In mech., having feed-motions of the work against the cutter or tool in all possible directions (both right and left, forward and back, and up and down). Since tools of this type have usually a wide range of adaptable cutters, the term has been extended to mean having a very wide range of uses, or capable of doing nearly all kinds of work. It is the contradictory of special (in this use), which is applied to a tool that is designed for one class of work and no other.A form of pipe-union in which the two pieces joined together, end to end, may be at an angle with each other, or not in line: effected by the use of a spherical surface of contact, one half male and the other female, pressed together by a nut forming part of the female half.Pertaining to the universe in its entirety, or to the human race collectively.Pertaining to all things or to all mankind distributively. This is the original and most proper signification.Belonging to or predicated of all the members of a class considered without exception: as, a universal rule.In logic, capable of being predicated of many individuals or single cases; general.Synonyms General, etc. See common.n. In logic: One of the five predicables of the Aristotelians, or logical varieties of predicates, which are said to be genus, species, difference, property, and accident.n. A general term or predicate, or the general nature which such a term signifies.n. The whole; the system of the universe.