Definition of "general"

It is generall / To be mortall: / I haue well espyde / No man may hym hyde / From Deth holow eyed […] .

c. 1495, John Skelton, "Vppon a deedman's hed"

"Among us!" was the general shout, and Peppersorn sat frozen to his chair.

1842, Douglas Jerrold, “Mr Peppersorn ‘At Home’”, in Cakes and Ale

Undoubtedly the age of the Antonines was much better than any later age until the Renaissance, from the point of view of the general happiness.

1946, Bertrand Russell, “Stoicism”, in History of Western Philosophy, book 1, part 3

One advantage of having profitable companies in Britain is that they pay large sums in corporate tax into the Exchequer, which in theory at least is used for the general good.

2006 October 15, Ruth Sutherland, “Invite public to the private equity party”, in The Observer

For these successes he obtained the rank of Field-Marshal General.

1865, Edward Cust, Lives of the Warriors of the Thirty Years War, page 527

He becomes the chief chartered libertine, the whoremaster-general flourishing his "standard" over a female army […] .

2002, James Turner, Libertines and Radicals in Early Modern London, page 122

‘I can't quite afford you the sympathy you expect upon this score,’ I replied; ‘the misfortune is so general, that it belongs to one half of the species […] .’

1817, Sir Walter Scott, chapter IX, in Rob Roy

The general opinion on Baz Luhrmann's overstuffed epic Australia seems to be that it throws in everything but the kitchen sink, and then tosses that in too, just to be sure.

2008 December 20, John Patterson, “Home movies”, in The Guardian

M. Venizelos went to Athens from Paris early last January in response to a general invitation from the Greek populace.

1924 March 17, Time

Already in the primary school work is conducted for the purpose of equipping the pupils with those elements of general knowledge which are closely related to the military preparation of future warriors.

1947 October 20, “Russian Catechism”, in Time

Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is a general term indicating a rapid heartbeat (tachycardia) coming from the top chambers of the heart - in essence, above (supra) the lower chamber (ventricular).

2009, Douglas P. Zipes, Saturday Evening Post, volume 281, number 1, page 20

As she thus spoke, the entrance of the servants with dinner cut off all conversation but that of a general nature.

1817, Sir Walter Scott, chapter X, in Rob Roy

There was a moment's pause. The Princess broke in with some casual remark and once more the conversation became general.

1941, W Somerset Maugham, Up at the Villa, Vintage, published 2004, page 24

The quick answer is that the 1893 Exposition was simply so important — "the greatest event in the history of the country since the Civil War," as Harper's put it that October — but that feels too general.

2006 July 16, Kevin Nance, “Ghosts of the White City”, in Chicago Sun-Times

Given the scarcity of relevant historical detail in the New Testament, we are left with only a general outline about Joseph.

2008, Robert P. Maloney, “The Quiet Carpenter”, in America, volume 199, number 19, page 18

His measured, springless walk was the walk of the skilled countryman as distinct from the desultory shamble of the general labourer […] .

2007, Alan Cheuse, “A Little Death”, in Southern Review, volume 43, number 3, page 692

My general is sister to your second housemaid.

1918 March, Rebecca West [pseudonym; Cicily Isabel Fairfield], chapter I, in The Return of the Soldier, 1st US edition, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., page 18