Chapter 73

In our natural body every part has a nacassary sympathy with every other, and all together form, by their harmonious onspiration, a healthy whole. Sir W. Hamilton.

Con*spir"a*tor (?), n. One who engages in a conspiracy; a plotter. 2 Sam. xv. 31.

Con*spire" (k&obreve;n*spīr"), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Conspired (- spīrd"); p. pr. & vb. n. Conspiring.] [F. conspirer, L. conspirare to blow together, harmonize, agree, plot; con- + spirare to breathe, blow. See Spirit.] 1. To make an agreement, esp. a secret agreement, to do some act, as to commit treason or a crime, or to do some unlawful deed; to plot together.

They conspired against [Joseph] to slay him. Gen. xxxvii. 18.

You have conspired against our royal person, Joined with an enemy proclaimed. Shak.

2. To concur to one end; to agree.

The press, the pulpit, and the stage Conspire to censure and expose our age. Roscommon.

Syn. -- To unite; concur; complot; confederate; league.

Con*spire", v. t. To plot; to plan; to combine for.

Angry clouds conspire your overthrow. Bp. Hall.

Con*spir"er (?), n. One who conspires; a conspirator.

Con*spir"ing*ly, adv. In the manner of a conspirator; by conspiracy. Milton.

Con`spis*sa"tion (?), n. [L. conspissatio, fr. conspissare to make thick.] A making thick or viscous; thickness; inspissation. [R.] Dr. H. More.

Con*spur"cate (?), v. t. [L. conspurcatus, p. p. of conspurcare.] To pollute; to defile. [Obs.] Cockeram.

Con`spur*ca"tion (?), n. [L. conspurcare, -spuratum, to defile.] The act of defiling; defilement; pollution. Bp. Hall.

Con"sta*ble (kŭn"st&adot;*b'l), n. [OE. conestable, constable, a constable (in sense 1), OF. conestable, F. connÚtable, LL. conestabulus, constabularius, comes stabuli, orig., count of the stable, master of the horse, equerry; comes count (L. companion) + L. stabulum stable. See Count a nobleman, and Stable.] 1. A high officer in the monarchical establishments of the Middle Ages.

&fist; The constable of France was the first officer of the crown, and had the chief command of the army. It was also his duty to regulate all matters of chivalry. The office was suppressed in 1627. The constable, or lord high constable, of England, was one of the highest officers of the crown, commander in chief of the forces, and keeper of the peace of the nation. He also had judicial cognizance of many important matters. The office was as early as the Conquest, but has been disused (except on great and solemn occasions), since the attainder of Stafford, duke of Buckingham, in the reign of Henry VIII.

2. (Law) An officer of the peace having power as a conservator of the public peace, and bound to execute the warrants of judicial officers. Bouvier.

&fist; In England, at the present time, the constable is a conservator of the peace within his district, and is also charged by various statutes with other duties, such as serving summons, precepts, warrants, etc. In the United States, constables are town or city officers of the peace, with powers similar to those of the constables of England. In addition to their duties as conservators of the peace, they are invested with others by statute, such as to execute civil as well as criminal process in certain cases, to attend courts, keep juries, etc. In some cities, there are officers called high constables, who act as chiefs of the constabulary or police force. In other cities the title of constable, as well as the office, is merged in that of the police officer.

High constable, a constable having certain duties and powers within a hundred. [Eng.] -- Petty constable, a conservator of the peace within a parish or tithing; a tithingman. [Eng.] -- Special constable, a person appointed to act as constable of special occasions. -- To overrun, or outrun, the constable, to spend more than one's income; to get into debt. [Colloq.] Smollett.

Con"sta*bler*y (? or &?; ), n. [OF. conestablerie. Cf. Constabulary.] 1. The constabulary. [Obs.]

2. The district or jurisdiction of a constable. [Obs.]

Con"sta*bleship (?), n. The office or functions of a constable.

Con"sta*bless, n. The wife of a constable. [Obs.]

Con"sta*ble*wick` (?), n. [Constable + wick a village] The district to which a constable's power is limited. [Obs.] Sir M. Hale.

Con*stab"u*la*ry (?), a. [LL. constabularius an equerry. See Constable.] Of or pertaining to constables; consisting of constables.

Con*stab"u*la*ry, n. The collective body of constables in any town, district, or country.

Con*stab"u*la*to*ry (?), n. A constabulary. [Obs.] Bp. Burnet.

Con"stan*cy (?), n. [L. constantia: cf. F. constance. See Constant.] 1. The state or quality of being constant or steadfast; freedom from change; stability; fixedness; immutability; as, the constancy of God in his nature and attributes.

2. Fixedness or firmness of mind; persevering resolution; especially, firmness of mind under sufferings, steadiness in attachments, or perseverance in enterprise; stability; fidelity.

A fellow of plain uncoined constancy. Shak.

Constancy and contempt of danger. Prescott.

Syn. -- Fixedness; stability; firmness; steadiness; permanence; steadfastness; resolution. See Firmness.

Con"stant (?), a. [L. onstans, -antis, p. pr. of constare to stand firm, to be consistent; con- + stare to stand: cf. F. constant. See Stand and cf. Cost, v. t.] 1. Firm; solid; fixed; immovable; -- opposed to fluid. [Obs.]

If . . . you mix them, you may turn these two fluid liquors into a constant body. Boyle.

2. Not liable, or given, to change; permanent; regular; continuous; continually recurring; steadfast; faithful; not fickle.

Both loving one fair maid, they yet remained constant friends. Sir P. Sidney.

I am constant to my purposes. Shak.

His gifts, his constant courtship, nothing gained. Dryden.

Onward the constant current sweeps. Longfellow.

3. (Math. & Physics) Remaining unchanged or invariable, as a quantity, force, law, etc. Contrasted with variable.

4. Consistent; logical. [Obs.] Shak.

Syn. -- Fixed; steadfast; unchanging; permanent; unalterable; immutable; invariable; perpetual; continual; resolute; firm; unshaken; determined. -- Constant, Continual, Perpetual. These words are sometimes used in an absolute and sometimes in a qualified sense. Constant denotes, in its absolute sense, unchangeably fixed; as, a constant mind or purpose. In its qualified sense, it marks something as a "standing" fact or occurence; as, liable to constant interruptions; constantly called for. Continual, in its absolute sense, coincides with continuous. See Continuous. In its qualified sense, it describes a thing as occuring in steady and rapid succession; as, a round of continual calls; continually changing. Perpetual denotes, in its absolute sense, what literally never ceases or comes to an end; as, perpetual motion. In its qualified sense, it is used hyperbolically, and denotes that which rarely ceases; as, perpetual disturbance; perpetual noise; perpetual intermeddling.

Con"stant, n. 1. That which is not subject to change; that which is invariable.

2. (Math.) A quantity that does not change its value; -- used in countradistinction to variable.

Absolute constant (Math.), one whose value is absolutely the same under all circumstances, as the number 10, or any numeral. -- Arbitrary constant, an undetermined constant in a differential equation having the same value during all changes in the values of the variables.

Con*stan"ti*a (? or &?;), n. A superior wine, white and red, from Constantia, in Cape Colony.

Con"stant*ly (?), adv. With constancy; steadily; continually; perseveringly; without cessation; uniformly.

But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Acts. xii. 15.

||Con"stat (?), n. [L., it is evident.] (Law) A certificate showing what appears upon record touching a matter in question.

Con*state" (?), v. t. [F. constater; L. con- + stare to stand.] To ascertain; to verify; to establish; to prove. F. P. Cobbe.

Con"stel*late (? or &?;), v. i. [Pref. con- + L. stellatus, p. p. of stellare to cover with stars, stella star. See Stellate.] To join luster; to shine with united radiance, or one general light. [R.]

The several things which engage our affections . . . shine forth and constellate in God. Boule.

Con"stel*late, v. t. 1. To unite in one luster or radiance, as stars. [R.]

Whe know how to constellate these lights. Boyle.

2. To set or adorn with stars or constellations; as, constellated heavens. J. Barlow.

Con`stel*la"tion (?), n. [F. constellation, L. constellatio.] 1. A cluster or group of fixed stars, or division of the heavens, designated in most cases by the name of some animal, or of some mythologial personage, within whose imaginary outline, as traced upon the heavens, the group is included.

The constellations seem to have been almost purposely named and delineated to cause as much confusion and inconvenience as possible. Sir J. Herschel.

&fist; In each of the constellations now recognized by astronomers (about 90 in number) the brightest stars, both named and unnamed, are designated nearly in the order of brilliancy by the letters of the Greek alphabet; as, α Tauri (Aldebaran) is the first star of Taurus, γ Orionis (Bellatrix) is the third star of Orion.

2. An assemblage of splendors or excellences.

The constellations of genius had already begun to show itself . . . which was to shed a glory over the meridian and close of Philip's reign. Prescott.

3. Fortune; fate; destiny. [Obs.]

It is constellation, which causeth all that a man doeth. Gower.

Con`ster*na"tion (?), n. [L. consternatio, fr. consternare to overome, perplex, an accessory form of consternere to throw down, prostrate; con + sternere to spread out, throw down: cf. F. consternation. See Stratum.] Amazement or horror that confounds the faculties, and incapacitates for reflection; terror, combined with amazement; dismay.

The chiefs around, In silence wrapped, in consternation drowned. Attend the stern reply. Pope.

Syn. -- Alarm; fright; amazement; astonishment; surprise; panic; perturbation. See Alarm.

Con"sti*pate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Constipated; p. pr. & vb. n. Constipating.] [L. constipatus, p. p. of constipare; con- + stipare to crowd together. See Costive.] 1. To crowd or cram into a narrow compass; to press together or condense. [Obs.]

Of cold the property is to condense and constipate. Bacon.

2. To stop (a channel) by filling it, and preventing passage through it; as, to constipate the capillary vessels.

3. (Med.) To render costive; to cause constipation in.

Con`sti*pa"tion (?), n. [L. constipatio a crowding together: cf. F. constipation.] 1. Act of crowding anything into a less compass, or the state of being crowded or pressed together; condensation. [Obs.]

Fullness of matter, or a pretty close constipation . . . of its particles. Boyle.

2. A state of the bowels in which the evacuations are infrequent and difficult, or the intestines become filled with hardened fŠces; costiveness.

Con*stit"u*en*cy (?), n.; pl. Constituencies (&?;). A body of constituents, as the body of citizens or voters in a representative district.

Con*stit"u*ent (?), a. [L. constituens, -entis, p. pr. See Constitute.] 1. Serving to form, compose, or make up; elemental; component.

Body, soul, and reason are the three parts necessarily constituent of a man. Dryden.

2. Having the power of electing or appointing.

A question of right arises between the constituent and representative body. Junius.

Con*stit"u*ent, n. 1. The person or thing which constitutes, determines, or constructs.

Their first composure and origination require a higher and nobler constituent than chance. Sir M. Hale

2. That which constitutes or composes, as a part, or an essential part; a component; an element.

We know how to bring these constituents together, and to cause them to form water. Tyndall.

3. One for whom another acts; especially, one who is represented by another in a legislative assembly; -- correlative to representative.

The electors in the district of a representative in Congress, or in the legislature of a State, are termed his constituents. Abbot.

To appeal from the representatives to the constituents. Macaulay.

4. (Law) A person who appoints another to act for him as attorney in fact. Burrill.

Con"sti*tute (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Constituted; p. pr. & vb. n. Constituting.] [L. constitutus, p. p. of constiture to constitute; con- + statuere to place, set, fr. status station, fr. stare to stand. See Stand.] 1. To cause to stand; to establish; to enact.

Laws appointed and constituted by lawful authority. Jer. Taylor.

2. To make up; to compose; to form.

Truth and reason constitute that intellectual gold that defies destruction. Johnson.

3. To appoint, depute, or elect to an office; to make and empower.

Me didst Thou constitute a priest of thine. Wordsworth.

Constituted authorities, the officers of government, collectively, as of a nation, city, town, etc. Bartlett.

Con"sti*tute (?), n. An established law. [Obs.] T. Preston.

Con"sti*tu`ter (?), n. One who constitutes or appoints.

Con`sti*tu"tion (?), n. [F. constitution, L. constitute.] 1. The act or process of constituting; the action of enacting, establishing, or appointing; enactment; establishment; formation.

2. The state of being; that form of being, or structure and connection of parts, which constitutes and characterizes a system or body; natural condition; structure; texture; conformation.

The physical constitution of the sun. Sir J. Herschel.

3. The aggregate of all one's inherited physical qualities; the aggregate of the vital powers of an individual, with reference to ability to endure hardship, resist disease, etc.; as, a robust constitution.

Our constitutions have never been enfeebled by the vices or luxuries of the old world. Story.

4. The aggregate of mental qualities; temperament.

He defended himself with . . . less passion than was expected from his constitution. Clarendon.

5. The fundamental, organic law or principles of government of men, embodied in written documents, or implied in the institutions and usages of the country or society; also, a written instrument embodying such organic law, and laying down fundamental rules and principles for the conduct of affairs.

Our constitution had begun to exist in times when statesmen were not much accustomed to frame exact definitions. Macaulay.

&fist; In England the constitution is unwritten, and may be modified from time to time by act of Parliament. In the United States a constitution cannot ordinarily be modified, exept through such processes as the constitution itself ordains.

6. An authoritative ordinance, regulation or enactment; especially, one made by a Roman emperor, or one affecting ecclesiastical doctrine or discipline; as, the constitutions of Justinian.

The positive constitutions of our own churches. Hooker.

A constitution of Valentinian addressed to Olybrius, then prefect of Rome, for the regulation of the conduct of advocates. George Long.

Apostolic constitutions. See under Apostolic.

Con`sti*tu"tion*al (?), a. [f. F. constitutionnel.] 1. Belonging to, or inherent in, the constitution, or in the structure of body or mind; as, a constitutional infirmity; constitutional ardor or dullness.

2. In accordance with, or authorized by, the constitution of a state or a society; as, constitutional reforms.

3. Regulated by, dependent on, or secured by, a constitution; as, constitutional government; constitutional rights. Hallam.

4. Relating to a constitution, or establishment form of government; as, a constitutional risis.

The anient constitutional traditions of the state. Macaulay.

5. For the benefit or one's constitution or health; as, a constitutional walk. [Colloq.]

Constitutional law, law that relates to the constitution, as a permanent system of political and juridical government, as distinguished from statutory and common law, which relate to matters subordinate to such constitution.

Con`sti*tu"tion*al, n. A walk or other exercise taken for one's health or constitution. [Colloq.] Thackeray.

The men trudged diurnal constitutionals along the different roads. Compton Reade.

Con`sti*tu"tion*al*ism (?), n. The theory, principles, or authority of constitutional government; attachment or adherence to a constitution or constitutional government. Carlyle.

Con`sti*tu"tion*al*ist, n. One who advocates a constitutional form of government; a constitutionalist.

Con`sti*tu`tion*al"i*ty (?), n.; pl. -ties (#). [f. F. constitutionalitÚ.] 1. The quality or state of being constitutional, or inherent in the natural frame.

2. The state of being consistent with the constitution or frame of government, or of being authorized by its provisions. Burke.

Constitutionalities, bottomless cavilings and questionings about written laws. Carlyle.

Con`sti*tu"tion*al*ly (?), adv. 1. In accordance with the constitution or natural disposition of the mind or body; naturally; as, he was constitutionally timid.

The English were constitutionally humane. Hallam.

2. In accordance with the constitution or fundamental law; legally; as, he was not constitutionally appointed.

Nothing would indue them to acknowledge that [such] an assembly . . . was constitutionally a Parliament. Macaulay.

Con`sti*tu"tion*ist, n. One who adheres to the constitution of the country. Bolingbroke.

Con"sti*tu`tive (?), a. 1. Tending or assisting to constitute or compose; elemental; essential.

An ingredient and constitutive part of every virtue. Barrow.

2. Having power to enact, establish, or create; instituting; determining. Sir W. Hamilton.

Con"sti*tu`tive*ly, adv. In a constitutive manner.

Con*strain" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Constrained (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Constraining.] [OF. constraindre, F. contrainde, L. constringere; con- + stringere to draw tight. See Strain, and. cf. Constrict, Constringe.] 1. To secure by bonds; to chain; to bond or confine; to hold tightly; to constringe.

He binds in chains The drowsy prophet, and his limbs constrains. Dryden.

When winter frosts constrain the fields with cold. Dryden.

2. To bring into a narrow compass; to compress.

How the strait stays the slender waist constrain. Gay.

3. To hold back by force; to restrain; to repress.

My sire in caves constrains the winds. Dryden.

4. To compel; to force; to necessitate; to oblige.

The love of Christ constraineth us. 2. Cor. v. 14.

I was constrained to appeal unto CŠsar. Acts xxviii. 19.

5. To violate; to ravish. [Obs.] Shak.

6. To produce in such a manner as to give an unnatural effect; as, a constrained voice.

Syn. -- To compel; force; drive; impel; urge; press.

Con*strain"a*ble (?), a. [Cf. OF. constraignable, F. contraignable.] Capable of being constrained; liable to constraint, or to restraint. Hooker.

Con*strained" (?), a. Marked by constraint; not free; not voluntary; embarrassed; as, a constrained manner; a constrained tone.

Con*strain"ed*ly (?), adv. By constraint or compulsion; in a constrained manner. Hooker.

Con*strain"er (?), n. One who constrains.

Con*straint" (?), n. [OF. constrainte, F. constrainte.] The act of constraining, or the state of being constrained; that which compels to, or restrains from, action; compulsion; restraint; necessity.

Long imprisonment and hard constraint. Spenser.

Not by constraint, but by my choice, I came. Dryden.

Syn. -- Compulsion; violence; necessity; urgency. -- Constraint, Compulsion. Constraint implies strong binding force; as, the constraint of necessity; the constraint of fear. Compulsion implies the exertion of some urgent impelling force; as, driven by compulsion. The former prevents us from acting agreeably to our wishes; the latter forces us to act contrary to our will. Compulsion is always produced by some active agent; a constraint may be laid upon us by the forms of civil society, or by other outward circumstances. Crabb.

Con*straint"ive (?), a. Constraining; compulsory. [R.] "Any constraintive vow." R. Carew.

Con*strict" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Constricted; p. pr. & vb. n. Constricting.] [L. constrictus, p. p. of constringere. See Constrain.] To draw together; to render narrower or smaller; to bind; to cramp; to contract or cause to shrink.

Such things as constrict the fibers. Arbuthnot.

Membranous organs inclosing a cavity which their contraction serves to constrict. Todd & Bowman.

Con*strict"ed, a. 1. Drawn together; bound; contracted; cramped.

2. (Bot.) Contracted or compressed so as to be smaller in certain places or parts than in others.

Con*stric"tion (?), n. [L. constrictio: cf. F. constriction.] 1. The act of constricting by means of some inherent power or by movement or change in the thing itself, as distinguished from compression.

2. The state of being constricted; the point where a thing is constricted; a narrowing or binding.

A constriction of the parts inservient to speech. Grew.

Con*strict"ive (?), a. Serving or tending to bind or constrict.

Con*strict"or (?), n. 1. That which constricts, draws together, or contracts.

2. (Anat.) A muscle which contracts or closes an orifice, or which compresses an organ; a sphincter.

3. (Zo÷l.) A serpent that kills its prey by inclosing and crushing it with its folds; as, the boa constrictor.

Con*stringe" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Constringed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Constringing.] [L. constringere. See onstrain.] To dawn together; to contract; to force to contract itself; to constrict; to cause to shrink. [R.]

Strong liquors . . . intoxicate, constringe, harden the fibers, and coagulate the fluids. Arbuthnot.

Con*strin"gent (?), a. [L. constringens, p. pr.] Having the quality of contracting, binding, or compressing. Thomson.

Con*struct" (k&obreve;n*strŭkt"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Constructed; p. pr. & vb. n. Constructing.] [L. constructus, p. p. of construere to bring together, to construct; con- + struere to pile up, set in order. See Structure, and cf. Construe.] 1. To put together the constituent parts of (something) in their proper place and order; to build; to form; to make; as, to construct an edifice.

2. To devise; to invent; to set in order; to arrange; as, to construct a theory of ethics.

Syn. -- To build; erect; form; compile; make; fabricate; originate; invent.

Con"struct (?), a. Formed by, or relating to, construction, interpretation, or inference.

Construct form or state (Heb. Gram.), that of a noun used before another which has the genitive relation to it.

Con*struct"er (?), n. One who, or that which, constructs or frames.

Con*struc"tion (?), n. [L. constructio: cf. F. construction.] 1. The process or art of constructing; the act of building; erection; the act of devising and forming; fabrication; composition.

2. The form or manner of building or putting together the parts of anything; structure; arrangement.

An astrolabe of peculiar construction. Whewell.

3. (Gram.) The arrangement and connection of words in a sentence; syntactical arrangement.

Some particles . . . in certain constructions have the sense of a whole sentence contained in them. Locke.

4. The method of construing, interpreting, or explaining a declaration or fact; an attributed sense or meaning; understanding; explanation; interpretation; sense.

Any person . . . might, by the sort of construction that would be put on this act, become liable to the penalties of treason. Hallam.

Strictly, the term [construction] signifies determining the meaning and proper effect of language by a consideration of the subject matter and attendant circumstances in connection with the words employed. Abbott.

Interpretation properly precedes construction, but it does not go beyond the written text. Parsons.