Chapter 76

2. Of or pertaining to the main land of Europe, in distinction from the adjacent islands, especially England; as, a continental tour; a continental coalition. Macaulay.

No former king had involved himself so frequently in the labyrinth of continental alliances. Hallam.

3. (Amer. Hist.) Of or pertaining to the confederated colonies collectively, in the time of the Revolutionary War; as, Continental money.

The army before Boston was designated as the Continental army, in contradistinction to that under General Gage, which was called the "Ministerial army." W. Irving.

Continental Congress. See under Congress. -- Continental system (Hist.), the blockade of Great Britain ordered by Napoleon by the decree of Berlin, Nov. 21, 1806; the object being to strike a blow at the maritime and commercial supremacy of Great Britain, by cutting her off from all intercourse with the continent of Europe.

Con`ti*nen"tal (?), n. (Amer. Hist.) A soldier in the Continental army, or a piece of the Continental currency. See Continental, a., 3.

Con"ti*nent*ly (?), adv. In a continent manner; chastely; moderately; temperately.

Con*tin"gence (?), n. See Contingency.

Con*tin"gen*cy (?), n.; pl. Contingencies (#). [Cf. F. contingence.] 1. Union or connection; the state of touching or contact. "Point of contingency." J. Gregory.

2. The quality or state 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.

3. An event which may or may not occur; that which is possible or probable; a fortuitous event; a chance.

The remarkable position of the queen rendering her death a most important contingency. Hallam.

4. An adjunct or accessory. Wordsworth.

5. (Law) A certain possible event that may or may not happen, by which, when happening, some particular title may be affected.

Syn. -- Casualty; accident; chance.

Con*tin"gent (?), a. [L. contingens, -entis, p. pr. of contingere to touch on all sides, to happen; con- + tangere to touch: cf. F. contingent. See Tangent, Tact.] 1. Possible, or liable, but not certain, to occur; incidental; casual.

Weighing so much actual crime against so much contingent advantage. Burke.

2. Dependent on that which is undetermined or unknown; as, the success of his undertaking is contingent upon events which he can not control. "Uncertain and contingent causes." Tillotson.

3. (Law) Dependent for effect on something that may or may not occur; as, a contingent estate.

If a contingent legacy be left to any one when he attains, or if he attains, the age of twenty-one. Blackstone.

Con*tin"gent, n. 1. An event which may or may not happen; that which is unforeseen, undetermined, or dependent on something future; a contingency.

His understanding could almost pierce into future contingents. South.

2. That which falls to one in a division or apportionment among a number; a suitable share; proportion; esp., a quota of troops.

From the Alps to the border of Flanders, contingents were required . . . 200,000 men were in arms. Milman.

Con*tin"gent*ly, adv. In a contingent manner; without design or foresight; accidentally.

Con*tin"gent*ness, n. The state of being contingent; fortuitousness.

Con*tin"u*a*ble (?), a. Capable of being continued [R.]

Con*tin"u*al (?), a. [OE. continuel, F. continuel. See Continue.] 1. Proceeding without interruption or cesstaion; continuous; unceasing; lasting; abiding.

He that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast. Prov. xv. 15.

2. Occuring in steady and rapid succession; very frequent; often repeated.

The eye is deligh by a continental succession of small landscapes. W. Irwing.

Continual proportionals (Math.), quantities in continued proportion. Brande & C.

Syn. -- Constant; prepetual; incessant; unceasing; uninterrupted; unintermitted; continuous. See Constant, and Continuous.

Con*tin"u*al*ly, adv. 1. Without cessation; unceasingly; continuously; as, the current flows continually.

Why do not all animals continually increase in bigness? Bentley.

2. In regular or repeated succession; very often.

Thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. 2 Sam. ix. 7.

Con*tin"u*ance (?), n. [OF. continuance.] 1. A holding on, or remaining in a particular state; permanence, as of condition, habits, abode, etc.; perseverance; constancy; duration; stay.

Great plagues, and of long continuance. Deut. xxviii. 59.

Patient continuance in well-doing. Rom. ii. 7.

2. Uninterrupted succession; continuation; constant renewal; perpetuation; propagation.

The brute immediately regards his own preservation or the continuance of his species. Addison.

3. A holding together; continuity. [Obs.] Bacon.

4. (Law) (a) The adjournment of the proceedings in a cause from one day, or from one stated term of a court, to another. (b) The entry of such adjournment and the grounds thereof on the record.

Con*tin"u*ant (?), a. Continuing; prolonged; sustained; as, a continuant sound. -- n. A continuant sound; a letter whose sound may be prolonged.

Con*tin"u*ate (?), a. [L. continuatus, p. p. See Continue.] 1. Immediately united together; intimately connected. [R.]

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; continual; continued.

An untirable and continuate goodness. Shak.

Con*tin`u*a"tion (?), n. [L. continuatio: cf. F. connuation.] 1. That act or state of continuing; the state of being continued; uninterrupted extension or succession; prolongation; propagation.

Preventing the continuation of the royal line. Macaulay.

2. That which extends, increases, supplements, or carries on; as, the continuation of a story.

My continuation of the version of Statius. Pope.

Con*tin"u*a*tive (?), n. [Cf. F. continuatif.] 1. (Logic) A term or expression denoting continuance. [R.]

To these may be added continuatives; as, Rome remains to this day; which includes, at least, two propositions, viz., Rome was, and Rome is. I. Watts.

2. (Gram.) A word that continues the connection of sentences or subjects; a connective; a conjunction.

Continuatives . . . consolidate sentences into one continuous whole. Harris.

Con*tin"u*a`tor (?), n. [Cf. F. continuateur.] One who, or that which, continues; esp., one who continues a series or a work; a continuer. Sir T. Browne.

Con*tin"ue (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Continued (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Continuing.] [F. continuer, L. continuare, -tinuatum, to connect, continue, fr. continuus. See Continuous, and cf. Continuate.] 1. To remain in a given place or condition; to remain in connection with; 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.

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.

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 accustomed 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 frail 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.

Con*tin"ued (?), p. p. & a. Having extension of time, space, order of events, exertion of energy, etc.; extended; protracted; 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 following one; as, 4 : 8 : 8 : 16 :: 16 : 32.

Con*tin"u*ed*ly (? or &?;), adv. Continuously.

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.

Con`ti*nu"i*ty (?), n.; pl. Continuities (#). [L. continuitas: cf. F. continuitÚ. See Continuous.] the state of being continuous; uninterrupted 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.

||Con*ti"nu*o (? or &?;), n. [It.] (Mus.) Basso continuo, or continued bass.

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.

Con*tin"u*ous*ly (?), adv. In a continuous maner; without interruption. -- Con*tin"u*ous*ness, n.

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.

{ 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.

Con*tor"sion (?), n. See Contortion.

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.

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 Šstivation.

Con*tor"tion (k&obreve;n*t˘"shŭn), 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.

Con*tor"tion*ist, n. One who makes or practices contortions.

Con*tor"tive (?), a. Expressing contortion.

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.

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÷l.), 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.

||Con`tour`nÚ' (?), 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.

Con*tour"ni*a`ted (?), a. [Cf. Contorniate.] (Numis.) Having furrowed edges, as if turned in a lathe.

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.

Con"tra*band (?), n. [It. contrabando; contra + bando ban, proclamation: cf. F. contrebande. See Ban an edict.] 1. Illegal or prohibited 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.

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.

Con"tra*band, v. t. 1. To import illegally, 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.

Con"tra*band*ism (-&ibreve;z'm), n. Traffic in contraband goods; smuggling.

Con"tra*band`ist (?), n. One who traffics illegally; a smuggler.

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 contrabass tuba or bombardon.

Con`tra*bas"so (?), n. [It. contrabasso.] (Mus.) The largest kind of bass viol. See Violone.

Con*tract" (k&obreve;n*trăkt"), 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 lessen; as, to contract one's sphere 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 station. 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.

Con*tract" (k&obreve;n*trăkt"), 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.

Con"tract (k&obreve;n"trăkt), a. Contracted; as, a contract verb. Goodwin.

Con*tract" (k&obreve;n*trăkt"), a. [L. contractus, p. p.] Contracted; affianced; betrothed. [Obs.] Shak.

Con"tract (k&obreve;n"trăkt), 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.

Con*tract"ed (k&obreve;n*trăkt"&ebreve;d), 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.

Con*tract"ed*ness, n. The state of being contracted; narrowness; meanness; selfishness.

Con*tract`i*bil"i*ty (?), n. Capability of being contracted; quality of being contractible; as, the contractibility and dilatability of air. Arbuthnot.

Con*tract"i*ble (?), a. Capable of contraction.

Small air bladders distable and contractible. Arbuthnot.

Con*tract"i*ble*ness, n. Contractibility.

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÷l.), a pulsating cavity in the interior of a protozoan, supposed to be excretory in function. There may be one, two, or more.

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.

&fist; 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.

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 tendon; 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.

Con*tract"ive (?), a. Tending to contract; having the property or power or power of contracting.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Con`tra*dict"a*ble (?), a. Capable of being contradicted.

Con`tra*dict"er (?), n. one who contradicts. Swift.

Con`tra*dic"tion (?), n. [L. contradictio answer, objection: cf. F. contradiction.] 1. An assertion of the contrary to what has been said or affirmed; denial of the truth of a statement or assertion; contrary declaration; gainsaying.

His fair demands Shall be accomplished without contradiction. Shak.

2. Direct opposition or repugnancy; inconsistency; incongruity or contrariety; one who, or that which, is inconsistent.

can he make deathless death? That were to make Strange contradiction. Milton.

We state our experience and then we come to a manly resolution of acting in contradiction to it. Burke.

Both parts of a contradiction can not possibly be true. Hobbes.

Of contradictions infinite the slave. Wordsworth.

Principle of contradiction (Logic), the axiom or law of thought that a thing cannot be and not be at the same time, or a thing must either be or not be, or the same attribute can not at the same time be affirmed and and denied of the same subject. It develops itself in three specific forms which have been called the "Three Logical Axioms." First, "A is A." Second, "A is not Not-A" Third, "Everything is either A or Not-A."

Con`tra*dic"tion*al (?), a. Contradictory; inconsistent; opposing. [R.] Milton.

Con`tra*dic"tious (?), a. 1. Filled with contradictions; inconsistent. [Obs.]