public*/*/*/

[ˈpʌblɪk] adj I

1) owned by the government, not by a private company

Ant:

private

public money/institutions[/ex]

2) available for people in general to use

Ant:

private

a public library[/ex]

the city's public parks[/ex]

3) involving a lot of people, or involving people in general

a public nuisance/hazard[/ex]

The scheme has a lot of public support.[/ex]

4) used about places and situations where other people can see you

Can we go somewhere a little less public?[/ex]

She keeps her public and private lives very separate.[/ex]

•

in the public eye — well known to people in general[/ex]

Her job keeps her in the public eye.[/ex]

make sth public — to tell everyone about something[/ex]

The government has decided to make the results of the inquiry public.[/ex]

II

noun public */*/*/[ˈpʌblɪk]

the public people in general

The palace was opened to the public in the 1950s.[/ex]

The decision was not in the best interests of the travelling public.[/ex]

The police should be trained to deal politely with members of the public.[/ex]

See:

general public

•

in public — if you do something in public, people in general hear about it or see it (≠  in private)[/ex]

It's unprofessional to criticize your colleagues in public.[/ex]

In British English, the public can be used with a singular or plural verb. You can say The public wants tougher sentences for terrorists. OR The public want tougher sentences for terrorists.