"Crabbed and obscure definitions are of no use beyond a narrow circle of students, of whom probably every one has a pet one of his own"

This quote by Frederick Pollock is describing using excessively complicated and hard meanings in scholastic studies. He is recommending that these meanings are just useful to a small group of students, and that each student most likely has their own favored meaning. This suggests that the definitions are not universally accepted, which they are not beneficial to a larger audience. Pollock is most likely recommending that meanings should be more accessible and understandable to a broader series of individuals, instead of just a select couple of. He is stressing the value of making definitions clear and succinct, so that they can be comprehended by a bigger group of individuals. This quote is a tip that definitions ought to be available and understandable to all, rather than simply a choose few.