personal identity
    n 1: the distinct personality of an individual regarded as a
         persisting entity; "you can lose your identity when you
         join the army" [syn: identity, personal identity,
         individuality]

Personal \Per"son*al\ (p[~e]r"s[u^]n*al), a. [L. personalis: cf.
   F. personnel.]
   1. Pertaining to human beings as distinct from things.
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            Every man so termed by way of personal difference.
                                                  --Hooker.
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   2. Of or pertaining to a particular person; relating to, or
      affecting, an individual, or each of many individuals;
      peculiar or proper to private concerns; not public or
      general; as, personal comfort; personal desire.
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            The words are conditional, -- If thou doest well, --
            and so personal to Cain.              --Locke.
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   3. Pertaining to the external or bodily appearance;
      corporeal; as, personal charms. --Addison.
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   4. Done in person; without the intervention of another.
      "Personal communication." --Fabyan.
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            The immediate and personal speaking of God. --White.
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   5. Relating to an individual, his character, conduct,
      motives, or private affairs, in an invidious and offensive
      manner; as, personal reflections or remarks.
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   6. (Gram.) Denoting person; as, a personal pronoun.
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   Personal action (Law), a suit or action by which a man
      claims a debt or personal duty, or damages in lieu of it;
      or wherein he claims satisfaction in damages for an injury
      to his person or property, or the specific recovery of
      goods or chattels; -- opposed to real action.

   Personal equation. (Astron.) See under Equation.

   Personal estate or Personal property (Law), movables;
      chattels; -- opposed to real estate or real property.
      It usually consists of things temporary and movable,
      including all subjects of property not of a freehold
      nature.

   Personal identity (Metaph.), the persistent and continuous
      unity of the individual person, which is attested by
      consciousness.

   Personal pronoun (Gram.), one of the pronouns I, thou,
      he, she, it, and their plurals.

   Personal representatives (Law), the executors or
      administrators of a person deceased.

   Personal rights, rights appertaining to the person; as, the
      rights of a personal security, personal liberty, and
      private property.

   Personal tithes. See under Tithe.

   Personal verb (Gram.), a verb which is modified or
      inflected to correspond with the three persons.
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