1
a
: of or relating to citizens
b
: of or relating to the state or its citizenry
2
b
: adequate in courtesy and politeness : mannerly
It was hard to be civil when I felt so angry.
3
a
: of, relating to, or based on civil law
b
: relating to private rights and to remedies sought by action or suit distinct from criminal proceedings
4
: of, relating to, or involving the general public, their activities, needs, or ways, or civic affairs as distinguished from special (such as military or religious) affairs
got married in a civil ceremony
5
of time
: based on the theoretical mean sun and legally recognized for use in ordinary affairs
Esoteric and sometimes outlandish balloons were floated: If we’re not going to worry about civil time matching solar time, for instance, why not simplify global timekeeping even more by reducing the number of global time zones from twenty-four to five?—Michelle Stacey
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called a ‘civil war’?
The sense of civil found in civil war is not the one meaning «mannerly,» or the one meaning «civilized.» It is the word’s earliest sense in English, “of or relating to citizens,” as a civil war refers to one between citizens of the same country.
What is civil disobedience?
We define civil disobedience as «refusal to obey governmental demands or commands especially as a nonviolent and usually collective means of forcing concessions from the government.» Some notable examples of civil disobedience are the cases of Rosa Parks and Claudette Colvin, black women who refused to give up their seats on public buses, when white passengers—and a city ordinance—demanded that they do so.
What is civil service?
A country’s civil service is the part of the government that takes care of the government’s basic business. It is the administrative part of the government, and independent of the military, and the occupations of its members are neither political nor judicial. In most countries, the term civil service refers to employees selected and promoted on the basis of a merit and seniority system, which may include examinations.
Synonyms
Choose the Right Synonym for civil
owed the questioner a civil reply
polite commonly implies polish of speech and manners and sometimes suggests an absence of cordiality.
if you can’t be pleasant, at least be polite
courteous implies more actively considerate or dignified politeness.
clerks who were unfailingly courteous to customers
gallant and chivalrous imply courteous attentiveness especially to women.
gallant suggests spirited and dashing behavior and ornate expressions of courtesy.
a gallant suitor of the old school
chivalrous suggests high-minded and self-sacrificing behavior.
a chivalrous display of duty
Example Sentences
They got married in a civil ceremony at city hall.
It was hard to be civil when I felt so angry.
She was barely civil to me.
Recent Examples on the Web
Haskins’ widow Kalabrya Haskins filed a civil lawsuit last month in Broward County, Florida.
—Sean Neumann, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2023
Iniguez and Teran said prosecutors are sometimes asked to look at witness interviews and evidence gathered during parallel civil lawsuits that may not have been captured by the initial police investigation.
—James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2023
Both were filed in late March to fall within the two-year window Alaska requires for civil lawsuits like these.
—Zaz Hollander, Anchorage Daily News, 8 Apr. 2023
Only one person has been indicted so far as a result of the investigation, but advocates and victims groups predict this will bring more survivors forward and spark a wave of new civil lawsuits.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 7 Apr. 2023
Her resignation follows a decision by the nonprofit’s governing policy board to cut ties with its previous leader, Peter Callstrom, amid a civil lawsuit.
—Natallie Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2023
Gabby Petito’s parents have asked Brian Laundrie’s parents to hand over financial information in the weeks around her death in an ongoing civil lawsuit in Florida.
—Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 6 Apr. 2023
As in other states, the investigation in Maryland has galvanized support for overhauling the statutes of limitations on civil lawsuits for past abuse.
—Fredrick Kunkle, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2023
Former President Donald Trump faces an array of civil lawsuits and criminal investigations beyond the New York charges on which he is being arraigned Tuesday.
—Sadie Gurman, WSJ, 4 Apr. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘civil.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin civilis, from civis — see civic
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of civil was
in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near civil
Cite this Entry
“Civil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civil. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023.
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13 Apr 2023
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Middle English cyvyl, civil, borrowed from Old French civil, from Latin cīvīlis (“relating to a citizen”), from cīvis (“citizen”). Cognate with Old English hīwen (“household”), hīrǣden (“family”). More at hind; hird. Doublet of civic.
Pronunciation[edit]
- enPR: ʹsĭv-əl IPA(key): /ˈsɪv.əl/
- Rhymes: -ɪvəl
Adjective[edit]
civil (comparative more civil, superlative most civil)
- (not comparable) Having to do with people and government office as opposed to the military or religion.
-
She went into civil service because she wanted to help the people.
-
- (comparable) Behaving in a reasonable or polite manner.
-
It was very civil of him to stop the argument.
- Antonyms: anti-civil, impolite, inconsiderate, noncivil, rude
-
- (archaic) In a peaceful and well-ordered state.
-
1593, anonymous, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […], Act I:
-
Herein thou haſt done good ſeruice to thy country:
VVere all inhumaine ſlaues ſo ſerued as he,
England would be ciuill, and from all ſuch dealings free.
-
-
- (law) Relating to private relations among citizens, as opposed to criminal matters.
-
a civil case
-
- Secular.
-
1680, A Practical Discourse of Regeneration:
-
As if our Saviour had said, No man can enter into heaven except he be born again; so as he speaketh not only of notorious Sinners, as Adulterers, Drunkards, Swearers, & c. but of all who are in their natural condition, tho’ they live never so unblameably, free from scandalous sins, if they be not born again, their civil Righteousness will do them little good, for they shall never see the Kingdom of God.
-
-
2008, Jerald Finney, God Betrayed, →ISBN, page 174:
-
The word from which «evil» in Romans 13.4 is translated means «generally opposed to civil goodness or virtue, in a commonwealth, and not to spiritual good, or religion, in the church.
-
-
2013, John Calvin, Calvin’s Complete Commentary, Volume 7: Acts to Ephesians:
-
Some grammarians explain this passage as referring to a civil sanctity, in respect of the children being reckoned legitimate, but in this respect the condition of unbelievers is in no degree worse.
-
-
Derived terms[edit]
- civil action
- civil aviation
- civil celebrant
- civil code
- civil court
- civil day
- civil death
- civil defence
- civil defense
- civil disobedience
- civil enforcement officer
- civil engineer
- civil engineering
- civil law
- civil law notary
- civil liberties
- civil liberty
- civil list
- civil marriage
- civil parish
- civil partner
- civil partnership
- civil power
- civil procedure
- civil registry
- civil rightist
- civil rights
- civil rights movement
- civil servant
- civil service
- civil society
- civil suit
- civil time
- civil tongue
- civil trial
- civil twilight
- civil union
- civil violation
- civil war
- civil wrong
- civil year
- civil-service
- civilian
- civilist
- civility
- civilly
- keep a civil tongue
- keep a civil tongue in one’s head
- keep a civil tongue in one’s mouth
- minor civil division
- put a civil tongue in one’s head
- put a civil tongue in one’s mouth
[edit]
- civic
- civilization
Translations[edit]
behaving in a reasonable or polite manner
- Bulgarian: ве́жлив (bg) (véžliv), учти́в (bg) (učtív)
- Catalan: civil (ca)
- Czech: civilizovaný, slušný (cs), kulturní (cs), vychovaný
- Danish: høflig (da), civiliseret
- Dutch: beschaafd (nl), geciviliseerd (nl)
- Finnish: kohtelias (fi), asiallinen (fi)
- French: civil (fr)
- German: zivilisiert (de)
- Hebrew: מנומס m (menumás)
- Hindi: सिविल (hi) (sivil), मिलनसार (hi) (milansār), सभ्य (hi) (sabhya)
- Indonesian: beradab (id)
- Irish: sibhialta
- Japanese: うやうやしい (ja) (uyauyashī), 礼やか (いややか, iyayaka)
- Macedonian: во́спитан (vóspitan), ку́лтурен (kúlturen), у́чтив (účtiv), цивилизи́ран (civilizíran)
- Malay: sivil
- Manx: beasagh
- Portuguese: civil (pt), civilizado (pt)
- Russian: цивилизо́ванный (ru) (civilizóvannyj), воспи́танный (ru) (vospítannyj), культу́рный (ru) (kulʹtúrnyj), ве́жливый (ru) (véžlivyj)
- Slovak: civilizovaný, slušný, kultúrny (sk), vychovaný
- Spanish: civil (es)
- Swedish: civiliserad (sv)
References[edit]
- civil at OneLook Dictionary Search
- civil in Keywords for Today: A 21st Century Vocabulary, edited by The Keywords Project, Colin MacCabe, Holly Yanacek, 2018.
- “civil”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
Anagrams[edit]
- clivi
Asturian[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Latin cīvīlis.
Adjective[edit]
civil (epicene, plural civiles)
- civil, civilian
Derived terms[edit]
- civilización
- guerra civil
- xunión civil
References[edit]
- «civil» in Diccionariu de la Llingua Asturiana
Catalan[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Latin cīvīlis.
Pronunciation[edit]
- (Balearic, Valencian) IPA(key): /siˈvil/
- (Central) IPA(key): /siˈbil/
Adjective[edit]
civil (masculine and feminine plural civils)
- civil
- Antonym: incivil
- civilian
- Antonym: militar
Derived terms[edit]
- civilització
- civilitzar
- civilment
- guerra civil
- unió civil
[edit]
- civilitat
Noun[edit]
civil m or f (plural civils)
- A member of the guàrdia civil.
- (colloquial) A preserved sardine.
- Synonym: arengada
Further reading[edit]
- “civil” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
Chinese[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From clipping of English civil engineering.
Pronunciation[edit]
- Cantonese (Jyutping): si1 fou2
- Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Jyutping: si1 fou2
- Yale: sī fóu
- Cantonese Pinyin: si1 fou2
- Guangdong Romanization: xi1 fou2
- Sinological IPA (key): /siː⁵⁵ fou̯³⁵/
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
Noun[edit]
civil
- (Hong Kong Cantonese) civil engineering; civil engineer
References[edit]
- English Loanwords in Hong Kong Cantonese
Czech[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): [ˈt͡sɪvɪl]
Noun[edit]
civil m
- (informal) civilian (non-military person)
- Synonym: civilista
[edit]
- civilista
- civilizace
- civilizační
- civilizovaný
- civilizovat
- civilní
Further reading[edit]
- civil in Příruční slovník jazyka českého, 1935–1957
- civil in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého, 1960–1971, 1989
Danish[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Latin cīvīlis.
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /siˈviˀl/
Adjective[edit]
civil
- civil (all senses), civilian
Inflection[edit]
Inflection of civil | |||
---|---|---|---|
Positive | Comparative | Superlative | |
Common singular | civil | — | —2 |
Neuter singular | civilt | — | —2 |
Plural | civile | — | —2 |
Definite attributive1 | civile | — | — |
1) When an adjective is applied predicatively to something definite, the corresponding «indefinite» form is used. 2) The «indefinite» superlatives may not be used attributively. |
Derived terms[edit]
- civiladministration
- civilarbejder
- civilbefolkning
- civilcourage
- civildommer
- civiletat
- civilforsvar
- civilforsvarsleder
- civilgarde
- civilgardist
- civilhortonom
- civilingeniør
- civilisation
- civilisationskritik
- civilisationssygdom
- civilisatorisk
- civilisere
- civiliseret
- civilisering
- civilist
- civilklædt
- civilkurage
- civilliste
- civilperson
- civilret
- civilretlig
- civilretslig
- civilsamfund
- civilstand
- civilundervisning
- civiløkonom
French[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Latin cīvīlis.
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /si.vil/
- Homophones: civile, civiles, civils
Adjective[edit]
civil (feminine civile, masculine plural civils, feminine plural civiles)
- civil (war, marriage etc.)
- (politics) lay
- civilian
- (literary) civil, courteous, polite
Derived terms[edit]
- année civile
- civilisation
- civiliser
- civilité
- code civil
- désobéissance civile
- droit civil
- état civil
- génie civil
- guerre civile
- mariage civil
- pacte civil de solidarité
- partenariat civil
- service civil
- union civile
[edit]
- civique
- cité
Descendants[edit]
- Turkish: sivil
Noun[edit]
civil m (plural civils, feminine civile)
- civilian
Further reading[edit]
- “civil”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Galician[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Latin cīvīlis.
Adjective[edit]
civil m or f (plural civís)
- civil, civilian
Derived terms[edit]
- guerra civil
- unión civil
References[edit]
- «civil» in Real Academia Galega
Interlingua[edit]
Adjective[edit]
civil (not comparable)
- civil, civilian (not associated with the armed forces)
Norman[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Latin cīvīlis, from cīvis (“citizen”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱey- (“to lie down, settle; home, family; love; beloved”).
Adjective[edit]
civil m
- (Jersey) polite
- (Jersey) civil
Derived terms[edit]
- dgèrre civile
Occitan[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Latin cīvīlis.
Pronunciation[edit]
-
Audio (Languedocien) (file)
Adjective[edit]
civil m (feminine singular civila, masculine plural civils, feminine plural civilas)
- civil
Derived terms[edit]
- guèrra civila
Portuguese[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Latin cīvīlis (“civil”), from cīvis (“citizen”). Doublet of cível.
Pronunciation[edit]
- (Brazil) IPA(key): /siˈviw/ [siˈviʊ̯]
- (Portugal) IPA(key): /siˈvil/ [siˈviɫ], /sɨˈvil/ [sɨˈviɫ]
- Rhymes: (Portugal) -il, (Brazil) -iw
- Hyphenation: ci‧vil
Adjective[edit]
civil m or f (plural civis)
- civil; civilian (not relating to the military or clergy)
- Se não quiser levar um tiro, use roupas civis. ― If you don’t want to be shot, use civilian clothing.
- civic (relating to citizens)
- Deves cumprir tua obrigação civil. ― You must perform your civic duty.
- Synonym: cívico
- Antonym: militar
- (law) relating to civil law
- Estudo direito civil. ― I study civil law.
- Synonym: cível
- Antonym: criminal
- occurring between the inhabitants of the same country
- Guerra civil. ― Civil war.
- civil (behaving in a reasonable or polite manner)
- Seja mais civil e pare de criticar as pessoas. ― Be more civil and stop criticising people.
- Synonyms: civilizado, cortês, educado, polido
- Antonyms: deseducado, grosseiro, deselegante, feio
Derived terms[edit]
- casado no civil
- casar no civil
- guerra civil
Noun[edit]
civil m or f by sense (plural civis)
- civilian, non-combatant (person who is not a member of the military, police or belligerent group)
Derived terms[edit]
- cível
- civelmente
- cívico
- civilidade
- civilismo
- civilista
- civilização
- civilizar
- civilmente
- civismo
Further reading[edit]
- “civil” in iDicionário Aulete.
- “civil” in Dicionário inFormal.
- “civil” in Dicionário Aberto based on Novo Diccionário da Língua Portuguesa de Cândido de Figueiredo, 1913
- “civil” in Dicionário infopédia da Língua Portuguesa. Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2023.
- “civil” in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa.
- “civil” in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa.
Romanian[edit]
Alternative forms[edit]
- țivil (archaic and popular)
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from French civil, Latin cīvīlis.
Adjective[edit]
civil m or n (feminine singular civilă, masculine plural civili, feminine and neuter plural civile)
- civil
Declension[edit]
Noun[edit]
civil m (plural civili)
- civilian
Declension[edit]
[edit]
- cetate
- civilitate
- civiliza
- civilizație
Serbo-Croatian[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from German Zivil, from French civil, from Latin cīvīlis (“civic, civil”), from cīvis (“citizen”).
Noun[edit]
cìvīl m (Cyrillic spelling цѝвӣл)
- civilian (not related to the military armed forces)
Declension[edit]
Spanish[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Latin cīvīlis (“civil, civic”), from cīvis (“citizen”).
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): (Spain) /θiˈbil/ [θiˈβ̞il]
- IPA(key): (Latin America) /siˈbil/ [siˈβ̞il]
-
Audio (Latin America) (file) - Rhymes: -il
- Syllabification: ci‧vil
- Homophone: (Latin America) sibil
Adjective[edit]
civil (plural civiles, superlative civilísimo)
- civil (all senses)
Derived terms[edit]
- aviación civil
- casarse por lo civil
- civilizar
- civilmente
- código civil
- de civil
- derecho civil
- desobediencia civil
- estado civil
- fiscal de lo civil
- guardia civil
- guerra civil
- matrimonio civil
- muerte civil
- posesión civil
- proceso civil
- registro civil
- servicio civil
- sociedad civil
- tribunal civil
- unión civil
[edit]
- ciudad
- cívico
- civilidad
- civilización
Further reading[edit]
- “civil”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014
Swedish[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Latin cīvīlis.
Adjective[edit]
civil
- civil; having to do with people and organizations outside military or police, sometimes also outside of other team-based activities, such as a professional sports team
Declension[edit]
Inflection of civil | |||
---|---|---|---|
Indefinite | Positive | Comparative | Superlative2 |
Common singular | civil | — | — |
Neuter singular | civilt | — | — |
Plural | civila | — | — |
Masculine plural3 | civile | — | — |
Definite | Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
Masculine singular1 | civile | — | — |
All | civila | — | — |
1) Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine. 2) The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative. 3) Dated or archaic |
Word | CIVIL |
Character | 5 |
Hyphenation | civ il |
Pronunciations | /ˈsɪv.əl/ |
Sorry, your browser does not support the audio element!
What do we mean by civil?
Of, relating to, or befitting a citizen or citizens. adjective
Of or relating to citizens and their interrelations with one another or with the state. adjective
Of ordinary citizens or ordinary community life as distinguished from the military or the ecclesiastical. adjective
Sufficiently observing or befitting accepted social usages; polite: synonym: polite. adjective
Being in accordance with or denoting legally recognized divisions of time. adjective
Relating to the rights of private individuals and legal proceedings concerning these rights as distinguished from criminal, military, or international regulations or proceedings. adjective
Pertaining to the state in general; pertaining to organized society as represented by government.
Specifically, relating to the commonwealth as secularly organized for purposes of peace: opposed to ecclesiastical, military, or naval; relating to the citizen in his relations to the commonwealth as thus organized, or to his fellow-citizens: as, civil rights; or, in particular, relating to property and other rights maintainable in law at the owner’s suit: opposed to criminal: as, civil actions, civil courts, civil remedies.
Reduced to order, rule, and government; not in a condition of anarchy; controlled by a regular administration; exhibiting some refinement of customs and manners; not savage or wild; civilized: as, civil life; civil society.
Intestine; not foreign: as, civil war.
Courteous; obliging; well bred; affable; often, merely or formally polite; not discourteous.
Characteristic of a citizen, as opposed to a courtier, soldier, etc.; not gay or showy; sober; grave; somber.
More specifically, the municipal law of the Roman empire, the phrase jus civile (civil law) being used in Roman law for those rules and principles of law which were thought to be peculiar to the Roman people, in contradistinction to those which were supposed to be common to all nations (jus gentium). By English and American legal authors civil law is now commonly used to signify the whole system of Roman law, of which the principal source is the collection made by the Emperor Justinian, consisting of the Digest, Code, and Novellæ Constitutiones. Sometimes the term is also applied to the unwritten law of the principal nations of continental Europe, especially of Germany, which is based on the Roman law. Some authors speak in the latter case of modern civil law. The civil law is the basis also of the law of Scotland, Spanish America, Louisiana, and Quebec.
Pertaining to a city or state, or to a citizen in his relations to his fellow citizens or to the state; within the city or state. adjective
Subject to government; reduced to order; civilized; not barbarous; — said of the community. adjective
Performing the duties of a citizen; obedient to government; — said of an individual. adjective
Having the manners of one dwelling in a city, as opposed to those of savages or rustics; polite; courteous; complaisant; affable. adjective
Pertaining to civic life and affairs, in distinction from military, ecclesiastical, or official state. adjective
Relating to rights and remedies sought by action or suit distinct from criminal proceedings. adjective
An action to enforce the rights or redress the wrongs of an individual, not involving a criminal proceeding. adjective
Having to do with people and government office as opposed to the military or religion.
Behaving in a reasonable or polite manner.
Relating to private relations among citizens, as opposed to criminal matters.
Secular.
To not attack the crotch area of a male in an attack Urban Dictionary
An adjective of sophisticated refinement meaning very good, excellent, fashionable, hip, or cool. «Civil» isn’t criticized like words such as «tight» or «hella». Urban Dictionary
Not violent, less likely to carry a weapon Urban Dictionary
Someone who uses a lightsaber instead of some DT-57 blaster Urban Dictionary
1) The human institution by which a group of people come together for protection, the gathering of food, trade, the raising of young, and through this, create, share, and spread a common culture.
2) A large group of people who share a common culture.
3) Created by Sid Meier, a series of turn-based strategy computer games which charges the player with doing (1) to create a world dominant (2). Highly addictive and widely played. Used unwisely, causes the Civilization affect, which has ruined many careers. Urban Dictionary
Awesome strategic game in which the player(s) builds their own empire and wins by doing so the fastest. Urban Dictionary
A way of living that is based on and requires persistent and widespread violence. Urban Dictionary
To be ‘Civil’ with someone, Meaning to be ‘OK’ With someone. Urban Dictionary
A society or condition of society that has risen above the state of savagery and barbaric practices, and shows a sense of justice and fairness, giving equality, rights and freedoms to all.
For example, native colonies who are kind and loving to each other, respect nature by giving back what they take, living in harmony with nature and the seasons, should be considered civilized. Whereas people who attack other countries and destroy their culture, exploit the Earth and destroy it, ignore their poor, kill their own unborn babies and even make it legal, spread pollution everywhere, showing greed instead of kindness and compassion, should be considered an uncivilized people. The classic example of an uncivilized nation, with all of the above savagery and barbaric behavior patterns, is America. Urban Dictionary
1. Modern society and its conveniences.
2. An abstraction developed by human beings which falsely assumes that the cumulative result of all collective actions engaged in by a majority of said humans actually means something. Urban Dictionary
- Top Definitions
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This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
adjective
of, relating to, or consisting of citizens: civil life; civil society.
of the commonwealth or state: civil affairs.
of citizens in their ordinary capacity, or of the ordinary life and affairs of citizens, as distinguished from military and ecclesiastical life and affairs.
of the citizen as an individual: civil liberty.
befitting a citizen: a civil duty.
of, or in a condition of, social order or organized government; civilized: civil peoples.
adhering to the norms of polite social intercourse; not deficient in common courtesy: After their disagreement, their relations were civil though not cordial.
marked by benevolence: He was a very civil sort, and we liked him immediately.
(of divisions of time) legally recognized in the ordinary affairs of life: the civil year.
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Origin of civil
1350–1400; Middle English <Latin cīvīlis, equivalent to cīv(is) citizen + -īlis-il
synonym study for civil
7, 8. Civil, affable, courteous, polite all imply avoidance of rudeness toward others. Civil suggests a minimum of observance of social requirements. Affable suggests ease of approach and friendliness. Courteous implies positive, dignified, sincere, and thoughtful consideration for others. Polite implies habitual courtesy, arising from a consciousness of one’s training and the demands of good manners.
OTHER WORDS FROM civil
civ·il·ness, nounan·ti·civ·il, adjectivehalf-civil, adjectivehalf-civ·il·ly, adverb
o·ver·civ·il, adjectiveo·ver·civ·il·ly, adverbquasi-civil, adjectivequa·si-civ·il·ly, adverbsu·per·civ·il, adjectivesu·per·civ·il·ly, adverb
Words nearby civil
civic centre, civic-minded, civics, civic university, civies, civil, civil action, Civil Aeronautics Board, Civil Air Patrol, civil court, civil day
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Words related to civil
civilian, domestic, governmental, local, national, civilized, cordial, courteous, diplomatic, formal, polite, home, interior, municipal, political, public, accommodating, affable, complaisant, courtly
How to use civil in a sentence
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Malcolm was incarcerated for several years and went on to mobilize thousands on issues of both civil and human rights.
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To create lasting community change, meaningful reforms should also be a component of civil settlements.
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I would say that with civil disturbance type operations, we’re reluctant because there are many things that can go wrong.
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I’ve had long conversations with the civil rights community here to say that I recognize that he would have been a great assistant attorney general for civil rights.
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The city and the district attorney listed multiple “Does” on each injunction upon the initial filing, so that law enforcement could add people in the future without having to file another civil injunction.
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They are, to say the least, preparing for civil war (the polling stations are stormed by armed gangs).
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But what is there more irresponsible than playing with the fire of an imagined civil war in the France of today?
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Compared with neighbors Myanmar, Vietnam, and Laos, Cambodia appears to have a blossoming civil society.
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Strangio is at his best when exposing what appears to be a flourishing civil society in Cambodia.
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Rashad was there to celebrate the release of the Civil Rights drama Selma.
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His 6,000 native auxiliaries (as it proved later on) could not be relied upon in a civil war.
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A lineman was sent out to repair it under escort of civil guards, who were forced by the rebels to retire.
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In the good old days of yore there was little trouble in obtaining admission to the Civil Service.
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He held various civil offices, was a justice of the peace about 60 years, and for many years a member of the state legislature.
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Alessandro had hard work to give civil answers to the men who wished to buy Benito and the wagon for quarter of their value.
British Dictionary definitions for civil
adjective
of the ordinary life of citizens as distinguished from military, legal, or ecclesiastical affairs
of or relating to the citizen as an individualcivil rights
of or occurring within the state or between citizenscivil strife
polite or courteous
a less common word for civic
of or in accordance with Roman law
relating to the private rights of citizens
Derived forms of civil
civilly, adverbcivilness, noun
Word Origin for civil
C14: from Old French, from Latin cīvīlis, from cīvis citizen
Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
1
civil
1) гражда́нский;
2) шта́тский (
противоп.
вое́нный);
civil servant госуда́рственный гражда́нский слу́жащий, чино́вник
;
civil defence организа́ция противовозду́шной оборо́ны
3)
юр.
гражда́нский (
противоп.
уголо́вный);
4) ве́жливый; воспи́танный;
Англо-русский словарь Мюллера > civil
2
civil
Персональный Сократ > civil
3
civil
[ˈsɪvl]
civil вежливый; воспитанный; to keep a civil tongue (in one’s head) держаться в рамках приличия, быть вежливым, учтивым civil юр. гражданский (противоп. уголовный); civil case гражданское дело; Civil Law гражданское право civil гражданский; civil rights гражданские права; civil strife междоусобица civil гражданский civil невоенный civil цивильный civil штатский (противоп. военный); civil engineer инженер-строитель civil штатский civil servant государственный гражданский служащий, чиновник; Civil Service государственная гражданская служба; Civil Defence организация противовоздушной обороны defence: civil civil гражданская оборона civil штатский (противоп. военный); civil engineer инженер-строитель engineer: civil civil инженер-строитель civil юр. гражданский (противоп. уголовный); civil case гражданское дело; Civil Law гражданское право law: civil civil внутригосударственное право civil civil гражданское право civil civil римское право civil list цивильный лист (сумма на содержание лиц королевской семьи) list: civil civil цивильный лист civil гражданский; civil rights гражданские права; civil strife междоусобица right: civil civils гражданские права rights: civil civil гражданские права civil servant государственный гражданский служащий, чиновник; Civil Service государственная гражданская служба; Civil Defence организация противовоздушной обороны servant: civil служащий (государственного учреждения); public servant лицо, находящееся на государственной службе; civil servant чиновник, должностное лицо civil civil государственный гражданский служащий civil civil государственный служащий; гражданский служащий civil civil государственный служащий civil civil должностное лицо civil civil чиновник civil servant государственный гражданский служащий, чиновник; Civil Service государственная гражданская служба; Civil Defence организация противовоздушной обороны service: civil служба (область работы и т. п.); Civil Service государственная (гражданская) служба; National Service воинская или трудовая повинность (в Англии) civil civil государственная служба civil civil гражданская служба civil гражданский; civil rights гражданские права; civil strife междоусобица civil вежливый; воспитанный; to keep a civil tongue (in one’s head) держаться в рамках приличия, быть вежливым, учтивым
English-Russian short dictionary > civil
4
civil
ˈsɪvl прил.
1) гражданский civil rights ≈ гражданские права civil strife ≈ междоусобица Syn: civic
2) штатский (в отличие от военного) civil servant ≈ государственный гражданский служащий, чиновник civil engineer ≈ инженер-строитель Civil Service ≈ государственная гражданская служба Civil Defence ≈ организация противовоздушной обороны
3) юр. гражданский (о деле, законодательстве в отличие, скажем, от уголовного) civil case ≈ гражданское дело Civil Law ≈ гражданское право
4) цивилизованный, воспитанный, культурный;
вежливый to keep a civil tongue( in one’s head) ≈ держаться в рамках приличия, быть вежливым, учтивым Syn: courteous, polite, well-bred, mannerly, civilized ∙ civil list ≈ цивильный лист (сумма на содержание лиц королевской семьи)
гражданский;
относящийся к гражданам или гражданству — * liberties гражданские свободы — * rights права граждан — * manhood гражданское мужество штатский, гражданский, невоенный;
цивильный, партикулярный — * aviation гражданская авиация — to enter * life демобилизоваться, уйти из армии (юридическое) гражданский (не уголовный) — * case гражданское дело — * suit гражданский процесс — * justice гражданское судопроизводство — * registration запись актов гражданского состояния — * official чиновник бюро записей актов гражданского состояния (церковное) мирской — * righteousness праведность мирянина (а не святого) — * marriage гражданский брак( не церковный) календарный( о месяце, годе) — * day календарные сутки вежливый;
корректный — to keep a * tongue держаться в рамках приличия, не дерзить — his answer was * but not inviting его ответ был корректным, но не располагал к продолжению разговора цивилизованный
civil вежливый;
воспитанный;
to keep a civil tongue (in one’s head) держаться в рамках приличия, быть вежливым, учтивым ~ юр. гражданский (противоп. уголовный) ;
civil case гражданское дело;
Civil Law гражданское право ~ гражданский;
civil rights гражданские права;
civil strife междоусобица ~ гражданский ~ невоенный ~ цивильный ~ штатский (противоп. военный) ;
civil engineer инженер-строитель ~ штатский
~ servant государственный гражданский служащий, чиновник;
Civil Service государственная гражданская служба;
Civil Defence организация противовоздушной обороны defence: civil ~ гражданская оборона
~ штатский (противоп. военный) ;
civil engineer инженер-строитель engineer: civil ~ инженер-строитель
~ юр. гражданский (противоп. уголовный) ;
civil case гражданское дело;
Civil Law гражданское право law: civil ~ внутригосударственное право civil ~ гражданское право civil ~ римское право
~ list цивильный лист( сумма на содержание лиц королевской семьи) list: civil ~ цивильный лист
~ гражданский;
civil rights гражданские права;
civil strife междоусобица right: civil ~s гражданские права rights: civil ~ гражданские права
~ servant государственный гражданский служащий, чиновник;
Civil Service государственная гражданская служба;
Civil Defence организация противовоздушной обороны servant: ~ служащий (государственного учреждения) ;
public servant лицо, находящееся на государственной службе;
civil servant чиновник, должностное лицо civil ~ государственный гражданский служащий civil ~ государственный служащий;
гражданский служащий civil ~ государственный служащий civil ~ должностное лицо civil ~ чиновник
~ servant государственный гражданский служащий, чиновник;
Civil Service государственная гражданская служба;
Civil Defence организация противовоздушной обороны service: ~ служба (область работы и т. п.) ;
Civil Service государственная (гражданская) служба;
National Service воинская или трудовая повинность( в Англии) civil ~ государственная служба civil ~ гражданская служба
~ гражданский;
civil rights гражданские права;
civil strife междоусобица
civil вежливый;
воспитанный;
to keep a civil tongue (in one’s head) держаться в рамках приличия, быть вежливым, учтивым
Большой англо-русский и русско-английский словарь > civil
5
civil
прил.
Ant:
See:
б) частно-правовой, гражданско-правовой
Ant:
See:
Syn:
Ant:
See:
г)
See:
Англо-русский экономический словарь > civil
6
civil
Arab Civil Aviation Council
Совет гражданской авиации арабских государств
civil aerodrome
гражданский аэродром
civil aeronautics
гражданская авиация
Civil Aeronautics Administration
навигационное управление гражданской авиации
Civil Aeronautics Board
Комитет гражданской авиации
civil aircraft
воздушное судно гражданской авиации
civil air operations
полеты гражданских воздушных судов
civil air regulations
руководство по полетам воздушных судов гражданской авиации
civil air transport
гражданский воздушный транспорт
civil aviation
гражданская авиация
civil aviation administration
полномочный орган гражданской авиации
civil aviation adviser
советник по вопросам гражданской авиации
civil aviation application
применение гражданской авиации
Civil Aviation Authority
Управление гражданской авиации
civil aviation department
управление гражданской авиации
civil flight
рейс с гражданского воздушного судна
civil version
пассажирский вариант
convention on international civil aviation
конвенция по вопросам деятельности международной гражданской авиации
European Civil Aviation Conference
Европейская конференция по вопросам гражданской авиации
evening civil twilight
конец светлого времени суток
interception of civil aircraft
перехват гражданского воздушного судна
international civil aviation
международная гражданская авиация
International Relations Department of the Ministry of Civil Aviation
Управление внешних сношений Министерства гражданской авиации
joint civil and military aerodrome
аэродром совместного базирования гражданского и военных воздушных судов
Latin American Civil Aviation Commission
Латиноамериканская комиссия гражданской авиации
morning civil twilight
начало светлого времени суток
English-Russian aviation dictionary > civil
7
civil
I
[ʹsıv(ə)l]
1. гражданский; относящийся к гражданам гражданству
civil rights [duties] — права [обязанности] граждан
2. штатский, гражданский, невоенный; цивильный, партикулярный
to enter civil life — демобилизоваться, уйти из армии
civil case [law] — гражданское дело [право]
civil suit — гражданский процесс /-ое дело/
civil registration — запись /регистрация/ актов гражданского состояния
5. календарный ()
II
[ʹsıv(ə)l]
1. вежливый; корректный
to keep a civil tongue (in one’s head) — держаться в рамках приличия, не дерзить
his answer was civil but not inviting — его ответ был корректным, но не располагал к продолжению разговора
2. цивилизованный
НБАРС > civil
8
civil
1. a гражданский; относящийся к гражданам или гражданству
2. a штатский, гражданский, невоенный; цивильный, партикулярный
3. a церк. мирской
4. a календарный
5. a вежливый; корректный
6. a цивилизованный
Синонимический ряд:
1. civic (adj.) civic; civilian; community; domestic; internal; local; municipal; national; non-military; political; public; secular
2. civilized (adj.) civilised; civilized; complaisant; cordial; courteous; genteel; mannerly; polite; refined; respectful; urbane; well-behaved; well-mannered
3. individual (adj.) individual; personal
Антонимический ряд:
churlish; civilised; discourteous; ill-mannered; rude; uncivil; uncivilized
English-Russian base dictionary > civil
9
civil
Англо-русский технический словарь > civil
10
civil
adjective
1) гражданский; civil rights гражданские права; civil strife междоусобица
2) штатский (противоп. военный); civil engineer инженер-строитель; civil servant государственный гражданский служащий, чиновник; Civil Service государственная гражданская служба; Civil Defence организация противовоздушной обороны
3)
leg.
гражданский (противоп. уголовный); civil case гражданское дело; Civil Law гражданское право
4) вежливый; воспитанный; to keep a civil tongue (in one’s head) держаться в рамках приличия, быть вежливым, учтивым
civil list цивильный лист (сумма на содержание лиц королевской семьи)
Syn:
polite
* * *
(a) гражданский; частноправовой; частный
* * *
гражданский, цивилизованный
* * *
[civ·il || ‘sɪvl]
гражданский, штатский, государственный; вежливый, воспитанный
* * *
вежливый
вежлый
гражданский
цивилизованный
чиновник
штатский
* * *
1) гражданский
2) штатский (в отличие от военного)
Новый англо-русский словарь > civil
11
civil
English-russian dctionary of diplomacy > civil
12
civil
I [‘sɪv(ə)l]
adj
— civil rights
— civil strife
— civil war
— civil case
— Civil Law
— civil clothes
II [‘sɪv(ə)l]
вежливый, корректный, культурный, тактичный, воспитанный, цивилизованный
His answer was civil but not inviting. — Его ответ был корректным, но не располагал к продолжению разговора.
— be civil to smb
— keep a civil tongue
CHOICE OF WORDS:
English-Russian combinatory dictionary > civil
13
civil
[‘sɪv(ə)l]
прил.
Syn:
— civil partner
Syn:
5) воспитанный, культурный; вежливый
Syn:
••
Англо-русский современный словарь > civil
14
civil
[sɪvl]
adj
1) гражданский, общественный
2) вежливый, цивилизованный, воспитанный
2000 самых употребительных английских слов > civil
15
civil
Англо-русский синонимический словарь > civil
16
civil
1) гражда́нский
Civil War — ист Гражда́нская война́
2) ве́жливый
The Americanisms. English-Russian dictionary. > civil
17
civil
English-Russian big medical dictionary > civil
18
civil
a
3) штатский, невоенный
6) воспитанный, культурный
•
Politics english-russian dictionary > civil
19
civil
Англо-русский словарь по машиностроению > civil
20
civil
[‘sɪv(ə)l]
1) Общая лексика: вежливый, воспитанный, гражданский , корректный, культурный, междоусобный, относящийся к гражданам или гражданству, цивилизованный, штатский , календарный , гражданского назначения
7) Дипломатический термин: гражданский
Универсальный англо-русский словарь > civil
См. также в других словарях:
-
civil — civil … Dictionnaire des rimes
-
civil — civil, ile [ sivil ] adj. et n. m. • 1290; lat. civilis, de civis → citoyen I ♦ 1 ♦ (XIVe) Relatif à l ensemble des citoyens. La vie, la société civile. Guerre civile, entre les citoyens d un même État (cf. Guerre intestine). ⇒ révolution. Vx Les … Encyclopédie Universelle
-
civil — civ·il / si vəl/ adj [Latin civilis, from civis citizen] 1: concerning, befitting, or applying to individual citizens or to citizens as a whole a civil duty see also civil right 2: marked by public order: peaceable in behavior … Law dictionary
-
civil — (Del lat. civīlis). 1. adj. ciudadano (ǁ perteneciente a la ciudad o a los ciudadanos). 2. Sociable, urbano, atento. 3. Que no es militar ni eclesiástico o religioso. Aviación civil. [m6]Cementerio civil. 4. Der. Perteneciente o relativo a las… … Diccionario de la lengua española
-
Civil — Civ il, a. [L. civilis, fr. civis citizen: cf. F. civil. See {City}.] 1. Pertaining to a city or state, or to a citizen in his relations to his fellow citizens or to the state; within the city or state. [1913 Webster] 2. Subject to government;… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
-
civil — civil, ile (si vil, vi l ; au pluriel l s ne se lie pas : des employés civils à tout le monde ; dites civil à…. cependant plusieurs prononcent cette s : ci vil z à….) adj. 1° Qui concerne les citoyens. La vie, la société civile. Guerre… … Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d’Émile Littré
-
civil — CIVÍL, Ă, civili, e, adj. Care priveşte pe cetăţenii unui stat (cu excepţia militarilor şi a reprezentanţilor bisericii) sau care aparţine, este specific acestor cetăţeni; care se referă la raporturile juridice ale cetăţenilor între ei (cu… … Dicționar Român
-
civil — adjetivo 1. De la ciudad o de los ciudadanos, especialmente en oposición a lo oficial: sociedad civil, derechos civiles, obligaciones civiles. protección* civil. 2. Área: derecho De las relaciones entre personas privadas: contrato civil,… … Diccionario Salamanca de la Lengua Española
-
Civil — y civilidad puede referirse a: Sociable Ciudadano Cívico Civismo Civilización Sociedad civil Organización civil u organización no gubernamental (ONG) Derecho civil Derechos civiles Ley civil o código civil Pleito civil Demanda civil Guardia civil … Wikipedia Español
-
civil — CIVIL, ILE. adject. Qui regarde et qui concerne les Citoyens. La vie civile. La société civile. La guerre civile.Droit Civil, se prend pour La Jurisprudence Romaine, qu on appelle autrement Droit Ecrit. Cours de Droit Civil. Professeur en Droit… … Dictionnaire de l’Académie Française 1798
-
civil — [siv′əl] adj. [OFr < L civilis < civis: see HOME] 1. of a citizen or citizens [civil rights] 2. of a community of citizens, their government, or their interrelations [civil service, civil war] 3. cultured; civilized 4. polite or courteous,… … English World dictionary
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WordReference Random House Learner’s Dictionary of American English © 2023
civ•il /ˈsɪvəl/USA pronunciation
adj.
- Government[usually: before a noun] of, relating to, or consisting of citizens: civil life;
civil society. - Government of the ordinary life and affairs of citizens:[before a noun]They had a civil wedding ceremony at City Hall and then a religious one in a church.
- coolly polite;
correct but not friendly: You could at least give me a civil greeting in the morning.
civ•il•ly, adv.: He answered the question civilly enough.
civ•il•ness, n. [uncountable]
- civil is an adjective, civilization is a noun, civilize is a verb, civilized is an adjective:He spoke with a civil tongue. They study ancient civilizations. They tried to civilize the ragtag children they found. They weren’t very civilized in their behavior.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2023
civ•il
(siv′əl),USA pronunciation adj.
- Governmentof, pertaining to, or consisting of citizens:civil life; civil society.
- Governmentof the commonwealth or state:civil affairs.
- Governmentof citizens in their ordinary capacity, or of the ordinary life and affairs of citizens, as distinguished from military and ecclesiastical life and affairs.
- Governmentof the citizen as an individual:civil liberty.
- Governmentbefitting a citizen:a civil duty.
- Governmentof, or in a condition of, social order or organized government;
civilized:civil peoples. - adhering to the norms of polite social intercourse;
not deficient in common courtesy:After their disagreement, their relations were civil though not cordial. - marked by benevolence:He was a very civil sort, and we liked him immediately.
- Time(of divisions of time) legally recognized in the ordinary affairs of life:the civil year.
- Lawmakingof or pertaining to civil law.
- Latin cīvīlis, equivalent. to cīv(is) citizen + -īlis —il
- Middle English 1350–1400
civ′il•ness, n.
- 7, 8.See corresponding entry in Unabridged respectful, deferential, gracious, complaisant, suave, affable, urbane, courtly.
Civil, affable, courteous, polite all imply avoidance of rudeness toward others.
Civil suggests a minimum of observance of social requirements.
Affable suggests ease of approach and friendliness.
Courteous implies positive, dignified, sincere, and thoughtful consideration for others.
Polite implies habitual courtesy, arising from a consciousness of one’s training and the demands of good manners.
- 7, 8.See corresponding entry in Unabridged boorish, churlish.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
civil /ˈsɪvəl/ adj
- of the ordinary life of citizens as distinguished from military, legal, or ecclesiastical affairs
- of or relating to the citizen as an individual: civil rights
- of or occurring within the state or between citizens: civil strife
- polite or courteous
- of or in accordance with Roman law
Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French, from Latin cīvīlis, from cīvis citizen
ˈcivilly adv
‘civil‘ also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
гражданский, государственный, штатский, вежливый, воспитанный
прилагательное ↓
- гражданский; относящийся к гражданам или гражданству
civil liberties — гражданские права /свободы/
civil rights [duties] — права [обязанности] граждан
civil manhood — гражданское мужество
- штатский, гражданский, невоенный; цивильный, партикулярный
civil aviation — гражданская авиация
to enter civil life — демобилизоваться, уйти из армии
- юр. гражданский (не уголовный)
civil case [law] — гражданское дело [право]
civil suit — гражданский процесс /-ое дело/
civil justice — гражданское судопроизводство
civil registration — запись /регистрация/ актов гражданского состояния
civil official — чиновник бюро записей актов гражданского состояния
- церк. мирской
civil righteousness — праведность мирянина (а не святого)
civil marriage — гражданский брак (не церковный)
- календарный (о месяце, годе)
civil day — календарные сутки
- вежливый; корректный
to keep a civil tongue (in one’s head) — держаться в рамках приличия, быть вежливым, учтивым
his answer was civil but not inviting — его ответ был корректным, но не располагал к продолжению разговора
- цивилизованный
Мои примеры
Словосочетания
a country ravaged by civil war — страна, разорённая гражданской войной
a country under threat of civil war — страна, которой грозит гражданская война
champion of civil rights — борец за гражданские права
civil strife — междоусобица, гражданская война
civil custody — арест по гражданскому делу
civil disobedience — гражданское неповиновение
public / civil disorder — общественные беспорядки
civil docket — список гражданских дел к слушанию
civil engineer — инженер-строитель
civil government — гражданское правительство
civil answer — вежливый ответ
civil disorders — гражданские беспорядки
Примеры с переводом
When did the American Civil War begin?
Когда началась гражданская война в США?
It was hard to be civil when I felt so angry.
Трудно было оставаться вежливым, когда я так разозлился.
Try at least to be civil.
По крайней мере, постарайтесь быть вежливыми.
The country was torn by civil war.
Страну раздирала гражданская война.
They were married in a civil ceremony in May.
В мае они сочетались гражданским браком.
Civil Aeronautic Administration
Управление гражданской авиацией (в США)
They saw that a civil war could end only in a despotism.
Они понимали, что гражданская война может закончиться только установлением тирании.
ещё 23 примера свернуть
Примеры, ожидающие перевода
…the strife in Bloody Kansas in the 1850s adumbrated the civil war that would follow…
…the civil unrest has led the company to initiate a pullout of its operations in the region…
…political activists strenuously lobbied the state’s lawgivers to expand the scope of the civil rights legislation…
Для того чтобы добавить вариант перевода, кликните по иконке ☰, напротив примера.
Возможные однокоренные слова
civilian — гражданский, штатский, вольнонаемный, гражданское население
civility — вежливость, любезность, корректность
civilize — цивилизовать, цивилизоваться
civilly — вежливо, учтиво, любезно
uncivil — нецивилизованный, невежливый, грубый, непатриотически настроенный