The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
Chapter 332
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.
2. To be permanent or durable; to endure; to last.
But now thy kingdom shall not continue . 1 Sam. xiii. 14.
3. To be steadfast or constant in any course; to persevere; to abide; to endure; to persist; to keep up or maintain a particular condition, course, or series of actions; as, the army continued to advance .
If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed. John viii. 31.
Syn. -- To persevere; persist. See Persevere .
Continue <Xpage=314>
Con*tin"ue , v. t. 1. To unite; to connect. [Obs.]
the use of the navel is to continue the infant unto the mother. Sir T. browne.
2. To protract or extend in duration; to preserve or persist in; to cease not.
O continue thy loving kindness unto them that know thee. Ps. xxxvi. 10.
You know how to make yourself happy by only continuing such a life as you have been long acustomed to lead. Pope.
3. To carry onward or extend; to prolong or produce; to add to or draw out in length.
A bridge of wond'rous length, From hell continued , reaching th' utmost orb of this frall world. Milton.
4. To retain; to suffer or cause to remain; as, the trustees were continued ; also, to suffer to live.
And how shall we continue Claudio. Shak.
Continued <Xpage=314>
Con*tin"ued (?) , p.p. & a. Having extension of time, space, order of events, exertion of energy, etc.; extended; protacted; uninterrupted; also, resumed after interruption; extending through a succession of issues, session, etc.; as, a continued story . " Continued woe." Jenyns. " Continued succession." Locke.
Continued bass (Mus.) , a bass continued through an entire piece of music, while the other parts of the harmony are indicated by figures beneath the bass; the same as thorough bass or figured bass ; basso continuo. [It.] -- Continued fever (Med.) , a fever which presents no interruption in its course. -- Continued fraction (Math.) , a fraction whose numerator is 1, and whose denominator is a whole number plus a fraction whose numerator is 1 and whose denominator is a whole number, plus a fraction, and so on. -- Continued proportion (Math.) , a proportion composed of two or more equal ratios, in which the consequent of each preceding ratio is the same with the antecedent of the folowing one; as, 4 : 8 : 8 : 16 :: 16 : 32.
Continuedly <Xpage=314>
Con*tin"u*ed*ly (? ∨ <?/) , adv. Continuously.
Continuer <Xpage=314>
Con*tin"u*er (?) , n. One who continues; one who has the power of perseverance or persistence. "Indulgent continuers in sin."
Hammond.
I would my horse had the speed of your tongue, and so good a continuer . Shak.
Continuity <Xpage=314>
Con`ti*nu"i*ty (?) , n. ; pl. Continuities (#) . [L. continuitas : cf. F. continuit<?/ . See Continuous .] the state of being continuous; uninterupted connection or succession; close union of parts; cohesion; as, the continuity of fibers .
Grew.
The sight would be tired, if it were attracted by a continuity of glittering objects. Dryden.
Law of continuity (Math. & Physics) , the principle that nothing passes from one state to another without passing through all the intermediate states. -- Solution of continuity . (Math.) See under Solution .
Continuo <Xpage=314>
Con*ti"nu*o (? ∨ <?/) , n. [ It .] (Mus.) Basso continuo, or continued bass.
Continuous <Xpage=314>
Con*tin"u*ous (?) , a. [L. continuus , fr. continere to hold together. See Continent .] 1. Without break, cessation, or interruption; without intervening space or time; uninterrupted; unbroken; continual; unceasing; constant; continued; protracted; extended; as, a continuous line of railroad; a continuous current of electricity.
he can hear its continuous murmur. Longfellow.
2. (Bot.) Not deviating or varying from uninformity; not interrupted; not joined or articulated.
Continuous brake (Railroad) , a brake which is attached to each car a train, and can be caused to operate in all the cars simultaneously from a point on any car or on the engine. -- Continuous impost . See Impost .
Syn. -- Continuous , Continual . Continuous is the stronger word, and denotes that the continuity or union of parts is absolute and uninterrupted; as, a continuous sheet of ice; a continuous flow of water or of argument. So Daniel Webster speaks of "a continuous and unbroken strain of the martial airs of England." Continual , in most cases, marks a close and unbroken succession of things, rather than absolute continuity. Thus we speak of continual showers, implying a repetition with occasional interruptions; we speak of a person as liable to continual calls , or as subject to continual applications for aid, etc. See Constant .
Continuously <Xpage=314>
Con*tin"u*ous*ly (?) , adv. In a continuous maner; without interruption. -- Con*tin"u*ous*ness , n.
Contline <Xpage=314>
Cont"line` (?) , n. 1. (Ropemaking) The space between the strands on the outside of a rope.
Knight.
2. (Naut.) The space between the bilges of two casks stowed side by side.
Contorniate, Contorniate <Xpage=314>
Con*tor"ni*ate (?) , Con*tor"ni*a`te (?) , n. , [It. contorniato , p.pr. of contorniare to make a circuit or outline, fr. contorno circuit, outline. See Contour .] (Numis.) A species of medal or medallion of bronze, having a deep furrow on the contour or edge; -- supposed to have been struck in the days of Constantine and his successors.
R. S. Poole.
Contorsion <Xpage=314>
Con*tor"sion (?) , n. See Contortion .
Contort <Xpage=314>
Con*tort" (?) , v. t. [L. contortus , p.p. of contorquere to twist; con- + torquere to twist. See Torture .] To twist, or twist together; to turn awry; to bend; to distort; to wrest.
The vertebral arteries are variously contorted . Ray.
Kant contorted the term category from the proper meaning of attributed. Sir W. Hamilton.
Contorted <Xpage=314>
Con*tort"ed , a. 1. Twisted, or twisted 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 each other; as, petals in contorted or convolute \'91stivation .
Contortion <Xpage=314>
Con*tor"tion (?) , n. [L. contortio : cf. F. contorsion . See Contort , and cf. Torsion .] A twisting; a writhing; wry motion; a twist; as, the contortion of the muscles of the face .
Swift.
All the contortions of the sibyl, without the inspiration. Burke.
Contertionist <Xpage=314>
Con*ter"tion*ist , n. One who makes or practices contortions.
Contortive <Xpage=314>
Con*tor"tive (?) , a. Expressing contortion.
Contortuplicate <Xpage=314>
Con`tor*tu"pli*cate (?) , a. [L. contortuplicatus ; contortus contorted + plicare to fold.] (Bot.) Plaited lengthwise and twisted in addition, as the bud of the morning-glory.
Gray.
Contour <Xpage=314>
Con*tour" (?) , n. [F. contour , fr. contourner to mark the outlines; con- + tourner to turn. See Turn .] 1. The outline of a figure or body, or the line or lines representing such an outline; the line that bounds; periphery.
Titian's coloring and contours . A. Drummond.
2. (Mil.) The outline of a horizontal section of the ground, or of works of fortification.
Contour feathers (Zo\'94l.) , those feathers that form the general covering of a bird. -- Contour of ground (Surv.) , the outline of the surface of ground with respect to its undulation, etc. -- Contour line (Topographical Suv.) , the line in which a horizontal plane intersects a portion of ground, or the corresponding line in a map or chart.
Contourn\'82' <Xpage=314>
Con`tour`n\'82' (?) , a. [F., p.p. of contourner to twist.] (Her.) Turned in a direction which is not the usual one; -- said of an animal turned to the sinister which is usually turned to the dexter, or the like.
Contourniated <Xpage=314>
Con*tour"ni*a`ted (?) , a. [Cf. Contorniate .] (Numis.) Having furrowed edges, as if turned in a lathe.
Contra <Xpage=314>
Con"tra (?) . A Latin adverb and preposition, signifying against , contrary , in opposition , etc., entering as a prefix into the composition of many English words. Cf. Counter , adv . & pref .
Contraband <Xpage=314>
Con"tra*band (?) , n. [It. contrabando ; contra + bando ban, proclamation: cf. F. contrebande . See Ban an edict.] 1. Illegal or prohobited traffic.
Persons the most bound in duty to prevent contraband , and the most interested in the seizures. Burke.
2. Goods or merchandise the importation or exportation of which is forbidden.
3. A negro slave, during the Civil War, escaped to, or was brought within, the Union lines. Such slave was considered contraband of war. [U.S.]
Contraband of war , that which, according to international law, cannot be supplied to a hostile belligerent except at the risk of seizure and condemnation by the aggrieved belligerent.
Wharton.
Contraband <Xpage=314>
Con"tra*band , a. Prohibited or excluded by law or treaty; forbidden; as, contraband goods, or trade .
The contraband will always keep pace, in some measure, with the fair trade. Burke.
Contraband <Xpage=314>
Con"tra*band , v. t. 1. To import illegaly, as prohibited goods; to smuggle. [Obs.]
Johnson.
2. To declare prohibited; to forbid. [Obs.]
The law severly contrabands Our taking business of men's hands. Hudibras.
Contrabandism <Xpage=314>
Con"tra*band*ism (?) , n. Traffic in contraband gods; smuggling.
Contrabandist <Xpage=314>
Con"tra*band`ist (?) , n. One who traffic illegaly; a smuggler.
Contrabass <Xpage=314>
Con`tra*bass" (?) , n. (Mus.) Double bass; -- applied to any instrument of the same deep range as the stringed double bass; as, the contrabass ophicleide; the cotrabass tuba or bombardon.
Contrabasso <Xpage=314>
Con`tra*bas"so (?) , n. [It. contrabasso .] (Mus.) The largest kind of bass viol. See Violone .
Contract <Xpage=314>
Con*tract" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p.p. Contracted ; p.pr. & vb.n. Contracting .] [L. contractus , p.p. of contrahere to contract; con- + trahere to draw: cf. F. contracter . See Trace , and cf. Contract , n. ] 1. To draw together or nearer; to reduce to a less compass; to shorten, narrow, or lesen; as, to contract one's shpere of action .
In all things desuetude doth contract and narrow our faculties. Dr. H. More.
2. To draw together so as to wrinkle; to knit.
Thou didst contract and purse thy brow. Shak.
3. To bring on; to incur; to acquire; as, to contract a habit; to contract a debt; to contract a disease.
Each from each contract new strength and light. Pope.
Such behavior we contract by having much conversed with persons of high stati<?/r. Swift.
4. To enter into, with mutual obligations; to make a bargain or covenant for.
We have contracted an inviolable amity, peace, and lague with the aforesaid queen. Hakluyt.
Many persons . . . had contracted marriage within the degrees of consanguinity . . . prohibited by law. Strype.
5. To betroth; to affiance.
The truth is, she and I, long since contracted , Are now so sure, that nothing can dissolve us. Shak.
6. (Gram.) To shorten by omitting a letter or letters or by reducing two or more vowels or syllables to one.
Syn. -- To shorten; abridge; epitomize; narrow; lessen; condense; reduce; confine; incur; assume.
Contract <Xpage=314>
Con*tract" (?) , v. i. 1. To be drawn together so as to be diminished in size or extent; to shrink; to be reduced in compass or in duration; as, iron contracts in cooling; a rope contracts when wet.
Years contracting to a moment. Wordsworth.
2. To make an agreement; to covenant; to agree; to bargain; as, to contract for carrying the mail .
Contract <Xpage=314>
Con"tract (?) , a. Contracted: as, a contract verb.
Goodwin.
Contract <Xpage=314>
Con*tract" (?) , a. [L. contractus , p.p.] Contracted; affianced; betrothed. [Obs.]
Shak.
Contract <Xpage=314>
Con"tract (?) , n. [L. contractus , fr. contrahere : cf. F. contrat , formerly also contract .] 1. (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 particular thing; a formal bargain; a compact; an interchange of legal rights.
Wharton.
2. A formal writing which contains the agreement of parties, with the terms and conditions, and which serves as a proof of the obligation.
3. The act of formally betrothing a man and woman.
This is the the night of the contract . Longwellow.
Syn. -- Covenant; agreement; compact; stipulation; bargain; arrangement; obligation. See Covenant .
Contracted <Xpage=314>
Con*tract"ed (?) , a. 1. Drawn together; shrunken; wrinkled; narrow; as, a contracted brow; a contracted noun.
2. Narrow; illiberal; selfish; as, a contracted mind; contracted views.
3. Bargained for; betrothed; as, a contracted peace .
Inquire me out contracted bachelors. Shak.
Contractedness <Xpage=314>
Con*tract"ed*ness , n. The state of being contracted; narrowness; meannes; selfishness.
Contractibility <Xpage=314>
Con*tract`i*bil"i*ty (?) , n. Capability of being contracted; quality of being contractible; as, the contractibiliy and dilatability of air .
Arbuthnot.
Contractible <Xpage=314>
Con*tract"i*ble (?) , a. Capable of contraction.
Small air bladders distable and contractible . Arbuthnot.
Contractibleness <Xpage=314>
Con*tract"i*ble*ness , n. Contractibility.
Contractile <Xpage=314>
Con*tract"ile (?) , a. [Cf. F. contractile .] tending to contract; having the power or property of contracting, or of shrinking into shorter or smaller dimensions; as, the contractile tissues .
The heart's contractile force. H. Brooke.
Each cilium seems to be composed of contractile substance. Hixley.
Contractile vacuole (Zo\'94l.) , a pulsating cavity in the interior of a protozoan, supposed to be excretory in function. There may be one, two, or more.
Contractility <Xpage=314>
Con`trac*til"i*ty (?) , n. 1. The quality or property by which bodies shrink or contract.
2. (Physiol.) The power possessed by the fibers of living muscle of contracting or shortening.
&hand; When subject to the will, as in the muscles of locomotion, such power is called voluntary contractility ; when not controlled by the will, as in the muscles of the heart, it is involuntary contractility .
Contraction <Xpage=314>
Con*trac"tion (?) , n. [L. contractio : cf. F. contraction .] 1. The act or process of contracting, shortening, or shrinking; the state of being contracted; as, contraction of the heart, of the pupil of the eye, or of a tendion; the contraction produced by cold.
2. (Math.) The process of shortening an operation.
3. The act of incurring or becoming subject to, as liabilities, obligation, debts, etc.; the process of becoming subject to; as, the contraction of a disease .
4. Something contracted or abbreviated, as a word or phrase; -- as, plenipo for plenipotentiary ; crim. con. for criminal conversation , etc.
5. (Gram.) The shortening of a word, or of two words, by the omission of a letter or letters, or by reducing two or more vowels or syllables to one; as, ne'er for never ; can't for can not ; don't for do not ; it's for it is .
6. A marriage contract. [Obs.]
Shak.
Contrative <Xpage=314>
Con*trat"ive (?) , a. Tending to contract; having the property or power or power of contracting.
Contractor <Xpage=314>
Con*tract"or (?) , n. [L.] One who contracts; one of the parties to a bargain; one who covenants to do anything for another; specifically, one who contracts to perform work on a rather large scale, at a certain price or rate, as in building houses or making a railroad.
Contracture <Xpage=314>
Con*trac"ture (?; 135) , n. [L. contractura a drawing together.] (Med.) A state of permanent rigidity or contraction of the muscles, generally of the flexor muscles.
Contradance <Xpage=314>
Con"tra*dance` (?) , n. [Pref. contra- + dance : cf. F. contrdance . Cf. Country-dance .] A dance in which the partners are arranged face to face, or in opposite lines.
Contradict <Xpage=314>
Con`tra*dict" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p.p. Contradicted ; p.pr. & vb.n Contradicting .] [L. contradictus , p.p. of contradicere to speak against; contra + dicere to speak. See Diction .] 1. To assert the contrary of; to oppose in words; to take issue with; to gainsay; to deny the truth of, as of a statement or a speaker; to impugn.
Dear Duff, I prithee, contradict thyself, And say it is not so. Shak.
The future can not contradict the past. Wordsworth.
2. To be contrary to; to oppose; to resist. [Obs.]
No truth can contradict another truth. Hooker.
A greater power than we can contradict Hath thwarted our intents. Shak.
Contradict <Xpage=314>
Con`tra*dict , v. i. To oppose in words; to gainsay; to deny, or assert the contrary of, something.
They . . . spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Acts xiii. 45.
Contradictable <Xpage=314>
Con`tra*dict"a*ble (?) , a. Capable of being contradicting.
Contradicter <Xpage=314>