Word Meanings - SELECTMAN - Book Publishers vocabulary database

One of a board of town officers chosen annually in the New England States to transact the general public business of the town, and have a kind of executive authority. The number is usually from three to seven in each town. The system of delegated

Additional info about word: SELECTMAN

One of a board of town officers chosen annually in the New England States to transact the general public business of the town, and have a kind of executive authority. The number is usually from three to seven in each town. The system of delegated town action was then, perhaps, the same which was defined in an "order made in 1635 by the inhabitants of Charlestown at a full meeting for the government of the town, by selectmen;" the name presently extended throughout New England to municipal governors. Palfrey.

Related words: (words related to SELECTMAN)

• PUBLIC-SPIRITED
  1. Having, or exercising, a disposition to advance the interest of the community or public; as, public-spirited men. 2. Dictated by a regard to public good; as, a public-spirited project or measure. Addison. -- Pub"lic-spir`it*ed*ly,
• STATESMANLIKE
  Having the manner or wisdom of statesmen; becoming a statesman.
• THREE-SQUARE
  Having a cross section in the form of an equilateral triangle; -- said especially of a kind of file.
• PUBLICLY
  1. With exposure to popular view or notice; without concealment; openly; as, property publicly offered for sale; an opinion publicly avowed; a declaration publicly made. 2. In the name of the community. Addison.
• NUMBERFUL
  Numerous.
• PUBLIC SCHOOL
  In Great Britain, any of various schools maintained by the community, wholly or partly under public control, or maintained largely by endowment and not carried on chiefly for profit; specif., and commonly, any of various select and usually
• BUSINESS
  The position, distribution, and order of persons and properties on the stage of a theater, as determined by the stage manager in rehearsal. 7. Care; anxiety; diligence. Chaucer. To do one's business, to ruin one. Wycherley. -- To make one's
• SYSTEMATIZE
  To reduce to system or regular method; to arrange methodically; to methodize; as, to systematize a collection of plants or minerals; to systematize one's work; to systematize one's ideas. Diseases were healed, and buildings erected, before medicine
• SEVENNIGHT
  A week; any period of seven consecutive days and nights. See Sennight.
• THREE-MILE
  Of or pertaining to three miles; as, the three-mile limit, or the limit of the marine belt of three miles included in territorial waters of a state.
• THREE-PILE
  An old name for the finest and most costly kind of velvet, having a fine, thick pile. I have served Prince Florizel and in my time wore three-pile. Shak.
• GENERALIZED
  Comprising structural characters which are separated in more specialized forms; synthetic; as, a generalized type.
• PUBLIC-SERVICE CORPORATION; QUASI-PUBLIC CORPORATION
  A corporation, such as a railroad company, lighting company, water company, etc., organized or chartered to follow a public calling or to render services more or less essential to the general public convenience or safety.
• GENERALIZABLE
  Capable of being generalized, or reduced to a general form of statement, or brought under a general rule. Extreme cases are . . . not generalizable. Coleridge
• THREE-DECKER
  A vessel of war carrying guns on three decks.
• PUBLICNESS
  1. The quality or state of being public, or open to the view or notice of people at large; publicity; notoriety; as, the publicness of a sale. 2. The quality or state of belonging to the community; as, the publicness of property. Boyle.
• THREE-SIDED
  Having three sides, especially three plane sides; as, a three- sided stem, leaf, petiole, peduncle, scape, or pericarp.
• PUBLICAN
  A farmer of the taxes and public revenues; hence, a collector of toll or tribute. The inferior officers of this class were often oppressive in their exactions, and were regarded with great detestation. As Jesus at meat . . . many publicans
• THREE-CORNERED
  Having three prominent longitudinal angles; as, a three- cornered stem. (more info) 1. Having three corners, or angles; as, a three-cornered hat.
• THREE-PORT
  Having three ports; specif.: Designating a type of two-cycle internal-combustion engine in which the mixture enters the crank case through a port uncovered by the piston near the end of its stroke.
• MAJOR GENERAL
  . An officer of the army holding a rank next above that of brigadier general and next below that of lieutenant general, and who usually commands a division or a corps.
• SIDEBOARD
  A piece of dining-room furniture having compartments and shelves for keeping or displaying articles of table service. At a stately sideboard, by the wine, That fragrant smell diffused. Milton.
• SEMIANNUALLY
  Every half year.
• WEATHERBOARDING
  The covering or siding of a building, formed of boards lapping over one another, to exclude rain, snow, etc. Boards adapted or intended for such use.
• SPRINGBOARD
  An elastic board, secured at the ends, or at one end, often by elastic supports, used in performing feats of agility or in exercising.
• CHESSBOARD
  The board used in the game of chess, having eight rows of alternate light and dark squares, eight in each row. See Checkerboard. Note: The chessboard and the checkerboard are alike.
• BERTILLON SYSTEM
  A system for the identification of persons by a physical description based upon anthropometric measurements, notes of markings, deformities, color, impression of thumb lines, etc.
• CONTINENTAL SYSTEM
  The system of commercial blockade aiming to exclude England from commerce with the Continent instituted by the Berlin decree, which Napoleon I. issued from Berlin Nov. 21, 1806, declaring the British Isles to be in a state of blockade, and British
• SUBDELEGATE
  A subordinate delegate, or one with inferior powers.