Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Principal
1.
Highest in rank, authority, character, importance, or degree; most considerable or important; chief; main;
as, the
principal
officers of a Government; the principal
men of a state; the principal
productions of a country; the principal
arguments in a case.Wisdom is the
principal
thing. Prov. iv. 7.
2.
Of or pertaining to a prince; princely.
[A Latinism]
[Obs.]
Spenser.
Principal axis
. See
– Axis of a curve
, under Axis
. Principal axes of a quadric
(Geom.)
, three lines in which the principal planes of the solid intersect two and two, as in an ellipsoid.
– Principal challenge
. (Law)
See under
– Challenge
. Principal plane
. – Principal of a quadric
(Geom.)
, three planes each of which is at right angles to the other two, and bisects all chords of the quadric perpendicular to the plane, as in an ellipsoid.
– Principal point
(Persp.)
, the projection of the point of sight upon the plane of projection.
– Principal ray
(Persp.)
, the line drawn through the point of sight perpendicular to the perspective plane.
– Principal section
(Crystallog.)
, a plane passing through the optical axis of a crystal.
Prin′ci-pal
,Noun.
1.
A leader, chief, or head; one who takes the lead; one who acts independently, or who has controlling authority or influence;
as, the
; – distinguished from a principal
of a faction, a school, a firm, etc.subordinate
, abettor
, auxiliary
, or assistant
. 2.
Hence: (Law)
(a)
The chief actor in a crime, or an abettor who is present at it, – as distinguished from an accessory.
(b)
A chief obligor, promisor, or debtor, – as distinguished from a surety.
(c)
One who employs another to act for him, – as distinguished from an agent.
Wharton.
Bouvier.
Burrill.
3.
A thing of chief or prime importance; something fundamental or especially conspicuous.
Specifically: (a)
(Com.)
A capital sum of money, placed out at interest, due as a debt or used as a fund; – so called in distinction from interest or profit.
(b)
(Arch. & Engin.)
The construction which gives shape and strength to a roof, – generally a truss of timber or iron, but there are roofs with stone principals. Also, loosely, the most important member of a piece of framing.
(c)
(Mus.)
In English organs the chief open metallic stop, an octave above the open diapason. On the manual it is four feet long, on the pedal eight feet. In Germany this term corresponds to the English open diapason.
(d)
(O. Eng. Law)
A heirloom; a mortuary.
Cowell.
(e)
pl.
The first two long feathers of a hawk’s wing.
Spenser.
J. H. Walsh.
(f)
One of turrets or pinnacles of waxwork and tapers with which the posts and center of a funeral hearse were formerly crowned.
Oxf. Gloss.
(g)
A principal or essential point or rule; a principle.
[Obs.]
Webster 1828 Edition
Principal
PRIN'CIPAL
,Adj.
1.
Chief; highest in rank, character or respectability; as the principal officers of a government; the principal men of a city, town, or state. Acts 25. 1 Chron.24.2.
Chief; most important or considerable; as the principal topics of debate; the principal arguments in a case; the principal points of law; the principal beams of a building; the principal productions of a country. Wisdom is the principal thing. Prov.4.
3.
In law, a principal challenge, is where the cause assigned carries with it prima facie evidence of partiality, favor or malice.4.
In music, fundamental.PRIN'CIPAL
,Noun.
1.
The president, governor, or chief in authority. We apply the word to the chief instructor of an academy or seminary of learning.2.
In law, the actor or absolute perpetrator of a crime, or an abettor. A principal in the first degree, is the absolute perpetrator of the crime; a principal in the second degree, is one who is present, aiding and abetting the fact to be done; distinguished from an accessory. In treason, all persons concerned are principals.3.
In commerce, a capital sum lent on interest, due as a debt or used as a fund; so called in distinction from interest or profits. Taxes must be continued, because we have no other means for paying off the principal.
4.
One primarily engaged; a chief party; in distinction from an auxiliary. We were not principals, but auxiliaries in the war.
Definition 2024
prîncipal
prîncipal
See also: principal