What did the word democracy have a different meaning in 1787?

In 1787, the term "democracy" was often associated with direct rule by the masses, which many Founding Fathers viewed with skepticism due to concerns about mob rule and instability. Instead, they favored a representative republic, where elected officials would make decisions on behalf of the people, thereby tempering the potential excesses of pure democracy. This distinction reflected their desire to balance popular sovereignty with safeguards against tyranny and factionalism. Thus, while rooted in the concept of popular governance, "democracy" in 1787 emphasized a more structured and controlled political framework.