dictionary definitions for "city"


From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

  city
      n 1: a large and densely populated urban area; may include
           several independent administrative districts; "Ancient Troy
           was a great city" [syn: city, metropolis, {urban
           center}]
      2: an incorporated administrative district established by state
         charter; "the city raised the tax rate"
      3: people living in a large densely populated municipality; "the
         city voted for Republicans in 1994" [syn: city,
         metropolis]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  City \Cit"y\ (s[i^]t"[y^]), n.; pl. Cities (s[i^]t"[i^]z).
     [OE. cite, F. cit['e], fr. L. civitas citizenship, state,
     city, fr. civis citizen; akin to Goth. heiwa (in heiwafrauja
     man of the house), AS. h[imac]wan, pl., members of a family,
     servants, h[imac]red family, G. heirath marriage, prop.,
     providing a house, E. hind a peasant.]
     1. A large town.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A corporate town; in the United States, a town or
        collective body of inhabitants, incorporated and governed
        by a mayor and aldermen or a city council consisting of a
        board of aldermen and a common council; in Great Britain,
        a town corporate, which is or has been the seat of a
        bishop, or the capital of his see.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              A city is a town incorporated; which is, or has
              been, the see of a bishop; and though the bishopric
              has been dissolved, as at Westminster, it yet
              remaineth a city.                     --Blackstone
        [1913 Webster]
  
              When Gorges constituted York a city, he of course
              meant it to be the seat of a bishop, for the word
              city has no other meaning in English law. --Palfrey
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. The collective body of citizens, or inhabitants of a city.
        "What is the city but the people?" --Shak.
  
     Syn: See Village.
          [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  City \Cit"y\, a.
     Of or pertaining to a city. --Shak.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     City council. See under Council.
  
     City court, The municipal court of a city. [U. S.]
  
     City ward, a watchman, or the collective watchmen, of a
        city. [Obs.] --Fairfax.
        [1913 Webster]


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