A situation where the overuse or abuse by some of a resource that lies in the public domain leads to the loss of use of the resource for everyone.
When Fred let his sheep graze on the public square, he caused a real tragedy of the commons . . . now where are the college students supposed to go to play frisbee?
by Julia August 27, 2003
when a girl who is known slyly as the "village bicycle" becomes irreplaceably damaged due to the unregulated overuse by all the village boys without consideration to marginal cost, therefore becoming a tragedy.
Hence Billy realised the dark nature of the tragedy of the commons though tainted with roseate spectacles.
by wainani punani September 18, 2003