PRAGMATICAL • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Pragmatical

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adjective

Pragmatical, Pragmatic adj.

1.

Of or pertaining to business or to affairs; of the nature of business; practical; material; businesslike in habit or manner. "The next day... I began to be very pragmatical." "We can not always be contemplative, diligent, or pragmatical, abroad; but have need of some delightful intermissions." "Low, pragmatical, earthly views of the gospel."

2.

Busy; specifically, busy in an objectionable way; officious; fussy and positive; meddlesome. "Pragmatical officers of justice." "The fellow grew so pragmatical that he took upon him the government of my whole family."

3.

Philosophical; dealing with causes, reasons, and effects, rather than with details and circumstances; said of literature. "Pragmatic history." "Pragmatic poetry."

Pragmatic sanction, a solemn ordinance or decree issued by the head or legislature of a state upon weighty matters; a term derived from the Byzantine empire. In European history, two decrees under this name are particularly celebrated. One of these, issued by Charles VII. of France, A. D. 1438, was the foundation of the liberties of the Gallican church; the other, issued by Charles VI. of Germany, A. D. 1724, settled his hereditary dominions on his eldest daughter, the Archduchess Maria Theresa.

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Etymology of 'Pragmatical'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Pragmatical" Quotes from Famous Books

... my body disordered? Dr. Aberford!—absurd!—Saunders is getting too pragmatical. The doctor shall prescribe for him instead of me; by Jove, that would serve him right." And my lord faintly chuckled. "No! this is what I am ill of"—and he read the fatal note again. "I do nothing!—cruel, unjust," sighed he. "I could have done, ...

— Christie Johnstone • Charles Reade

... with his hands in his pockets and his hat drawn over his eyes. "How hard she must think me—little short of a pragmatical, supercilious brute—not to do my best to keep 'little May' at home, where the child wants to be. I asked her to let me call myself her friend, and this is the first specimen of my friendship! she will take precious good care ...

— A Houseful of Girls • Sarah Tytler

... in; and also his Crusaders were of the male sex. Thou, this day, disowned of Heaven and Earth, art General of Menads. Their inarticulate frenzy thou must on the spur of the instant, render into articulate words, into actions that are not frantic. Fail in it, this way or that! Pragmatical Officiality, with its penalties and law-books, waits before thee; Menads storm behind. If such hewed off the melodious head of Orpheus, and hurled it into the Peneus waters, what may they not make of thee,—thee ...

— The French Revolution • Thomas Carlyle

... but by seeing every day and in every thing how far wrong we are ourselves. The truth is like charity in this, that it begins at home. It is like charity in this also, that it never behaves itself unseemly. A pragmatical man, taken along with an inconsiderate man, and then a wild- headed man added on to them, are three about as fatal hands as any truth could fall into. The worst enemy of the truth must pity the truth, and feel his hatred at the truth relenting, when he ...

— Bunyan Characters (Second Series) • Alexander Whyte

... and you now imply not merely that he is busy, but over-busy, officious, self-important, and pompous to boot. But it once meant nothing of the kind, and 'pragmatical' (like {Greek: pragmatikos}) was one engaged in affairs, being an honourable title, given to a man simply and industriously accomplishing the business which properly concerned him{223}. So too to say that a person 'meddles' or is a 'meddler' implies now that he interferes ...

— English Past and Present • Richard Chenevix Trench

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