people

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“

A pastime among some cow people is the drawing of brands in the dirt and challenging others to name them.

—VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol XIII No 3

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Definitions (34)

American Heritage Dictionary (11)

noun Humans considered as a group or in indefinite numbers: People were dancing in the street. I met all sorts of people.
noun A body of persons living in the same country under one national government; a nationality.
noun A body of persons sharing a common religion, culture, language, or inherited condition of life.

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Century Dictionary (15)

The whole body of persons who compose a community, tribe, race, or nation: as, the people of England; the people of Israel. [In this sense the word takes the indefinite article, and admits of the plural form peoples.] There made the peple of Ebron Sacrifice to oure Lord: and ther thei zolden up here Avowes. Mandeville, Travels, p. 105. A blisful lyf, a paisible and a swete, Ledden the peples in the former age. Chaucer, Former Age, l. 2. Whan the kynge Riolent and the kynge Placiens saugh that so litill a peple withstode so grete a power as thei were, thei hadde ther-of grete merveile and grete dispyte. Merlin (E. E. T. S.), ii. 208. The ants are a people not strong yet they prepare their meats in the summer. Prov. xxx. 25. By heaven and earth, I were much better be a king of beasts Than such a people! Beau. and Fl., King and No King, i. 1. The French character is now, as it was centuries ago, contrasted in sundry respects with the characters of neighbouring peoples. H. Spencer, Prin. of Biol., § 80.
The mass of persons inhabiting a place; subjects or citizens, as distinguished from their rulers or from men of rank or men of authority in any profession; the commonalty; the populace: usually preceded by the definite article: as, the king and the people; one of the people; the darling of the people. With glosynges and with gabbyngs he gylede the peuple. Piers Plowman (C), xxiii. 125. In other things the knowing artist may Judge better than the people, but a play Made for delight, If you approve it not, has no excuse. Waller, Prol. to Maid's Tragedy. The popular leaders (who in all ages have called themselves the people) began to grow insolent. Blackstone, Com., IV. xxxiii. The people are the only censors of their governors: and even their errors will tend to keep these to the true principles of their institution. To punish these errors too severely would be to suppress the only safeguard of the public liberty. Jefferson, Correspondence, II. 85.
Those who are closely connected with a person as subjects, domestics, attendants, followers, etc.; also, one's family, relatives, etc.: as, a pastor and his people. Where-thurgh the kynges lege peopell scholde be disceuyd. English Gilds (E. E. T. S.), p. 332. And what peopyll they brought among them three, Mynne Auctour seith it is a wonder to see. Generydes (E. E. T. S.), l. 1967. A stranger may go in with the consul's dragoman or interpreter, and, being conducted afterwards to the Pasha's coffee room, is civilly entertain'd by his people with sweetmeats and coffee. Pococke, Description of the East, I. 33. In the evening we came to an anchor on the eastern shore nearly opposite to Esné. Some of our people had landed to shoot, trusting to a turn of the river that is here, which would enable them to keep up with us. Bruce, Source of the Nile, I. 141.

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Examples

Every Government, at the last, is of the people, by the people, but whether for the people depends upon whether the people are awake. — Little Journeys to the Homes of Great Reformers
I recovered just as the people were about to nail down the hatches; perceiving which, I desired them to stop. — The Life of Olaudah Equiano Or Gustavus Vassa The African
I had no objection to their leaving me, as my people were all in a desperate condition, being worn out with traveling and starving with hunger. — Autobiography of Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, or Black Hawk
We have the favor of the people when we have the favor of the government; for the people are the government. — Life and Labors of Elder John Kline the Martyr Missionary
A pastime among some cow people is the drawing of brands in the dirt and challenging others to name them. — VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol XIII No 3

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man · thing · life · other · officer · company · nation

Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (3)

American Heritage Dictionary (1)

Middle English peple, from Old French pueple, from Latin populus, of Etruscan origin.

Century Dictionary (2)

Early modern English also peple; from Middle English peple, pepill, people, peopell, peopyll, poeple, peuple, puple (the spelling with oe or eo being intended to render the Old French diphthong), people, = Middle High German povel, pövel, bovel, G. pöbel = Danish Swedish pöbel, the populace, mob, rabble, from Old French pueple, pople, French peuple = Provencal pobol, poble = Spanish pueblo (later English pueblo) = Portuguese povo = Italian popolo, from Latin populus, the people, the populace; apparently a redupl. of pul, *ple in plebs, the people, plenus = English full, Greek πολύς, many, =English (obsolete) feel, many, full, etc. Hence popular, etc.
from P. peupler = Provencal Spanish poblar = Portuguese povoar = Italian popolare, people, populate, from Middle Latin populare, inhabit, populate; from the noun: see people, n., and cf. populate.

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