1. [n]  the discipline that studies the English language and literature
2. [n]  an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the US and most of the Commonwealth countries
3. [n]  (sports) the spin given to a ball by striking it on one side or releasing it with a sharp twist
4. [n]  the people of England
5. [adj]  of or relating to or characteristic of England or its culture; "English histry"; "the English landed aristocracy"; "English literature"

1. \Eng"lish\, a. [AS. Englisc, fr. Engle, Angle, Engles,
   Angles, a tribe of Germans from the southeast of Sleswick, in
   Denmark, who settled in Britain and gave it the name of
   England. Cf. {Anglican}.]
   Of or pertaining to England, or to its inhabitants, or to the
   present so-called Anglo-Saxon race.
   {English bond} (Arch.) See 1st {Bond}, n., 8.
   {English breakfast tea}. See {Congou}.
   {English horn}. (Mus.) See {Corno Inglese}.
   {English walnut}. (Bot.) See under {Walnut}.
   

2. \Eng"lish\, n.
   1. Collectively, the people of England; English people or
      persons.
   2. The language of England or of the English nation, and of
      their descendants in America, India, and other countries.
   Note: The English language has been variously divided into
         periods by different writers. In the division most
         commonly recognized, the first period dates from about
         450 to 1150. This is the period of full inflection, and
         is called Anglo-Saxon, or, by many recent writers, Old
         English. The second period dates from about 1150 to
         1550 (or, if four periods be recognized, from about
         1150 to 1350), and is called Early English, Middle
         English, or more commonly (as in the usage of this
         book), Old English. During this period most of the
         inflections were dropped, and there was a great
         addition of French words to the language. The third
         period extends from about 1350 to 1550, and is Middle
         English. During this period orthography became
         comparatively fixed. The last period, from about 1550,
         is called Modern English.
   3. A kind of printing type, in size between Pica and Great
      Primer. See {Type}.
   Note: The type called English.
   4. (Billiards) A twist or spinning motion given to a ball in
      striking it that influences the direction it will take
      after touching a cushion or another ball.
   {The} {King's, or Queen's}, {English}. See under {King}.
   

3. \Eng"lish\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Englished}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Englishing}.]
   1. To translate into the English language; to Anglicize;
      hence, to interpret; to explain.
            Those gracious acts . . . may be Englished more
            properly, acts of fear and dissimulation. --Milton.
            Caxton does not care to alter the French forms and
            words in the book which he was Englishing. --T. L.
                                                  K. Oliphant.
   2. (Billiards) To strike (the cue ball) in such a manner as
      to give it in addition to its forward motion a spinning
      motion, that influences its direction after impact on
      another ball or the cushion. [U.S.]
   

1. (Obsolete) The source code for a program, which may be in any language, as opposed to the linkable or executable binary produced from it by a compiler. The idea behind the term is that to a real hacker, a program written in his favourite programming language is at least as readable as English. Usage: mostly by old-time hackers, though recognisable in context.

2. The official name of the database language used by the Pick operating system, actually a sort of crufty, brain-damaged SQL with delusions of grandeur. The name permits marketroids to say "Yes, and you can program our computers in English!" to ignorant suits without quite running afoul of the truth-in-advertising laws.

["Exploring the Pick Operating System", J.E. Sisk et al, Hayden 1986].

[Jargon File]