The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Public \Pub"lic\, n.
   1. The general body of mankind, or of a nation, state, or
      community; the people, indefinitely; as, the American
      public; also, a particular body or aggregation of people;
      as, an author's public.
      [1913 Webster]

            The public is more disposed to censure than to
            praise.                               --Addison.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. A public house; an inn. [Scot.] --Sir W. Scott.
      [1913 Webster]

   In public, openly; before an audience or the people at
      large; not in private or secrecy. "We are to speak in
      public." --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

in public
    adv 1: in a manner accessible to or observable by the public;
           openly; "she admitted publicly to being a communist"
           [syn: publicly, publically, in public] [ant: in
           camera, in private, privately]