civil
applying to ordinary citizens as contrasted with the military
How often you will meet it
Rank 2,762 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 6,018 times across 191,625 chapters — 0.003% of every word in the library.
What it means
adjective
- applying to ordinary citizens as contrasted with the military civil authorities
- not rude; marked by satisfactory (or especially minimal) adherence to social usages and sufficient but not noteworthy consideration for others also: polite even if he didn't like them he should have been civil
- of or occurring within the state or between or among citizens of the state civil affairscivil strife
- of or relating to or befitting citizens as individuals also: civic civil rightscivil liberty
- (of divisions of time) legally recognized in ordinary affairs of life the civil calendara civil day begins at mean midnight
- of or in a condition of social order civil peoples
civil in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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Here every one of gentle blood has been more or less mixed up in these civil broils.
A Knight of the White Cross · G. A. (George Alfred) Henty · Chapter 1
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The Temple of Diana was struck by lightning and destroyed; and the people revolting, civil wars ensued.
The Dream · Émile Zola · Chapter 1
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She was sure, however, that she had done the civil thing to the flies, and given it to them first.
Piccolissima · Adélaïde de Montgolfier · Chapter 1
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The Fifth were civil to him, recognizing, perhaps, the expediency of leaving him alone ever since the incident of the cricket stump.
The Hill: A Romance of Friendship · Horace Annesley Vachell · Chapter 1
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The nature of the civil wars in England had enlisted many men of deep and sincere piety in the profession of arms.
The Wept of Wish-Ton-Wish · James Fenimore Cooper · Chapter 1