Literary notes about civil (AI summary)
The word "civil" is deployed with a rich variety of meanings across literary works. It frequently appears to signify non-military realms, encapsulating governance, law, and public administration—as seen in descriptions of civil government, legal systems, and service roles ([1], [2], [3]). At the same time, it conveys notions of courteous, refined behavior and decorum in social interactions ([4], [5], [6]), highlighting the everyday politeness expected among characters. Additionally, the term is used to demarcate the boundaries between military and non-military life, even extending to the turbulence of internal conflicts ([7], [8], [9]). This multiplicity of senses underscores how "civil" straddles the domains of public order, social etiquette, and even historical conflicts, enriching its literary application.
- He then goes on to describe the inauguration of civil government in Cagayan province.
— from The American Occupation of the Philippines 1898-1912 by James H. Blount - The treasurer and supervisor are appointed by the governor of the [ 311 ] Philippine archipelago under the rules of the Civil Service Board.
— from A History of the Philippines by David P. Barrows - An ABSTRACT of the Civil Law and Statute Law now in Force, in Relation to Pyracy.
— from A General History of the Pyrates: by Daniel Defoe - A bit of a pop-eyed bleater, but on the whole clean and civil, and certainly most informative about newts.
— from Right Ho, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse - Then it wasn’t very civil of you to offer it.
— from Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll and Alice Gerstenberg - Mr. Bingley was unaffectedly civil in his answer, and forced his younger sister to be civil also, and say what the occasion required.
— from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - At length he inquired: “My dear sir, have you seen military service?” “No,” replied the other warily, “but I have been a member of the CIVIL Service.”
— from Dead Souls by Nikolai Vasilevich Gogol - It seems so full of risks, perhaps of civil war itself; above all, it cannot be done without effort.
— from The French Revolution: A History by Thomas Carlyle - A sedition within the walls has just now given birth to a very serious civil war.
— from The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon
