📒 connected with ordinary people in society in general
- The campaign is designed to increase public awareness of the issues.
- Levels of waste from the factory may be a danger to public health.
- Public safety must come first.
📒 provided, especially by the government, for the use of people in general
- a public education system
- a public library
📒 connected with the government and the services it provides
- public money/spending/funding
- He spent much of his career in public office (= working in the government).
- (British English) the public purse (= the money that the government can spend)
📒 known to people in general
- Details of the government report have not yet been made public.
- a public figure (= a person who is well known because they are often on the television, radio, etc.)
- She entered public life (= started a job in which she became known to the public) at the age of 25.
📒 open to people in general; intended to be seen or heard by people in general
- There is a ban on smoking in public places.
- A public meeting to discuss the issue will be held tomorrow night.
- The company was forced to issue a public apology.
📒 where there are a lot of people who can see and hear you
- Let's go somewhere a little less public.
📒 to be something that everyone knows, especially in a particular community or group
- Their relationship is common knowledge.
📒 to tell people about something that is a secret
- A court order failed to stop her going public with the story.
📒 to start selling shares on the stock exchange
📒 well known to many people through television, newspapers, the internet, etc.
- She doesn't want her children growing up in the public eye.