Chapter 78

Humble folk ben Christes friends: they ben contubernial with the Lord, thy King. Chaucer.

Con`tu*ma"cious (?), a. [L. contumax, -acis. See Contumacy.] 1. Exhibiting contumacy; contemning authority; obstinate; perverse; stubborn; disobedient.

There is another very, efficacious method for subding the most obstinate, contumacious sinner. Hammond.

2. (Law) Willfully disobedient to the summous or prders of a court. Blackstone.

Syn. -- Stubborn; obstinate; obdurate; disobedient; perverse; unyielding; headstrong.

-- Con`tu*ma"cious*ly, adv. -- Con`tu*ma"cious*ness, n.

Con"tu*ma*cy (?), n.; pl. Contumacies (#). [L. contumacia, fr. contumax, -acis, insolent; prob. akin to contemnere to despise: cf. F. contumace. Cf. Contemn.] 1. Stubborn perverseness; pertinacious resistance to authority.

The bishop commanded him . . . to be thrust into the stocks for his manifest and manifold contumacy. Strype.

2. (Law) A willful contempt of, and disobedience to, any lawful summons, or to the rules and orders of court, as a refusal to appear in court when legally summoned.

Syn. -- Stubbornness; perverseness; obstinacy.

Con`tu*me"li*ous (?or ?; 106), a. [L. contumeliosus.] 1. Exhibiting contumely; rudely contemptuous; insolent; disdainful.

Scoffs, and scorns, and contumelious taunts. Shak.

Curving a contumelious lip. Tennyson.

2. Shameful; disgraceful. [Obs.] Dr. H. More.

-- Con`tu*me"li*ous*ly, adv. -- Con`tu*me"li*ous*ness, n.

Con"tu*me*ly (?), n. [L. contumelia, prob. akin to contemnere to despise: cf. OF. contumelie. Cf. Contumacy.] Rudeness compounded of haughtiness and contempt; scornful insolence; despiteful treatment; disdain; contemptuousness in act or speech; disgrace.

The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely. Shak.

Nothing aggravates tyranny so much as contumely. Burke.

Con*tuse" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Contused (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Contusing.] [L. contusus, p. p. of contundere to beat, crush; con- + tundere to beat, akin to Skr. tud (for stud) to strike, Goth. stautan. See Stutter.] 1. To beat, pound, or bray together.

Roots, barks, and seeds contused together. Bacon.

2. To bruise; to injure or disorganize a part without breaking the skin.

Contused wound, a wound attended with bruising.

Con*tu"sion (?), n. [L. contusio: cf. F. contusion.] 1. The act or process of beating, bruising, or pounding; the state of being beaten or bruised.

2. (Med.) A bruise; an injury attended with more or less disorganization of the subcutaneous tissue and effusion of blood beneath the skin, but without apparent wound.

Co*nun"drum (?), n. [Origin unknown.] 1. A kind of riddle based upon some fanciful or fantastic resemblance between things quite unlike; a puzzling question, of which the answer is or involves a pun.

Or pun ambiguous, or conundrum quaint. J. Philips.

2. A question to which only a conjectural answer can be made.

Do you think life is long enough to let me speculate on conundrums like that? W. Black.

Co*nure" (?), n. [NL. conurus, fr. Gr. &?; a cone + &?; tail. The name alludes to the tapering tail.] (Zo÷l.) An American parrakeet of the genus Conurus. Many species are known. See Parrakeet.

||Co"nus (?), n. [L., a cone.] 1. A cone.

2. (Zo÷l.) A Linnean genus of mollusks having a conical shell. See Cone, n., 4.

Con"u*sa*ble (?), a. Cognizable; liable to be tried or judged. [Obs.] Bp. Barlow.

Con"u*sant (?), a. (Law) See Cognizant.

Con`u*sor" (?), n. (Law) See Cognizor.

Con`va*lesce" (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Convalesced (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Convalescing.] [L. convalscere; con- + valescere to grow strong, v. incho. of valere to be strong. See Vallant.] To recover health and strength gradually, after sickness or weakness; as, a patient begins to convalesce.

Con`va*lesced" (?), a. Convalescent. [R.]

He found the queen somewhat convalesced. J. Knox.

{ Con`va*les"cence (?), Con`va*les"cen*cy (?) }, n. [L. convalescentia: cf. F. convalescence.] The recovery of heath and strength after disease; the state of a body renewing its vigor after sickness or weakness; the time between the subsidence of a disease and complete restoration to health.

Con`va*les"cent (?), a. [L. convalescens, -entis, p. pr.: cf. F. convalescent.] 1. Recovering from sickness or debility; partially restored to health or strength.

2. Of or pertaining to convalescence.

Con`va*les"cent, n. One recovering from sickness.

Con`va*les"cent*ly, adv. In the manner of a convalescent; with increasing strength or vigor.

Con*val"la*ma`rin (?), n. [Convallaria + L. amarus bitter.] (Chem.) A white, crystalline, poisonous substance, regarded as a glucoside, extracted from the lily of the valley (Convallaria Majalis). Its taste is first bitter, then sweet.

||Con`val*la"ri*a (?), n. [NL., from L. convallis a valley; con- + vallis valley.] (Bot. & Med.) The lily of the valley.

Con`val*la"rin (?), n. (Chem.) A white, crystalline glucoside, of an irritating taste, extracted from the convallaria or lily of the valley.

Con*vec"tion (?), n. [L. convectio, fr. convehere to bring together; con- + vehere to carry.] 1. The act or process of conveying or transmitting.

2. (Physics) A process of transfer or transmission, as of heat or electricity, by means of currents in liquids or gases, resulting from changes of temperature and other causes.

Liquids are generally heated by convection -- when heat is applied from bellow. Nichol.

Con*vec"tive (?), a. Caused or accomplished by convection; as, a convective discharge of electricity. Faraday.

Con*vec"tive*ly, adv. In a convective manner. Hare.

Con*vel"lent (?), a. [L. convellens, p. pr. of convellere. See Convulse.] Tending to tear or pull up. [Obs.]

The ends of the fragment . . . will not yield to the convellent force. Todd & Bowman.

Con*ven"a*ble (?), a. Capable of being convened or assembled.

Con"ve*na*ble (?), a. [F. convenable, fr. convenir. See Convene.] Consistent; accordant; suitable; proper; as, convenable remedies. [Obs.]

With his wod his work is convenable. Spenser.

Con"ve*nance (?), n. [F., fitness, suitableness.] That which is suitable, agreeable, or convenient.

And they missed Their wonted convenance, cheerly hid the loss. Emerson.

Con*vene" (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Convened (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Convenong.] [L. convenire; con- + venire to come: cf. F. convenir to agree, to be fitting, OF. also, to assemble. See Come, and cf. Covenant.] 1. To come together; to meet; to unite. [R.]

In shortsighted men . . . the rays converge and convene in the eyes before they come at the bottom. Sir I. Newton.

2. To come together, as in one body or for a public purpose; to meet; to assemble. Locke.

The Parliament of Scotland now convened. Sir R. Baker.

Faint, underneath, the household fowls convene. Thomson.

Syn. -- To meet; to assemble; to congregate; to collect; to unite.

Con*vene", v. t. 1. To cause to assemble; to call together; to convoke.

And now the almighty father of the gods Convenes a council in the blest abodes. Pope.

2. To summon judicially to meet or appear.

By the papal canon law, clerks . . . can not be convened before any but an ecclesiastical judge. Ayliffe.

Con*ven"er (?), n. 1. One who convenes or meets with others. [Obs.]

2. One who calls an assembly together or convenes a meeting; hence, the chairman of a committee or other organized body. [Scot.]

{ Con*ven"ience (?; 106), Con*ven"ien*cy (?) }, n. [L. convenientia agreement, fitness. See Convenient.] 1. The state or quality of being convenient; fitness or suitableness, as of place, time, etc.; propriety.

Let's further think of this; Weigh what convenience both of time and means May fit us to our shape. Shak.

With all brief and plain conveniency, Let me have judgment. Shak.

2. Freedom from discomfort, difficulty, or trouble; commodiousness; ease; accommodation.

Thus necessity invented stools, Convenience next suggested elbow chairs. Cowper.

We are rather intent upon the end of God's glory than our own conveniency. Jer. Taylor.

3. That which is convenient; that which promotes comfort or advantage; that which is suited to one's wants; an accommodation.

A pair of spectacles and several other little conveniences. Swift.

4. A convenient or fit time; opportunity; as, to do something at one's convenience.

Con*ven"ient (?; 277), a. [L. conveniens, -entis, suitable, p. pr. of convenire to be suitable, to come. See Convene, v. i.] 1. Fit or adapted; suitable; proper; becoming; appropriate. [Archaic]

Feed me with food convenient for me. Prov. xxx. 8.

Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient. Eph. v. 4.

2. Affording accommodation or advantage; well adapted to use; handly; as, a convenient house; convenient implements or tools.

3. Seasonable; timely; opportune; as, a convenient occasion; a convenient season. Acts xxiv. 25.

4. Near at hand; easy of access. [Colloq.]

Hereties used to be brought thither, convenient for burning. Thackeray.

Syn. -- Fit; suitable; proper; adapted; fitted; suited; handly; commodious.

Con*ven"ient*ly, adv. In a convenient manner, form, or situation; without difficulty.

Con"vent (?), n. [L. conventus a meeting, LL. also, a convent. See Convene, v. i.] 1. A coming together; a meeting. [Obs.]

A usual ceremony at their [the witches] convents or meetings. B. Jonson.

2. An association or community of recluses devoted to a religious life; a body of monks or nuns.

One of our convent, and his [the duke's] confessor. Shak.

3. A house occupied by a community of religious recluses; a monastery or nunnery.

One seldom finds in Italy a spot of ground more agreeable than ordinary that is not covered with a convent. Addison.

Syn. -- Nunnery; monastery; abbey. See Cloister.

Con*vent" (?), v. i. [L. conventus, p. p. of convenire. See Convene, v. i.] 1. To meet together; to concur. [obs.] Beau. & Fl.

2. To be convenient; to serve. [Obs.]

When that is known and golden time convents. Shak.

Con*vent" (?), v. t. To call before a judge or judicature; to summon; to convene. [Obs.] Shak.

Con*vent"ic*al (?), a. Of or from, or pertaining to, a convent. "Conventical wages." Sterne.

Conventical prior. See Prior.

Con*ven"ti*cle (?), n. [L. conventiculum, dim. of conventus: cf. F. conventicule. See Convent, n.] 1. A small assembly or gathering; esp., a secret assembly.

They are commanded to abstain from all conventicles of men whatsoever. Ayliffe.

2. An assembly for religious worship; esp., such an assembly held privately, as in times of persecution, by Nonconformists or Dissenters in England, or by Covenanters in Scotland; -- often used opprobriously, as if those assembled were heretics or schismatics.

The first Christians could never have had recourse to nocturnal or clandestine conventicles till driven to them by the violence of persecution. Hammond.

A sort of men who . . . attend its [the curch of England's] service in the morning, and go with their wives to a conventicle in the afternoon. Swift.

Con*ven"ti*cler (?), n. One who supports or frequents conventicles. Dryden.

Con*ven"ti*cling (?), a. Belonging or going to, or resembling, a conventicle. [Obs.]

Conventicling schools . . . set up and taught secretly by fanatics. South.

Con*ven"tion (?), n. [L. conventio: cf. F. convention. See Convene, v. i.] 1. The act of coming together; the state of being together; union; coalition.

The conventions or associations of several particles of matter into bodies of any certain denomination. Boyle.

2. General agreement or concurrence; arbitrary custom; usage; conventionality.

There are thousands now Such women, but convention beats them down. Tennyson.

3. A meeting or an assembly of persons, esp. of delegates or representatives, to accomplish some specific object, -- civil, social, political, or ecclesiastical.

He set himself to the making of good laws in a grand convention of his nobles. Sir R. Baker.

A convention of delegates from all the States, to meet in Philadelphia, for the sole and express purpose of reserving the federal system, and correcting its defects. W. Irving.

4. (Eng. Hist) An extraordinary assembly of the parkiament or estates of the realm, held without the king's writ, -- as the assembly which restored Charles II. to the throne, and that which declared the throne to be abdicated by James II.

Our gratitude is due . . . to the Long Parliament, to the Convention, and to William of Orange. Macaulay.

5. An agreement or contract less formal than, or preliminary to, a treaty; an informal compact, as between commanders of armies in respect to suspension of hostilities, or between states; also, a formal agreement between governments or sovereign powers; as, a postal convention between two governments.

This convention, I think from my soul, is nothing but a stipulation for national ignominy; a truce without a suspension of hostilities. Ld. Chatham.

The convention with the State of Georgia has been ratified by their Legislature. T. Jefferson.

Con*ven"tion*al (?), a. [L. conventionalis: cf. F. conventionnel.] 1. Formed by agreement or compact; stipulated.

Conventional services reserved by tenures upon grants, made out of the crown or knights' service. Sir M. Hale.

2. Growing out of, or depending on, custom or tacit agreement; sanctioned by general concurrence or usage; formal. "Conventional decorum." Whewell.

The conventional language appropriated to monarchs. Motley.

The ordinary salutations, and other points of social behavior, are conventional. Latham.

3. (Fine Arts) (a) Based upon tradition, whether religious and historical or of artistic rules. (b) Abstracted; removed from close representation of nature by the deliberate selection of what is to be represented and what is to be rejected; as, a conventional flower; a conventional shell. Cf. Conventionalize, v. t.

Con*ven"tion*al*ism (?), n. 1. That which is received or established by convention or arbitrary agreement; that which is in accordance with the fashion, tradition, or usage.

All the artifice and conventionalism of life. Hawthorne.

They gaze on all with dead, dim eyes, -- wrapped in conventionalisms, . . . simulating feelings according to a received standard. F. W. Robertson.

2. (Fine Arts) The principles or practice of conventionalizing. See Conventionalize, v. t.

Con*ven"tion*al*ist, n. 1. One who adheres to a convention or treaty.

2. One who is governed by conventionalism.

Con*ven`tion*al"i*ty (?), n.; pl. Conventionalities (&?;). The state of being conventional; adherence to social formalities or usages; that which is established by conventional use; one of the customary usages of social life.

Con*ven`tion*al*i*za"tion (?), n. (Fine Arts) (a) The act of making conventional. (b) The state of being conventional.

Con*ven"tion*al*ize (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Conventionalized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Conventionalizing.] 1. To make conventional; to bring under the influence of, or cause to conform to, conventional rules; to establish by usage.

2. (Fine Arts) (a) To represent by selecting the important features and those which are expressible in the medium employed, and omitting the others. (b) To represent according to an established principle, whether religious or traditional, or based upon certain artistic rules of supposed importance.

Con*ven"tion*al*ize (?), v. i. (Fine Arts) To make designs in art, according to conventional principles. Cf. Conventionalize, v. t., 2.

Con*ven"tion*al*ly, adv. In a conventional manner.

Con*ven"tion*a*ry (?), a. Acting under contract; settled by express agreement; as, conventionary tenants. [Obs.] R. Carew.

Con*ven"tion*er (?), n. One who belongs to a convention or assembly.

Con*ven"tion*ist (?), n. One who enters into a convention, covenant, or contract.

Con*ven"tu*al (?; 135), a. [LL. conventualis: cf. F. conventuel.] Of or pertaining to a convent; monastic. "A conventual garb." Macaulay.

Conventual church, a church attached or belonging to a convent or monastery. Wordsworth.

Con*ven"tu*al, n. One who lives in a convent; a monk or nun; a recluse. Addison.

Con*verge" (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Converged (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Converging (?).] [Pref. con- + L. vergere to turn, incline; cf. F. converger. See Verge, v. i.] To tend to one point; to incline and approach nearer together; as, lines converge.

The mountains converge into a single ridge. Jefferson.

Con*verge", v. t. To cause to tend to one point; to cause to incline and approach nearer together.

I converge its rays to a focus of dazzling brilliancy. Tyndall.

{ Con*ver"gence (?), Con*ver"gen*cy (?) }, n. [Cf. F. convergence.] The condition or quality of converging; tendency to one point.

The convergence or divergence of the rays falling on the pupil. Berkeley.

Con*ver"gent (?), a. [Cf. F. convergent.] tending to one point of focus; tending to approach each other; converging.

As many rays of light, as conveniently can be let in, and made convergent. Boyle.

The vast dome of its cathedral . . . directing its convergent curves to heaven. Hallam.

Con*ver"ging (?), a. Tending to one point; approaching each other; convergent; as, converging lines. Whewell.

Converging rays(Opt.), rays of light, which, proceeding from different points of an object, tend toward a single point. -- Converging series (Math.), a series in which if an indefinitely great number of terms be taken, their sum will become indefinitely near in value to a fixed quantity, which is called the sum of the series; -- opposed to a diverging series.

Con*vers"a*ble (?), a. [Cf. F. conversable.] Qualified for conversation; disposed to converse; sociable; free in discourse.

While young, humane, conversable, and kind. Cowper.

Con*vers"a*ble*ness, n. The quality of being conversable; disposition to converse; sociability.

Con*vers"a*bly, adv. In a conversable manner.

Con"ver*sance (?), n. The state or quality of being conversant; habit of familiarity; familiar acquaintance; intimacy. [R.]

Con"ver*san*cy (?), n. Conversance [R.]

Con"ver*sant (?), a. [L. conversans, p. pr. of conversari: cf. F. conversant.] 1. Having frequent or customary intercourse; familiary associated; intimately acquainted.

I have been conversant with the first persons of the age. Dryden.

2. Familiar or acquainted by use or study; well-informed; versed; -- generally used with with, sometimes with in.

Deeply conversant in the Platonic philosophy. Dryden.

he uses the different dialects as one who had been conversant with them all. Pope.

Conversant only with the ways of men. Cowper.

3. Concerned; occupied.

Education . . . is conversant about children. W. Wotton.

Con*vers"ant (?), n. One who converses with another; a convenser. [R.]

Con"ver*sant*ly (?), adv. In a familiar manner.

Con`ver*sa"tion (?), n. [OE. conversacio (in senses 1 & 2), OF. conversacion, F. conversation, fr. L. conversatio frequent abode in a place, intercourse, LL. also, manner of life.] 1. General course of conduct; behavior. [Archaic]

Let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel. Philip. i. 27.

2. Familiar intercourse; intimate fellowship or association; close acquaintance. "Conversation with the best company." Dryden.

I set down, out of long experience in business and much conversation in books, what I thought pertinent to this business. Bacon.

3. Commerce; intercourse; traffic. [Obs.]

All traffic and mutual conversation. Hakluyt.

4. Colloquial discourse; oral interchange of sentiments and observations; informal dialogue.

The influence exercised by his [Johnson's] conversation was altogether without a parallel. Macaulay.

5. Sexual intercourse; as, criminal conversation.

Syn. -- Intercourse; communion; commerce; familiarity; discourse; dialogue; colloquy; talk; chat. -- Conversation, Talk. There is a looser sense of these words, in which they are synonymous; there is a stricter sense, in which they differ. Talk is usually broken, familiar, and versatile. Conversation is more continuous and sustained, and turns ordinarily upon topics or higher interest. Children talk to their parents or to their companions; men converse together in mixed assemblies. Dr. Johnson once remarked, of an evening spent in society, that there had been a great deal of talk, but no conversation.

Con`ver*sa"tion*al (k&obreve;n`v&etilde;r*sā"shŭn*al), a. Pertaining to conversation; in the manner of one conversing; as, a conversational style. Thackeray.

Con`ver*sa"tion*al*ist, n. A conversationist.

Conver*sa"tioned (-shŭnd), a. Acquainted with manners and deportment; behaved. [Obs.]

Till she be better conversationed, . . . I'll keep As far from her as the gallows. Beau. & Fl.

Con`ver*sa"tion*ism (-&ibreve;z'm), n. A word or phrase used in conversation; a colloquialism.

Con`ver*sa"tion*ist, n. One who converses much, or who excels in conversation. Byron.

Con*ver"sa*tive (k&obreve;n*v&etilde;r"s&adot;*t&ibreve;v), a. Relating to intercourse with men; social; -- opposed to contemplative.

She chose . . . to endue him with the conversative qualities of youth. Sir H. Wotton.

||Con`ver*sa`zi*o"ne (? or ?), n.; pl. Conversazioni (#). [It. See Conversation.] A meeting or assembly for conversation, particularly on literary or scientific subjects. Gray.

These conversazioni [at Florence] resemble our card assemblies. A. Drummond.

Con*verse" (k&obreve;n*v&etilde;rs"), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Conversed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Conversing.] [F. converser, L. conversari to associate with; con- + versari to be turned, to live, remain, fr. versare to turn often, v. intens. of vertere to turn See Convert.] 1. To keep company; to hold intimate intercourse; to commune; -- followed by with.

To seek the distant hills, and there converse With nature. Thomson.

Conversing with the world, we use the world's fashions. Sir W. Scott.

But to converse with heaven - This is not easy. Wordsworth.

2. To engage in familiar colloquy; to interchange thoughts and opinions in a free, informal manner; to chat; -- followed by with before a person; by on, about, concerning, etc., before a thing.

Companions That do converse and waste the time together. Shak.

We had conversed so often on that subject. Dryden.

3. To have knowledge of, from long intercourse or study; -- said of things.

According as the objects they converse with afford greater or less variety. Locke.

Syn. -- To associate; commune; discourse; talk; chat.

Con"verse (?), n. 1. Frequent intercourse; familiar communion; intimate association. Glanvill.

"T is but to hold Converse with Nature's charms, and view her stores unrolled. Byron.

2. Familiar discourse; free interchange of thoughts or views; conversation; chat.

Formed by thy converse happily to steer From grave to gay, from lively to severe. Pope.

Con"verse, a. [L. conversus, p. p. of convertere. See Convert.] Turned about; reversed in order or relation; reciprocal; as, a converse proposition.

Con"verse, n. 1. (Logic) A proposition which arises from interchanging the terms of another, as by putting the predicate for the subject, and the subject for the predicate; as, no virtue is vice, no vice is virtue.

&fist; It should not (as is often done) be confounded with the contrary or opposite of a proposition, which is formed by introducing the negative not or no.

2. (Math.) A proposition in which, after a conclusion from something supposed has been drawn, the order is inverted, making the conclusion the supposition or premises, what was first supposed becoming now the conclusion or inference. Thus, if two sides of a sides of a triangle are equal, the angles opposite the sides are equal; and the converse is true, i.e., if these angles are equal, the two sides are equal.

Con"verse*ly (? or &?;; 277), adv. In a converse manner; with change of order or relation; reciprocally. J. S. Mill.