general
♦♦♦ gen|er|al /dʒ'enrəl/ (generals)
1 [N-COUNT; N-TITLE; N-VOC]
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.
2 [ADJ] ADJ n
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.
[PHRASE]
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.
3 [ADJ] ADJ n
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.
4 [ADJ] ADJ n
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.
5 [ADJ] ADJ n
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.
6 [ADJ] ADJ n
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.
7
see also generally
8 [PHRASE] n PHR
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.
9 [PHRASE] n PHR
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.
10 [PHRASE] PHR with cl
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 wholebriga|dier gen|er|al (brigadier generals)
also brigadier-general
[N-COUNT; N-TITLE]
In the United States, a brigadier general is a senior officer in the armed forces who is often in charge of a brigade and has a rank above colonel and below major general.
...Brigadier General Gary Whipple of the Louisiana National Guard.di|rec|tor gen|er|al (directors general)
[N-COUNT] usu sing
The director general of a large organization such as the BBC is the person who is in charge of it.♦ gen|er|al elec|tion (general elections)
1 [N-COUNT]
In Britain, a general election is an election where everyone votes for people to represent them in Parliament.
2 [N-COUNT]
In the United States, a general election is a local, state, or national election where the candidates have been selected by a primary election. Compare primary.gen|er|al knowl|edge
[N-UNCOUNT]
General knowledge is knowledge about many different things, as opposed to detailed knowledge about one particular subject.gen|er|al prac|tice (general practices)
1 [N-UNCOUNT]
When a doctor is in general practice, he or she treats sick people at a surgery or office, or visits them at home, and does not specialize in a particular type of medicine.
In recent years, doctors have been trained specifically for general practice.
[N-COUNT]
General practice is also a noun.
The sample was selected from the medical records of two general practices.
2 [N-UNCOUNT]
When lawyers deal with all kinds of legal matters, rather than specializing in one kind of law, you can say they have a general practice or are in general practice. (mainly AM)gen|er|al prac|ti|tion|er (general practitioners)
[N-COUNT]
A general practitioner is the same as a GP. (BRIT FORMAL)gen|er|al pub|lic
[N-SING-COLL] the N
You can refer to the people in a society as the general public, especially when you are contrasting people in general with a small group.
These charities depend on the compassionate feelings and generosity of the general public...
Unemployment is 10 percent among the general public and about 40 percent among North African immigrants.gen|er|al strike (general strikes)
[N-COUNT]
A general strike is a situation where most or all of the workers in a country are on strike and are refusing to work.ma|jor gen|er|al (major generals)
also major-general
[N-COUNT; N-TITLE; N-VOC]
In Britain, a major general is a senior officer in the army, one rank above a brigadier. In the United States, a major general is a senior officer in the army, air force, or marines, one rank above brigadier general.
1 [N-COUNT; N-TITLE; N-VOC]
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.
2 [ADJ] ADJ n
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.
[PHRASE]
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.
3 [ADJ] ADJ n
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.
4 [ADJ] ADJ n
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.
5 [ADJ] ADJ n
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.
6 [ADJ] ADJ n
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.
7
see also generally
8 [PHRASE] n PHR
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.
9 [PHRASE] n PHR
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.
10 [PHRASE] PHR with cl
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 wholebriga|dier gen|er|al (brigadier generals)
also brigadier-general
[N-COUNT; N-TITLE]
In the United States, a brigadier general is a senior officer in the armed forces who is often in charge of a brigade and has a rank above colonel and below major general.
...Brigadier General Gary Whipple of the Louisiana National Guard.di|rec|tor gen|er|al (directors general)
[N-COUNT] usu sing
The director general of a large organization such as the BBC is the person who is in charge of it.♦ gen|er|al elec|tion (general elections)
1 [N-COUNT]
In Britain, a general election is an election where everyone votes for people to represent them in Parliament.
2 [N-COUNT]
In the United States, a general election is a local, state, or national election where the candidates have been selected by a primary election. Compare primary.gen|er|al knowl|edge
[N-UNCOUNT]
General knowledge is knowledge about many different things, as opposed to detailed knowledge about one particular subject.gen|er|al prac|tice (general practices)
1 [N-UNCOUNT]
When a doctor is in general practice, he or she treats sick people at a surgery or office, or visits them at home, and does not specialize in a particular type of medicine.
In recent years, doctors have been trained specifically for general practice.
[N-COUNT]
General practice is also a noun.
The sample was selected from the medical records of two general practices.
2 [N-UNCOUNT]
When lawyers deal with all kinds of legal matters, rather than specializing in one kind of law, you can say they have a general practice or are in general practice. (mainly AM)gen|er|al prac|ti|tion|er (general practitioners)
[N-COUNT]
A general practitioner is the same as a GP. (BRIT FORMAL)gen|er|al pub|lic
[N-SING-COLL] the N
You can refer to the people in a society as the general public, especially when you are contrasting people in general with a small group.
These charities depend on the compassionate feelings and generosity of the general public...
Unemployment is 10 percent among the general public and about 40 percent among North African immigrants.gen|er|al strike (general strikes)
[N-COUNT]
A general strike is a situation where most or all of the workers in a country are on strike and are refusing to work.ma|jor gen|er|al (major generals)
also major-general
[N-COUNT; N-TITLE; N-VOC]
In Britain, a major general is a senior officer in the army, one rank above a brigadier. In the United States, a major general is a senior officer in the army, air force, or marines, one rank above brigadier general.