Paine, Thomas
Pronunciation: /peɪn/
Definition of Paine, Thomas
- (1737–1809), English political writer. His pamphlet Common Sense (1776) called for American independence, and The Rights of Man (1791) defended the French Revolution. His radical views prompted the British government to indict him for treason and he fled to France. Other notable works: The Age of Reason (1794).
