a. [ L. universalis: cf. F. universel, OF. also universal. See Universe. ] 1. Of or pertaining to the universe; extending to, including, or affecting, the whole number, quantity, or space; unlimited; general; all-reaching; all-pervading; as, universal ruin; universal good; universal benevolence or benefice. “Anointed universal King.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

The universal cause
Acts not by partial, but by general laws. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

This universal frame began. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Universal and its derivatives are used in common discourse for general and its derivatives. See General. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Constituting or considered as a whole; total; entire; whole; as, the universal world. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

At which the universal host up dent
A shout that tore Hell's concave. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Mech.) Adapted or adaptable to all or to various uses, shapes, sizes, etc.; as, a universal milling machine. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Logic) Forming the whole of a genus; relatively unlimited in extension; affirmed or denied of the whole of a subject; as, a universal proposition; -- opposed to particular; e. g. (universal affirmative) All men are animals; (universal negative) No men are omniscient. [ 1913 Webster ]

Universal chuck (Mach.), a chuck, as for a lathe, having jaws which can be moved simultaneously so as to grasp objects of various sizes. --
Universal church, the whole church of God in the world; the catholic church. See the Note under Catholic, a., 1. --
Universal coupling. (Mach.) Same as Universal joint, below. --
Universal dial, a dial by which the hour may be found in any part of the world, or under any elevation of the pole. --
Universal instrument (Astron.), a species of altitude and azimuth instrument, the peculiarity of which is, that the object end of the telescope is placed at right angles to the eye end, with a prism of total reflection at the angle, and the eye end constitutes a portion of the horizontal axis of the instrument, having the eyepiece at the pivot and in the center of the altitude circle, so that the eye has convenient access to both at the same time. --
Universal joint (Mach.), a contrivance used for joining two shafts or parts of a machine endwise, so that the one may give rotary motion to the other when forming an angle with it, or may move freely in all directions with respect to the other, as by means of a cross connecting the forked ends of the two shafts (Fig. 1). Since this joint can not act when the angle of the shafts is less than 140°, a double joint of the same kind is sometimes used for giving rotary motion at angles less than 140° (Fig. 2). --
Universal umbel (Bot.), a primary or general umbel; the first or largest set of rays in a compound umbel; -- opposed to partial umbel. A universal involucre is not unfrequently placed at the foot of a universal umbel. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- General; all; whole; total. See General. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The whole; the general system of the universe; the universe. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Plato calleth God the cause and original, the nature and reason, of the universal. Sir W. Raleigh. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Logic) (a) A general abstract conception, so called from being universally applicable to, or predicable of, each individual or species contained under it. (b) A universal proposition. See Universal, a., 4. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Med.) a person belonging to the O blood group (of the ABO classification), who can safely donate blood to anyone. [ PJC ]

n. 1. (Linguistics) the principles forming the basis for the human ability to understand language. [ PJC ]

2. (Linguistics) the general properties and constraints common to all human languages; also, the study of such principles. [ PJC ]

a. Of or pertaining to Universalism; Universalist. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. universalisme. ] (Theol.) The doctrine or belief that all men will be saved, or made happy, in the future state. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to Unversalists of their doctrines. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. universaliste. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Theol.) One who believes in Universalism; one of a denomination of Christians holding this faith. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who affects to understand all the particulars in statements or propositions. [ Obs. ] Bentley. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to the whole; universal. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Universalties [ Cf. F. universalité. ] The quality or state of being universal; unlimited extension or application; generality; -- distinguished from particularity; as, the unversality of a proposition; the unversality of sin; the unversality of the Deluge. [ 1913 Webster ]