Po*lite"ness, n. 1. High finish; smoothness; burnished elegance. [R.]
Evelyn.
2. The quality or state of being polite; refinement of manners;
urbanity; courteous behavior; complaisance; obliging attentions.
Syn. -- Courtesy; good breeding; refinement; urbanity; courteousness;
affability; complaisance; civility; gentility; courtliness. --
Politeness, Courtesy. Politeness denotes that ease and gracefulness of
manners which first sprung up in cities, connected with a desire to
please others by anticipating their wants and wishes, and studiously
avoiding whatever might give them pain. Courtesy is, etymologically,
the politeness of courts. It displays itself in the address and
manners; it is shown more especially in receiving and entertaining
others, and is a union of dignified complaisance and kindness.
||Pol`i*tesse" (?), n. [F.] Politeness.
Pol"i*tic (?), a. [L. politicus political, Gr. &?; belonging to the
citizens or to the state, fr.&?; citizen: cf. F. politique. See Police,
and cf. ePolitical.] 1. Of or pertaining to polity, or civil
government; political; as, the body politic. See under Body.
He with his people made all but one politic body.
Sir P. Sidney.
2. Pertaining to, or promoting, a policy, especially a national policy;
well-devised; adapted to its end, whether right or wrong; -- said of
things; as, a politic treaty. "Enrich'd with politic grave counsel."
Shak.
3. Sagacious in promoting a policy; ingenious in devising and advancing
a system of management; devoted to a scheme or system rather than to a
principle; hence, in a good sense, wise; prudent; sagacious; and in a
bad sense, artful; unscrupulous; cunning; -- said of persons.
Politic with my friend, smooth with mine enemy.
Shak.
Syn. -- Wise; prudent; sagacious; discreet; provident; wary; artful;
cunning.
Pol`i*tic, n. A politician. [Archaic] Bacon.
Swiftly the politic goes; is it dark? he borrows a lantern; Slowly
the statesman and sure, guiding his feet by the stars.
Lowell.
Po*lit"i*cal (?), a. 1. Having, or conforming to, a settled system of
administration. [R.] "A political government." Evelyn.
2. Of or pertaining to public policy, or to politics; relating to
affairs of state or administration; as, a political writer. "The
political state of Europe." Paley.
3. Of or pertaining to a party, or to parties, in the state; as, his
political relations were with the Whigs.