Adjacent Words

Policy definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

POL'ICY, n. [L. politia; Gr. city.]
1. Policy, in its primary signification, is the same as polity, comprehending the fundamental constitution or frame of civil government in a state or kingdom. But by usage, policy is now more generally used to denote what is included under legislation and administration, and may be defined, the art or manner of governing a nation; or that system of measures which the sovereign of a country adopts and pursues, as best adapted to the interests of the nation. Thus we speak of domestic policy, or the system of internal regulations in a nation; foreign policy, or the measures which respect foreign nations; commercial policy, or the measures which respect commerce.
2. Art, prudence, wisdom or dexterity in the management of public affairs; applied to persons governing. It has been the policy of France to preclude females from the throne. It has been the policy of Great Britain to encourage her navy, by keeping her carrying trade in her own hands. In this she manifests sound policy. Formerly, England permitted wool to be exported and manufactured in the Low Countries, which was very bad policy.
The policy of all laws has made some forms necessary in the wording of last wills and testaments.
All violent policy defeats itself.
3. In common usage, the art, prudence or wisdom of individuals in the management of their private or social concerns.
4. Stratagem; cunning; dexterity of management.
5. A ticket or warrant for money in the public funds.
6. Policy, in commerce, the writing or instrument by which a contract of indemnity is effected between the insurer and the insured; or the instrument containing the terms or conditions on which a person or company undertakes to indemnify another person or company against losses of property exposed to peculiar hazards, as houses or goods exposed to fire, or ships and goods exposed to destruction on the high seas. This writing is subscribed by the insurer, who is called the underwriter. The terms policy of insurance, or assurance, are also used for the contract between the insured and the underwriter.
Policies are valued or open; valued, when the property or goods insured are valued at prime cost; open, when the goods are not valued, but if lost, their value must be proved.
Wagering policies, which insure sums of money, interest or no interest, are illegal.
All insurances, interest or no interest, or without further proof of interest than the policy itself, are null and void.
The word policy is used also for the writing which insures against other events, as well as against loss of property.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a plan of action adopted by an individual or social group; "it was a policy of retribution"; "a politician keeps changing his policies"
2: a line of argument rationalizing the course of action of a government; "they debated the policy or impolicy of the proposed legislation"
3: written contract or certificate of insurance; "you should have read the small print on your policy" [syn: policy, insurance policy, insurance]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun (plural -cies) Usage: often attributive Etymology: Middle English policie government, policy, from Middle French police, policie — more at police Date: 15th century 1. a. prudence or wisdom in the management of affairs b. management or procedure based primarily on material interest 2. a. a definite course or method of action selected from among alternatives and in light of given conditions to guide and determine present and future decisions b. a high-level overall plan embracing the general goals and acceptable procedures especially of a governmental body II. noun (plural -cies) Etymology: alteration of earlier police, from Middle French, certificate, from Old Italian polizza, modification of Medieval Latin apodixa receipt, from Middle Greek apodeixis, from Greek, proof, from apodeiknynai to demonstrate — more at apodictic Date: 1565 1. a writing whereby a contract of insurance is made 2. a. a daily lottery in which participants bet that certain numbers will be drawn from a lottery wheel b. number 7a

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. n. (pl. -ies) 1 a course or principle of action adopted or proposed by a government, party, business, or individual etc. 2 prudent conduct; sagacity. Etymology: ME f. OF policie f. L politia f. Gk politeia citizenship f. polites citizen f. polis city 2. n. (pl. -ies) 1 a contract of insurance. 2 a document containing this. Etymology: F police bill of lading, contract of insurance, f. Prov. poliss(i)a prob. f. med.L apodissa, apodixa, f. L apodixis f. Gk apodeixis evidence, proof (as APO-, deiknumi show)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Blanket mortgage Blanket mortgage or policy policy . One that covers a group or class of things or properties instead of one or more things mentioned individually, as where a mortgage secures various debts as a group, or subjects a group or class of different pieces of property to one general lien.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Policy Pol"i*cy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Policied; p. pr. & vb. n. Policying.] To regulate by laws; to reduce to order. [Obs.] ``Policying of cities.'' --Bacon.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Policy Pol"i*cy, n.; pl. Policies. [L. politia, Gr. ?; cf. F. police, Of. police. See Police, n.] 1. Civil polity. [Obs.] 2. The settled method by which the government and affairs of a nation are, or may be, administered; a system of public or official administration, as designed to promote the external or internal prosperity of a state. 3. The method by which any institution is administered; system of management; course. 4. Management or administration based on temporal or material interest, rather than on principles of equity or honor; hence, worldly wisdom; dexterity of management; cunning; stratagem. 5. Prudence or wisdom in the management of public and private affairs; wisdom; sagacity; wit. The very policy of a hostess, finding his purse so far above his clothes, did detect him. --Fuller. 6. Motive; object; inducement. [Obs.] What policy have you to bestow a benefit where it is counted an injury? --Sir P. Sidney. Syn: See Polity.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Policy Pol"i*cy, n. [F. police; cf. Pr. polissia, Sp. p['o]lizia, It. p['o]lizza; of uncertain origin; cf. L. pollex thumb (as being used in pressing the seal), in LL. also, seal; or cf. LL. politicum, poleticum, polecticum, L. polyptychum, account book, register, fr. Gr. ? having many folds or leaves; ? many + ? fold, leaf, from ? to fold; or cf. LL. apodixa a receipt.] 1. A ticket or warrant for money in the public funds. 2. The writing or instrument in which a contract of insurance is embodied; an instrument in writing containing the terms and conditions on which one party engages to indemnify another against loss arising from certain hazards, perils, or risks to which his person or property may be exposed. See Insurance. 3. A method of gambling by betting as to what numbers will be drawn in a lottery; as, to play policy. Interest policy, a policy that shows by its form that the assured has a real, substantial interest in the matter insured. Open policy, one in which the value of the goods or property insured is not mentioned. Policy book, a book to contain a record of insurance policies. Policy holder, one to whom an insurance policy has been granted. Policy shop, a gambling place where one may bet on the numbers which will be drawn in lotteries. Valued policy, one in which the value of the goods, property, or interest insured is specified. Wager policy, a policy that shows on the face of it that the contract it embodies is a pretended insurance, founded on an ideal risk, where the insured has no interest in anything insured.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(policies) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. A policy is a set of ideas or plans that is used as a basis for making decisions, especially in politics, economics, or business. ...plans which include changes in foreign policy and economic reforms. ...the UN's policy-making body. N-VAR 2. An official organization's policy on a particular issue or towards a country is their attitude and actions regarding that issue or country. ...the government's policy on repatriation. ...the corporation's policy of forbidding building on common land. N-COUNT: usu poss N 3. An insurance policy is a document which shows the agreement that you have made with an insurance company. (BUSINESS) You are advised to read the small print of household and motor insurance policies. N-COUNT: usu N n

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

pol'-i-si: Literally "method of government," and so "ability to manage affairs." In a bad sense, "cunning," "craft," in Da 8:25 (sekhel, "understanding"); in a good sense in 1 Macc 8:4 (boule, "counsel"); also in the King James Version 2 Macc 13:18; 14:29,31 (methodos, strategema, strategeo), where the Revised Version has "stratagem." Policies occurs in Judith 11:8 the King James Version for panourgema, lit. "readiness for anything," here in a good sense; Revised Version "subtil devices."

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Administration, management, government, rule, mode of management, course of action. 2. Cunning, art, address, skill, prudence, shrewdness, worldly wisdom, stratagem, discretion. 3. Wisdom, wit, acumen, shrewdness, astuteness.

Moby Thesaurus

accident insurance, action, actuary, annuity, approach, arrangement, assurance, autarky, aviation insurance, bail bond, behavior, bimetallism, bingo, bond, business life insurance, card games, casualty insurance, certificate of insurance, chuck and toss, chuck farthing, chuck-a-luck, circumspection, circumspectness, conduct, consideration, contract by deed, contract of record, contract quasi, cool judgment, course, court bond, covenant of indemnity, crack-loo, crap game, crap shooting, craps, credit insurance, credit life insurance, creed, custom, debenture, debenture bond, deductible, deed, deed of trust, deed poll, design, discreetness, discretion, discrimination, economic self-sufficiency, endowment insurance, family maintenance policy, fan-tan, fidelity bond, fidelity insurance, flood insurance, formal contract, fraternal insurance, free enterprise, free trade, game plan, good judgment, government insurance, governmentalism, group policy, guiding principles, hazard, health insurance, horse racing, implied contract, indent, indenture, industrial life insurance, insurance, insurance agent, insurance broker, insurance company, insurance man, insurance policy, interinsurance, judgment, judiciousness, keno, laissez-faire, laissez-faireism, liability insurance, license bond, limited payment insurance, line, localism, lotto, major medical insurance, malpractice insurance, managed currency, management, marine insurance, method, mortgage deed, mutual company, noninterference, nonintervention, nullification, ocean marine insurance, parol contract, party line, party principle, permit bond, pinball, pitch and toss, plan of action, planned economy, platform, polity, position, position paper, practice, price supports, principles, procedure, program, promissory note, protection, protectionism, protocol, providence, prudence, prudentialism, public policy, pump-priming, recognizance, reflection, reflectiveness, regulation, robbery insurance, rouge et noir, roulette, rule, scheme, sectionalism, shell game, social security, sound judgment, soundness of judgment, special contract, specialty, specialty contract, stock company, strategy, sweepstake, sweepstakes, system, tactics, term insurance, the numbers, the numbers game, theft insurance, thoughtfulness, title deed, trente-et-quarante, underwriter, way, ways and means, weighing