Past Present & Future

Liberal?

(filched from furry folks..)

so what’s in a word?

7 definitions for liberal:

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

Liberal \Lib”er*al\ (l[i^]b”[~e]r*al), a. [F. lib[’e]ral, L.
liberalis, from liber free; perh. akin to libet, lubet, it
pleases, E. lief. Cf. Deliver.]

1. Free by birth; hence, befitting a freeman or gentleman;
refined; noble; independent; free; not servile or mean;
as, a liberal ancestry; a liberal spirit; liberal arts or
studies. ” Liberal education.” –Macaulay. ” A liberal
tongue.” –Shak.
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2. Bestowing in a large and noble way, as a freeman;
generous; bounteous; open-handed; as, a liberal giver. ”
Liberal of praise.” –Bacon.
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Infinitely good, and of his good
As liberal and free as infinite. –Milton.
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3. Bestowed in a large way; hence, more than sufficient;
abundant; bountiful; ample; profuse; as, a liberal gift; a
liberal discharge of matter or of water.
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His wealth doth warrant a liberal dower. –Shak.
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4. Not strict or rigorous; not confined or restricted to the
literal sense; free; as, a liberal translation of a
classic, or a liberal construction of law or of language.
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5. Not narrow or contracted in mind; not selfish; enlarged in
spirit; catholic.
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6. Free to excess; regardless of law or moral restraint;
licentious. ” Most like a liberal villain.” –Shak.
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7. Not bound by orthodox tenets or established forms in
political or religious philosophy; independent in opinion;
not conservative; friendly to great freedom in the
constitution or administration of government; having
tendency toward democratic or republican, as distinguished
from monarchical or aristocratic, forms; as, liberal
thinkers; liberal Christians; the Liberal party.
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I confess I see nothing liberal in this ” order of
thoughts,” as Hobbes elsewhere expresses it.
–Hazlitt.
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Note: Liberal has of, sometimes with, before the thing
bestowed, in before a word signifying action, and to
before a person or object on which anything is
bestowed; as, to be liberal of praise or censure;
liberal with money; liberal in giving; liberal to the
poor.
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