conti

n. [ L. contignatio, fr. contignare to join with beams; con- + tignum beam. ] 1. The act or process of framing together, or uniting, as beams in a fabric. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A framework or fabric, as of beams. Sir H. Wotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ LL. contiguatus. ] Contiguous; touching. [ Obs. ] Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. contiguité, LL. contiguitas. ] The state of being contiguous; intimate association; nearness; proximity. [ 1913 Webster ]

The convicinity and contiguity of the two parishes. T. Warton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. contiguus; akin to contigere to touch on all sides. See Contingent. ] In actual contact; touching; also, adjacent; near; neighboring; adjoining. [ 1913 Webster ]

The two halves of the paper did not appear fully divided . . . but seemed contiguous at one of their angles. Sir I. Newton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sees no contiguous palace rear its head. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

Contiguous angles. See Adjacent angles, under Angle.

Syn. -- Adjoining; adjacent. See Adjacent.

-- Con*tig"u*ous*ly, adv. -- Con*tig"u*ous*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ , n. [ F. continence, L. continentia. See Continent, and cf. Countenance. ] 1. Self-restraint; self-command. [ 1913 Webster ]

He knew what to say; he knew also, when to leave off, -- a continence which is practiced by few writers. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The restraint which a person imposes upon his desires and passions; the act or power of refraining from indulgence of the sexual appetite, esp. from unlawful indulgence; sometimes, moderation in sexual indulgence. [ 1913 Webster ]

If they [ the unmarried and widows ] have not continency, let them marry. 1 Cor. vii. 9 (Rev. Ver. ). [ 1913 Webster ]

Chastity is either abstinence or continence: abstinence is that of virgins or widows; continence, that of married persons. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Uninterrupted course; continuity. [ Obs. ] Ayliffe. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. continens, -entis, prop., p. pr. of continere to hold together, to repress: cf. F. continent. See Contain. ] 1. Serving to restrain or limit; restraining; opposing. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Exercising restraint as to the indulgence of desires or passions; temperate; moderate. [ 1913 Webster ]

Have a continent forbearance till the speed of his rage goes slower. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Abstaining from sexual intercourse; exercising restraint upon the sexual appetite; esp., abstaining from illicit sexual intercourse; chaste. [ 1913 Webster ]

My past life [ 1913 Webster ]

Hath been as continent, as chaste, as true, [ 1913 Webster ]

As I am now unhappy. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Not interrupted; connected; continuous; as, a continent fever. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The northeast part of Asia is, if not continent with the west side of America, yet certainly it is the least disoined by sea of all that coast. Berrewood. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. continens, prop., a holding together: cf. F. continent. See Continent, a. ] 1. That which contains anything; a receptacle. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The smaller continent which we call a pipkin. Bp. Kennet. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One of the grand divisions of land on the globe; the main land; specifically (Phys. Geog.), a large body of land differing from an island, not merely in its size, but in its structure, which is that of a large basin bordered by mountain chains; as, the continent of North America. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The continents are now usually regarded as six in number: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. But other large bodies of land are also reffered to as continents; as, the Antarctic continent; the continent of Greenland. Europe, Asia, and Africa are often grouped together as the Eastern Continent, and North and South America as the Western Continent. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Continent, the main land of Europe, as distinguished from the islands, especially from England. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Of or pertaining to a continent. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Of or pertaining to the main land of Europe, in distinction from the adjacent islands, especially England; as, a continental tour; a continental coalition. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

No former king had involved himself so frequently in the labyrinth of continental alliances. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Amer. Hist.) Of or pertaining to the confederated colonies collectively, in the time of the Revolutionary War; as, Continental money. [ 1913 Webster ]

The army before Boston was designated as the Continental army, in contradistinction to that under General Gage, which was called the “Ministerial army.” W. Irving. [ 1913 Webster ]

Continental Congress. See under Congress. --
Continental system (Hist.), the blockade of Great Britain ordered by Napoleon by the decree of Berlin, Nov. 21, 1806; the object being to strike a blow at the maritime and commercial supremacy of Great Britain, by cutting her off from all intercourse with the continent of Europe. [ 1913 Webster ]