commons

• (General American) enPR: kŏmʹənz, IPA^(key): /ˈkɑmənz/
• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: kŏmʹənz, IPA^(key): /ˈkɒmənz/
• Hyphenation: com‧mons

• Audio (US):

  (file)

commons

1. plural of common

commons

1. (usually singular in construction) A public area, especially a dining hall, at a college or university; a similar shared spaced elsewhere.
2. (usually singular in construction) A common (common land); especially, a central section of (usually an older) town, designated as a shared area.

   The Renaissance festival started with the "peasants" meeting in the commons.

   The commons is the green space surrounded by the village hall, the school, and the church.

   The commons of New England towns are important contributors to their charm.

3. (figuratively) The mutual good of all; the abstract concept of resources shared by more than one, for example air, water, information.

   Synonym: res communis

   "The tragedy of the commons" is that none wish to make sacrifices of their or their family's interests for the common good.

4. The common people collectively, the third estate, the people not belonging to the nobility or clergy
   • c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. The First Part , 2nd edition, part 1, London: Richard Iones, , published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene i:

     We in the name of other Perſean ſtates [i.e. nobles],
     And commons of this mightie Monarchy,
     Preſent thee with the Emperiall Diadem.

5. (chiefly historical) The free burghers/bourgeoisie of a given town, taken collectively.
6. (euphemistic, obsolete) An outhouse.

   Synonyms: common house, House of Commons; see also Thesaurus:outhouse

7. (obsolete, UK, Oxford University) Food served at a fixed rate from the college buttery, distinguished from battels.
   • 1875, Walter Bradford Woodgate, "Oars and Sculls," and How to Use Them (page 125)

     At the same time, the fashion at Oxford of confining lunch to a "commons" of bread and butter and a glass of beer till the crew reaches Putney (when a little meat is allowed,) is unreasonable.

8. Food in general; rations.

   short commons

commons

1. third-person singular simple present indicative of common

• “commons”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

• commons on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

commons

1. inflection of commer:
   1. first-person plural present indicative
   2. first-person plural imperative