Dictionary
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.
Con-tôrt', v. t. p. 285To twist together; to writhe. The vertebral arteries are variously contorted. Ray.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…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…Con-tôr'tioŭs-ness, n. p. 285The state of being contorted. [Obs.] Ash.Con-tôr'tĭve, a. p. 285Expressing contortion.Cŏn'tor-tū'pli-cate, a. p. 285(Bot.) Turned back on itself. Gray.Con-tour', n. p. 285The line that bounds, defines, or terminates a figure; outline; periphery. Johnson. 2. (Mil.) The horizontal outline of ground or works of fortification. Contour of ground (Surv.), the form of the…Con-tour'ni-ā'ted, a. p. 285Having furrowed edges, as if turned in a lathe.Cŏn'trȧ p. 285A Latin preposition, signifying against, in opposition, entering into the composition of some English words. It is properly the ablative of an adjective, conterus (formed from con, with), which is…Cŏn'tra-bănd, a. p. 285Prohibited by law or treaty; forbidden. The articles between France and this state for contraband goods. Temple. The contraband will always keep pace, in some measure, with the fair trade. Burke.Cŏn'tra-bănd, n. p. 285Prohibited merchandise or traffic. Contraband of war, goods which neutrals are prohibited from carrying during war to the belligerent parties, or which a belligerent has, by the law of nations, the…Cŏn'tra-bănd, v. t. p. 285To import, as prohibited goods. [Obs.] Johnson. 2. To declare prohibited; to forbid. [Obs.] The law severely contrabands Our taking business off men's hands. Hudibras.Cŏn'tra-bănd'ist, n. p. 285One who traffics illegally; a smuggler in time of war.Cŏn'tra-băs'so, n. p. 285(Mus.) The largest kind of bass-viol, usually called the double-bass, or violone. Brande.Con-trăct', v. t. p. 285To draw together or nearer; to reduce to a less compass; to abridge; to shorten; to lessen; as, to contract the area of a field or territory; to contract one's sphere of action, or one's faculties.…Con-trăct', v. i. p. 286To be drawn together; to be reduced in compass; to be narrowed, shortened, or curtailed; to shrink. “Years contracting to a moment.” Wordsworth. 2. To make an agreement; to covenant; to agree; to…Con-trăct'ed, a. p. 286Affianced; betrothed. [Obs.] Shak.Cŏnʹtract, n. p. 286(Law.) The agreement of two or more persons, upon a sufficient consideration or cause, to do, or to abstain from doing, some act; an agreement in which a party undertakes to do, or not to do, a…Con-trāct'ed, p. a. p. 286Drawn together; narrow; abridged; betrothed; mean.Con-tráct'ed-ly, adv. p. 286In a contracted manner.Con-trăct'ed-ness, n. p. 286The state of being contracted; narrowness; meanness; excessive selfishness.Con-træct'i-bil'i-ty, n. p. 286Capability of being contracted; quality of suffering contraction; as, the contractibility and dilatability of air. Arbuthnot.Con-trăct'i-ble, a. p. 286Capable of contraction. Small air-bladders dilatable and contractible. Arbuthnot.Con-träct'i-ble-ness, n. p. 286The quality of being contractible; contractibility.Con-trăc'tile, a. p. 286Tending to contract; having the power of shortening or of drawing into smaller dimensions. “The heart’s contractile force.” Brookes.Con/trac-til'i-ty, n. p. 286The inherent quality or force by which bodies shrink or contract. Beddoes.Con-træ'tion, n. p. 286The act of contracting, drawing together, or shrinking; the act of shortening, narrowing, or lessening, extent or dimensions. Unarmed, they might Have easily, as spirits, evaded swift By quick…Con-trăct'ive, a. p. 286Tending to contract; serving to contract. The heart, as said, from its contractive cave On the left side, ejects the bounding wave. Blackmore.Con-trāct'or, n. p. 286One who contracts; one of the parties to a bargain; one who covenants to do any thing for another; specifically, one who contracts or engages to perform any work or service for the public, at a…Cŏn’tra-dance, n. p. 286A dance in which the partners are arranged in opposition, or in opposite lines. [Written also, but corruptly, country-dance.]Cōn'tra-dict', v. t. p. 286To assert the contrary of; to oppose in words; to gainsay; to deny. It is not lawful to contradict a point of history which is known to all the world. Dryden. 2. To be directly contrary to; to…Cŏn`tra-dĭct'a-ble, a. p. 286Capable of being contradicted; deniable.Cŏn`tra-dict'er, n. p. 286One who contradicts or denies; an opposer. Swift.Cŏn′tra-dĭc′tion, n. p. 286An assertion of the contrary to what has been said or affirmed; denial. All the number of his fair demands Shall be accomplished without contradiction. Shak. 2. Direct opposition or repugnancy…Principle of contradiction p. 286the axiom or law of thought that a thing can not be and not be at the same time; or a thing can not be what it is not; A is not (not—A).Cōn/tra-dĭc'tion-al, a. p. 286Inconsistent. [Rare.] Milton.Cōn’tra-dic’tious, a. p. 286Filled with contradictions; inconsistent. [Rare.] “An absurd, contradictions thing.” Sharp. 2. Inclined to contradict; disposed to deny or cavil. [Rare.]Cōn'tra-dĭc'tious-ness, n. p. 286The quality of being contradictious. [Rare.]Cōn'tra-dic'tive, a. p. 286Containing contradiction; opposed; contradictory. “Not contradictive to the canon.” Feltham.Cōn'tra-dĭct'ive-ly, adv. p. 286By contradiction.Cōn’tra-dict’or, n. p. 286One who contradicts; a contradictor.Cōn'/tra-dĭc'to-ri-ly, adv. p. 286In a contradictory manner. Sharp.Cōn'/tra-dĭet'o-ri-ness, n. p. 286The quality of being contradictory; opposition. Whitaker.Cōn'tra·dic·tō'ri·oŭs, a. p. 286Contradictory. [Obs.]Cōn’tra-die-tō’ri-oŭs-ly, adv. p. 286In a contradictory manner; with contradiction. [Obs.]Cōn'tra-dĭct'o-ry, a. p. 286Affirming the contrary; implying a denial of what has been asserted; opposing in terms. “Contradictory assertions.” South. 2. Inconsistent; contrary; repugnant. “Schemes . . . contradictory to common…Cōn'tra-dĭct'o-ry, n. p. 286A proposition or thing which denies or opposes another; contrariety; inconsistency. It is common with princes to will contradictories. Bacon.Cōn′tra-dis-tinct′, a. p. 286Distinguished by opposite qualities. [Obs.] Goodwin.Cŏn’tra-dis-tĭnc’tion, n. p. 286Distinction by contrast. We speak of sins of infirmity in contradistinction to those of presumption. South.Cōn/tra-dis-tīnct/ive, a. p. 286Distinguishing by contrast. “Contradistinctive pronouns.” Harris.Cŏn’tra-dis-tĭn’guish, v. t. p. 286To distinguish by contrast. These are our complex ideas of soul and body, as contradistinguished. Locke.Cŏn/tra-fis’sure, n. p. 286(Surg.) A fissure or fracture on the side opposite to that which received the blow, or at some distance from it. Coxe.Cōn'tra-hent, a. p. 286Entering into covenant; contracting; as, contrahent parties. [Obs.] Mede.Cōn’tra-in’di-cant, n. p. 286(Med.) Something indicating that the usual mode of treating a subject or matter, as a disease, is not to be followed. Burke.Cŏn’tra-in’di-cāte, v. t. p. 286(Med.) To indicate as some method of treatment, contrary to that which the general tenor of the case would seem to require, as in a disease. Contra-indicating symptoms must be observed. Harvey.Cŏn′/tra-īn′/di-cā′tion, n. p. 286(Med.) An indication that forbids the method of treatment which the nature of the case might seem to render necessary, as in a disease.Con-trāl'to, n. p. 286(Mus.) (a.) The part sung by the highest male or lowest female voices; the alto or counter-tenor. (b.) The voice or singer performing this part; as, her voice is a contralto; she is a contralto.Con-trāl’to, a. p. 286(Mus.) Belonging or relating to a contralto, or to the part in music called contralto; as, a contralto voice.Cōn'/tra-mūre, n. p. 286(Fort.) An outer wall. Chambers.Cōn’tra-nāt’ū-ral, a. p. 286Opposite to nature. [Rare.] Bp. Rust.