Emily Dickinson Lexicon

contain (-ed, -s), v. [ME < L. continēre, hold together, keep together, comprehend.] (webplay: capacity, heaven, hold).

1. Confine; limit; circumscribe; restrain; hold back; restrict to boundaries.
2. Hold; encompass; surround; enclose; have capacity for.
3. Comprise; embody; express; be characterized by.
4. Include; embrace; comprise; incorporate; consist of; have as a part of.

contemn, v. [OFr < L. contemnere, slight, scorn, disdain, despise < Gk. τέμνειν, to judge.]

Despise; scorn; slight; underestimate; consider useless; hold in contempt; view as having little value; [word play on “condemn”] refuse; cast away.

contemplate (contemplating, -d), v. [L. contemplār-, survey, observe, behold, consider < L. contemplum, an open place for observation, marked by the augur with his staff; see temple, n.] (webplay: consider, eyes, mind, state).

1. Think about; weigh the benefits and disadvantages of; consider whether or not to do something.
2. Ponder; consider; think about; reflect upon; turn over in one's mind.

contemplation (-s), n. [OFr < L. contemplāre; see contemplate, v.] (webplay: eyes).

1. Topic to ponder; matter for meditation.
2. Meditation; calm study; thorough thinking; careful consideration; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject.

contempt (-s), n. [L. contempt-us, scorn; see contemn.]

Disdain; repugnance; strong aversion; supercilious hatred; highly negative reputation; being held as inferior; being treated as of little account; [word play] condemnation.

contend (-ing), v. [L. contend-ere, stretch, strain, strive; see tend, v.]

Compete; rival; struggle; fight; engage in conflict.

content, adj. [L. content-us.] (webplay: book, clearer, degree, holds, easy, express, food, geometry, mind, motion, obscure, present, quantity, quiet, wealth).

1. Satisfied; fulfilled; at peace; accepting what one has even if less than initially desired.
2. Willing; ready; happy; disposed; desirous, though perhaps at some personal cost.
3. Happy; pleased; glad.

content (-s), n. [see content, adj.] (webplay: contained, inclined, included, mind, quiet, rest, room, soul, wealth, wise).

1. Satisfaction; pleasure; peace; moderate degree of happiness.
2. Composition; things held; that which is contained; items included in a certain group.

content (-eth), v. [Fr.; see content, adj.]

Satisfy; please; make happy.

contented (-er), verbal adj. [see content, adj.] (webplay: condition, limits, rest, satisfied, soul, stop, want).

Pleased; satisfied; not complaining; not demanding more; willing to put up with the current situation though it may not be ideal.