1Arranged in or constituting a constant or definite pattern, especially with the same space between individual instances.

1. 1.1 (of a structure or arrangement) arranged in or constituting a symmetrical or harmonious pattern.
   beautifully regular, heart-shaped leaves

   Example sentencesExamples

   • At some sites, corn hills have been carefully arranged in rows, while at others they show no such regular arrangement.
   • His features were smoothly regular and extraordinarily placid, as if he surveyed the world from a lofty perch, far removed from any of its foibles and cares.
   • The cells are termed ‘smooth’ because they lack the regular bands or striations which are prominent in skeletal muscle fibres and cardiac muscle cells.
   • The regular arrangement of leaves on a stem and trichomes on leaves is generated by lateral inhibition
   • We were armed with a large supply of pine cones (chosen for their more regular shape than sticks), painted red for easy identification.
   • The placement and shape of the prairies are similar, though Webb's prairies are more regular in shape.
   • Barely a regular structure, road or building broke the contours of the mountainsides, whose ragged, stony slopes rose straight from the shore to a thousand feet.
   • Your dentist will use a series of small files to enlarge the canals and make them a regular shape so the root filling can be placed.
   • Cliff Hill is very close, has a trig point and a regular shape like an upturned saucer.
   • They seem to cover equal amounts of the canvas in a regular arrangement broken only by the thin orange lines.

   Synonyms

   symmetrical, orderly, arranged, methodical, systematic, in straight lines, regimented
2. 1.2Botany (of a flower) having radial symmetry.
   Example sentencesExamples

   • The leaves, with their regular branching, resemble those of mistletoe: this is still a common plant in the area.
   • Cruciform flowers are regular flowers with four petals cross-shaped.
   • Name and describe the parts of a regular flower and an irregular flower.
   • Resembling the regular lupin, the false lupin produces flowers much looser up the stem in a violet-blue.

2Recurring at uniform intervals.

1. 2.1 Done or happening frequently.
   regular border clashes

   parties were a fairly regular occurrence

   Example sentencesExamples

   • Lancaster for instance, has had regular influxes of ‘outsiders’ for the last 2,000 years.
   • In all cases, for instance, individuals must maintain their access rights through regular use.
   • The introduction of pay-parking in Naas has been a success, ensuring a regular turn-over of parking spaces.
   • She and husband Trevor, of Southern Gardens, Totton, blame the aerials for regular headaches and a constant ringing in the ears.
   • He arranged a regular supply to a man in the Wakefield area but by the year end was in a new relationship and wanted out of the drug trade.
   • The future of Circular Quay will probably continue to be a future of regular upgrade works spaced approximately 10 to 15 years apart.
   • It because of her constant support and regular scoldings, that Niall could find the will in himself to go out and chase his dreams.
   • It wouldn't be quite so profitable but it would bring regular constant work to the district.
   • Richard plans to hold regular readings throughout the autumn.
   • But the constant reaffirmation of the slogan of indivisibility has not prevented regular claims that one set of rights or the other must in fact be accorded priority.
   • Plan regular fire drills (twice a year is best) to ensure that everyone knows exactly what to do when the smoke alarm sounds.
   • If only they knew how much better they would feel with less weight on their heads, how much easier it would be to keep their hair elegant and attractive by constant and regular attention.
   • It was quite noticeable that the cemetery grounds were given constant and regular attention.
   • If the afternoon dances prove popular, there are plans to launch regular evening dances.
   • Corporate email is usually subject to constant changes and requires regular attention.
   • He needs a safe, secure place to live with constant supervision, regular medical attention and intensive rehabilitation therapy.
   • There must be planned and regular reflection on the demonstration of ethical behavior in daily camp life.
   • The resident was an active individual, who did regular weight training and played competitive ice hockey.
   • Mr Ibbetson said the Environment Agency had created a 100-year flood plan showing areas where regular flooding could be expected.
   • She lives with regular dizziness and a constant throbbing pain in her chest and legs because of the pressure on her circulatory system.

   Synonyms

   frequent, repeated, continual, recurrent, periodic, habitual, constant, perpetual, oft repeated, repetitive, numerous
2. 2.2 (of a person) doing the same thing or going to the same place frequently or at uniform intervals.
   a regular visitor

   Example sentencesExamples

   • The third is the fact that, besides a few regular customers, the place is practically deserted, and it gives me time to do my homework.
   • In other cases, they were still running drugs as one of their many hustles, but they could not keep regular clients who trusted them.
   • He recently sold 27 such pieces to the White House, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art is a regular customer.
   • The chairman of the Hounslow Jamia Mosque, Suleman Chachia, said Hanif was a regular worshipper and had been attending prayers for at least the last two years.
   • All are welcome regular golfers, juniors, beginners and visitors.
   • As there are still few options or places to park for those employees, it's still a hot topic with shopkeepers who claim they are causing regular shoppers to drive on due to a lack of space.
   • I think that if you don't embody that for a few guests who may require a little more, then you may not embody that for the regular customers.
   • The late Mary Ann, (nee Connolly), was a regular and popular visitor here until a year ago.
   • May is a regular and well known visitor to the Day Care Centre in Abbeyleix District Hospital, for which she is also a dedicated fundraiser.
   • Teba, who is a regular worshipper at St Michael-Le-Belfry Church, helped out at the local school in Oussouye.
   • At present, the regular worshippers have found it difficult to find funds for routine running expenses.
   • His supporters at St Hilda's Church in Cross Green, Leeds - where he is a regular worshipper - are now considering their options.
   • The three-day event saw its regular royal visitor Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, drop by.
   • The meeting instructed the secretary to ask the Town Council to arrange for sufficient space to be left to regular stallholders if in future the market hall is again let for a similar purpose.
   • In addition, many women are among the gallery's regular customers.
   • The family is being supported by friends from All Saints' Church, Little Horton, where they are regular worshippers.
   • Also, as a regular worshipper at St James's Church, Thornton, John clearly finds church-going congenial.
   • The Flying Scotsman was a regular York visitor when it ran from London to Scotland from 1923 to 1963.
   • The couple, who met in North Wales, were having a late afternoon wedding at St Paul's Church, in Holgate, where they are regular worshippers and run a youth group.
   • Karen's family are all close and so the various in-laws are regular visitors to our house at weekends!
   • But millions of dollars are expected to pour in to the city in the next fortnight - and not just from our regular Easter visitors.
   • I work with the regular maintenance crew, Mahoney Maintenance.
   • Flowers, left by local people, fill the porch of the 19 th-century chapel where the Queen Mother was a regular worshipper.
   • Mr Lennon was a regular Sunday evening visitor to the Old Castle Inn but he was not known as a heavy drinker.
   • Visitors on holiday are welcome and our regular supporters are appreciated.
   • The woman, a regular customer, explains that her car's radiator is leaking, and she doesn't know how she will get to work.
   • The Mayor, who is a regular Saturday morning visitor to the market, said that it was doubly pleasing for him that the market had come about during his mayoralty.
   • The Wicklow lads took the lead on 15 minutes with an excellent individual by their most regular scorer, Christopher Redmond.
   • And he became a regular customer of mine, always drinking top-flight Burgundy.
   • The station building is very unattractive and unwelcoming to everyone, regular commuters and visitors alike.
   • The problem was that many people came in on that day by chance, taking advantage of the sale even if they weren't regular customers.
   • Mary Morgan, of Durrington, also remembers Rick, his wife and their two children as regular worshippers.
   • The pub has continued to be popular during the summer months with a regular influx of visitors to Rosses Point.
   • Although not a regular worshipper at St Mary's, he often read Christmas lessons at the church, and was heavily involved in the Thundridge community.
   • The group consists of a main committee of 15 people and 1,000 regular members who are sent notices and newsletters.
   • FOR 20 years Englishman Graham Leake had been a regular fishing visitor to the picturesque heritage town of Lismore.
   • Indeed, the priory is such a beautiful place it attracts regular worshippers from as far afield as Sedbergh and Dalton-in-Furness to attend services there.
3. 2.3 (of a person) defecating or menstruating at predictable times.
   Example sentencesExamples

   • If cycles become regular, it is worth continuing for six months at this dose.
   • The subjects were healthy premenopausal women with regular menstrual periods.
   • Whether the patient has a history of regular or irregular menstrual cycles does not appear to be a contributing factor.
   • Women with regular menstrual cycles should begin testing for urinary LH about 3 days prior to expected ovulation.
   • He will defecate normally in his box, and behave regular.
   • Earlier onset of regular menstrual cycles is associated with early regular ovulatory menstrual cycles, a risk factor for the disease.
   • It requires a regular menstrual cycle and is most effective in a long-term relationship.
   • However, approximately 20 percent of active women don't experience regular menstrual periods.
   • Patients were required to have had regular menstrual cycles and to have reported their symptoms for at least two years.

3Conforming to or governed by an accepted standard of procedure or convention.

1. 3.1attributive Of or belonging to the permanent professional armed forces of a country.
   a regular soldier

   Example sentencesExamples

   • They were, essentially, already regular armies, but depended for manpower acquisition on mercenary recruitment.
   • If you did that, you would be part of the regular Army.
   • Many of these people are former regular professional military folks, both commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
   • United States intelligence estimates 350,000 soldiers in the regular army, poorly equipped with low morale.
   • The Company would also hire regular army units for duty in India.
   • In July 1962, further efforts were made to transform the Kuwait irregular infantry into a regular force.
   • This was a bit of a gamble, for the regular army combat troops did not possess the same high degree of natural talents as the Special Forces people.
   • Many people are surprised to learn that the weapons and kit used by the SAS are largely the same as those available to regular British Army soldiers.
   • Recruitment for the regular army has always been difficult.
   • The stability mission remains one for combat-ready soldiers, but in the U.S. sector, not one to be performed by the regular Army.
   • The combating of such terrorism entities takes well-equipped regular forces.
   • Responded to such concerns, a national defence force of regular units, militias, and Volunteer units was constructed.
   • Over the decades, especially since the 1980s, Special Forces techniques have been spreading to the regular army.
   • Indigenous regular armies, although fighting in their own country and more numerous than foreign forces, were subordinate to them.
   • They get paid a lot better than the regular army, have better equipment, barracks and rations.
   • Apart from some garrison artillery, the regular army comprised staff officers and instructional cadres for the volunteer militia.
   • In September 1939 its regular component, the Permanent Force, totalled only 5,385 men.
   • Fighting an insurgency is unlike anything taught in regular military manuals.
   • The only way to make up the deficiency was to organize all men discharged from the regular Army into an enlisted reserve.
   • In 2005 the Army wants 80,000 new soldiers for the regular Army and 22,000 more for the reserves.
2. 3.2 (of a person) properly trained or qualified and pursuing a full-time occupation.
   a strong distrust of regular doctors

   Example sentencesExamples

   • Government hospitals have a dental surgeon on duty day and night just like a regular duty doctor, Dr. Veerabahu says.
   • Free registration for Wednesday is available to all full-time, regular faculty members of schools of nursing.
   • When she checks out the position vacancy board at a large local hospital, on a board full of positions advertised for nurses, only five are regular full-time.
3. 3.3Christian Church Subject to or bound by religious rule; belonging to a religious or monastic order.
   the regular clergy

   Contrasted with secular (sense 2 of the adjective)

   Example sentencesExamples

   • A second branch of the clerical hierarchy was composed of nuns and monks who were members of the regular religious orders.
   • In many countries there were more regular than secular clergy.
   • Among regular clergy, the orders of friars retained a slightly double-edged esteem among the laity as skilled confessors and dramatic preachers.
   • In addition to the regular clergy, these were served by 43 local preachers.
   • Moreover, there continued to be problems between the secular and regular clergy.
4. 3.4dated, informal Rightly so called; complete; absolute (used for emphasis)
   this place is a regular fisherman's paradise

   Example sentencesExamples

   • The two on the side were regular rookies, they'll cower upon orders and fail to obey when it really counts.
   • The place was a regular wake.
   • The Blackmon place was a regular old time slave plantation.

   Synonyms

   utter, real, absolute, complete, thorough, thoroughgoing, total, unmitigated, outright, out-and-out, perfect, consummate, surpassing, sheer, rank, pure, unqualified, inveterate, positive, dyed-in-the-wool, true-blue, undiluted, unalloyed, unadulterated, in every respect

4Used, done, or happening on a habitual basis; usual; customary.

1. 4.1North American Of a normal or ordinary kind; not special.
   it's richer than regular pasta

   Example sentencesExamples

   • The pages seem bigger than they really are: intellectually, you know it's the size of a regular comic, but the artwork explodes beyond the confines of the page.
   • Hardcoded types are to generic code what magic constants are to regular code.
   • At any time, incorporate single-discipline routines or individual moves into your regular exercise regimen.
   • Council employees will then visit householders in that area to advise them how to use their green bin and help them to ensure there is space inside their regular rubbish bin for the remainder of their waste.
   • Additionally, it may be best to separate storage traffic from regular network traffic.
   • With all the fat-free products on the market today, is it best for someone on a diet to eat these products, or is it best to eat regular foods in moderation?
   • Nonetheless, US consumers who buy hybrids will receive tax credits, regardless of whether their car has the same fuel efficiency as a regular car.
   • The strike, which commenced in the first week of July, brought regular functions of almost all departments to a grinding halt.
   • Also to have your pc online at the same time, simply buy and install a regular network card into your pc.
   • Instead, we decided to hang up the heavier long underwear like regular clothing and simply bundle our lighter underwear with a rubber band.
   • After her treatment was changed from buffered regular insulin to lispro insulin, her glucose concentration sometimes fluctuated unexpectedly.
   • It is three times more efficient as regular gasoline.
   • There would be a regular network and some secret networks.
   • If a regular person would have just used them for a little bit, he or she would have been unconscious for days or weeks, or they could have died.
   • For regular bar food prices, these are very reasonable.
   • Their regular food is kebab roll, shwarma or biryani, as they are forever short of funds and settle for the cheaper, greasier fast food variety.
   • Unlike regular people they didn't have weekends normally and classes would start tomorrow like they always did.
   • Specials have the same powers as regular constables, and the role can provide useful experience for anyone thinking of a career in the police force.

   Synonyms

   normal, average, ordinary, standard, routine, run-of-the-mill, stock, orthodox, conventional, predictable, unsurprising, unremarkable, unexceptional
2. 4.2North American (of a person) not pretentious or arrogant; ordinary and friendly.
   advertising agencies who try to portray their candidates as regular guys

   Example sentencesExamples

   • But then they love the illusion that they're just regular guys having a regular night out.
   • The reporter treks across America interviewing a host of experts on fast food and an equal number of regular folk while chowing down.
   • No other movie this year presented regular people so finely drawn.
   • As if he were just some regular person getting a ride somewhere.
   • Really, he was a guy but well, he wasn't a very regular guy-ish guy.
   • I was your regular average sized girl, but I was tough and I wouldn't back down easily.
   • To these people I knew I was not just a regular person, I was something that they wanted to protect, but hurt by doing so.
   • He may see himself as a regular sort of guy, but he is morally responsible for atrocities.
   • Opening space to regular folks, he believes, will accelerate our progress back to the moon and eventually to Mars.
   • She asked Renae as if they were two regular teenage best friends gossiping.
   • They live and act like regular people, but they're on his payroll.

   Synonyms

   friendly, affable, amicable, cordial, neighbourly, hospitable, companionable, gregarious, convivial, clubbable
3. 4.3 (chiefly in commercial use) denoting merchandise, especially food or clothing, of average, medium, or standard size.
   a shake and regular fries

   Example sentencesExamples

   • For this project, our concerns about vendor compatibility between the embedded side and the Linux side pushed us to regular packet size.
   • Being five inches in diameter, the doorknobs were more than twice the size of regular glass doorknobs of the same period and style.
   • With the rise of online play, newfangled regular size discs, and violence, Nintendo is having trouble keeping up.
   • The average length of a regular stride is about 21, 25 feet, but the first three strides are very quick.
   • He pointed to a regular sized figure that had a katana.
   • An area two or three times the size of a regular classroom has been made into an outdoor classroom at St Peter's Smithills Dean CE Primary School.
   • The regular size was huge, what they miss in quality they try to make up for in quantity.
   • We bought the exact same things: slice of pizza, a regular size fry, and a bottle of juice.
   • By human standards it was about the size of a regular door.
   • Start by buying the slender regular sizes (they are the smallest and easiest to insert).
   • Considering they fail to exceed the average size of regular apartments, prospective tenants may baulk at the use of the term penthouse.
   • Take a diet soft drink instead of a regular soft drink, don't supersize those French fries, get the regular size.
   • Avoid ordering any size larger than a regular hamburger or small fries.

   Synonyms

   standard, ordinary, average
4. 4.4 (in surfing and other board sports) with the left leg in front of the right on the board.
   Example sentencesExamples

   • What do you mean you are a switch foot rider? You are either regular or goofy footed.
   • Those that have mastered the trick fall into a special category that is neither regular or goofy foot, but switch foot.

5Grammar
(of a word) following the normal pattern of inflection.

6Geometry
(of a figure) having all sides and all angles equal.

1. 6.1 (of a solid) bounded by a number of equal figures.
   Example sentencesExamples

   • From the beginning of the 15th century great interest was taken in the regular solids.
   • The regular tetrahedron is the most basic of all polyhedra.
   • A regular octahedron has faces that are all equilateral triangles.
   • The engraving shows that Geometry / Melancholy has not succeeded in fashioning a regular dodecahedron.
   • He assigned the tetrahedron to fire, because the tetrahedron is the regular solid with the sharpest angles, and because fire is the most penetrating of elements.

1A regular customer or member, for example of a bar, store, or team.

1. 1.1 A regular member of the armed forces.
   Example sentencesExamples

   • Reservists have been extended beyond the terms of their contracts, regulars are meeting themselves coming and going, and the military cupboard is bare.
   • The presence of North Vietnamese Army regulars intermingled with the Viet Cong was becoming more and more evident.
   • Two days ago, these regulars and militias were almost hysterical with tension.
   • If the auxiliaries fought well, the regulars in the second and third ranks would move up to help in the fight.
   • We also have a lot of really nice U.S. Navy, Marines and Air Force members who are regulars.
   • With archers and regulars in support, they should be able to stand against any infantry charge.
   • The final several months of the Pacific war saw American regulars and Filipino guerrillas steadily reducing the area controlled by the Japanese.
   • Later another telegram arrived to say my father was missing; he served as a regular with the Royal Marines.
   • When he did so, on 3 July, he had 10,000 regulars under his command, and within a week he had recaptured the peninsula and taken 6,000 prisoners.
   • For six weeks there was no confrontation between the militia and regulars, but they did exchange proclamations.
   • The army that fought World War I was composed of regulars, National Guardsmen, and individual volunteers.
   • Under these circumstances, the British army would not consist exclusively of regulars.
   • This was more disturbing given that there are over two million regulars on the muster roles of NATO's continental armies.
   • At the start of the Spanish civil war they were the only combat-tested regulars in a short-service conscript army.
   • The nation relied on volunteers to augment the regulars in the Continental Army, which demobilized rapidly after the war.
   • Instead, the primary US focus remained on killing guerrillas and North Vietnamese regulars.
   • There was a tremendous amount of soldiers there defending the armory, but they were inexperienced Guardsmen, not regulars.
   • All of them, including two of their wives, had been Army regulars and had fought in Angola, where they had run into Mrs. Jachimczek.
   • Should our army be based on regulars or militia?
   • Guards ignored the call or mustered in battalions more often seen to shield demonstrators from army regulars than to hold back the unruly.
2. 1.2US A member of a political party who is faithful to that party.
   he plans to sell tickets to the big-money party regulars

   Example sentencesExamples

   • So I think he'd be a non-starter for the party regulars.
   • Among the panelled walls, stained glass skylights and beetling, tuxedoed waiters you will see tributes to famous literary and political regulars.
   • I mean, he doesn't like to go out drinking at night with the party regulars.
   • When the Mississippi Freedom Delegation tried to seat itself in the Democratic convention of 1964, the party regulars fought savagely and successfully to drive them out.
   • Desperate as the Democrats are to get back in the game, party regulars find Dean's surge alarming.
3. 1.3Christian Church One of the regular clergy.
   Example sentencesExamples

   • It's a very middle-class church, and the regulars are inviting.
   • Overall the role of regulars was diminished and that of secular clergy and even laymen enhanced.
   • Only 46 were bishops; so that the nobles, canons, and regulars who had hitherto controlled all the levers of power in the Church were exposed as lacking the confidence of their subordinates.
   • As a regular at my church, formal dress (suit and tie) was the norm for me.