The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Real \Re"al\ (r[=e]"al), a. [LL. realis, fr. L. res, rei, a
thing: cf. F. r['e]el. Cf. Rebus.]
1. Actually being or existing; not fictitious or imaginary;
as, a description of real life.
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Whereat I waked, and found
Before mine eyes all real, as the dream
Had lively shadowed. --Milton.
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2. True; genuine; not artificial, counterfeit, or factitious;
often opposed to ostensible; as, the real reason; real
Madeira wine; real ginger.
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Whose perfection far excelled
Hers in all real dignity. --Milton.
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3. Relating to things, not to persons. [Obs.]
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Many are perfect in men's humors that are not
greatly capable of the real part of business.
--Bacon.
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4. (Alg.) Having an assignable arithmetical or numerical
value or meaning; not imaginary.
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5. (Law) Pertaining to things fixed, permanent, or immovable,
as to lands and tenements; as, real property, in
distinction from personal or movable property.
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Chattels real (Law), such chattels as are annexed to, or
savor of, the realty, as terms for years of land. See
Chattel.
Real action (Law), an action for the recovery of real
property.
Real assets (Law), lands or real estate in the hands of the
heir, chargeable with the debts of the ancestor.
Real composition (Eccl. Law), an agreement made between the
owner of lands and the parson or vicar, with consent of
the ordinary, that such lands shall be discharged from
payment of tithes, in consequence of other land or
recompense given to the parson in lieu and satisfaction
thereof. --Blackstone.
Real estate or Real property, lands, tenements, and
hereditaments; freehold interests in landed property;
property in houses and land. --Kent. --Burrill.
Real presence (R. C. Ch.), the actual presence of the body
and blood of Christ in the eucharist, or the conversion of
the substance of the bread and wine into the real body and
blood of Christ; transubstantiation. In other churches
there is a belief in a form of real presence, not however
in the sense of transubstantiation.
Real servitude, called also Predial servitude (Civil
Law), a burden imposed upon one estate in favor of another
estate of another proprietor. --Erskine. --Bouvier.
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Syn: Actual; true; genuine; authentic.
Usage: Real, Actual. Real represents a thing to be a
substantive existence; as, a real, not imaginary,
occurrence. Actual refers to it as acted or performed;
and, hence, when we wish to prove a thing real, we
often say, "It actually exists," "It has actually been
done." Thus its reality is shown by its actuality.
Actual, from this reference to being acted, has
recently received a new signification, namely,
present; as, the actual posture of affairs; since what
is now in action, or going on, has, of course, a
present existence. An actual fact; a real sentiment.
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For he that but conceives a crime in thought,
Contracts the danger of an actual fault.
--Dryden.
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Our simple ideas are all real; all agree to the
reality of things. --Locke.
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