The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

History \His"to*ry\, n.; pl. Histories. [L. historia, Gr.
   'istori`a history, information, inquiry, fr. 'istwr, "istwr,
   knowing, learned, from the root of ? to know; akin to E. wit.
   See Wit, and cf. Story.]
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   1. A learning or knowing by inquiry; the knowledge of facts
      and events, so obtained; hence, a formal statement of such
      information; a narrative; a description; a written record;
      as, the history of a patient's case; the history of a
      legislative bill.
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   2. A systematic, written account of events, particularly of
      those affecting a nation, institution, science, or art,
      and usually connected with a philosophical explanation of
      their causes; a true story, as distinguished from a
      romance; -- distinguished also from annals, which relate
      simply the facts and events of each year, in strict
      chronological order; from biography, which is the record
      of an individual's life; and from memoir, which is history
      composed from personal experience, observation, and
      memory.
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            Histories are as perfect as the historian is wise,
            and is gifted with an eye and a soul. --Carlyle.
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            For aught that I could ever read,
            Could ever hear by tale or history.   --Shak.
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            What histories of toil could I declare! --Pope.
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   History piece, a representation in painting, drawing, etc.,
      of any real event, including the actors and the action.

   Natural history, a description and classification of
      objects in nature, as minerals, plants, animals, etc., and
      the phenomena which they exhibit to the senses.

   Syn: Chronicle; annals; relation; narration.

   Usage: History, Chronicle, Annals. History is a
          methodical record of important events which concern a
          community of men, usually so arranged as to show the
          connection of causes and effects, to give an analysis
          of motive and action etc. A chronicle is a record of
          such events, conforming to the order of time as its
          distinctive feature. Annals are a chronicle divided up
          into separate years. By poetic license annals is
          sometimes used for history.
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                Justly C[ae]sar scorns the poet's lays;
                It is to history he trusts for praise. --Pope.
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                No more yet of this;
                For 't is a chronicle of day by day,
                Not a relation for a breakfast.   --Shak.
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                Many glorious examples in the annals of our
                religion.                         --Rogers.
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