U'NITY, n. [L. unitas.] 1. The state of being one; oneness. Unity may consist of a simple substance or existing being, as the soul; but usually it consists in a close junction of particles or parts, constituting a body detached from other bodies. Unity is a thing undivided itself, but separate from ever other thing. 2.Concord; conjunction; as a unity of proofs. 3. Agreement; uniformity; as unity of doctrine; unity of worship in a church. 4. In christian theology, oneness of sentiment, affection or behavior. How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Psalms 133. 5. In mathematics, the abstract expression for any unit whatsoever. The number 1 is unity, when it is not applied to any particular object; but a unit, when it is so applied. 6. In poetry, the principle by which a uniform tenor of story and propriety of representation is preserved. In the drama, there are three unities; the unity of action, that of time, and that of place. In the epic poem, the great and almost only unity is that of action. 7. In music, such a combination of parts as to constitute a whole, or a kind of symmetry of style and character. 8. In law, the properties of a joint estate are derived from its unity, which is fourfold; unity of interest, unity of title, unity of time, and unity of possession; in other words, joint-tenants have one and the same interest, accruing by one and the same conveyance, commencing at the same time, and held by one and the same undivided possession. 9. In law, unity of possession, is a joint possession of two rights by several titles, as when a man has a lease of land upon a certain rent, and afterwards buys the fee simple. This is a unity of possession, by which the lease is extinguished. Unity of faith, is an equal belief of the same truths of God, and possession of the grace of faith in like form and degree. Unity of spirit, is the oneness which subsists between Christ and his saints, by which the same spirit dwells in both, and both have the same disposition and aims; and it is the oneness of christians among themselves, united under the same head, having the same spirit dwelling in them, and possessing the same graces, faith, love, hope, etc.
n 1: an undivided or unbroken completeness or totality with nothing wanting; "the integrity of the nervous system is required for normal development"; "he took measures to insure the territorial unity of Croatia" [syn: integrity, unity, wholeness] 2: the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number; "he has the one but will need a two and three to go with it"; "they had lunch at one" [syn: one, 1, I, ace, single, unity] 3: the quality of being united into one [syn: oneness, unity]
noun (plural-ties) Etymology: Middle English unite, from Anglo-French unité, from Latin unitat-, unitas, from unus one — more at oneDate: 14th century 1.a. the quality or state of not being multiple ;onenessb.(1) a definite amount taken as one or for which 1 is made to stand in calculation <in a table of natural sines the radius of the circle is regarded as unity> (2)identity element2.a. a condition of harmony ;accordb. continuity without deviation or change (as in purpose or action) 3.a. the quality or state of being made one ;unificationb. a combination or ordering of parts in a literary or artistic production that constitutes a whole or promotes an undivided total effect; also the resulting singleness of effect or symmetry and consistency of style and character 4. a totality of related parts ; an entity that is a complex or systematic whole 5. any of three principles of dramatic structure derived by French classicists from Aristotle's Poetics and requiring a play to have a single action represented as occurring in one place and within one day 6.capitalized a 20th century American religious movement that emphasizes spiritual sources of health and prosperity
n. (pl. -ies) 1 oneness; being one, single, or individual; being formed of parts that constitute a whole; due interconnection and coherence of parts (disturbs the unity of the idea; the pictures lack unity; national unity). 2 harmony or concord between persons etc. (lived together in unity). 3 a thing forming a complex whole (a person regarded as a unity). 4 Math. the number 'one', the factor that leaves unchanged the quantity on which it operates. 5 Theatr. each of the three dramatic principles requiring limitation of the supposed time of a drama to that occupied in acting it or to a single day (unity of time), use of one scene throughout (unity of place), and concentration on the development of a single plot (unity of action). Etymology: ME f. OF unité f. L unitas -tatis f. unus one
Unity U"ni*ty, n.; pl. Unities. [OE. unite, F. unit['e], L. unitas, from unus one. See One, and cf. Unit.] 1. The state of being one; oneness. Whatever we can consider as one thing suggests to the understanding the idea of unity. --Locks. Note: Unity is affirmed of a simple substance or indivisible monad, or of several particles or parts so intimately and closely united as to constitute a separate body or thing. See the Synonyms under Union. 2. Concord; harmony; conjunction; agreement; uniformity; as, a unity of proofs; unity of doctrine. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! --Ps. cxxxiii. 1. 3. (Math.) Any definite quantity, or aggregate of quantities or magnitudes taken as one, or for which 1 is made to stand in calculation; thus, in a table of natural sines, the radius of the circle is regarded as unity. Note: The number 1, when it is not applied to any particular thing, is generally called unity. 4. (Poetry & Rhet.) In dramatic composition, one of the principles by which a uniform tenor of story and propriety of representation are preserved; conformity in a composition to these; in oratory, discourse, etc., the due subordination and reference of every part to the development of the leading idea or the eastablishment of the main proposition. Note: In the Greek drama, the three unities required were those of action, of time, and of place; that is, that there should be but one main plot; that the time supposed should not exceed twenty-four hours; and that the place of the action before the spectators should be one and the same throughout the piece. 5. (Fine Arts & Mus.) Such a combination of parts as to constitute a whole, or a kind of symmetry of style and character. 6. (Law) The peculiar characteristics of an estate held by several in joint tenancy. Note: The properties of it are derived from its unity, which is fourfold; unity of interest, unity of title, unity of time, and unity of possession; in other words, joint tenants have one and the same interest, accruing by one and the same conveyance, commencing at the same time, and held by one and the same undivided possession. Unity of possession is also a joint possession of two rights in the same thing by several titles, as when a man, having a lease of land, afterward buys the fee simple, or, having an easement in the land of another, buys the servient estate.
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. Unity is the state of different areas or groups being joined together to form a single country or organization. Senior politicians met today to discuss the future of European economic unity....German unity.= union N-UNCOUNT: oft adj N 2. When there is unity, people are in agreement and act together for a particular purpose. ...a renewed unity of purpose...Speakers at the rally mouthed sentiments of unity...The choice was meant to create an impression of party unity.
u'-ni-ti: Ps 133:1 for (yachadh, "unitedness," and Eph 4:3,13 for henotes "oneness." Also Sirach 25:1 the King James Version for homonoia "concord" (so the Revised Version (British and American)).