{ } n. [ F. calibre, perh. fr. L. qualibra of what pound, of what weight; hence, of what size, applied first to a ball or bullet; cf. also Ar. qālib model, mold. Cf. Calipers, Calivere. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Gunnery) The diameter of the bore, as a cannon or other firearm, or of any tube; or the weight or size of the projectile which a firearm will carry; as, an 8 inch gun, a 12-pounder, a 44 caliber. [ 1913 Webster ]

The caliber of empty tubes. Reid. [ 1913 Webster ]

A battery composed of three guns of small caliber. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The caliber of firearms is expressed in various ways. Cannon are often designated by the weight of a solid spherical shot that will fit the bore; as, a 12-pounder; pieces of ordnance that project shell or hollow shot are designated by the diameter of their bore; as, a 12 inch mortar or a 14 inch shell gun; small arms are designated by hundredths of an inch expressed decimally; as, a rifle of .44 inch caliber. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The diameter of round or cylindrical body, as of a bullet or column. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Fig.: Capacity or compass of mind. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

Caliber compasses. See Calipers. --
Caliber rule, a gunner's calipers, an instrument having two scales arranged to determine a ball's weight from its diameter, and conversely. --
A ship's caliber, the weight of her armament. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. having or showing active concern for protection of civil liberties protected by law. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a person having or showing active concern for protection of civil liberties protected by law. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. & i. To deliberate. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. deliberatus, p. p. of deliberare to deliberate; de- + librare to weigh. See Librate. ] 1. Weighing facts and arguments with a view to a choice or decision; carefully considering the probable consequences of a step; circumspect; slow in determining; -- applied to persons; as, a deliberate judge or counselor. “These deliberate fools.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Formed with deliberation; well-advised; carefully considered; not sudden or rash; as, a deliberate opinion; a deliberate measure or result. [ 1913 Webster ]

Settled visage and deliberate word. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Not hasty or sudden; slow. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

His enunciation was so deliberate. W. Wirt.

4. having awareness of the likely consequences; intentional. [ PJC ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Deliberated; p. pr. & vb. n. Deliberating. ] To weigh in the mind; to consider the reasons for and against; to consider maturely; to reflect upon; to ponder; as, to deliberate a question. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To take counsel with one's self; to weigh the arguments for and against a proposed course of action; to reflect; to consider; to hesitate in deciding; -- sometimes with on, upon, about, concerning. [ 1913 Webster ]

The woman that deliberates is lost. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. With careful consideration, or deliberation; circumspectly; warily; not hastily or rashly; slowly; as, a purpose deliberately formed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being deliberate; calm consideration; circumspection. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. deliberatio: cf. F. délibération. ] 1. The act of deliberating, or of weighing and examining the reasons for and against a choice or measure; careful consideration; mature reflection. [ 1913 Webster ]

Choosing the fairest way with a calm deliberation. W. Montagu. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Careful discussion and examination of the reasons for and against a measure; as, the deliberations of a legislative body or council. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A discourse in which a question is discussed, or weighed and examined. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A kind of rhetoric employed in proving a thing and convincing others of its truth, in order to persuade them to adopt it. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. deliberativus: cf. F. délibératif. ] Pertaining to deliberation; proceeding or acting by deliberation, or by discussion and examination; deliberating; as, a deliberative body. [ 1913 Webster ]

A consummate work of deliberative wisdom. Bancroft. [ 1913 Webster ]

The court of jurisdiction is to be distinguished from the deliberative body, the advisers of the crown. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a deliberative manner; circumspectly; considerately. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who deliberates. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. illiberalis; pref. il- not + liberalis liberal: cf. F. illibéral. ] 1. Not liberal; not free or generous; close; niggardly; mean; sordid. “A thrifty and illiberal hand.” Mason. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Indicating a lack of breeding, culture, and the like; ignoble; rude; narrow-minded; disingenuous. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Not well authorized or elegant; as, illiberal words in Latin. [ R. ] Chesterfield. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Illiberality. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. illiberalitas: cf. F. illibéralité. ] The state or quality of being illiberal; narrowness of mind; meanness; niggardliness. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Illiberalized p. pr. & vb. n. Illiberalizing ] To make illiberal. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a illiberal manner, ungenerously; uncharitably; parsimoniously. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being illiberal; illiberality. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. indeliberatus. See In- not, and Deliberate. ] Done without deliberation; unpremeditated. [ Obs. ] -- In`de*lib"er*ate*ly, adv. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

a. Indeliberate. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

. a person of strong liberal convictions who reacts predictably and emotionally to certain events. [ PJC ]

‖n. [ L. See Libel. ] (Bot.) The inner bark of plants, lying next to the wood. It usually contains a large proportion of woody, fibrous cells, and is, therefore, the part from which the fiber of the plant is obtained, as that of hemp, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Liber cells, elongated woody cells found in the liber. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F. libéral, L. liberalis, from liber free; perh. akin to libet, lubet, it pleases, E. lief. Cf. Deliver. ] 1. Free by birth; hence, befitting a freeman or gentleman; refined; noble; independent; free; not servile or mean; as, a liberal ancestry; a liberal spirit; liberal arts or studies. “ Liberal education.” Macaulay. “ A liberal tongue.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Bestowing in a large and noble way, as a freeman; generous; bounteous; open-handed; as, a liberal giver. “ Liberal of praise.” Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Infinitely good, and of his good
As liberal and free as infinite. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Bestowed in a large way; hence, more than sufficient; abundant; bountiful; ample; profuse; as, a liberal gift; a liberal discharge of matter or of water. [ 1913 Webster ]

His wealth doth warrant a liberal dower. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Not strict or rigorous; not confined or restricted to the literal sense; free; as, a liberal translation of a classic, or a liberal construction of law or of language. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Not narrow or contracted in mind; not selfish; enlarged in spirit; catholic. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Free to excess; regardless of law or moral restraint; licentious. “ Most like a liberal villain.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Not bound by orthodox tenets or established forms in political or religious philosophy; independent in opinion; not conservative; friendly to great freedom in the constitution or administration of government; having tendency toward democratic or republican, as distinguished from monarchical or aristocratic, forms; as, liberal thinkers; liberal Christians; the Liberal party. [ 1913 Webster ]

I confess I see nothing liberal in this “ order of thoughts, ” as Hobbes elsewhere expresses it. Hazlitt. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Liberal has of, sometimes with, before the thing bestowed, in before a word signifying action, and to before a person or object on which anything is bestowed; as, to be liberal of praise or censure; liberal with money; liberal in giving; liberal to the poor. [ 1913 Webster ]

The liberal arts. See under Art. --
Liberal education, education that enlarges and disciplines the mind and makes it master of its own powers, irrespective of the particular business or profession one may follow. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Generous; bountiful; munificent; beneficent; ample; large; profuse; free. -- Liberal, Generous. Liberal is freeborn, and generous is highborn. The former is opposed to the ordinary feelings of a servile state, and implies largeness of spirit in giving, judging, acting, etc. The latter expresses that nobleness of soul which is peculiarly appropriate to those of high rank, -- a spirit that goes out of self, and finds its enjoyment in consulting the feelings and happiness of others. Generosity is measured by the extent of the sacrifices it makes; liberality, by the warmth of feeling which it manifests. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who favors greater freedom in political or religious matters; an opponent of the established systems; a reformer; in English politics, a member of the Liberal party, so called. Cf. Whig. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as liberalization.
Syn. -- liberalization, relaxation. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Cf. F. libéralisme. ] Liberal principles; the principles and methods of the liberals in politics or religion; specifically, the principles of the Liberal party. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A liberal. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to, or characterized by, liberalism; as, liberalistic opinions. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Liberalities [ L. liberalitas: cf. F. libéralité. ] 1. The quality or state of being liberal; liberal disposition or practice; freedom from narrowness or prejudice; generosity; candor; charity. [ 1913 Webster ]

That liberality is but cast away
Which makes us borrow what we can not pay. Denham. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A gift; a gratuity; -- sometimes in the plural; as, a prudent man is not impoverished by his liberalities. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of liberalizing; the act of making less strict.
Syn. -- liberalization, relaxation. [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Liberalized p. pr. & vb. n. Liberalizing ] [ Cf. F. libéraliser. ] To make liberal; to free from narrow views or prejudices; to make less strict. [ 1913 Webster ]

To open and to liberalize the mind. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, liberalizes. Emerson. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a liberal manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Liberated p. pr. & vb. n. Liberating ] [ L. liberatus, p. p. of liberare to free, fr. liber free. See Liberal, a., and cf. Deliver. ] To release from restraint or bondage; to set at liberty; to free; to manumit; to disengage; as, to liberate a slave or prisoner; to liberate the mind from prejudice; to liberate gases. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To deliver; free; release. See Deliver. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. (Chem.) 1. released from chemical combination, or as a consequence of chemical reaction; -- of a gas. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. freed from bondage; -- of people.
Syn. -- emancipated, freed. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

3. free from traditional social restraints; as, a liberated lifestyle.
Syn. -- emancipated. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

4. stolen. [ jocose ] [ PJC ]

adj. giving freedom from restriction or restraint.
Syn. -- emancipating, emancipative, freeing. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

n. [ L. liberatio: cf. F. libération. Cf. Livraison. ] The act of liberating or the state of being liberated. [ 1913 Webster ]

This mode of analysis requires perfect liberation from all prejudged system. Pownall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. ] One who, or that which, liberates; a deliverer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Tending, or serving, to liberate. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. Of or pertaining to Liberia; as, Liberian ship owners; a ship of Liberian registry. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. of or pertaining to the inhabitants of Liberia; as, Liberian rebels. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A native or inhabitant of Liberia. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ See Liberty. ] Pertaining to liberty, or to the doctrine of free will, as opposed to the doctrine of necessity. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who holds to the doctrine of free will. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Libertarian principles or doctrines. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. libertas liberty + caedere to kill: cf. (for sense 2) F. liberticide. ] 1. The destruction of civil liberty. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A destroyer of civil liberty. B. F. Wade. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. libertinage. See Libertine. ] Libertinism; license. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. libertinus freedman, from libertus one made free, fr. liber free: cf. F. libertin. See Liberal. ] 1. (Rom. Antiq.) A manumitted slave; a freedman; also, the son of a freedman. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Eccl. Hist.) One of a sect of Anabaptists, in the fifteenth and early part of the sixteenth century, who rejected many of the customs and decencies of life, and advocated a community of goods and of women. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. One free from restraint; one who acts according to his impulses and desires; now, specifically, one who gives rein to lust; a rake; a debauchee. [ 1913 Webster ]

Like a puffed and reckless libertine,
Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A defamatory name for a freethinker. [ Obsolescent ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. libertinus of a freedman: cf. F. libertin. See Libertine, n. ] 1. Free from restraint; uncontrolled. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

You are too much libertine. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Dissolute; licentious; profligate; loose in morals; as, libertine principles or manners. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]