polite 
gen ; it may mean simply not rude, or observant of the 
external courtesies of intercourse, or quick to do and say 
gratifying and complimentary things. /'..;/'. applies tn 
one who shows 11 polished civility, who has a higher train- 
ing in case and gracefulness of manners ; politeness is a 
deeper, more comprehensive, more delicate, and perhaps 
more genuine thing than civility. 1'olflp, though much 
abused, is becoming the standard word for the bearing 
of a retlned und kind pel-son toward others. Courteous, lit- 
erally, expresses that style of politeness which belongs to 
courts : a courteous man is one who Is gracefully respect- 
ful in his address and manner one who exhibits a union of 
dignified complaisance and kindness. The word applies 
to all sincere kindness and attention. Urbane, literally 
city-like, expresses a sort of politeness which is not only 
sincere and kind, but peculiarly suave and agreeable. Com- 
plaisant applies to one who pleases by being pleased, or 
obliges and is polite by yielding personal preferences ; it 
may represent mere fawning, but generally does not. See 
genteel. 
A man of sober life, 
Fond of his friend, and civil to his wife. 
Pope, Imlt. of Horace, II. li. 189. 
A polite country esquire shall make you as many bows 
in half an hour as would serve a courtier for a week. 
Addison, Spectator, No. 119. 
Like a very queen herself she bore 
Among the guests, and courteous was to all. 
William Morrit, Earthly 1'aradlse, II. 303. 
So I the world abused in fact, to me 
Urbane and ciml as a world could be. 
Crabbe, Works, VIII. 1C9. 
He was a man of extremely complainant presence, and 
suffered no lady to go by without a compliment to her 
complexion, her blonde hair, or her beautiful eyes, which- 
ever It might be. Umnello, Venetian Life, xx. 
polite t (po-lif), '. t. [< L. polititx, pp. of piilire, 
polish: see polish 1 , t'.] To polish ; refine. 
Those exercises . . . which polite men's spirits, and 
which abate the uneasiness of life. 
Ray, Works of Creation. I. 
politely (po-lit'li), adv. If. Smoothly; with a 
polished surface. 
The goodly Walks politely paved were 
With Alabaster. ./. Beaumont, Psyche, II. HI... 
2. In a polite manner ; with elegance of man- 
ners; courteously. 
politeness (po-llt'nes), n. 1. The character of 
being polite ; smoothness ; polish; finish; ele- 
gance. 
Here was the famous Dan. Helnsins, whom I so long'd 
to see, as well as the Elzivirian printing house and shop, 
renewn'd for the politeness of the character and editions 
of what he has publish'd through Europe. 
Kvelyn, Wary, Aug. 28, 1641. 
Nay, persons of quality of the softer sex, and such of 
them as have spent their time In well-bred company, shew 
us that this plain, natural way, without any study or 
knowledge of grammar, can carry them to a great degree 
of elegance and politeness in the language. 
Locke, Education, 168. 
2. Good breeding; polish or elegance of mind 
or manners; refinement; culture; ease and 
grace of behavior or address; courteousuess ; 
complaisance; obliging attentions. 
All the men of wit and politeness were Immediately up 
In arms through Indignation. Su\ft, Tale of a Tub, Apol. 
A foreigner is very apt to conceive an Idea of the igno- 
rance or politeness of a nation from the turn of their pub- 
lic monuments and inscriptions. 
Addison, Thoughts in Westminster Abbey. 
Forgetting politeness in his sullen rage, Malone pushed 
Into the parlour before .Miss Keeldar. 
Charlotte Brontr, Shirley, xv. 
Politeness haa been well denned as benevolence In small 
things. Macaulay, Samuel Johnson. 
= SyTL 2. Courtesy, civility, urbanity, suavity, courtli- 
ness. See polite. 
politesse (pol-i-tes'), . [< F. polittsse = Pg. 
polidez, < It. pulite:za. politeness, < pulito, po- 
lite: see ]><>litr.~] Politeness. 
I insisted upon presenting him with a single sons, mere- 
ly for his politessf. Sterne, Sentimental Journey, p. 37. 
politic (pol'i-tik), a. and w. [I. a. Formerly 
also politick, politii/ttc ; < F. poliHque = Sp. po- 
litico = Pg. It. politico (of. D. (T. politisch = Sw. 
Dan. politixk). < L. politicus, (. Gr. m>?.<r<>f, of 
or pertaining to citizens or the state, civic, 
civil, < TrokiriK, a citizen,< ir6/.tc,, a city: see po- 
lii'i , policy 1 , polity. II. . < F. politique= Sp. 
politico = Pg. It. politico, < ML. politicitft, m., < 
Gr. 7ro/,/mof, a politician, statesman ; from the 
adj. As an abstract noun (in E. in pi. politics), 
F. politiqup = Sp. politica = Pg. It. politica = 
D. politick = G. Sw. Dan. politik, < L. politica, 
< Gr. TroHiTiKt/, the science of politics, neut. pi. 
ro/KTHca, political affairs, politics; fern, or neut. 
pi. of 7ro/.<r(Ko<;> adj., pertaining to the state: see 
above.] I. a. It. Of or pertaining to politics, 
or the science of government; having to do 
with politics. 
I will be proud, I will read politic authors. 
Shot., T. N., 11. 5. 174. 
2f. Of or pertaining to civil as distinguished 
from religious or military affairs; civil; politi- 
cal. 
4505 
When the Orater shall practize his schollers In the ex- 
uirlze thereof, he shall chiefly do y> in Orations made In 
English, both politiquc and milit.u < 
Kir II. Gilbert, (jueene Elyzabethes Achademy(E. E. T. 8., 
[extra ser., III. L 2). 
He made Religion conform to his politick Interests. 
Milton, Reformation In Eng., ii. 
Hence 3f. Of or pertaining to officers of 
state; official; state. 
I hope 
We shall be call'd to be examiners. 
Wear politic gowns garded with copper lace, 
Making great faces full of fear and ofnce. 
Beau, and PL, Woman-Hater, 111. 2. 
4. That constitutes the state; consisting of 
citizens : as, the body politic (that is, the whole 
body of the people as constituting a state). 
We, . . . the loyal subjects of ... King James, . . . 
do by these presents solemnly and mutually, in the pres- 
ence of God and one another, covenant and combine our- 
selves together Into a civil liody politick. 
Coocnant of Plymouth Colony, in New England's Memo- 
trial, p. 37. 
5. Existing by and for the state; popular; con- 
stitutional. 
The politic royalty of England, distinguished from the 
government of absolute kingdoms by the fact that it is 
rooted in the desire and institution of the nation, has Its 
work set in the task of defence against foreign foes In the 
maintenance of Internal peace. Stubbi, Const Hist, ( :(.". 
6. In keeping with policy; wise; prudent; 
fit; proper; expedient: applied to actions, 
measures, etc. 
This land was famously enrlch'd 
With politic grave counsel. 
fthak., Rich. Ill , II. 3. 20. 
It would be politic to use them with ceremony. 
GiMnnith, The Bee, No. 5. 
Pillage and devastation are seldom pititic, even when 
they are supposed to be Just. 
WooUty, Introd. to Inter. Law, i 130. 
7. Characterized by worldly wisdom or crafti- 
ness; subtle; crafty; scheming; cunning; art- 
ful: applied to persons or their devices: as, a 
politic prince. 
I have flattered a lady ; I have been politic with my 
friend, smooth with mine enemy. 
Shak., As you Like It. v. 4. 40. 
Carthaginian Hamiiball, that stout 
And ptJitick, 1 captaine. 
Timei' Wkistle (E. E. T. S.X p. 100. 
It is not quite clear that Xenophon was honest in his 
credulity ; his fanaticism was In some degree politic. 
Macaulay, History. 
Body politic. See def. 4 and body. = 8yn. 6 and 7. Dis- 
creet, wary, judicious, shrewd, wily. Political goes with 
piditics and the older meaning of polity ; politic chiefly 
with the lower meaning of policy. See policy^. 
H.t . A politician. 
Every sect of them hath a diverse posture, or cringe, by 
themselves, which cannot but move derision in worldlings 
and depraved politic*, who ure apt to contemn holy things. 
Bacon, I nity in Religion (ed. 1887). 
political (po-lit'i-knl), a. and n. [= Pg. politi- 
cal ; as politic + -at'.] I. a. I. Relating or per- 
taining to politics.or the science of government; 
treating of polity or government: as, political 
authors. 
The malice of political writers, who will not suffer the 
best and brightest of characters ... to take a single right 
step for the honour or interest of the nation. 
Jvnitu, Letters, Ul. 
2. Possessing a definite polity or system of gov- 
ernment ; administering a definite polity. 
The next assertion Is that, In every independent political 
community, that is, in every independent community net- 
ther in a state of nature on the one hand nor a state of 
anarchy on the other, the power of using or directing the 
irresistible force stored up in the society resides In some 
person or combination of persons who belong to the so- 
ciety themselves. 
Maine, Early Hist, of Institutions, p. 358. 
3. Relating to or concerned in public policy and 
the management of the affairs of the state or 
nation ; of or pertaining to civil government, or 
the enactment of laws and the administration 
of civil affairs: as, political action; politicttl 
rights; a political system; political parties; a 
political officer. 
The distinct nationalities that composed the empire 
IRome], gratified by perfect municipal and by perfect In- 
tellectual freedom, had lost all care lor political freedom. 
Lecky, Europ. Morals, I. 310. 
Within any territory which appears on the map as a 
Roman province there was a wide difference of political 
conditions ; all that appears geographically as the province 
was not In the provincial condition. 
E. A. Freeman, Amer. Lects., p. 321. 
4f. Politic; sagacious; prudent; artful; skil- 
ful. 
I cannot beget a project with all my political brain \ ct. 
B. Jonnon, Bartholomew Fair. ill. 1 . 
Orthodox school in political economy, that school 
of economists which follows the doctrines laid down by 
politician 
Adam Smith, Rlcardo, J. s. Mill, and their disciples. 
Political arithmetic, see arithmetic.- Political a- 
sessments. See aaemient. - Political economist, one 
who Is versed in political economy ; a, teacher or writer on 
economic subjects; an economist Political economy, 
the science of the laws and conditions which regulate the 
production, distribution, and consumption of all products, 
necessary, useful, or agreeable to man, that have an ex- 
changeable value ; the science of the material welfare of 
human beings, particularly In modern society, considered 
with reference to labor, and the production, distribution, 
and accumulation of wealth. It Includes a knowledge of 
the conditions which affect the existence and prosperity of 
useful Industry, and the laws or generalizations which are 
deduced from an observation of the relations between 
the Industrial and commercial methods of a people and 
their prosperity and physical well-being. The principal 
topics discussed in political economy are (1) labor (In- 
cluding the distinction between productive and unpro- 
ductive labor), wages. Increase of population (or the .Mid 
thuslan doctrine), production on a large or on a small 
scale, strikes, etc.; (2) capital, including Interest, risk. 
wages of superintendence, credit, etc. ; (X) rent ; (4) money, 
or the circulating medium of exchange ; (5) competition 
and governmental interference with the natural course of 
trade ; (6) value, Including price, cost of production, and 
the relative demand and supply ; (7) International trade, 
including the questions of free trade and protection; (8) 
the Influence of government upon economic relations ; and 
(9) the progress of civilization. Political geography. 
See geography. Political law, that part of jurispru- 
dence which relates to the organization and polity of 
states, and their relations to each other and to their citizens 
and subjects, Political liberty, power, etc. See the 
nouns. Political science, the science of politics, In- 
cluding the consideration of the form of government, of 
the principles that should underlie It. of the extent to 
which It should Intervene in public and private affairs, 
of the laws It establishes considered in relation to their 
effects on the community and the individual, of the Inter 
course of citizen with citizen as members of a state or 
political community, etc. Political verse, in medieval 
and modern Greek poetry, a verse composed without re- 
gard to quantity and always having an accent on the next 
to the last syllable. The name Is especially given to a 
verse of fifteen syllables, an accentual Iambic tetrameter 
catalectlc. Lord Byron lias compared with this measure 
the English line, 
" A captain bold of Halifax, who lived In country quarters." 
This is the favorite meter in modem (I reek poetry. Po- 
litical in this connection means 'common,' 'usual,' ' ordi- 
nary. ' = Syn- See politic. 
H. . 1. A political officer or agent, as dis- 
tinguished from military, commercial, and dip- 
lomatic officers or agents ; specifically, in India, 
an officer of the British government who deals 
with native states or tribes and directs their 
political affairs. 2. A political offender or 
prisoner. 
As the politicals In this part of the fortress are all per 
sons who nave not yet been tried, the [Russian] Govern- 
ment regards It as extremely Important that they shall 
not have an opportunity to secretly consult one another. 
Q. K, ,1,1,1,,, The Century, XXXV. 528. 
politicalism (po-lit'i-kal-izm), . [< political 
+ -I.VHI.I Political zeal or partisanship. 
politically (po-lit'i-kal-i), ailr. 1. In a politi- 
cal manner; with relation to the government 
of a nation or state; as regards politics. 2t. 
In a politic manner; artfully; with address; 
politicly. 
The Turk* politically mingled certain Janizaries, barque 
buslers, with their horsemen. Knolles, Hist Turks. 
politicaster (po-lit'i-kas-ter), . [= 8p. It. po- 
liticastro; &spolitic, n., + -outer.'} Apettypoli- 
tician ; a pretender to political knowledge or 
influence. 
We may Infallibly assure our selvs that It will as wel 
agree with Monarchy, though all the Tribe of Aphorisiners 
and Puliticatters would perswade us there he secret and 
misterious reasons against ft. 
Milt; n, Reformation In Eng., II. 
politician (pol-i-tish'an), n. and a. [Formerly 
also polititian, polititien; < F. politicien, a poli- 
tician ; as politic + -tan.] I. 11. 1. One who is 
versed in the science of government and the art 
of governing; one who is skilled in politics. 
The first polititieni, deuising all expedient meanes for 
tli ' establishment of Common wealth, to hold and contalne 
the people in order and duety. 
Puttenham, Arte of Eng. Poesie, p. 5. 
He Is the greater and deeper politician that can make 
other men the Instruments of his will and ends. 
/,v/. '..;,, Advancement of Learning, ii. 109. 
2. One who occupies himself with politics ; one 
who devotes himself to public affairs or to the 
promotion of the interests of a political party ; 
one who is practically interested in politics; in 
a bad sense, one who concerns himself with 
public affairs not from patriotism or public 
spirit, but for his own profit or that of his 
friends, or of a clique or party. 
This is the masterpiece of a modern politician, how to 
qualify and mould the sufferance and subjection of the 
people to the length of that foot that Is lo tread on their 
necks : how rapine may serve Itself with the fair and hon- 
ourable pretences of public good ; how the puny law may 
be brought under the wardship and control of lust and 
will : in which attempt If they fall short, then must a su- 
