State

State, stāt, n. position: condition: situation: circumstances at any time: the whole body of people under one government: the public: the civil power: estate, one of the orders or classes of men forming the body politic (as nobles, clergy, commonalty): a body of men united by profession: rank, quality: pomp: dignity: style of living: stability, continuance: (pl.) the bodies constituting the legislature of a country: (obs.) a seat of dignity: a stage, condition, as of an etched or engraved plate at one particular stage of its progress.—adj. belonging to the state: public: royal: ceremonial: pompous: magnificent.—v.t. to set forth: to express the details of: to set down fully and formally: to narrate: to set in order: to settle.—adj. Stāt′able, capable of being stated.—ns. State′-craft, the art of managing state affairs; State′-crim′inal, one who commits an offence against the state, as treason.—adj. Stāt′ed, settled: established: fixed: regular.—adv. Stāt′edly.—ns. State′-house, the building in which the legislature of a state holds its sittings; Stāte′liness.—adj. Stāte′ly, showing state or dignity: majestic: grand.—adv. majestically: (Milt.) loftily.—ns. Stāte′ment, the act of stating: that which is stated: a narrative or recital; State′-pā′per, an official paper or document relating to affairs of state; State′-pris′on; State′-pris′oner, a prisoner confined for offence against the state; State′-relig′ion, the establishment or endowment by the government of a country of some particular form of religion; State′room, a stately room in a palace or mansion: principal room in the cabin of a ship; States′-gen′eral, the name given to the representative body of the three orders (nobility, clergy, burghers) of the French kingdom; States′man, a man acquainted with the affairs of government: one skilled in government: one employed in public affairs: a politician: one who farms his own estate, a small landholder.—adj. States′man-like, like a statesman.—adv. States′manly, in a manner becoming a statesman.—n. States′manship.—State socialism, a scheme of government which would entrust to the state the carrying on of the great enterprises of private industry; States of the Church, the former temporal possessions of the popes. [O. Fr. estat (Fr. état)—L. status, from stāre, stātum, to stand.]