Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - general

(generals) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. A general is a high-ranking officer in the armed forces, usually in the army. The General’s visit to Sarajevo is part of preparations for the deployment of extra troops. N-COUNT; N-TITLE; N-VOC 2. If you talk about the general situation somewhere or talk about something in general terms, you are describing the situation as a whole rather than considering its details or exceptions. The figures represent a general decline in employment. ...the general deterioration of English society. ADJ: ADJ n • If you describe something in general terms, you describe it without giving details. She recounted in very general terms some of the events of recent months. PHRASE 3. You use general to describe several items or activities when there are too many of them or when they are not important enough to mention separately. ?2,500 for software is soon swallowed up in general costs... His firm took over the planting and general maintenance of the park last March. ADJ: ADJ n 4. You use general to describe something that involves or affects most people, or most people in a particular group. The project should raise general awareness about bullying. ADJ: ADJ n 5. If you describe something as general, you mean that it is not restricted to any one thing or area. ...a general ache radiating from the back of the neck. ...a general sense of well-being. ...raising the level of general physical fitness. ADJ: ADJ n 6. General is used to describe a person’s job, usually as part of their title, to indicate that they have complete responsibility for the administration of an organization or business. (BUSINESS) He joined Sanders Roe, moving on later to become General Manager. ADJ: ADJ n 7. see also generally 8. You use in general to indicate that you are talking about something as a whole, rather than about part of it. I think we need to improve our educational system in general... She had a confused idea of life in general. PHRASE: n PHR 9. You say in general to indicate that you are referring to most people or things in a particular group. People in general will support us... She enjoys a sterling reputation in law enforcement circles and among the community in general. PHRASE: n PHR 10. You say in general to indicate that a statement is true in most cases. In general, it was the better-educated voters who voted Yes in the referendum. = on the whole PHRASE: PHR with cl