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public vs private

public

Definitions

adjective

  1. not private; open to or concerning the people as a whole
  2. affecting the people or community as a whole

noun

  1. people in general considered as a whole
  2. a body of people sharing some common interest

Examples

In my view his confrontational, gladiatorial style has been a major contributor to the widespread disdain of the British public for politicians generally.

However, we still rely entirely on the generosity of the public for funding.

He said this was an abuse of public monies and the fact there was no contribution from the business community was ‘grossly unfair.’

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private

Definitions

noun

  1. an enlisted man of the lowest rank in the Army or Marines

adjective

  1. not expressed
  2. concerning one person exclusively
  3. confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy
  4. concerning things deeply private and personal

Examples

He asked me bluntly, ‘Why would you want to leave private life and take on such a difficult, dangerous and probably thankless job?’

To supplement his income, he taught private voice lessons in his home and sang in a church choir.

But for the watermark, the thickness of the paper and the missing security thread, the note, reportedly obtained from a private bank, looked like genuine currency for all practical purposes.

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