public

public
1 /'pVblIk/ adjective
1 ORDINARY PEOPLE (no comparative) connected with all the ordinary people in a country, who are not members of the government or do not have important jobs: The law was changed as a result of public pressure. | in the public interest (=helpful or useful to ordinary people): Publishing this story was definitely in the public interest. | public outcry (=strong objections from many people): New taxes provoked a public outcry.
2 FOR ANYONE (no comparative) available for anyone to use: a public telephone | a public beach | proposals to ban smoking in public places
3 GOVERNMENT (no comparative) connected with the government and with the services it provides for people: public money: Simply pumping public money into the railways is not the answer. | public office (=the job of being part of a government): We do not believe he is fit for public office.
—see also: public service
4 KNOWN ABOUT (no comparative) known about by most people: make sth public (=tell everyone): The name of the victim has not been made public. | be public knowledge (=not secret): It's public knowledge that Ann has an alcohol problem. | in the public eye/view (=on television, radio etc a lot because you are famous) | public figure (=famous person)
5 NOT HIDDEN intended for anyone to know, see or hear: Demands for a public investigation have been ignored. | public display of grief/affection etc (=showing your emotions so that everyone can see)
6 PLACE WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE a public place usually has a lot of people in it: Don't talk about it here; this place is too public.
7 public life work that you do, especially for the government, that makes you well-known to many people: Judge Carson retired from public life in 1944.
8 public image the character or attitudes that a famous person, organization etc is thought by most people to have: Marilyn tried hard to protect her public image. | Violence doesn't help the game's public image.
9 go public
a) to tell everyone about something that was secret: We have all the evidence, so now we can go public!
b) to become a public company
10 public appearance a visit by a famous person in order to make a speech, advertise something etc
11 public property
a) something that is provided for anyone to use, and is usually owned by the government: Two demonstrators were charged with damaging public property.
b) informal something that everyone has a right to know about: When you're a TV star you're public property it seems!
12 public enemy number one the criminal, problem etc that is considered the most serious threat to people's safety: Drugs have become public enemy number one.
—compare private 1 — publicly adverb: publicly humiliated 2 noun
1 the public ordinary people who do not belong to the government or have any special position in society: The castle is open to the public daily.
(also + plural verb in BrE): The public are not interested in this issue. | the general public: Our special offer is not available to the general public.
2 in public if you do something in public you do it where anyone can see: Her husband was always nice to her in public.
—opposite in private private 2 (1), —see also: wash your dirty linen in public wash 1 (6)
3 (singular, uncountable) the people who like listening to a particular singer, reading a particular writer etc: A star has to try to please her public.
(also + plural verb in BrE): Today's theatre-going public are very demanding.

Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.

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  • public — public, ique [ pyblik ] adj. et n. m. • 1239; lat. publicus I ♦ Adj. 1 ♦ Qui concerne le peuple pris dans son ensemble; qui appartient à la collectivité sociale, politique et en émane; qui appartient à l État ou à une personne administrative. La… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • public — pub·lic 1 adj 1 a: exposed to general view public indecency b: known or recognized by many or most people 2 a: of, relating to, or affecting all of the people or the whole area of a nation or state public statutes b: of or relating to a go …   Law dictionary

  • public — public, ique (pu blik, bli k ) adj. 1°   Qui appartient à tout un peuple, qui concerne tout un peuple. •   Le péril dont Rodrigue a su nous retirer, Et le salut public que vous rendent ses armes, CORN. Cid, IV, 2. •   Le bien public, CORN. Nicom …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • Public — is of or pertaining to the people; relating to, or affecting, a nation, state, or community; opposed to private; as, the public treasury, a road or lake. Public is also defined as the people of a nation not affiliated with the government of that… …   Wikipedia

  • Public — Pub lic, a. [L. publicus, poblicus, fr. populus people: cf. F. public. See {People}.] 1. Of or pertaining to the people; belonging to the people; relating to, or affecting, a nation, state, or community; opposed to {private}; as, the public… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • public — PÚBLIC, Ă, publici, ce, s.n. sg., adj. 1. s.n. sg. Colectivitate mare de oameni; mulţime, lume; spec. totalitatea persoanelor care asistă la un spectacol, la o conferinţă etc. ♢ loc. adj. şi adv. În public = (care are loc) în faţa unui anumit… …   Dicționar Român

  • public — PUBLIC. adj. Commun, qui appartient à tout un peuple, qui concerne tout un peuple. L interest public. l authorité publique. l utilité publique. le thresor public. les revenus publics. il est de l avantage public que cela soit. il est du bien… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Public.Ru — – крупнейшая интернет каталог русскоязычных СМИ. С 2000 года Public.Ru развивает собственную базу данных материалов СМИ. Сегодня в архивах доступно более 20 млн. документов из более 3000 источников – газет, журналов, информационных агентств,… …   Википедия

  • public — [pub′lik] adj. [ME < L publicus: altered (prob. infl. by pubes, adult) < poplicus, contr. of populicus, public < populus, the PEOPLE] 1. of, belonging to, or concerning the people as a whole; of or by the community at large [the public… …   English World dictionary

  • public — ► ADJECTIVE 1) of, concerning, or available to the people as a whole. 2) of or involved in the affairs of the community, especially in government or entertainment. 3) done, perceived, or existing in open view. 4) of or provided by the state… …   English terms dictionary

  • Public — Pub lic, n. 1. The general body of mankind, or of a nation, state, or community; the people, indefinitely; as, the American public; also, a particular body or aggregation of people; as, an author s public. [1913 Webster] The public is more… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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