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The Collaborative International Dictionary
commonalty

commonalty \com"mon*al*ty\, commonality \com`mon*al"i*ty\, n.; pl. Commonalties. [OF. communalt['e]; F. communaut['e], fr. communal. See Communal.]

  1. The common people; those classes and conditions of people who are below the rank of nobility; the commons.

    The commonalty, like the nobility, are divided into several degrees.
    --Blackstone.

    The ancient fare of our kings differed from that of the commonalty in plenteousness only.
    --Landon.

  2. The majority or bulk of mankind. [Obs.]
    --Hooker.

Wiktionary
commonalty

n. 1 (context chiefly in the plural English) The common people; the commonality 2 A group of things having similar characteristics 3 A class composed of persons lacking clerical or noble rank

WordNet
commonalty

n. class composed of persons lacking noble or knightly or gentle rank [syn: commonality, commons]

Usage examples of "commonalty".

It is better to be at the head of the commonalty than dragging in the rear of the gentry, and for substantial comfort, liberal housekeeping, generous almsgiving, and frank hospitality, the farmhouse of Allendale was out and out superior to the mansion of Moss Tower, where the Dalzells had lived for at least two centuries.

Liberation of the commonalty may well result, but it cannot be our goal.

Merely a humble observer who, when able, speaks on behalf of the tongue-tied multitudes otherwise known as the commonalty, or, more precisely, the rabble.

We took in with it, it will be noticed, not only the romance and gilding of chivalry and legitimacy, such as Scott gives us, but constant instruction in a society of ranks and degrees, orders of nobility and commonalty, a fixed social status, a well-ordered, and often attractive, permanent social inequality, a state of life and relations based upon lingering feudal conditions and prejudices.

Another grievance, and most sorrowful of all, is that many gentlemen, men of good port and countenance, to the injury of the farmers and commonalty, actually turn Braziers, butchers, tanners, sheep-masters, and woodmen.

True, my acquaintance has not lain much among the commonalty, but still I was not aware that the people choose the Member of Parliament.

In much the same way do the commonalty lead their leaders in many other things, at the same time that the leaders little suspect it.

There are precious few of the noble class involved in this expedition and since the commonalty will look to us, as they are used to doing, how we conduct ourselves will have a major impact on the success or otherwise of the colony.

In Harrison's time the greater part of the building in cities and towns was of timber, only a few of the houses of the commonalty being of stone.

They breed a superior order of men for leaders, an ignorant commonalty ready to follow them as the vassals of feudal times followed their lords.

We at least do not dissemble toward one another, but you play the part of ingénue, not only toward the entire commonalty, but even toward us who know quite well what to think of your pretension to moral superiority.

Not that the gift of decyphering written characters --a gift among the commonalty of that day considered little less cabalistical than the art of inditing --could, in strict justice, have been laid to the charge of either disciple of the sea.

Upright bipeds, albeit one tailless, they shared physical commonalties he could not hope, despite his best efforts, to emulate.

It is natural then, given such commonalties, and abused and despised by free women, that they should often seek out one another’s company.

She should not have Rejected me like any copulative Of the commonalty.