Associations to the word «Maxim»

Wiktionary

MAXIM, noun. (now rare) A self-evident axiom or premise; a pithy expression of a general principle or rule.
MAXIM, noun. A precept; a succinct statement or observation of a rule of conduct or moral teaching.
MAXIM, proper noun. The Maxim gun, a British machine gun of various calibres used by the British army from 1889 until World War I.
MAXIM GUN, proper noun. A British machine gun of various calibres used by the British army from 1889 until World War II.

Dictionary definition

MAXIM, noun. A saying that is widely accepted on its own merits.
MAXIM, noun. English inventor (born in the United States) who invented the Maxim gun that was used in World War I (1840-1916).

Wise words

Words are always getting conventionalized to some secondary meaning. It is one of the works of poetry to take the truants in custody and bring them back to their right senses.
William Butler Yeats