French - English
Definition of thomas paine in French English dictionary
- Thomas Paine (1737-1809), English-born American colonialist writer and patriot, author of the essays Common Sense and The Rights of Man
English - English
Definition of thomas paine in English English dictionary
- (1737-1809) English-born American colonialist writer and patriot, author of the essays "Common Sense" and "The Rights of Man
- a US political philosopher and writer, born in England. He supported the American states in their fight to become independent of Britain, and he also supported the French Revolution and had to escape from England to France because of this. His most famous books, which have had a great influence on political thinking, are The Rights of Man and The Age of Reason (1737-1809). born Jan. 29, 1737, Thetford, Norfolk, Eng. died June 8, 1809, New York, N.Y., U.S. English-American writer and political pampleteer. After a series of professional failures in England, he met Benjamin Franklin, who advised him to immigrate to America. He arrived in Philadelphia in 1774 and helped edit the Pennsylvania Magazine. In January 1776 he wrote Common Sense, a 50-page pamphlet eloquently advocating independence; more than 500,000 copies were quickly sold, and it greatly strengthened the colonists' resolve. As a volunteer aide to Gen. Nathanael Greene during the American Revolution he wrote his 16 "Crisis" papers (1776-83), each signed "Common Sense"; the first, beginning "These are the times that try men's souls," was read to the troops at Valley Forge on George Washington's order. In 1787 Paine traveled to England and became involved in debate over the French Revolution; his The Rights of Man (1791-92) defended the revolution and espoused republicanism. Viewed as an attack on the monarchy, it was banned, and Paine was declared an outlaw in England. He then went to France, where he was elected to the National Convention (1792-93). After he criticized the Reign of Terror, he was imprisoned by Maximilien Robespierre (1793-94). His The Age of Reason (1794, 1796), the first part of which was published while he was still in prison, earned him a reputation as an atheist, though it in fact espouses Deism. He returned to the U.S. in 1802; criticized for his Deist writings and little remembered for his service to the Revolution, he died in poverty
English - French
Definition of thomas paine in English French dictionary
- Thomas Paine (1737-1809) , américain dorigine anglaise, écrivain et patriote, auteur des essais Common Sense et 'Les droits de l'homme