general staff

Mil.: The staff of an army. [STAFF.] general-tail, s . general-term, s. Logic : A term which is the sign of a general conception or notion. General term of a series: That term from which any term whatever may be deduced, by a igning proper values to the arbitrary constants which enter it. Crabb thus discriminates between general and universal : "The general is to the universal what the part is to the whole. What is general includes the greater part or number: what is universal includes every individual or part. The general rule admits of many exceptions: the universal rule admits of none. Human government has the gen eral good for its object: the government of Providence is directed to universal good. General is opposed to particular, and universal to individual." (Crabb: Eng . Synon.) IMG:content-0401.png:[ocr errors] *gen-er-ā-lě ( pl . gěn-er-ā-11-a) (1), s. [Latin neut. sing. of general is =general.] 1. That which is general. 2. The usual commons in a religious house. 3. Pl .: Generalities; general terms. "Destined to serve as the generalia or first principles of the various arts."-J. S. Mill . ( Ogilvie .) *gen'-er-ale (2), s . [Fr.] Milit .: Formerly a beat of drum for the a embly of all the troops preparatory to a march or to going into action. When beaten unexpectedly it was the signal for the whole of the troops to a emble at the alarm-posts. ( Voyle .) "Hurrah, boys! the morning of battle has come, And the generale 's beating on many a drum." Davis: Battle - Eve of the Brigade. *gen-er-al-e , s . [English general; -e .] A female general or commander. "He hastily nominates general e es." -Carlyle: French Revolution, pt. i., bk. vii., § 5. *gen-er-al-işm, s. [ Eng.general ; -ism .] 1. A general conclusion. 2. A platitude. "He began with general isms about humility."- Burton : City of the Saints , ch. v. gen-er-al-is-si-mō, s . [Ital. & Sp.; Fr. générali ime.] A commander-in-chief; the chief com mander of an army consisting of two or more grand divisions under separate generals. "In case of any foreign invasion, the King was by law to he generali imo , to command the people for their own safety."-Ludlow: Memoirs; King Charles' Case.