Emily Dickinson Lexicon

commence (-s), v. [ME comence]

Begin; start.

commend, v. [L. commendare, to commit to any one's charge, entrust, recommend.]

1. To praise; to compliment.
2. Give; deliver for care or keeping; to commit; entrust; deliver up with confidence.

commensurate, adj. [L. commensurat-us < mensurare, to measure.]

Similar; of equal extent or magnitude.

commentator (-s), n. [L. < commentari, inventor, author.]

One who gives an explanation or analysis of a situation.

commerce, n. [Fr. < L. commercium, trade, trafficking.] (webplay: inland, skies, trade).

Trade; exchanging of merchandise.

commissary, n. [med. L. commissari-us, one to whom any duty is specially committed or entrusted, an officer in charge, commissioner.]

A representative; an agent; a deputy; a delegate.

commit (-ted), v. [ME committe < L. committ-ere, to put together, join, to put for safety, give in charge, entrust, deliver.] (webplay: hands, letters).

1. To give in charge; entrust.
2. To put into a place or receptacle to be kept safe.

common (-er, -est), adj. [early ME co(m)mun < early L. munis, obliging, ready to be of service.] (webplay: bud, children, church, confirmed, customs, earth, estate, estimation, equally, excellence, flowers, habits, land, life, lower, man, many, mean, owner, privileges, process, rank, records, right, superior, tenants, time, use, woman).

1. Belonging equally to more than one or an entire group; communal.
2. Usual; ordinary; like any other.
3. Having ordinary qualities; undistinguished by superior characteristics, hence of lesser value. (333/379, 401/675, 571/538)

commonly, adv. [ME comonlich; see common, adj.] (webplay: owner).

Usually; normally; ordinarily.

commonwealth, n. [< commonweal, orig. two words: common + weal, OE wela, well-being, prosperity.]

A state where the power is vested in the people; a democratic state.