Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Vulgar"

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Vulgar \Vul"gar\, a. [L. vulgaris, from vulgus the multitude,
the common people; of uncertain origin: cf. F. vulgaire. Cf.
{Divulge}.]
1. Of or pertaining to the mass, or multitude, of people;
common; general; ordinary; public; hence, in general use;
vernacular. ``As common as any the most vulgar thing to
sense. '' -- Shak.

Things vulgar, and well-weighed, scarce worth the
praise. --Milton.

It might be more useful to the English reader . . .
to write in our vulgar language. --Bp. Fell.

The mechanical process of multiplying books had
brought the New Testament in the vulgar tongue
within the reach of every class. --Bancroft.

2. Belonging or relating to the common people, as
distinguished from the cultivated or educated; pertaining
to common life; plebeian; not select or distinguished;
hence, sometimes, of little or no value. ``Like the vulgar
sort of market men.'' --Shak.

Men who have passed all their time in low and vulgar
life. --Addison.

In reading an account of a battle, we follow the
hero with our whole attention, but seldom reflect on
the vulgar heaps of slaughter. --Rambler.

3. Hence, lacking cultivation or refinement; rustic; boorish;
also, offensive to good taste or refined feelings; low;
coarse; mean; base; as, vulgar men, minds, language, or
manners.

Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar. --Shak.

{Vulgar fraction}. (Arith.) See under {Fraction}.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Vulgar \Vul"gar\, n. [Cf. F. vulgaire.]
1. One of the common people; a vulgar person. [Obs.]

These vile vulgars are extremely proud. --Chapman.

2. The vernacular, or common language. [Obs.]

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

vulgar
adj 1: lacking refinement or cultivation or taste; "he had coarse
manners but a first-rate mind"; "behavior that branded
him as common"; "an untutored and uncouth human
being"; "an uncouth soldier--a real tough guy";
"appealing to the vulgar taste for violence"; "the
vulgar display of the newly rich" [syn: {coarse}, {common},
{uncouth}]
2: of or associated with the great masses of people; "the
common people in those days suffered greatly"; "behavior
that branded him as common"; "his square plebeian nose";
"a vulgar and objectionable person"; "the unwashed masses"
[syn: {common}, {plebeian}, {unwashed}]
3: being or characteristic of or appropriate to everyday
language; "common parlance"; "a vernacular term";
"vernacular speakers"; "the vulgar tongue of the masses";
"the technical and vulgar names for an animal species"
[syn: {common}, {vernacular}]
4: conspicuously and tastelessly indecent; "coarse language";
"a crude joke"; "crude behavior"; "an earthy sense of
humor"; "a revoltingly gross expletive"; "a vulgar
gesture"; "full of language so vulgar it should have been
edited" [syn: {coarse}, {crude}, {earthy}, {gross}]


Additional Hypertext Webster Gateway Lookup

Enter word here:
Exact Approx


dict.stokkie.net
Gateway by dict@stokkie.net
stock only wrote the gateway and does not have any control over the contents; see the Webster Gateway FAQ, and also the Back-end/database links and credits.