PEOPLE, noun [Latin populus.]

1. The body of persons who compose a community, town, city or nation. We say, the people of a town; the people of London or Paris; the English people In this sense, the word is not used in the plural, but it comprehends all classes of inhabitants, considered as a collective body, or any portion of the inhabitants of a city or country.

2. The vulgar; the mass of illiterate persons.

The knowing artist may judge better than the people

3. The commonalty, as distinct from men of rank.

Myself shall mount the rostrum in his favor,

And strive to gain his pardon from the people

4. Persons of a particular class; a part of a nation or community; as country people

5. Persons in general; any persons indefinitely; like on in French, and man in Saxon.

PEOPLE were tempted to lend by great premiums and large interest.

6. A collection or community of animals.

The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer. Proverbs 30:25.

7. When people signified a separate nation or tribe, it has the plural number.

Thou must prophesy again before many peoples. Revelation 10:11.

8. In Scripture, fathers or kindred. Genesis 25:8.

9. The Gentiles.

--To him shall the gathering of the people be. Genesis 49:10.

PEOPLE, verb transitive To stock with inhabitants. Emigrants from Europe have peopled the United States.