Adjacent Words

Commune definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

COMMUNE, v.i.
1. To converse; to talk together familiarly; to impart sentiments mutually, in private or familiar discourse; followed by with before the person.
And there will I meet and commune with thee. Exodus 25.
2. To have intercourse in contemplation or meditation.
Commune with your own heart or your bed. Psalms 4.
3. To partake of the sacrament or Lords supper; to receive the communion; a common use of the word in America, as it is in the Welsh.
COMMUNE, n. A small territorial district in France--one of the subordinate divisions of the country introduced in the late revolution.
Communibus annis, one year with another; on an average.
Communibus locis, one place with another; on a medium.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the smallest administrative district of several European countries
2: a body of people or families living together and sharing everything v
1: communicate intimately with; be in a state of heightened, intimate receptivity; "He seemed to commune with nature"
2: receive Communion, in the Catholic church [syn: commune, communicate]

Merriam Webster's

I. verb (communed; communing) Etymology: Middle English, to share, receive Communion, from Anglo-French communer, cummunier, from Late Latin communicare, from Latin Date: 15th century transitive verb obsolete talk over, discuss <have more to commune — Shakespeare> intransitive verb 1. to receive Communion 2. to communicate intimately <commune with nature> II. noun Etymology: French, alteration of Middle French comugne, from Medieval Latin communia, from Latin, neuter plural of communis Date: 1673 1. the smallest administrative district of many countries especially in Europe 2. commonalty 1a 3. community: as a. a medieval usually municipal corporation b. (1) mir (2) an often rural community organized on a communal basis

Britannica Concise

Group of people living together who hold property in common and live according to a set of principles usually arrived at or endorsed by the group. The utopian socialism of R. Owen and others led to experimental communities of this sort in the early 19th cent. in Britain and the U.S., incl. New Harmony, Brook Farm, and the Oneida Community. Many communes are inspired by religious principles; monastic life is essentially communal (see monasticism). B. F. Skinner's Walden Two (1948) inspired many Amer. attempts at communal living, especially in the late 1960s and early 1970s. See also collective farm, communitarianism, kibbutz, moshav. In medieval European history, a town that acquired self-governing municipal institutions. Most such towns were defined by an oath binding the citizens or burghers of the town to mutual protection and assistance. The group became an association able to own property, make agreements, exercise jurisdiction over members, and exercise governmental powers. Communes were particularly strong in N and central Italy, where the lack of a powerful central government allowed them to develop into independent city-states. Those of France and Germany were more often limited to local government. Group of people living together who hold property in common and live according to a set of principles usually arrived at or endorsed by the group. The utopian socialism of R. Owen and others led to experimental communities of this sort in the early 19th cent. in Britain and the U.S., incl. New Harmony, Brook Farm, and the Oneida Community. Many communes are inspired by religious principles; monastic life is essentially communal (see monasticism). B. F. Skinner's Walden Two (1948) inspired many Amer. attempts at communal living, especially in the late 1960s and early 1970s. See also collective farm, communitarianism, kibbutz, moshav. In medieval European history, a town that acquired self-governing municipal institutions. Most such towns were defined by an oath binding the citizens or burghers of the town to mutual protection and assistance. The group became an association able to own property, make agreements, exercise jurisdiction over members, and exercise governmental powers. Communes were particularly strong in N and central Italy, where the lack of a powerful central government allowed them to develop into independent city-states. Those of France and Germany were more often limited to local government.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. n. 1 a a group of people, not necessarily related, sharing living accommodation, goods, etc., esp. as a political act. b a communal settlement esp. for the pursuit of shared interests. 2 a the smallest French territorial division for administrative purposes. b a similar division elsewhere. 3 (the Commune) the communalistic government in Paris in 1871. Etymology: F f. med.L communia neut. pl. of L communis common 2. v.intr. 1 (usu. foll. by with) a speak confidentially and intimately (communed together about their loss; communed with his heart). b feel in close touch (with nature etc.) (communed with the hills). 2 US receive Holy Communion. Etymology: ME f. OF comuner share f. comun COMMON

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Commune Com*mune", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Communed; p. pr. & vb. n. Communing.] [OF. communier, fr. L. communicare to communicate, fr. communis common. See Common, and cf. Communicate.] 1. To converse together with sympathy and confidence; to interchange sentiments or feelings; to take counsel. I would commune with you of such things That want no ear but yours. --Shak. 2. To receive the communion; to partake of the eucharist or Lord's supper. To commune under both kinds. --Bp. Burnet. To commune with one's self or one's heart, to think; to reflect; to meditate.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Commune Com"mune, n. Communion; sympathetic intercourse or conversation between friends. For days of happy commune dead. --Tennyson.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Commune Com"mune, n. [F., fr. commun. See Common.] 1. The commonalty; the common people. [Obs.] --Chaucer. In this struggle -- to use the technical words of the time -- of the ``commune'', the general mass of the inhabitants, against the ``prudhommes'' or ``wiser'' few. --J. R. Green. 2. A small territorial district in France under the government of a mayor and municipal council; also, the inhabitants, or the government, of such a district. See Arrondissement. 3. Absolute municipal self-government. The Commune of Paris, or The Commune (a) The government established in Paris (1792-94) by a usurpation of supreme power on the part of representatives chosen by the communes; the period of its continuance is known as the ``Reign of Terror.'' (b) The revolutionary government, modeled on the commune of 1792, which the communists, so called, attempted to establish in 1871.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(communed) 1. A commune is a group of people who live together and share everything. Mack lived in a commune. N-COUNT 2. In France and some other countries, a commune is a town, village, or area which has its own council. N-COUNT 3. If you say that someone is communing with an animal or spirit, or with nature, you mean that they appear to be communicating with it. (LITERARY) She would happily trot behind him as he set off to commune with nature. VERB: V with n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. n. 1. Converse, communicate, discourse, speak, talk, hold intercourse. 2. Receive the communion, partake of the Lord's Supper.

Moby Thesaurus

Kreis, archbishopric, archdiocese, arrondissement, ashram, bailiwick, bishopric, body, borough, canton, caste, city, clan, class, colony, commonage, commoners, commonwealth, community, congressional district, constablewick, county, departement, diocese, district, duchy, economic class, electoral district, electorate, endogamous group, extended family, family, gens, government, hamlet, hundred, kinship group, magistracy, metropolis, metropolitan area, moiety, nuclear family, oblast, okrug, order, parish, people, phratria, phratry, phyle, plebeians, plebes, populace, precinct, principality, province, rank and file, region, riding, settlement, sheriffalty, sheriffwick, shire, shrievalty, social class, society, soke, stake, state, subcaste, territory, third estate, totem, town, township, village, wapentake, ward