Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Lying beyond what is evident, revealed, or avowed, especially being concealed intentionally so as to deceive.
- adjective Lying beyond or outside the area of immediate interest.
- adjective Occurring later; subsequent.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Being or situated beyond or on the further side of any line or boundary.
- Not at present in view or in consideration; in the future or in the background; beyond what is seen or avowed; remote: as, what ulterior measures will be adopted is uncertain.
- noun The further side; the remote part. Coleridge.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Situated beyond, or on the farther side; thither; -- correlative with
hither . - adjective Further; remoter; more distant; succeeding.
- adjective a motive, object or aim beyond that which is avowed.
- noun rare Ulterior side or part.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective
beyond what isobvious orevident - adjective being
intentionally concealed so as todeceive - adjective
happening later ;subsequent
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective lying beyond what is openly revealed or avowed (especially being kept in the background or deliberately concealed)
- adjective beyond or outside an area of immediate interest; remote
- adjective coming at a subsequent time or stage
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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What have the six points, right or wrong, to do with the question whether they can be obtained by moral force, and the pressure of opinion alone, or require what we call ulterior measures to get them carried?
Alton Locke, Tailor and Poet An Autobiography Charles Kingsley 1847
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Which, come to think of it, is probably the main ulterior reason that I can't imagine doing the 48 hour book challenge ...
A New Blog In Town 2006
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Hence a type of reflective egoism has taken the place of animal gratification, and the idea of ulterior benefit has succeeded to that of immediate pleasure.
Christianity and Ethics A Handbook of Christian Ethics Archibald B. C. Alexander
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I cannot say that considerations which from the temperamental point of view might be described as ulterior had never suggested themselves to Miss Bell.
A Daughter of To-Day Sara Jeannette Duncan
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I noticed in one compartment some admirable traceries in solid oak, and before the high altar an elaborate gilt-bronze lamp -- the gift of the wife of Louis Phillippe; but the most brilliant portion of the ulterior is the fresco painting.
Paris: With Pen and Pencil Its People and Literature, Its Life and Business David W. Bartlett 1870
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As his fleet was safely anchored, and that too, in beautiful order, in spite of the fog, Sir Gervaise Oakes showed a disposition to pursue what are termed ulterior views.
The Two Admirals James Fenimore Cooper 1820
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Some have even criticized me for having "ulterior" motives.
This Sweetener Is Far Worse Than High Fructose Corn Syrup Dr. Joseph Mercola 2010
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Some have even criticized me for having "ulterior" motives.
Dr. Joseph Mercola: This Sweetener Is Far Worse Than High Fructose Corn Syrup 2010
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In light of military developments in Costa Rica, it's perfectly reasonable to wonder whether the U.S. might have some kind of ulterior agenda.
Nikolas Kozloff: U.S. Marines to Costa Rica: What's Behind the Story? Nikolas Kozloff 2010
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In light of military developments in Costa Rica, it's perfectly reasonable to wonder whether the U.S. might have some kind of ulterior agenda.
Nikolas Kozloff: U.S. Marines to Costa Rica: What's Behind the Story? 2010
thesefourchildren commented on the word ulterior
"In other words, the theoretical, or speculative, sciences differ from the practical sciences in that they are knowledge for its own sake as opposed to knowledge for an ulterior end." - Great Ideas I, p.800
July 24, 2012