common weal, commonweal arch.
(ˈkɒmənˌwiːl)
[orig. two words common a. + weal (:—OE. wela, weola well-being, prosperity); used side by side with general weal, public weal, and esp. weal-public. Cf. F. bien commun, bien public, L. res publica, res commūnis. It is still used as two words in sense 1. In sense 2 (= commonwealth) it was in 16th c. more esp. Scotch, and is now archaic or rhetorical, or used with etymological emphasis.]
1. (Properly two words.) Common well-being; esp. the general good, public welfare, prosperity of the community.
| a 1469 Gregory's Chron. [an. 1450] (Camden 1876) 191 They [the Kentish insurgents] wente, as they sayde, for the comyn wele of the realme of Ingelonde. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. 33 The partes of mannes body hath..theyr offyce..for the commune wele of the hole body. 1542 Boorde Dyetary Pref. (1870) 228, I do it for a common weele [1547 a common weale]. 1553 Q. Mary in Strype Eccl. Mem. III. App. i. 3 As shall avaunce Gods glory and the commonweal. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 10 The law is made for the common⁓well and profite of baith the parties. 1622 Bacon Hen. VII, 157 To the Commonweale and Prosperity of our Subiects. 1744 Thomson Summer 1617 Ever musing on the common weal. 1874 F. Seebohm Prot. Rev. (1887) 7 Citizens for whose common weal the nation is to be governed. |
2. The whole body of the people, the body politic; a state, community. = commonwealth 2.
This use was adversely criticized by Elyot: see quot. 1531.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 202 Þe comen wele was paied of þat conseilyng Þat it were not delaied, so was R[ichard] þe kyng. 1531 Elyot Gov. i. i, Hit semeth that men haue ben longe abused in calling Rempublicam a commune weale..There may appere lyke diuersitie to be in englisshe betwene a publike weale and a commune weale, as shulde be in latin, betwene Res publica, & Res plebeia. 1535 Lyndesay Satyre 2436 The common-weil of fair Scotland. 1549 Latimer Ploughers (Arb.) 26 Wherefore are magistrates ordayned, but that the tranquillitie of the commune weale maye be confirmed. 1611 Coryat Crudities 460 A most excellent aristocraticall fame of common-weale. 1726 Thomson Winter (1738) 432 Solon the next who built his common-weal On Equity's wide Base. 1850 Kingsley Alt. Locke Pref. 23 The most truly liberal-minded class of the commonweal. |
† b. the Christian commonweal: Christendom.
| 1559 in Strype Ann. Ref. I. App. viii. 20 The Christian commonweale is decayed. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks Introd., The..state of the Christian Commonweale..might..mooue euen a right stony heart to ruth. |
† 3. = commonwealth 3. (poetic nonce-use.)
| 1733 Swift On Poetry, They plot to turn, in factious zeal, Duncenia to a common-weal. |
† 4. Comb.
| 1579 J. Stubbes Gaping Gulf D iv b, These aduenturous commonwealminglers. 1587 Golding De Mornay xii. 175 Ridding goode Commonwealemen out of the way, that he may mainteine himself stil in his tyranny. |