/'pʌblɪk; `pʌblɪk/
adj
1 (esp attrib 尤作定语)
(a) of or concerning people in general 公众的; 与公众有关的
*a danger to public health 对公众健康的威胁
* The campaign was designed to increase public awareness of the problem. 这个运动目的在于提高公众对这一问题的认识.
* public expenditure 公共事业开支.
(b) provided, esp by central or local government, for the use of people in general 为公众的, 公用的, 公共的（尤指由中央或地方政府提供的）
*public education, libraries, parks 民众教育、公共图书馆、公园
* the public highway 公路.
(c) of or engaged in the affairs, entertainment, service, etc of the people （从事）公共事务、群众娱乐活动、社会服务等的
*He is one of the most admired public figures/figures in public life today. 他是当今公众事务中最受大家爱戴的人.
2 open or known to people in general 向大众公开的; 众所周知的
*She decided to make her views public. 她决定把自己的观点公开.
* a public admission of guilt 公开承认有罪
* a public place 公共场所. Cf 参看 private.
3 (idm 习语) be public knowledge be generally known 众所周知
*It's public knowledge she's expecting a baby. 大家都知道她已怀孕了. go `public (of a company) become a public company by selling shares to the public （指公司）向公众出售股份. in the public `eye well known to or often seen by the public (in newspapers, on television, etc) （报刊、电视等上）公众熟悉的, 公众常见的. ,public `property (thing that is) known to everybody or anybody 人人皆知的（事物）
*Their financial problems are public property now. 他们在经济上出现的问题现已尽人皆知了.

n
1 [Gp]
(a) the public (members of) the community in general 公众; 民众
*the British public 英国公众
* The public is/are not allowed to enter the court room. 一般民众不准进入审判室.
(b) part of the community having a particular interest in common （有共同爱好的）一群人
*the theatre-going public 爱看戏的人
* She knows how to keep her public (eg the readers of her books) satisfied. 她知道怎样迎合她那些读者的需要.
2 (idm 习语) in `public not in private; openly 公开地; 公然
*She was appearing in public (ie in front of people in general) for the first time since her illness. 她自从患病以来第一次公开露面. wash one's dirty linen in public => wash2.