ˈpi:pl n. & v. --n. 1 (usu. as pl.) a persons composing a
community,
tribe, race,
nation, etc. (the
English people; a
warlike people;
the peoples of the Commonwealth). b a
group of persons of a usu. specified kind (the
chosen people;
these people
here; right-thinking people). 2 (prec. by the; treated as pl.) a the mass of people in a
country etc.
not having
special rank or
position. b these considered as an
electorate (the people will
reject it). 3 parents or
other relatives (my people are French). 4 a subjects, armed followers, a
retinue, etc. b a
congregation of a
parish priest etc. 5 persons in
general (people do not like rudeness). --v.tr. (usu. foll. by with) 1
fill with people, animals,
etc.;
populate. 2 (esp. as peopled adj.)
inhabit;
occupy; fill (thickly peopled). øpeople's
democracy a
political system,
esp. in E. Europe, with
power regarded as invested in the people. [ME f. AF poeple, people, OF pople, peuple, f. L populus]
