Part 458

In general, in the main; for the most part.

||Gen`e*ra"li*a (?), n. pl. [Neut. pl., fr. L. generalis.] ||Generalities; general terms. J. S. Mill.

Gen`er*al*is"si*mo (?), n. [It., superl. of generale general. See General, a.] The chief commander of an army; especially, the commander in chief of an army consisting of two or more grand divisions under separate commanders; -- a title used in most foreign countries.

Gen`er*al"i*ty (?), n.; pl. Generalities (#). [L. generalitas: cf. F. gÈnÈralitÈ. Cf. Generalty.]

1. The state of being general; the quality of including species or particulars. Hooker.

2. That which is general; that which lacks specificalness, practicalness, or application; a general or vague statement or phrase.

Let us descend from generalities to particulars.

Landor.

The glittering and sounding generalities of natural right which make up the Declaration of Independence.

R. Choate.

3. The main body; the bulk; the greatest part; as, the generality of a nation, or of mankind.

Gen"er*al*i`za*ble (?), a. Capable of being generalized, or reduced to a general form of statement, or brought under a general rule.

Extreme cases are . . . not generalizable.

Coleridge

Gen`er*al*i*za"tion (?), n. [Cf. F. gÈnÈralisation.]

1. The act or process of generalizing; the act of bringing individuals or particulars under a genus or class; deduction of a general principle from particulars.

Generalization is only the apprehension of the one in the many.

Sir W. Hamilton.

2. A general inference.

Gen"er*al*ize (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Generalized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Generalizing (?).] [Cf. F. gÈnÈraliser.]

1. To bring under a genus or under genera; to view in relation to a genus or to genera.

Copernicus generalized the celestial motions by merely referring them to the moon's motion. Newton generalized them still more by referring this last to the motion of a stone through the air.

W. Nicholson.

2. To apply to other genera or classes; to use with a more extensive application; to extend so as to include all special cases; to make universal in application, as a formula or rule.

When a fact is generalized, our discontent is quited, and we consider the generality itself as tantamount to an explanation.

Sir W. Hamilton.

3. To derive or deduce (a general conception, or a general principle) from particulars.

A mere conclusion generalized from a great multitude of facts.