Definition: character
Source: WordNet (r) 1.7
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 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
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Demotic \De*mot"ic\, a. [Gr. dhmotiko`s, fr. dh^mos the people: cf. F. d['e]motique.] Of or pertaining to the people; popular; common. Demotic alphabet or character, a form of writing used in Egypt after six or seven centuries before Christ, for books, deeds, and other such writings; a simplified form of the hieratic character; -- called also epistolographic character, and enchorial character. See Enchorial.
Such \Such\, a. [OE. such, sich, sech, sik, swich, swilch, swulch, swilc, swulc, AS. swelc, swilc, swylc; akin to OFries. selik, D. zulk, OS. sulic, OHG. sulih, solih, G. solch, Icel. sl[=i]kr, OSw. salik, Sw. slik, Dan. slig, Goth. swaleiks; originally meaning, so shaped. [root]192. See So, Like, a., and cf. Which.] 1. Of that kind; of the like kind; like; resembling; similar; as, we never saw such a day; -- followed by that or as introducing the word or proposition which defines the similarity, or the standard of comparison; as, the books are not such that I can recommend them, or, not such as I can recommend; these apples are not such as those we saw yesterday; give your children such precepts as tend to make them better. And in his time such a conqueror That greater was there none under the sun. --Chaucer. His misery was such that none of the bystanders could refrain from weeping. --Macaulay. Note: The indefinite article a or an never precedes such, but is placed between it and the noun to which it refers; as, such a man; such an honor. The indefinite adjective some, several, one, few, many, all, etc., precede such; as, one such book is enough; all such people ought to be avoided; few such ideas were then held. 2. Having the particular quality or character specified. That thou art happy, owe to God; That thou continuest such, owe to thyself. --Milton. 3. The same that; -- with as; as, this was the state of the kingdom at such time as the enemy landed. ``[It] hath such senses as we have.'' --Shak. 4. Certain; -- representing the object as already particularized in terms which are not mentioned. In rushed one and tells him such a knight Is new arrived. --Daniel. To-day or to-morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year. --James iv. 13. Note: Such is used pronominally. ``He was the father of such as dwell in tents.'' --Gen. iv. 20. ``Such as I are free in spirit when our limbs are chained.'' --Sir W. Scott. Such is also used before adjectives joined to substantives; as, the fleet encountered such a terrible storm that it put back. ``Everything was managed with so much care, and such excellent order was observed.'' --De Foe. Temple sprung from a family which . . . long after his death produced so many eminent men, and formed such distinguished alliances, that, etc. --Macaulay. Such is used emphatically, without the correlative. Now will he be mocking: I shall have such a life. --Shak. Such was formerly used with numerals in the sense of times as much or as many; as, such ten, or ten times as many. Such and such, or Such or such, certain; some; -- used to represent the object indefinitely, as already particularized in one way or another, or as being of one kind or another. ``In such and such a place shall be my camp.'' --2 Kings vi. 8. ``Sovereign authority may enact a law commanding such and such an action.'' --South. Such like or character, of the like kind. And many other such like things ye do. --Mark vii. 8.
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.]
1. A distinctive mark; a letter, figure, or symbol.
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.
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.
You know the character to be your brother's? --Shak.
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.
The character or that dominion. --Milton.
Know well each Ancient's proper character; His
fable, subject, scope in every page; Religion,
Country, genius of his Age. --Pope.
A man of . . . thoroughly subservient character.
--Motley.
4. Strength of mind; resolution; independence; individuality;
as, he has a great deal of character.
5. Moral quality; the principles and motives that control the
life; as, a man of character; his character saves him from
suspicion.
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.
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.
This subterraneous passage is much mended since
Seneca gave so bad a character of it. --Addison.
8. A written statement as to behavior, competency, etc.,
given to a servant. [Colloq.]
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.
10. One of the persons of a drama or novel.
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.
Character \Char"ac*ter\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Charactered.] 1. To engrave; to inscribe. [R.] These trees shall be my books. And in their barks my thoughts I 'll character. --Shak. 2. To distinguish by particular marks or traits; to describe; to characterize. [R.] --Mitford.
Source: The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (2003-OCT-10)
character <character> An atom in a character repertoire. Compare with glyph. (1998-10-18)
