# general

Pronunciation: say "JEN-er-uhl" /ˈd͡ʒɛn.(ə.)ɹəl/

## Adjective

1. Involving, affecting, or shared by all or most members of a group or area; widespread.
   - Simple: Shared by or affecting everyone or most people.
   - _A general strike shut down transport across the entire country._
   - _After the government collapsed, a general election was called for early June._
3. Not specialized or limited to one subject, use, or category; covering a broad or mixed range.
   - Simple: Not special or limited to one thing. Covering many kinds.
   - _The course offers a general grounding that prepares students for several fields._
   - _This is a general framework, so you can adapt it to many projects._
4. Covering only the most important aspects of something while ignoring minor details; not exact.
   - Simple: Showing only the main points and leaving out small details.
   - _The report gives a general picture of the economy without breaking down each sector._
   - _Keep your summary general, since the committee wants the overall shape rather than specifics._
5. Indicating supreme or pre-eminent rank, used in civil and military titles and often placed after the noun, as in 'attorney general'.
   - Simple: Highest in rank, used in some official job titles such as 'attorney general'.
   - _The governor general represented the Crown at the opening ceremony._
   - _After years abroad, she was named consul general in a busy port city._

## Noun

2. A very senior army, air force, or marine officer, ranking above lieutenant general but below field marshal in the British army and below general of the army or air force in US forces.
   - Simple: One of the highest-ranking officers in an army, air force, or marine force.
   - _The general briefed the cabinet on the situation at the border._
   - _After the campaign, he was promoted to general and given a new command._
6. A general anesthetic, or the state of complete unconsciousness it produces during surgery.
   - Simple: Medicine that puts you fully to sleep for an operation.
   - _For a procedure that long, the team opted for a general rather than sedation._
   - _He woke slowly as the general wore off in the recovery room._
7. Someone recognized as a great strategist or skilled tactician.
   - Simple: A person who is very good at planning and winning battles or contests.
   - _A gifted general in the boardroom, she always seemed to know her rivals' next move._
   - _The quarterback was the team's general, reading the defense and calling every play._
8. The head of certain religious orders, especially the Jesuits or Dominicans.
   - Simple: The leader in charge of a whole religious order, such as the Jesuits or Dominicans.
   - _The Jesuit general convened the congregation of senior members in Rome._
   - _The friars gathered in Rome to elect a new general for their order._

## Noun

9. A single domestic servant who performs all the household work; a maid-of-all-work. *(dated)*
   - Simple: A house servant who does all kinds of work for one family.
10. A broad fact or proposition stated in general terms; a generality. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: A broad statement that is true in most cases but not in every detail.

## Adverb

11. Usually, overall, or with reference to people or things collectively. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: In most cases, or for the most part.

## Other meanings

- (verb) To lead soldiers as a general; to command troops in the field.
- (noun) The commanding officer of a fleet; an admiral.
- (noun) The branch of insurance dealing with non-life coverage, such as auto, home, and travel policies, considered as a single industry.
- (noun) In xiangqi (Chinese chess), the piece that moves one point orthogonally and stays confined within the palace.

## Origin

From Middle English general, borrowed via Anglo-Norman and Middle French general from Latin generālis, which comes from genus ("class, kind") plus the suffix -ālis. It is a doublet of generic.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/general (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).