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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. Con-tĕst'ing-ly, adv.p. 284In a contending manner.
  2. Con-tĕst'less, a.p. 284Not to be disputed or questioned. [Rare.] “Now ’tis truth contestless.” A. Hill.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Con-tēxt', a.p. 284Knit or woven together; close; firm. [Obs.] “The coats are context and callous.” Derham.
  6. 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.
  7. Con-tĕxt′ür-al, a.p. 284Pertaining to contexture or disposition. Smith.
  8. 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.”…
  9. Con-tĕxt'üred, a.p. 284Formed into texture; woven together. [Rare.]
  10. 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.
  11. Con-tig'ū-ate, a.p. 284Having closeness of contact; near; approximating. [Obs.] “The two extremities are contiguate, yea, and continuate.” Holland.
  12. 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…
  13. 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.
  14. Con-tĭg'ū-oŭs-ly, adv.p. 284In a manner to touch; without intervening space. Dryden.
  15. Con-tig'ū-oüs-ness, n.p. 284A state of contact; close union.
  16. 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…
  17. 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…
  18. 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…
  19. 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…
  20. Continental systemp. 285the blockade of Great Britain ordered by Napoleon by the decree of Berlin, Nov. 21, 1806.
  21. Cŏn’ti-nĕnt’al, n.p. 285(Amer. Hist.) A soldier in the continental army.
  22. Cŏn′ti-nent-ly, adv.p. 285In a continent manner; chastely; moderately; temperately.
  23. Cŏn′ti-nent-ness, n.p. 285The state of being continent; continence. [Obs.]
  24. Con-tin'ge', v. i.p. 285To touch; to reach; to happen. [Obs.] Bailey.
  25. 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…
  26. 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; —…
  27. 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…
  28. Con-tĭn'gent-ly, adv.p. 285Without design or foresight; accidentally.
  29. Con-tin'gent-ness, n.p. 285The state of being contingent; fortuitousness.
  30. Con-tin'ū-a-ble, a.p. 285Capable of being continued.
  31. 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…
  32. 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.—…
  33. Con-tin'ū-āl'i-ty, n.p. 285The state of being continual; continualness. [Rare.]
  34. 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.
  35. Con-tin'ū-al-ness, n.p. 285Permanence. Hales.
  36. 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…
  37. Con-tĭn'ū-āte, v. t.p. 285To join closely together. [Rare.]
  38. 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.…
  39. Con-tĭn'ū-ate-ly, adv.p. 285With continuity; without interruption. [Rare.]
  40. Con-tĭn'ū-ate-ness, n.p. 285The quality of being continuate. [Rare.] Digby.
  41. 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…
  42. 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.…
  43. Con-tin'ū-ā'tor, n.p. 285One who continues or keeps up a series or succession; a continuer. Browne.
  44. 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.…
  45. 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…
  46. 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…
  47. Con-tin'ū-ed-ly, adv.p. 285\ Without interruption; without ceasing. Norris.
  48. Con-tin'ū-er, n.p. 285One who continues; one who has the power of perseverance; a continuator. [Shak.]
  49. 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…
  50. Law of continuityp. 285the principle that nothing passes from one state to another without passing through all the intermediate states. Brande.
  51. 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.)…
  52. Con-tĭn'ū-oŭs-ly, adv.p. 285In a continuous manner; without interruption.
  53. Con-tôr'ni-ate or Con-tôr'ni-ā'to, n.p. 285(Numis.) A species of medal or medallion of bronze, having a curved furrow on each side, and supposed to have been struck in the days of Constantine and his successors. R. S. Poole.
  54. Con-tôr'sion, n.p. 285See CONTORTION.
  55. Con-tôrt', v. t.p. 285To twist together; to writhe. The vertebral arteries are variously contorted. Ray.
  56. Con-tôrt'ed, p. a.p. 285Twisted together. “A contorted chain of icicles.” Massinger. 2. (Bot.) (a.) Twisted back upon itself, as some parts of plants. (b.) Arranged so as to overlap other parts; as, petals in contorted or…
  57. Con-tôr'tion, n.p. 285A twisting; a writhing; a wresting; a twist; wry motion; as, the contortion of the muscles of the face. Swift. 2. (Anat.) A twisting or wresting of a limb or member of the body out of its natural…
  58. Con-tôr'tioŭs-ness, n.p. 285The state of being contorted. [Obs.] Ash.
  59. Con-tôr'tĭve, a.p. 285Expressing contortion.
  60. Cŏn'tor-tū'pli-cate, a.p. 285(Bot.) Turned back on itself. Gray.