Shak.

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. -- To be on short commons , to have a small allowance of food. [ Colloq.]

Commonty Com"mon·ty noun (Scots Law) A common; a piece of land in which two or more persons have a common right. Bell.

Commonweal Com"mon·weal" noun [ Common + weal .] Commonwealth.

Such a prince,
So kind a father of the commonweal .
Shak.

Commonwealth Com"mon·wealth` noun [ 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.

The trappings of a monarchy would set up an ordinary commonwealth .
Milton.

» 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.

2. The whole body of people in a state; the public.

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.

Commorance Com"mo·rance noun See Commorancy .

Commorancy Com"mo·ran·cy noun 1. (Law) A dwelling or ordinary residence in a place; habitation.

Commorancy consists in usually lying there.
Blackstone.

2. (Am. Law) Residence temporarily, or for a short time.

Commorant Com"mo·rant noun [ Latin commorans , present participle of commorari to abide; com- + morari to delay.] 1. (Law) Ordinarily residing; inhabiting.

All freeholders within the precinct . . . and all persons commorant therein.
Blackstone.

2. (Am. Law) Inhabiting or occupying temporarily.

Commorant Com"mo·rant noun A resident. Bp. Hacket.

Commoration Com`mo·ra"tion noun [ Latin commoratio .] The act of staying or residing in a place. [ Obsolete] Bp. Hall.

Commorient Com·mo"ri·ent adjective [ Latin commoriens , present participle of commoriri .] Dying together or at the same time. [ R.] Sir G. Buck.

Commorse Com·morse" noun [ Latin commorsus , past participle of commordere to bite sharply.] Remorse. [ Obsolete] "With sad commorse ." Daniel.

Commote Com·mote" transitive verb [ See Commove .] To commove; to disturb; to stir up. [ R.]

Society being more or less commoted and made uncomfortable.
Hawthorne.

Commotion Com·mo"tion noun [ Latin commotio : confer French commotion . See Motion .] 1. Disturbed or violent motion; agitation.

[ What] commotion in the winds !
Shak.

2. A popular tumult; public disturbance; riot.

When ye shall hear of wars and commotions .
Luke xxi. 9.

3. Agitation, perturbation, or disorder, of mind; heat; excitement. "He could not debate anything without some commotion ." Clarendon.

Syn. -- Excitement; agitation; perturbation; disturbance; tumult; disorder; violence.

Commove Com·move" transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Commoved ; present participle & verbal noun Commoving .] [ Latin commovere , commotum ; com- + movere to move.] 1. To urge; to persuade; to incite. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

2. To put in motion; to disturb; to unsettle. [ R.]

Straight the sands,
Commoved around, in gathering eddies play.
Thomson.

Communal Com"mu·nal adjective [ Confer French communal .] Pertaining to a commune.

Communalism Com"mu·nal·ism noun A French theory of government which holds that commune should be a kind of independent state, and the national government a confederation of such states, having only limited powers. It is advocated by advanced French republicans; but it should not be confounded with communism.

Communalist Com"mu·nal·ist noun [ Confer French communaliste .] An advocate of communalism.

Communalistic Com`mu·nal·is"tic adjective Pertaining to communalism.

Commune Com·mune" intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Communed ; present participle & verbal noun Communing .] [ Old French communier , from Latin communicare to communicate, from communis common. See Common , and confer Communicate .] 1. To converse together with sympathy and confidence; to interchange sentiments or feelings; to take counsel.

I would commune with you of such things
That want no ear but yours.
Shak.

2. To receive the communion; to partake of the eucharist or Lord's supper.

To commune under both kinds.
Bp. Burnet.

To commune with one's self or one's heart , to think; to reflect; to meditate.

Commune Com"mune noun Communion; sympathetic intercourse or conversation between friends.

For days of happy commune dead.
Tennyson.

Commune Com"mune noun [ French, from commun . See Common .] 1. The commonalty; the common people. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

In this struggle -- to use the technical words of the time -- of the " commune ", the general mass of the inhabitants, against the "prudhommes" or "wiser" few.
J. R. Green.

2. A small territorial district in France under the government of a mayor and municipal council; also, the inhabitants, or the government, of such a district. See Arrondissement .

3. Absolute municipal self- government.

The Commune of Paris , or The Commune (a) The government established in Paris (1792-94) by a usurpation of supreme power on the part of representatives chosen by the communes; the period of its continuance is known as the "Reign of Terror." (b) The revolutionary government, modeled on the commune of 1792, which the communists, so called, attempted to establish in 1871.

Communicability Com·mu`ni·ca·bil"i·ty noun [ Confer French communicabilité .] The quality of being communicable; capability of being imparted.

Communicable Com·mu"ni·ca·ble adjective [ Confer French communicable , Late Latin communicabilis .] 1. Capable of being communicated, or imparted; as, a communicable disease; communicable knowledge.

2. Communicative; free-speaking. [ Obsolete] B. Jonson.

-- Com*mu"ni*ca*ble*ness , noun -- Com*mu"ni*ca"bly , adverb

Communicant Com·mu"ni·cant noun [ Latin communicans , present participle] 1. One who partakes of, or is entitled to partake of, the sacrament of the Lord's supper; a church member.

A never-failing monthly communicant .
Atterbury.

2. One who communicates. Foxe.

Communicant Com·mu"ni·cant adjective Communicating. [ R.] Coleridge.

Communicate Com·mu"ni·cate transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Communicated ; present participle & verbal noun Communicating .] [ Latin communicatus , past participle of communicare to communicate, from communis common. See Commune , intransitive verb ] 1. To share in common; to participate in. [ Obsolete]

To thousands that communicate our loss.
B. Jonson

2. To impart; to bestow; to convey; as, to communicate a disease or a sensation; to communicate motion by means of a crank.

Where God is worshiped, there he communicates his blessings and holy influences.
Jer. Taylor.

3. To make known; to recount; to give; to impart; as, to communicate information to any one.

4. To administer the communion to. [ R.]

She [ the church] . . . may communicate him.
Jer. Taylor.

» This verb was formerly followed by with before the person receiving, but now usually takes to after it.

He communicated those thoughts only with the Lord Digby.
Clarendon.

Syn. -- To impart; bestow; confer; reveal; disclose; tell; announce; recount; make known. -- To Communicate , Impart , Reveal . Communicate is the more general term, and denotes the allowing of others to partake or enjoy in common with ourselves. Impart is more specific. It is giving to others a part of what we had held as our own, or making them our partners; as, to impart our feelings; to impart of our property, etc. Hence there is something more intimate in imparting intelligence than in communicating it. To reveal is to disclose something hidden or concealed; as, to reveal a secret.

Communicate Com·mu"ni·cate intransitive verb 1. To share or participate; to possess or enjoy in common; to have sympathy.

Ye did communicate with my affliction.
Philip. iv. 4.

2. To give alms, sympathy, or aid.

To do good and to communicate forget not.
Hebrew xiii. 16.

3. To have intercourse or to be the means of intercourse; as, to communicate with another on business; to be connected; as, a communicating artery.

Subjects suffered to communicate and to have intercourse of traffic.
Hakluyt.

The whole body is nothing but a system of such canals, which all communicate with one another.
Arbuthnot.

4. To partake of the Lord's supper; to commune.

The primitive Christians communicated every day.
Jer. Taylor.

Communication Com·mu`ni·ca"tion noun [ Latin communicatio .] 1. The act or fact of communicating; as, communication of smallpox; communication of a secret.

2. Intercourse by words, letters, or messages; interchange of thoughts or opinions, by conference or other means; conference; correspondence.

Argument . . . and friendly communication .
Shak.

3. Association; company.

Evil communications corrupt good manners.
1 Cor. xv. 33.

4. Means of communicating; means of passing from place to place; a connecting passage; connection.

The Euxine Sea is conveniently situated for trade, by the communication it has both with Asia and Europe.
Arbuthnot.

5. That which is communicated or imparted; intelligence; news; a verbal or written message.

6. Participation in the Lord's supper. Bp. Pearson.

7. (Rhet.) A trope, by which a speaker assumes that his hearer is a partner in his sentiments, and says we , instead of I or you . Beattie.

Syn. -- Correspondence; conference; intercourse.

Communicative Com·mu"ni·ca·tive adjective [ Confer French Communicatif , Late Latin communicativus .] Inclined to communicate; ready to impart to others.

Determine, for the future, to be less communicative .
Swift.

Communicativeness Com·mu"ni·ca·tive·ness noun The quality of being communicative. Norris.

Communicator Com·mu"ni·ca`tor noun [ Latin ] One who communicates. Boyle.

Communicatory Com·mu"ni·ca"to·ry adjective [ Late Latin communicatorius .] Imparting knowledge or information.

Canonical and communicatory letters.
Barrow.

Communion Com·mun"ion noun [ Latin communio : confer French communion . See Common .] 1. The act of sharing; community; participation. "This communion of goods." Blackstone.

2. Intercourse between two or more persons; esp., intimate association and intercourse implying sympathy and confidence; interchange of thoughts, purposes, etc.; agreement; fellowship; as, the communion of saints.

We are naturally induced to seek communion and fellowship with others.
Hooker.

What communion hath light with darkness?
2 Cor. vi. 14.

Bare communion with a good church can never alone make a good man.
South.

3. A body of Christians having one common faith and discipline; as, the Presbyterian communion .

4. The sacrament of the eucharist; the celebration of the Lord's supper; the act of partaking of the sacrament; as, to go to communion ; to partake of the communion .

Close communion . See under Close , adjective -- Communion elements , the bread and wine used in the celebration of the Lord's supper. -- Communion service , the celebration of the Lord's supper, or the office or service therefor. -- Communion table , the table upon which the elements are placed at the celebration of the Lord's supper. -- Communion in both kinds , participation in both the bread and wine by all communicants. -- Communion in one kind , participation in but one element, as in the Roman Catholic Church, where the laity partake of the bread only.

Syn. -- Share; participation; fellowship; converse; intercourse; unity; concord; agreement.

Communism Com"mu·nism noun [ French communisme , from commun common.] A scheme of equalizing the social conditions of life; specifically, a scheme which contemplates the abolition of inequalities in the possession of property, as by distributing all wealth equally to all, or by holding all wealth in common for the equal use and advantage of all.

» At different times, and in different countries, various schemes pertaining to socialism in government and the conditions of domestic life, as well as in the distribution of wealth, have been called communism .

Communist Com"mu·nist noun [ French communiste .] 1. An advocate for the theory or practice of communism.

2. A supporter of the commune of Paris.

Communistic Com`mu·nis"tic adjective 1. Of or pertaining to communism or communists; as, communistic theories.

2. (Zoology) Living or having their nests in common, as certain birds.

Community Com·mu"ni·ty noun ; plural Communities . [ Latin communitas : confer Old French communité . Confer Commonalty , and see Common .] 1. Common possession or enjoyment; participation; as, a community of goods.

The original community of all things.
Locke.

An unreserved community of thought and feeling.
W. Irving.

2. A body of people having common rights, privileges, or interests, or living in the same place under the same laws and regulations; as, a community of monks. Hence a number of animals living in a common home or with some apparent association of interests.

Creatures that in communities exist.
Wordsworth.

3. Society at large; a commonwealth or state; a body politic; the public, or people in general.

Burdens upon the poorer classes of the community .
Hallam.

» In this sense, the term should be used with the definite article; as, the interests of the community.

4. Common character; likeness. [ R.]

The essential community of nature between organic growth and inorganic growth.
H. Spencer.

5. Commonness; frequency. [ Obsolete]

Eyes . . . sick and blunted with community .
Shak.

Commutability Com·mu`ta·bil"i·ty noun The quality of being commutable.

Commutable Com·mut"a·ble adjective [ Latin commutabilis .] Capable of being commuted or interchanged.

The predicate and subject are not commutable .
Whately.

Commutableness Com·mut"a·ble·ness noun The quality of being commutable; interchangeableness.

Commutation Com`mu·ta"tion noun [ Latin commutatio : confer French commutation .] 1. A passing from one state to another; change; alteration; mutation. [ R.]

So great is the commutation that the soul then hated only that which now only it loves.
South.

2. The act of giving one thing for another; barter; exchange. [ Obsolete]

The use of money is . . . that of saving the commutation of more bulky commodities.
Arbuthnot.

3. (Law) The change of a penalty or punishment by the pardoning power of the State; as, the commutation of a sentence of death to banishment or imprisonment.

Suits are allowable in the spiritual courts for money agreed to be given as a commutation for penance.
Blackstone.

4. A substitution, as of a less thing for a greater, esp. a substitution of one form of payment for another, or one payment for many, or a specific sum of money for conditional payments or allowances; as, commutation of tithes; commutation of fares; commutation of copyright; commutation of rations.

Angle of commutation (Astron.) , the difference of the geocentric longitudes of the sun and a planet. -- Commutation of tithes , the substitution of a regular payment, chargeable to the land, for the annual tithes in kind. -- Commutation ticket , a ticket, as for transportation, which is the evidence of a contract for service at a reduced rate. See 2d Commute , 2.

Commutation ticket Com`mu·ta"tion tick"et A ticket for transportation at a reduced rate in consideration of some special circumstance, as increase of travel; specif., a ticket for a certain number of, or for daily, trips between neighboring places at a reduced rate, such as are commonly used by those doing business in a city and living in a suburb. Commutation tickets are excepted from the prohibition against special rates contained in the Interstate Commerce Act of Feb. 4, 1887 ( 24 Stat. 379 ), and in 145 U. S. 263 it was held that party tickets were also excepted as being "obviously within the commuting principle."

Commutative Com·mut"a·tive adjective [ CF. French commutatif .] Relative to exchange; interchangeable; reciprocal. -- Com*mut"a*tive"ly , adverb

Rich traders, from their success, are presumed . . . to have cultivated an habitual regard to commutative justice.
Burke.

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