commune

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive)
• HYPHEN: com=mune

CIDE DICTIONARY

commune, v. i. [OF. communier, fr. L. communicare to communicate, fr. communis common. See Common, and cf. Communicate.].

•  To converse together with sympathy and confidence; to interchange sentiments or feelings; to take counsel.  [1913 Webster]

  "I would commune with you of such things
  That want no ear but yours."  [1913 Webster]
•  To receive the communion; to partake of the eucharist or Lord's supper.  [1913 Webster]

  "To commune under both kinds."  [1913 Webster]

To commune with one's self or To commune with one's heart, to think; to reflect; to meditate.

commune, n. 

 Communion; sympathetic intercourse or conversation between friends.  [1913 Webster]
"For days of happy commune dead."  [1913 Webster]

commune, n. [F., fr. commun. See Common.].

•  The commonalty; the common people.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]

  "In this struggle -- to use the technical words of the time -- of the “commune”, the general mass of the inhabitants, against the “prudhommes” or “wiser” few."  [1913 Webster]
•  A small territorial district in France under the government of a mayor and municipal council; also, the inhabitants, or the government, of such a district. See Arrondissement.  [1913 Webster]
•  Absolute municipal self-government.  [1913 Webster]
•  a group of people living together as an organized community and owning in common most or all of their property and possessions, and sharing work, income, and many other aspects of daily life. Such sommunities are oftten organized based on religious or idealistic principles, and they sometimes have unconventional lifestyles, practises, or moral codes.  [PJC]

The Commune of Paris, or The Commune (a) The government established in Paris (1792-94) by a usurpation of supreme power on the part of representatives chosen by the communes; the period of its continuance is known as the “Reign of Terror.” (b) The revolutionary government, modeled on the commune of 1792, which the communists, so called, attempted to establish in 1871.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

commune, n.
1 a a group of people, not necessarily related, sharing living accommodation, goods, etc., esp. as a political act. b a communal settlement esp. for the pursuit of shared interests.
2 a the smallest French territorial division for administrative purposes. b a similar division elsewhere.
3 (the Commune) the communalistic government in Paris in 1871.

commune, v.intr.
1 (usu. foll. by with) a speak confidentially and intimately (communed together about their loss; communed with his heart). b feel in close touch (with nature etc.) (communed with the hills).
2 US receive Holy Communion.

Etymology

ME f. OF comuner share f. comun COMMON

THESAURUS

commune

Kreis, archbishopric, archdiocese, arrondissement, ashram, bailiwick, bishopric, body, borough, canton, caste, city, clan, class, colony, commonage, commoners, commonwealth, community, congressional district, constablewick, county, departement, diocese, district, duchy, economic class, electoral district, electorate, endogamous group, extended family, family, gens, government, hamlet, hundred, kinship group, magistracy, metropolis, metropolitan area, moiety, nuclear family, oblast, okrug, order, parish, people, phratria, phratry, phyle, plebeians, plebes, populace, precinct, principality, province, rank and file, region, riding, settlement, sheriffalty, sheriffwick, shire, shrievalty, social class, society, soke, stake, state, subcaste, territory, third estate, totem, town, township, village, wapentake, ward

ROGET THESAURUS

commune

Government

N government, legal authority, soveriegn, sovereign authority, authority, master, direction, national government, nation, state, country, nation- state, dominion, republic, empire, union, democratic republic, kingdom, principality, state government, state, shire, province, county, canton, territory, duchy, archduchy, archdukedom, woiwodshaft, commonwealth, region, property, county, parish city, domain, tract, arrondissement, mofussil, commune, wappentake, hundred, riding, lathe, garth, soke, tithing, ward, precinct, bailiwick, command, empire, sway, rule, dominion, domination, sovereignty, supremacy, suzerainty, lordship, headship, chiefdom, seigniory, seigniority, rule, sway, command, control, administer, govern, lead, preside over, reign, possess the throne, be seated on the throne, occupy the throne, sway the scepter, wield the scepter, wear the crown, state, realm, body politic, posse comitatus, judicature, cabinet, seat of government, seat of authority, headquarters, accession, installation, politics, reign, regime, dynasty, directorship, dictatorship, protectorate, protectorship, caliphate, pashalic, electorate, presidency, presidentship, administration, proconsul, consulship, prefecture, seneschalship, magistrature, magistracy, monarchy, kinghood, kingship, royalty, regality, aristarchy, aristocracy, oligarchy, democracy, theocracy, demagogy, commonwealth, dominion, heteronomy, republic, republicanism, socialism, collectivism, mob law, mobocracy, ochlocracy, vox populi, imperium in imperio, bureaucracy, beadledom, bumbledom, stratocracy, military power, military government, junta, feodality, feudal system, feudalism, thearchy, theocracy, dinarchy, duarchy, triarchy, heterarchy, duumvirate, triumvirate, autocracy, autonomy, limited monarchy, constitutional government, constitutional monarchy, home rule, representative government, monocracy, pantisocracy, gynarchy, gynocracy, gynaeocracy, petticoat government, legislature, judiciary, administration, office of the president, office of the prime minister, cabinet, senate, house of representatives, parliament, council, courts, supreme court, state, interior, labor, health and human services, defense, education, agriculture, justice, commerce, treasury, Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, National Institutes of Health, NIH, Postal Service, Post Office, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, president, vice president, cabinet member, prime minister, minister, senator, representatative, president pro tem, speaker of the house, department head, section head, section chief, federal judge, justice, justice of the supreme court, chief justice, treasurer, secretary of the treasury, director of the FBI, governor, state cabinet member, state senator, assemblyman, assemblywoman, regal, sovereign, governing, royal, royalist, monarchical, kingly, imperial, imperiatorial, princely, feudal, aristocratic, autocratic, oligarchic, republican, dynastic, ruling, regnant, gubernatorial, imperious, authoritative, executive, administrative, clothed with authority, official, departmental, ex officio, imperative, peremptory, overruling, absolute, hegemonic, hegemonical, authorized, government, public, national, federal, his majesty's, her majesty's, state, county, city, N, a dog's obeyed in office, cada uno tiene su alguazil, le Roi le veut, regibus esse manus en nescio longas, regnant populi, the demigod Authority, the right divine of kings to govern wrong, uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.