\Pub"lic\, a. [L. publicus, poblicus, fr. populus people:
cf. F. public. See {People}.]
1. Of or pertaining to the people; belonging to the people;
   relating to, or affecting, a nation, state, or community;
   -- opposed to {private}; as, the public treasury.
         To the public good Private respects must yield.
                                               --Milton.
         He [Alexander Hamilton] touched the dead corpse of
         the public credit, and it sprung upon its feet. --D.
                                               Webster.
2. Open to the knowledge or view of all; general; common;
   notorious; as, public report; public scandal.
         Joseph, . . . not willing to make her a public
         example, was minded to put her away privily. --Matt.
                                               i. 19.
3. Open to common or general use; as, a public road; a public
   house. ``The public street.'' --Shak.
{Public act} or {statute} (Law), an act or statute affecting
   matters of public concern. Of such statutes the courts
   take judicial notice.
{Public credit}. See under {Credit}.
{Public funds}. See {Fund}, 3.
{Public house}, an inn, or house of entertainment.
{Public law}.
   (a) See {International law}, under {International}.
   (b) A public act or statute.
{Public nuisance}. (Law) See under {Nuisance}.
{Public orator}. (Eng. Universities) See {Orator}, 3.
{Public stores}, military and naval stores, equipments, etc.
{Public works}, all fixed works built by civil engineers for
   public use, as railways, docks, canals, etc.; but
   strictly, military and civil engineering works constructed
   at the public cost.

\Pub"lic\, n.
1. The general body of mankind, or of a nation, state, or
   community; the people, indefinitely; as, the American
   public; also, a particular body or aggregation of people;
   as, an author's public.
         The public is more disposed to censure than to
         praise.                               --Addison.
2. A public house; an inn. [Scot.] --Sir W. Scott.
{In public}, openly; before an audience or the people at
   large; not in private or secrecy. ``We are to speak in
   public.'' --Shak.