Found 1 items, similar to The fourth estate.
English → English (gcide) Definition: The fourth estate Estate \Es*tate"\ ([e^]s*t[=a]t"), n. [OF. estat, F. ['e]tat, L. status, fr. stare to stand. See Stand, and cf. State.] 1. Settled condition or form of existence; state; condition or circumstances of life or of any person; situation. “When I came to man's estate.” --Shak. [1913 Webster] Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. --Romans xii. 16. [1913 Webster] 2. Social standing or rank; quality; dignity. [1913 Webster] God hath imprinted his authority in several parts, upon several estates of men. --Jer. Taylor. [1913 Webster] 3. A person of high rank. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] She's a duchess, a great estate. --Latimer. [1913 Webster] Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee. --Mark vi. 21. [1913 Webster] 4. A property which a person possesses; a fortune; possessions, esp. property in land; also, property of all kinds which a person leaves to be divided at his death. [1913 Webster] See what a vast estate he left his son. --Dryden. [1913 Webster] 5. The state; the general body politic; the common-wealth; the general interest; state affairs. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] I call matters of estate not only the parts of sovereignty, but whatsoever . . . concerneth manifestly any great portion of people. --Bacon. [1913 Webster] 6. pl. The great classes or orders of a community or state (as the clergy, the nobility, and the commonalty of England) or their representatives who administer the government; as, the estates of the realm (England), which are (1) the lords spiritual, (2) the lords temporal, (3) the commons. [1913 Webster] 7. (Law) The degree, quality, nature, and extent of one's interest in, or ownership of, lands, tenements, etc.; as, an estate for life, for years, at will, etc. --Abbott. [1913 Webster] The fourth estate, a name often given to the public press. [1913 Webster]