Hypertext Webster Gateway: "monopoly"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Monopoly \Mo*nop"o*ly\, n.; pl. {Monopolies}. [L. monopolium,
Gr. ?, ?; mo`nos alone + ? to sell.]
1. The exclusive power, or privilege of selling a commodity;
the exclusive power, right, or privilege of dealing in
some article, or of trading in some market; sole command
of the traffic in anything, however obtained; as, the
proprietor of a patented article is given a monopoly of
its sale for a limited time; chartered trading companies
have sometimes had a monopoly of trade with remote
regions; a combination of traders may get a monopoly of a
particular product.
Raleigh held a monopoly of cards, Essex a monopoly
of sweet wines. --Macaulay.
2. Exclusive possession; as, a monopoly of land.
If I had a monopoly out, they would have part on 't.
--Shak.
3. The commodity or other material thing to which the
monopoly relates; as, tobacco is a monopoly in France.
[Colloq.]
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
monopoly
n 1: (economics) a market in which there are many buyers but only
one seller; "a monopoly on silver"; "when you have a
monopoly you can ask any price you like"
2: exclusive control or possession of something; "They have no
monopoly on intelligence"
3: (trademark) a board game in which players try to gain a
monopoly on real estate as pieces advance around the board
according to the throw of a die [syn: {Monopoly}]
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