character

[CharĀ·ac*ter]

When Martin Luther King, Jr. said he looked forward to the day when all Americans would be judged solely "by the content of their character," he was talking about a person's essential qualities.

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A distinctive mark; a letter, figure, or symbol.

Noun
the inherent complex of attributes that determine a persons moral and ethical actions and reactions; "education has for its object the formation of character"- Herbert Spencer

Noun
a characteristic property that defines the apparent individual nature of something; "each town has a quality all its own"; "the radical character of our demands"

Noun
an actor''s portrayal of someone in a play; "she played the part of Desdemona"

Noun
a formal recommendation by a former employer to a potential future employer describing the person''s qualifications and dependability; "requests for character references are all to often answered evasively"

Noun
a written symbol that is used to represent speech; "the Greek alphabet has 24 characters"

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Noun
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story); "she is the main character in the novel"

Noun
a person of a specified kind (usually with many eccentricities); "a real character"; "a strange character"; "a friendly eccentric"; "the capable type"; "a mental case"

Noun
good repute; "he is a man of character"

Verb
engrave or inscribe characters on


n.
A distinctive mark; a letter, figure, or symbol.

n.
Style of writing or printing; handwriting; the peculiar form of letters used by a particular person or people; as, an inscription in the Runic character.

n.
The peculiar quality, or the sum of qualities, by which a person or a thing is distinguished from others; the stamp impressed by nature, education, or habit; that which a person or thing really is; nature; disposition.

n.
Strength of mind; resolution; independence; individuality; as, he has a great deal of character.

n.
Moral quality; the principles and motives that control the life; as, a man of character; his character saves him from suspicion.

n.
Quality, position, rank, or capacity; quality or conduct with respect to a certain office or duty; as, in the miserable character of a slave; in his character as a magistrate; her character as a daughter.

n.
The estimate, individual or general, put upon a person or thing; reputation; as, a man's character for truth and veracity; to give one a bad character.

n.
A written statement as to behavior, competency, etc., given to a servant.

n.
A unique or extraordinary individuality; a person characterized by peculiar or notable traits; a person who illustrates certain phases of character; as, Randolph was a character; Caesar is a great historical character.

n.
One of the persons of a drama or novel.

v. t.
To engrave; to inscribe.

v. t.
To distinguish by particular marks or traits; to describe; to characterize.


Character

Char"ac*ter , n. [L., an instrument for marking, character, Gr. , fr. to make sharp, to cut into furrows, to engrave: cf. F. caract'8are.] 1. A distinctive mark; a letter, figure, or symbol.
It were much to be wished that there were throughout the world but one sort of character for each letter to express it to the eye.
2. Style of writing or printing; handwriting; the peculiar form of letters used by a particular person or people; as, an inscription in the Runic character.
You know the character to be your brother's?
3. The peculiar quality, or the sum of qualities, by which a person or a thing is distinguished from others; the stamp impressed by nature, education, or habit; that which a person or thing really is; nature; disposition.
The character or that dominion.
Know well each Ancient's proper character; His fable, subject, scope in every page; Religion, Country, genius of his Age.
A man of . . . thoroughly subservient character.
4. Strength of mind; resolution; independence; individuality; as, he has a great deal of character. 5. Moral quality; the principles and motives that control the life; as, a man of character; his character saves him from suspicion. 6. Quality, position, rank, or capacity; quality or conduct with respect to a certain office or duty; as, in the miserable character of a slave; in his character as a magistrate; her character as a daughter. 7. The estimate, individual or general, put upon a person or thing; reputation; as, a man's character for truth and veracity; to give one a bad character.
This subterraneous passage is much mended since Seneca gave so bad a character of it.
8. A written statement as to behavior, competency, etc., given to a servant. [Colloq.] 9. A unique or extraordinary individuality; a person characterized by peculiar or notable traits; a person who illustrates certain phases of character; as, Randolph was a character; C'91sar is a great historical character. 10. One of the persons of a drama or novel. &hand; "It would be well if character and reputation were used distinctively. In truth, character is what a person is; reputation is what he is supposed to be. Character is in himself, reputation is in the minds of others. Character is injured by temptations, and by wrongdoing; reputation by slanders, and libels. Character endures throughout defamation in every form, but perishes when there is a voluntary transgression; reputation may last through numerous transgressions, but be destroyed by a single, and even an unfounded, accusation or aspersion." Abbott.

Character

Char"ac*ter, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Charactered .] 1. To engrave; to inscribe. [R.]
These trees shall be my books. And in their barks my thoughts I 'll character.
2. To distinguish by particular marks or traits; to describe; to characterize. [R.] Mitford.

Characterism

Char"ac*ter*ism , n. [Gr. a characterizing.] A distinction of character; a characteristic. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

A distinctive mark; a letter, figure, or symbol.

To engrave; to inscribe.

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Usage Examples

'Dallas' hit a chord back in the late Seventies and Eighties because it was the age of greed: here you have this unapologetic character who is mean and nasty and ruthless and does it all with an evil grin. I think people related to JR back then because we all have someone we know exactly like him. Everyone in the world knows a JR.

Age should not have its face lifted, but it should rather teach the world to admire wrinkles as the etchings of experience and the firm line of character.

'Aladdin' was probably my favorite Disney animation when I was a kid. The animation was great and Robin Williams was unbelievable as the Genie. 'Aladdin' was an amazing adventure and the lead character was a hero for guys, which I loved. It wasn't a princess or a girl beating the odds it was a street rat. That seemed really cool to me.

A person however learned and qualified in his life's work in whom gratitude is absent, is devoid of that beauty of character which makes personality fragrant.

A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble.

A man's character may be learned from the adjectives which he habitually uses in conversation.

51st State was one that I loved doing because the character was so out there, and in a way I was sad to leave the character behind. I'm afraid I could never be that cool in real life!

Misspelled Form

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Other Usage Examples

A man of character in peace is a man of courage in war.

All observers not laboring under hallucinations of the senses are agreed, or can be made to agree, about facts of sensible experience, through evidence toward which the intellect is merely passive, and over which the individual will and character have no control.

Acting is a very personal process. It has to do with expressing your own personality, and discovering the character you're playing through your own experience - so we're all different.

006 was such an interesting character and the film really explored his friendship with Bond and how it all went wrong, so it was a very personal journey for both characters.

All I try to do is as earnestly and as acutely as I can, conceive a character and try to portray this character just honestly. If the humor is within the absurdity and the awfulness of situations, then let it be seen that way.

A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercises, I advise the gun. While this gives moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball, and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun therefore be your constant companion of your walks.

A person's character is but half formed till after wedlock.

A lot of people think I'm that guy in 'Betsy's Wedding', but I'm not. What it is for me is that, on some level, I connect with the character emotionally.

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