What is "in general"

General \Gen"er*al\, n. [F. g['e]n['e]ral. See General., a.]

1. The whole; the total; that which comprehends or relates to all, or the chief part; -- opposed to particular.

   In particulars our knowledge begins, and so spreads itself by degrees to generals.
   --Locke.

2. (Mil.) One of the chief military officers of a government or country; the commander of an army, of a body of men not less than a brigade. In European armies, the highest military rank next below field marshal.

   Note: In the United States the office of General of the Army has been created by temporary laws, and has been held only by Generals U. S. Grant, W. T. Sherman, and P. H. Sheridan. Popularly, the title General is given to various general officers, as General, Lieutenant general, Major general, Brigadier general, Commissary general, etc. See Brigadier general, Lieutenant general, Major general, in the Vocabulary.

3. (Mil.) The roll of the drum which calls the troops together; as, to beat the general.

4. (Eccl.) The chief of an order of monks, or of all the houses or congregations under the same rule.

5. The public; the people; the vulgar. [Obs.]
   --Shak.

   In general, in the main; for the most part.

Audience \Au"di*ence\, n. [F. audience, L. audientia, fr. audire to hear. See Audible, a.]

1. The act of hearing; attention to sounds.

   Thou, therefore, give due audience, and attend.
   --Milton.

2. Admittance to a hearing; a formal interview, esp. with a sovereign or the head of a government, for conference or the transaction of business.

   According to the fair play of the world, Let me have audience: I am sent to speak.
   --Shak.

3. An auditory; an assembly of hearers. Also applied by authors to their readers.

   Fit audience find, though few.
   --Milton.

   He drew his audience upward to the sky.
   --Dryden.

   Court of audience, or Audience court (Eng.), a court long since disused, belonging to the Archbishop of Canterbury; also, one belonging to the Archbishop of York.
   --Mozley & W.

   In general (or open) audience, publicly.

   To give audience, to listen; to admit to an interview.

adv. 1 In the general case; without further assumption; without qualification; in all respects. 2 generally

1. adj. considered altogether; "the country at large"; "I enjoyed the play as a whole though I thought the acting could have been better" [syn: as a whole(ip), at large(ip), in general(ip)]

2. adv. without distinction of one from others; "he is interested in snakes in general" [syn: generally, in the main] [ant: specifically]