From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
character
n 1: an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play
or film or story); "she is the main character in the
novel" [syn: fictional character, {fictitious
character}]
2: a characteristic property that defines the apparent
individual nature of something; "each town has a quality
all its own"; "the radical character of our demands" [syn:
quality, lineament]
3: the inherent complex of attributes that determine a persons
moral and ethical actions and reactions; "education has
for its object the formation of character"- Herbert
Spencer [syn: fiber, fibre]
4: an actor's portrayal of someone in a play; "she played the
part of Desdemona" [syn: role, theatrical role,
part, persona]
5: a person of a specified kind (usually with many
eccentricities); "a real character"; "a strange
character"; "a friendly eccentric"; "the capable type"; "a
mental case" [syn: eccentric, type, case]
6: good repute; "he is a man of character"
7: a formal recommendation by a former employer to a potential
future employer describing the person's qualifications and
dependability; "requests for character references are all
to often answered evasively" [syn: reference, {character
reference}]
8: a written symbol that is used to represent speech; "the
Greek alphabet has 24 characters" [syn: grapheme,
graphic symbol]
v : engrave or inscribe characters on
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Character \Char"ac*ter\, n. [L., an instrument for marking,
character, Gr. ?, fr. ? to make sharp, to cut into furrows,
to engrave: cf. F. caract[`e]re.]
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1. A distinctive mark; a letter, figure, or symbol.
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It were much to be wished that there were throughout
the world but one sort of character for each letter
to express it to the eye. --Holder.
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2. Style of writing or printing; handwriting; the peculiar
form of letters used by a particular person or people; as,
an inscription in the Runic character.
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You know the character to be your brother's? --Shak.
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3. The peculiar quality, or the sum of qualities, by which a
person or a thing is distinguished from others; the stamp
impressed by nature, education, or habit; that which a
person or thing really is; nature; disposition.
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The character or that dominion. --Milton.
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Know well each Ancient's proper character;
His fable, subject, scope in every page;
Religion, Country, genius of his Age. --Pope.
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A man of . . . thoroughly subservient character.
--Motley.
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4. Strength of mind; resolution; independence; individuality;
as, he has a great deal of character.
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5. Moral quality; the principles and motives that control the
life; as, a man of character; his character saves him from
suspicion.
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6. Quality, position, rank, or capacity; quality or conduct
with respect to a certain office or duty; as, in the
miserable character of a slave; in his character as a
magistrate; her character as a daughter.
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7. The estimate, individual or general, put upon a person or
thing; reputation; as, a man's character for truth and
veracity; to give one a bad character.
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This subterraneous passage is much mended since
Seneca gave so bad a character of it. --Addison.
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8. A written statement as to behavior, competency, etc.,
given to a servant. [Colloq.]
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9. A unique or extraordinary individuality; a person
characterized by peculiar or notable traits; a person who
illustrates certain phases of character; as, Randolph was
a character; C[ae]sar is a great historical character.
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10. One of the persons of a drama or novel.
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Note: "It would be well if character and reputation were used
distinctively. In truth, character is what a person is;
reputation is what he is supposed to be. Character is
in himself, reputation is in the minds of others.
Character is injured by temptations, and by wrongdoing;
reputation by slanders, and libels. Character endures
throughout defamation in every form, but perishes when
there is a voluntary transgression; reputation may last
through numerous transgressions, but be destroyed by a
single, and even an unfounded, accusation or
aspersion." --Abbott.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Character \Char"ac*ter\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Charactered.]
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1. To engrave; to inscribe. [R.]
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These trees shall be my books.
And in their barks my thoughts I 'll character.
--Shak.
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2. To distinguish by particular marks or traits; to describe;
to characterize. [R.] --Mitford.
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From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (19 Sep 2003) [foldoc]:
character
<character> An atom in a character repertoire.
Compare with glyph.
(1998-10-18)