definition of "empire" (was: FW: Afghans Celebrate Victory...)

> From: John A. deLaubenfels <jdl@...>
> To: <metatuning@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2001 11:35 AM
> Subject: [metatuning] Re: FW: Afghans Celebrate Victory With Dance, Clean
Shaves
>
>
> [Jeff wrote:]
> > (BTW, do you even
> > know what an empire is?? I thought
> > taxes and an emperor with absolute power
> > were required...)
>
> Since I don't believe I have ever used the word "empire", I'll take a
> pass on debating its precise definition.

Quoted below are the releveant entries from
<http://www.dictionary.com/cgi-bin/dict.pl?term=empire>:

*************************

em�pire (mpr)
n.

A political unit having an extensive territory or comprising a number of
territories or nations and ruled by a single supreme authority.

The territory included in such a unit.

An extensive enterprise under a unified authority: a publishing empire.

Imperial or imperialistic sovereignty, domination, or control: "There is a
growing sense that the course of empire is shifting toward the... Asians"
(James Traub).

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--
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin imperium, from imperre, to
command. See emperor.]
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--

Pronunciation Key

Source: The American Heritage� Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth
Edition
Copyright � 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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--

empire \Em"pire\, n. [F., fr. L. imperium a command, sovereignty, dominion,
empire, fr. imperare. See Emperor; cf. Imperial.] 1. Supreme power;
sovereignty; sway; dominion. ``The empire of the sea.'' --Shak.

Over hell extend His empire, and with iron scepter rule. --Milton.

2. The dominion of an emperor; the territory or countries under the
jurisdiction and dominion of an emperor (rarely of a king), usually of
greater extent than a kingdom, always comprising a variety in the
nationality of, or the forms of administration in, constituent and
subordinate portions; as, the Austrian empire.

Empire carries with it the idea of a vast and complicated government. --C.
J. Smith.

3. Any dominion; supreme control; governing influence; rule; sway; as, the
empire of mind or of reason. ``Under the empire of facts.'' --M. Arnold.

Another force which, in the Middle Ages, shared with chivalry the empire
over the minds of men. --A. W. Ward.

Syn: Sway; dominion; rule; control; reign; sovereignty; government; kingdom;
realm; state.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, � 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.

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empire n 1: the domain ruled by an emperor or empress 2: a group of
countries under a single authority: "the Roman empire" 3: a monarchy with an
emperor as head of state 4: a group of companies run as a single
organization [syn: conglomerate]

Source: WordNet � 1.6, � 1997 Princeton University

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