adj.

1. Concerned with, applicable to, or affecting the whole or every member of a class or category: “subduing all her impressions as a woman, to something more general” (Virginia Woolf).
2. Affecting or characteristic of the majority of those involved; prevalent: general discontent.
3. Of or affecting the entire body: general paralysis.
4. Being usually the case; true or applicable in most instances but not all: the general correctness of her decisions.
5. 1. Not limited in scope, area, or application: as a general rule.
   2. Not limited to or dealing with one class of things; diversified: general studies.
6. Involving only the main features rather than precise details: a general grasp of the subject.
7. Highest or superior in rank: the general manager.

n.

1. 1. (Abbr. GEN or Gen or Gen.) A commissioned rank in the U.S. Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps that is above lieutenant general.
   2. One who holds this rank or a similar rank in another military organization.
2. A general officer.
3. A statement, principle, or fact that embraces or is applicable to the whole.
4. General anesthesia.
5. Archaic. The public.

idiom:

in general

1. Generally.

[Middle English, from Latin generālis, from genus, gener-, kind.]

generalness gen'er·al·ness n.

SYNONYMS  general, common, generic, universal. These adjectives mean belonging to, relating to, or affecting the whole: the general welfare; a common enemy; generic likenesses; universal military conscription.
ANTONYM  particular

adjective

1. Belonging or relating to the whole: common, generic, universal. See specific/general.
2. Belonging to, shared by, or applicable to all alike: common, communal, conjoint, joint, mutual, public. See group.
3. Of, representing, or carried on by people at large: democratic, popular, public. See politics, specific/general.
4. Commonly encountered: average, common, commonplace, normal, ordinary, typical, usual. See surprise/expect.
5. Covering a wide scope: all-around, all-inclusive, all-round, broad, broad-spectrum, comprehensive, expansive, extended, extensive, far-ranging, far-reaching, global, inclusive, large, overall, sweeping, wide-ranging, wide-reaching, widespread. See specific/general.
6. Not limited to a single class: diversified. See specific/general.

adj

Definition: common, accepted
Antonyms: abnormal, exceptional, extraordinary, individual, novel, rare, specialist, unaccepted, uncommon, unique, unusual

adj

Definition: comprehensive
Antonyms: circumscribed, limited, localized

adj

Definition: inexact, approximate
Antonyms: circumscribed, definite, detailed, exact, individual, limited, particular, singular, specific

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n. 1. a commander of an army, or an army officer of very high rank.

2. an officer in the U.S. Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps ranking above lieutenant general and below field marshal, general of the army, or general of the air force.

An army general may be of five ranks: brigadier general, major general, lieutenant general, general, or general of the army. General is the highest rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps.

See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.

In a clinical context means whole of body.

• g. clinical assessment — an overall statement on the patient's state of health.
• g. clinical examination — a complete clinical examination including all body systems.
• g. populations — include all classes and levels of animals (or plants) without any attempt to categorize them.

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Highest rank in the Marine Corps. The Commandant of the Marine Corps is a general. The pay grade is O-10 and is designated by four silver stars worn on collar points. The rank is the same in the Army and Air Force. In the Navy the rank is admiral and is additionally designated by a two inch gold band and four one inch gold bands topped by a star on the jacket sleeves. The shoulder boards are mostly gold with a silver fouled anchor and four silver stars..

IN BRIEF: Not specific or in detail. Also: A high ranking military officer.

Be in general virtuous, and you will be happy. — Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790).

Quotes:

"The best generals I have known were... stupid or absent-minded men. Not only does a good army commander not need any special qualities, on the contrary he needs the absence of the highest and best human attributes -- love, poetry, tenderness, and philosophic inquiring doubt. He should be limited, firmly convinced that what he is doing is very important (otherwise he will not have sufficient patience), and only then will he be a brave leader. God forbid that he should be humane, should love, or pity, or think of what is just and unjust." - Count Leo Tolstoy

"Perfect soldier, perfect gentleman never gave offence to anyone not even the enemy." - A. J. P. Taylor

"To a surprising extent the war-lords in shining armor, the apostles of the martial virtues, tend not to die fighting when the time comes. History is full of ignominious getaways by the great and famous." - George Orwell

"The nearest the modern general or admiral comes to a small-arms encounter of any sort is at a duck hunt in the company of corporation executives at the retreat of Continental Motors, Inc." - C. Wright Mills

"Like the old soldier of the ballad, I now close my military career and just fade away, an old soldier who tried to do his duty as God gave him the light to see that duty. Goodbye." - Douglas Macarthur

"A general is just as good or just as bad as the troops under his command make him." - Douglas Macarthur

See more famous quotes about Generals

Dansk (Danish)
adj. - generel, almindelig, udbredt, almen
n. - general

idioms:

• as a general rule    som hovedregel
• by general consent    efter fælles overenskomst, der er almindelig enighed om
• general anaesthesia    totalbedøvelse, fuld narkose
• general anaesthetic    totalbedøvelse, fuld narkose
• general election    valg, parlamentsvalg, folketingsvalg
• general headquarters    generalkommando
• general knowledge    almendannelse, almindelige kundskaber, almenviden
• general meeting    generalforsamling
• general practice    almenmedicin, almenpraksis, lægepraksis
• general practitioner    praktiserende læge, praksislæge
• general public    offentligheden
• general staff    generalstab
• general store    forretning, købmandsbutik
• general strike    generalstrejke
• in general    i almindelighed, almindeligvis, på en bred basis

Nederlands (Dutch)
algemeen, hoofd-, generaal, de mensen, hoofd van bepaalde religieuze groepen, (groot) strateeg

Français (French)
adj. - général, commun, répandu, dans l'ensemble, d'intérêt général, moyen
n. - (Mil) général, général

idioms:

• as a general rule    en règle générale
• by general consent    par consentement général
• general anaesthesia    anesthésie générale
• general anaesthetic    anesthésie générale
• general election    élections législatives
• general headquarters    quartier général
• general knowledge    culture générale
• general meeting    assemblée générale
• general practice    médecine générale
• general practitioner    généraliste, médecin de famille
• general public    (grand) public
• general staff    état-major
• general store    grand magasin, épicerie générale
• general strike    grève générale
• in general    en général

Deutsch (German)
n. - General
adj. - allgemein, generell

idioms:

• as a general rule    im allgemeinen
• by general consent    einmütig
• general anaesthesia    Vollnarkose
• general anaesthetic    Vollnarkose
• general election    allgemeine Wahlen
• general headquarters    Generalkommando
• general knowledge    Allgemeinwissen
• general meeting    Generalversammlung, Hauptversammlung
• general practice    Allgemeinmedizin
• general practitioner    praktischer Arzt, Arzt für Allgemeinmedizin
• general public    Öffentlichkeit, Allgemeinheit
• general staff    Generalstab
• general store    Gemischtwarenhandlung
• general strike    Generalstreik
• in general    im allgemeinen, generell

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - στρατηγός
adj. - γενικός, καθολικός, συνήθης, αόριστος

idioms:

• as a general rule    γενικώς, κατά κανόνα
• by general consent    με καθολική συναίνεση
• general anaesthesia    γενική αναισθησία
• general anaesthetic    γενικό αναισθητικό
• general election    βουλευτικές εκλογές
• general headquarters    γενικό στρατηγείο
• general knowledge    γενικές γνώσεις
• general meeting    γενική συνέλευση
• general practice    γενική ιατρική
• general practitioner    (ιατρός) παθολόγος
• general public    (το) ευρύ κοινό
• general staff    γενικό επιτελείο
• general store    κατάστημα γενικού εμπορίου
• general strike    γενική απεργία
• in general    γενικά, κατά κανόνα, συνήθως

Italiano (Italian)
generale, comune

idioms:

• as a general rule    in genere
• general anaesthesia    anestesia generale
• general election    elezioni generali
• general headquarters    quartier generale
• general knowledge    pubblico dominio
• general meeting    assemblea generale
• general practice    medicina generica
• general practitioner    medico generico
• general public    pubblico generale
• general staff    alto comando
• general store    grande magazzino
• general strike    sciopero generale
• in general    generalmente

Português (Portuguese)
n. - general (m) (Mil.), noção (f) ou princípio (m) geral, principal (m) de ordem religiosa, público (m)
adj. - geral, vago, comum, não-especializado, principal

idioms:

• as a general rule    como regra geral
• general anaesthesia    anestesia (f) geral (Med.)
• general election    eleições (m pl) gerais
• general headquarters    quartel (m) general
• general knowledge    conhecimento (m) geral
• general meeting    assembléia (f) geral
• general practice    clínica (f) geral (Med.)
• general practitioner    clínico (m) geral (Med.)
• general public    grande (m) público
• general staff    estado-maior (m) (Mil.)
• general store    armazém geral
• general strike    greve (f) geral
• in general    em geral

Русский (Russian)
общий, универсальный, повсеместный, обычный, главный, генерал

idioms:

• as a general rule    в качестве общего правила
• general anaesthesia    общая анестезия
• general election    всеобщие выборы
• general headquarters    ставка главнокомандующего
• general knowledge    общие знания
• general meeting    общее собрание
• general practice    общая практика
• general practitioner    терапевт
• general public    общественность
• general staff    генеральный штаб, общевойсковой штаб
• general store    универсальный магазин
• general strike    всеобщая забастовка
• in general    в целом

Español (Spanish)
adj. - general, público, común, universal
n. - general (rango militar y eclesiástico)

idioms:

• as a general rule    por regla general
• by general consent    según la opinión general
• general anaesthesia    anestesia general
• general anaesthetic    anestésico general
• general election    elecciones generales
• general headquarters    cuartel general, jefatura
• general knowledge    cultura general, conocimiento público
• general meeting    asamblea general
• general practice    medicina general
• general practitioner    médico de medicina general, médico clínico, médico de cabecera
• general public    el público
• general staff    estado mayor, plana mayor
• general store    tienda de comestibles, almacén
• general strike    huelga general
• in general    en general, comúnmente, generalmente, por lo general

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - general (mil.), fältherre, ordensgeneral (kyrkl.)
adj. - allmän, huvud-, generals (mil.)

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
一般的, 综合的, 普通的, 一般, 大体, 将军

idioms:

• as a general rule    一般说来
• by general consent    经一致同意
• general anaesthesia    全身麻醉
• general anaesthetic    全身麻醉剂
• general election    普选
• general headquarters    总部, 总司令部
• general knowledge    常识, 各方面的知识
• general meeting    会员大会
• general practice    一般诊疗
• general practitioner    全科医师
• general public    公众
• general staff    总参谋部
• general store    杂货店
• general strike    总罢工
• in general    通常, 一般而言, 大体上

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 一般的, 綜合的, 普通的
n. - 一般, 大體, 將軍

idioms:

• as a general rule    一般說來
• by general consent    經一致同意
• general anaesthesia    全身麻醉
• general anaesthetic    全身麻醉劑
• general election    普選
• general headquarters    總部, 總司令部
• general knowledge    常識, 各方面的知識
• general meeting    會員大會
• general practice    一般診療
• general practitioner    全科醫師
• general public    公眾
• general staff    總參謀部
• general store    雜貨店
• general strike    總罷工
• in general    通常, 一般而言, 大體上

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 일반적인, 총괄적인, 막연한
n. - 장군, 전술가, 전반

idioms:

• as a general rule    일반적인 규칙으로써
• by general consent    일반적인 동의에 의해
• in general    일반적으로

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 全般的な, 世間一般の, 概略の, 漠然とした, 一般の, …長, 大体の
n. - 大将, 将官, …将軍, 将軍

idioms:

• as a general rule    一般に
• by general consent    異議なく
• general anaesthesia    全身麻酔
• general anaesthetic    全身麻酔専門医
• general election    総選挙
• general good    一般常識
• general headquarters    総司令部
• general knowledge    一般的な知識, 一般常識
• general meeting    総会
• general practice    一般診療
• general practitioner    一般開業医
• general public    一般社会, 大衆
• general staff    参謀
• general store    雑貨店
• general strike    総罷業
• in general    一般に

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) لواء, الرئيس العام (صفه) عام, شائع‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮כללי, כולל, נפוץ, מקיף, רגיל, מספיק למטרות מעשיות, לא-מוגדר, עומד בראש, לא-מפורט‬
n. - ‮אלוף, רב-אלוף, גנרל, אסטרטג, ראש של מסדר נוצרי, ציבור (מיושן)‬

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General Electric	general mill
general humidifier	general code