Webster's Unabridged Dictionary

by Various

PUBIC
Pu"bic, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the pubes; in the region of the pubes; as, the pubic bone; the pubic region, or the lower part of the hypogastric region. See Pubes. (b) Of or pertaining to the pubis.

PUBIS
Pu"bis, n. Etym: [NL. See Pubes.] (Anat.)

Defn: The ventral and anterior of the three principal bones composing either half of the pelvis; sharebone; pubic bone.

PUBLIC Pub"lic, a. Etym: [L. publicus, poblicus, fr. populus people: cf. F. public. See People.]

1. Of or pertaining to the people; belonging to the people; relating to, or affecting, a nation, state, or community; — opposed to private; as, the public treasury. To the public good Private respects must yield. Milton. He [Alexander Hamilton] touched the dead corpse of the public credit, and it sprung upon its feet. D. Webster.

2. Open to the knowledge or view of all; general; common; notorious; as, public report; public scandal. Joseph, . . . not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. Matt. i. 19.

3. Open to common or general use; as, a public road; a public house.
"The public street." Shak. Public act or statute (Law), an act or
statute affecting matters of public concern. Of such statutes the
courts take judicial notice.
— Public credit. See under Credit.
— Public funds. See Fund, 3.
— Public house, an inn, or house of entertainment.
— Public law. (a) See International law, under International. (b) A
public act or statute.
— Public nuisance. (Law) See under Nuisance.
— Public orator. (Eng. Universities) See Orator, 3.
— Public stores, military and naval stores, equipments, etc.
— Public works, all fixed works built by civil engineers for public
use, as railways, docks, canals, etc.; but strictly, military and
civil engineering works constructed at the public cost.

PUBLIC
Pub"lic, n.

1. The general body of mankind, or of a nation, state, or community; the people, indefinitely; as, the American public; also, a particular body or aggregation of people; as, an author's public. The public is more disposed to censure than to praise. Addison.