from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Mutual \Mu"tu*al\, a. [F. mutuel, L. mutuus, orig., exchanged,
borrowed, lent; akin to mutare to change. See {Mutable}.]
1. Reciprocally acting or related; reciprocally receiving and
giving; reciprocally given and received; reciprocal;
interchanged; as, a mutual love, advantage, assistance,
aversion, etc.
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Conspiracy and mutual promise. --Sir T. More.
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Happy in our mutual help,
And mutual love. --Milton.
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A certain shyness on such subjects, which was mutual
between the sisters. --G. Eliot.
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2. Possessed, experienced, or done by two or more persons or
things at the same time; common; joint; as, mutual
happiness; a mutual effort. --Burke.
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A vast accession of misery and woe from the mutual
weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth.
--Bentley.
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Note: This use of mutual as synonymous with common is
inconsistent with the idea of interchange, or
reciprocal relation, which properly belongs to it; but
the word has been so used by many writers of high
authority. The present tendency is toward a careful
discrimination.
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Mutual, as Johnson will tell us, means something
reciprocal, a giving and taking. How could people
have mutual ancestors? --P. Harrison.
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{Mutual insurance}, agreement among a number of persons to
insure each other against loss, as by fire, death, or
accident.
{Mutual insurance company}, one which does a business of
insurance on the mutual principle, the policy holders
sharing losses and profits pro rata.
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Syn: Reciprocal; interchanged; common.
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