Commonwealth

Commonwealth
Commonwealth Com"mon*wealth` (?; 277), n. [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. [1913 Webster]

The trappings of a monarchy would set up an ordinary commonwealth. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

Note: 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. [1913 Webster]

2. The whole body of people in a state; the public. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Commonwealth — of Nations « Commonwealth » redirige ici. Pour les autres significations, voir Commonwealth (homonymie) …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Commonwealth — Com‧mon‧wealth [ˈkɒmənwelθ ǁ ˈkɑː ] also ˌCommonwealth of ˈNations noun ORGANIZATIONS an organization of about 50 countries that were once part of the British empire, and that are now connected politically and economically: • Britain s gradual… …   Financial and business terms

  • commonwealth — [käm′ənwelth΄] n. [ME commun welthe: see COMMON & WEALTH] 1. the people of a nation or state; body politic 2. a) a nation or state in which there is self government; democracy or republic b) a federation of states [the Commonwealth of Australia ] …   English World dictionary

  • commonwealth — com·mon·wealth / kä mən ˌwelth/ n 1: a nation, state, or other political unit: as a: one founded on law and united by compact or tacit agreement by the people for the common good b: one in which supreme authority is vested in the people c …   Law dictionary

  • commonwealth — ► NOUN 1) an independent state or community, especially a democratic republic. 2) (the Commonwealth or in full the Commonwealth of Nations) an association consisting of the UK together with states that were previously part of the British Empire,… …   English terms dictionary

  • commonwealth — /comănwéls/ s. n. grup de state. (<engl. commonwealth) Trimis de raduborza, 09.09.2006. Sursa: MDN  COMMONWEALTH COMĂNUÉLS/ s. n. grup de state. (< engl. commonwealth) Trimis de raduborza, 15.09.2007. Sursa: MDN …   Dicționar Român

  • commonwealth — [kɔmɔnwɛls] n. m. ÉTYM. 1948, Larousse; mot angl., « communauté », abrév. de Commonwealth of Nations. ❖ ♦ Ensemble des États et territoires émancipés de l ancien Empire britannique, liés entre eux par le seul serment d allégeance à la Couronne… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Commonwealth — (izg. kȍmonvelt) m DEFINICIJA pol. naziv za zajednicu zemalja koje sačinjavaju Britansko Kraljevstvo ETIMOLOGIJA engl. The Commonwealth of Nations …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • commonwealth — late 15c., public welfare, general good, from COMMON (Cf. common) (adj.) + WEALTH (Cf. wealth); meaning the state is attested from 1510s; applied specifically to the government of England in the period 1649 1660 …   Etymology dictionary

  • commonwealth — [n] political or geographic area body politic, citizenry, citizens, commonality, democracy, federation, nation, people, polity, republic, society; concepts 301,512 …   New thesaurus

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