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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Novel \Nov"el\, n. [F. nouvelle. See {Novel}, a.]
1. That which is new or unusual; a novelty.
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2. pl. News; fresh tidings. [Obs.]
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Some came of curiosity to hear some novels.
--Latimer.
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3. A fictitious tale or narrative, longer than a short story,
having some degree of complexity and development of
characters; it is usually organized as a time sequence of
events, and is commonly intended to exhibit the operation
of the passions, and often of love. --Dryden.
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4. [L. novellae (sc. constitutiones): cf. F. novelles.] (Law)
A new or supplemental constitution. See the Note under
{Novel}, a.
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Novel \Nov"el\, a. [OF. novel, nuvel, F. nouvel, nouveau, L.
novellus, dim. of novus new. See {New}.]
Of recent origin or introduction; not ancient; new; hence,
out of the ordinary course; unusual; strange; surprising.
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Note: In civil law, the novel or new constitutions are those
which are supplemental to the code, and posterior in
time to the other books. These contained new decrees of
successive emperors.
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{Novel assignment} (Law), a new assignment or specification
of a suit.
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Syn: New; recent; modern; fresh; strange; uncommon; rare;
unusual.

Usage: {Novel}, {New} . Everything at its first occurrence is
new; that is novel which is so much out of the
ordinary course as to strike us with surprise. That is
a new sight which is beheld for the first time; that
is a novel sight which either was never seen before or
is seen but seldom. We have daily new inventions, but
a novel one supposes some very peculiar means of
attaining its end. Novel theories are regarded with
distrust, as likely to prove more ingenious than
sound.
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