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An American Dictionary of the English Language

Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)

Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865

Entries
95,912
Pages
1,538
Illustrations
2,133

Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.

  1. Cŏn/ter-rā'ne-an or Cŏn/ter-rā'ne-oŭs, a.p. 284Being of the same country. [Obs.] Howell.
  2. Con-tês'ser-ā'tion, n.p. 284An assemblage or union in harmony. [Obs.] The holy symbols of the eucharist were intended to be a contesseration and a union of Christian societies to God and with each other. Bp. Taylor.
  3. Con-tĕst’, v. t.p. 284To make a subject of dispute, contention, or litigation; to call in question; to controvert; to oppose; to dispute. The people . . . contested not what was done. Locke. 2. To strive earnestly to hold…
  4. Con-tĕst’, v. i.p. 284To engage in dispute, strife, or emulation; to contend; to vie; to emulate;—followed by with. The difficulty of an argument adds to the pleasure of contesting with it, when there are hopes of…
  5. Cŏn’test, n.p. 284Earnest dispute; strife in argument; controversy; debate. Leave all noisy contests, all immodest clamors and brawling language. Watts. 2. Earnest struggle for superiority, defense, or the like…
  6. Con-tĕst'a-ble, a.p. 284Capable of being contested; debatable; disputable; controvertible.
  7. Con-tĕst'a-ble-ness, n.p. 284Possibility of being contested. [Obs.]
  8. Con-tĕst'ant, n.p. 284One who contests; an opponent; a litigant; a disputant. [Rare.]
  9. Cŏn'tes-tā'tion, n.p. 284The act of contesting; strife; dispute. “Lover-like contestation.” Milton. After years spent in domestic contestations, she found means to withdraw. Clarendon. 2. Proof by witnesses; attestation…
  10. Con-tĕst'ing-ly, adv.p. 284In a contending manner.
  11. Con-tĕst'less, a.p. 284Not to be disputed or questioned. [Rare.] “Now ’tis truth contestless.” A. Hill.
  12. Con-tĕx', v. t.p. 284To weave or knit together; to unite or connect closely. [Obs.] Some other cause capable to contex the matter. Boyle.
  13. Cŏn’text, n.p. 284Connected structure, as of a discourse; especially the parts of a discourse which precede or follow a sentence quoted. “According to all the light that the contexts afford.” Sharp.
  14. Con-tēxt', a.p. 284Knit or woven together; close; firm. [Obs.] “The coats are context and callous.” Derham.
  15. Con-tĕxt', v. t.p. 284To knit together; to unite closely. [Obs.] If the subject be history or contexted fable, I hold it better put in prose or blanks. Feltham.
  16. Con-tĕxt′ür-al, a.p. 284Pertaining to contexture or disposition. Smith.
  17. Con-tĕxt’üre, n.p. 284The disposition and union of the constituent parts of a thing with respect to each other; composition of parts; system; constitution; texture. “That wonderful contexture of all created beings.”…
  18. Con-tĕxt'üred, a.p. 284Formed into texture; woven together. [Rare.]
  19. Cŏn'-tig-nā'-tion, n.p. 284The act of framing together, or uniting beams in a fabric. Burke. 2. A frame of beams; a story. Wotton.
  20. Con-tig'ū-ate, a.p. 284Having closeness of contact; near; approximating. [Obs.] “The two extremities are contiguate, yea, and continuate.” Holland.
  21. Cŏn'/ti-gŭ'/i-ty, n.p. 284The state of being in actual or close contact; approximation. To me there appear only three principles of connection among ideas, namely, resemblance, contiguity in time or place, and cause or…
  22. Con-tig'ū-ōūs, a.p. 284In actual or close contact; touching; adjacent; near. Joining the contiguous objects by the participation of their colors. Dryden. Syn.—Adjoining; adjacent. See ADJOINING.
  23. Con-tĭg'ū-oŭs-ly, adv.p. 284In a manner to touch; without intervening space. Dryden.
  24. Con-tig'ū-oüs-ness, n.p. 284A state of contact; close union.
  25. Cōn'ti-nence or Cōn'ti-nen-cy, n.p. 284The restraint which a person imposes upon his desires and passions; self-command; specifically, the restraint of the passion for sexual enjoyment; resistance of concupiscence; chastity. He knew when…
  26. Cōn'ti-nent, a.p. 284Serving to restrain or limit. [Obs.] My desire All continent impediments would o'erbear That did oppose my will. Shak. 2. Not interrupted; connected; continuous; as, a continent fever. [Obs.] The…
  27. Cōn'ti-nent, n.p. 284That which contains any thing. [Obs.] Here's the scroll. The continent and summary of my fortune. Shak. 2. (Geog.) A great extent of land not interrupted by water; one of the larger bodies of land on…
  28. Cōn'-ti-nĕnt'al, a.p. 284Pertaining or relating to a continent. 2. Pertaining to the main land of Europe, in distinction from the adjacent islands, especially England; as, a continental tour. No former king had involved…
  29. Continental systemp. 285the blockade of Great Britain ordered by Napoleon by the decree of Berlin, Nov. 21, 1806.
  30. Cŏn’ti-nĕnt’al, n.p. 285(Amer. Hist.) A soldier in the continental army.
  31. Cŏn′ti-nent-ly, adv.p. 285In a continent manner; chastely; moderately; temperately.
  32. Cŏn′ti-nent-ness, n.p. 285The state of being continent; continence. [Obs.]
  33. Con-tin'ge', v. i.p. 285To touch; to reach; to happen. [Obs.] Bailey.
  34. Con-tin'gence or Con-tin'gen-cy, n.p. 285The quality of being contingent or casual; the possibility of coming to pass. Aristotle says we are not to build certain rules on the contingency of human actions. South. 2. An event which may occur…
  35. Con-tin'gent, a.p. 285Possible, or liable, but not certain, to occur; incidental; casual; as, to set such and such a contingent event as a sign to himself. Trench. 2. Dependent on that which is undetermined or unknown; —…
  36. Con-tin'gent, n.p. 285An event which is possible, or liable, but not certain, to occur; that which is unforeseen, undetermined, or dependent on something future; a contingency. His understanding could almost pierce into…
  37. Con-tĭn'gent-ly, adv.p. 285Without design or foresight; accidentally.
  38. Con-tin'gent-ness, n.p. 285The state of being contingent; fortuitousness.
  39. Con-tin'ū-a-ble, a.p. 285Capable of being continued.
  40. Con-tin'u-al, a.p. 285Proceeding without interruption or cessation; constant; unceasing; lasting; abiding; continuous. He that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast. Prov. xv. 15. 2. Very frequent; often repeated; of…
  41. Continual claim or Continual proportionalsp. 285a claim that is made from time to time, within every year and a day, to land or other estate, the possession of which can not be obtained without hazard. It is now abolished in England. Cowell.—…
  42. Con-tin'ū-āl'i-ty, n.p. 285The state of being continual; continualness. [Rare.]
  43. Con-tin'ū-al-ly, adv.p. 285Without cessation; unceasingly; continuously; as, the ocean is continually rolling its waves on the shore. 2. Very often; in repeated succession.
  44. Con-tin'ū-al-ness, n.p. 285Permanence. Hales.
  45. Con-tin'u-ance, n.p. 285A holding on, or remaining in a particular state; permanence, as of condition, habits, abode, &c.; perseverance; constancy; stay. “Patient continuance in well-doing.” Rom. ii. 7. Continuance of evil…
  46. Con-tĭn'ū-āte, v. t.p. 285To join closely together. [Rare.]
  47. Con-tĭn'ū-ate, a.p. 285Immediately united together; intimately connected. [Rare.] We are of Him and in Him, even as though our very flesh and bones should be made continuate with his. Hooker. 2. Uninterrupted; unbroken.…
  48. Con-tĭn'ū-ate-ly, adv.p. 285With continuity; without interruption. [Rare.]
  49. Con-tĭn'ū-ate-ness, n.p. 285The quality of being continuate. [Rare.] Digby.
  50. Con-tin'ū-ā'tion, n.p. 285The act of continuing, or the state of being continued; uninterrupted extension or succession; prolongation; production; propagation. Addison. 2. That which extends, increases, or supplements, as the…
  51. Con-tin'ū-a-tive, n.p. 285(Logic.) A term or expression denoting continuance. To these may be added continuatives; as, Rome remains to this day; which includes, at least, two propositions, viz., Rome was, and Rome is. Watts.…
  52. Con-tin'ū-ā'tor, n.p. 285One who continues or keeps up a series or succession; a continuer. Browne.
  53. Con-tin'ue, v. i.p. 285To remain in a given place or condition; to abide; to stay. Here to continue, and build up here A growing empire. Milton. They continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat. Matt. xv. 32.…
  54. Con-tin'ūe, v. t.p. 285To hold in a given place or position; to maintain connection with. [Obs.] 2. To carry onward or extend from one time, place, or condition, to another; to prolong; to protract; to persist in. O…
  55. Con-tin'ued, p. a.p. 285Having extension of time, space, order of events, and the like. “Continued woe.” Jenyns. “Continued succession.” Locke. Continued bass (Mus.), a bass continued through an entire piece of music; the…
  56. Con-tin'ū-ed-ly, adv.p. 285\ Without interruption; without ceasing. Norris.
  57. Con-tin'ū-er, n.p. 285One who continues; one who has the power of perseverance; a continuator. [Shak.]
  58. Cŏn/tĭ-nū'i-ty, n.p. 285The state of being continuous; uninterrupted connection; close union of parts; cohesion; as, the continuity of fibers. Grew. The sight would be tired, if it were attracted by a continuity of…
  59. Law of continuityp. 285the principle that nothing passes from one state to another without passing through all the intermediate states. Brande.
  60. Con-tĭn'ū-oŭs, a.p. 285Without break, cessation, or interruption; constantly prolonged; protracted; extended; as, a continuous line of railroad; a continuous current of electricity. “Continuous depth.” Thomson. 2. (Bot.)…