commune — English Dictionary

Noun

1. A small community, often rural, whose members share in the ownership of property, and in the division of labour; the members of such a community.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   The town of Chu-chou in Hunan Province, carrying out the great directive of Chairman Mao that "educated youths must go to the villages," has put into practice factory-commune links, and under the leadership of cadres, has made a collective settlement of educated youths in commune and brigade farms, forest areas, and tea plantations.

2. A local political division in many European countries as well as their former colonies (such as Chile and Vietnam).

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

3. The commonalty; the common people.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Obsolete
   • Uncountable

4. Communion; sympathetic conversation between friends.

   Usage

   • Obsolete
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   For days of happy commune dead.

5. A self-governing city or league of citizens.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Historical
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   In 1117 the commune and archbishop had separate consuls at Milan.

Verb

1. To converse together with sympathy and confidence; to interchange sentiments or feelings; to take counsel.

   Examples

   I would commune with you of such things / That want no ear but yours.

2. To communicate (with) spiritually; to be together (with); to contemplate or absorb.

   Usage

   • Intransitive
   • followed by with

   Examples

   He spent a week in the backcountry, communing with nature.

3. To receive the communion.

   Usage

   • Intransitive

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   Namely, in these things, in prohibiting that none should commune alone, in making the People whole Communers, or in suffering them to Commune under both kinds […]

Noun

1. the smallest administrative district of several European countries

   Broader terms

   administrative districtadministrative divisionterritorial division

2. a body of people or families living together and sharing everything

   Broader terms

   gatheringassemblage

Verb

1. communicate intimately with; be in a state of heightened, intimate receptivity

   Broader terms

   communicateintercommunicate

   Examples

   He seemed to commune with nature

2. receive Communion, in the Catholic church

   Synonyms

   communicate

   Broader terms

   covenant