Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CON'FI-DENT-LY, adv.

With firm trust; with strong assurance; without doubt or wavering of opinion; positively; as, to believe confidently; to assert confidently.

CON'FI-DENT-NESS, n.

Confidence; the quality or state of having full reliance.

CON-FID'ER, n.

One who confides; one who intrusts to another.

CON-FID'ING, ppr.

Trusting; reposing confidence.

CON-FIG'U-RATE, v.i. [L. configuro. See Configure.]

To show like the aspects of the planets toward each other. – Jordan.

CON-FIG-U-RA'TION, n. [Fr. from L. configuro.]

1. External form, figure, shape; the figure which bounds a body, and gives it its external appearance, constituting one of the principal differences between bodies. – Encyc.
2. Aspects of the planets; or the face of the horoscope, according to the aspects of the planets toward each other at any time. – Bailey. Johnson.
3. Resemblance of one figure to another. – Bailey. Jones.

CON-FIG'URE, v.t. [L. configuro; con and figuro, to form; figura, figure.]

To form; dispose in a certain form, figure or shape. Bentley.

CON-FIG'UR-ED, pp.

To dispose in a certain form.

CON-FIG'UR-ING, ppr.

Forming to a figure.

CON-FIN'A-BLE, a.

That may be confined or limited. – Bp. Hall.

CON'FINE, a.

Bordering on; lying on the border; adjacent; having a common boundary. Johnson.

CON'FINE, n. [L. confinis, at the end or border, adjoining; confinium, a limit; con and finis, end, border, limit; It. confine, confino; Sp. confin; Fr. and Port. confins. See Fine.]

Border; edge; exterior part; the part of any territory which is at or near the end or extremity. It is used generally in the plural, and applied chiefly to countries, territory, cities, rivers, &c. We say, the confines of France, or of Scotland; and figuratively, the confines of light, of death, or the grave; but never, the confines of a book, table, or small piece of land.

CON'FINE, v.i. [Fr. confiner; Sp. confinar; It. confinare.]

To border on; to touch the limit; to be adjacent or contiguous, as one territory, kingdom or state to another; usually followed by on; sometimes by with. England confines on Scotland. Connecticut confines on Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, and the Sound.

CON-FINE', v.t. [Sp. confinar; Fr. confiner. See Supra.]

1. To bound or limit; to restrain within limits; hence, to imprison; to shut up; to restrain from escape by force or insurmountable obstacles, in a general sense; as, to confine horses or cattle to an inclosure; to confine water in a pond, to dam; to confine a garrison in a town; to confine a criminal in prison.
2. To immure; to keep close, by a voluntary act; to be much at home or in retirement; as, a man confines himself to his studies, or to his house.
3. To limit or restrain voluntarily, in some act or practice; as, a man may confine himself to the use of animal food.
4. To tie or bind; to make fast or close; as, to confine air in a bladder, or corn in a bag or sack.
5. To restrain by a moral force; as, to confine men by laws. The constitution of the United States confines the states to the exercise of powers of a local nature.

CON-FIN'ED, pp.

Restrained within limits; imprisoned; limited; secluded; close.

CON'FINE-LESS, a.

Boundless; unlimited; without end. – Shak.

CON-FINE'MENT, n.

1. Restraint within limits; imprisonment; any restraint of liberty by force or other obstacle or necessity; as, the confinement of a debtor or criminal to a prison, or of troops to a besieged town.
2. Voluntary restraint; seclusion; as, the confinement of a man to his house, or to his studies.
3. Voluntary restraint in action or practice; as, confinement to a particular diet.
4. Restraint from going abroad by sickness, particularly by child-birth.

CON'FIN-ER, n.

1. A borderer; one who lives on confines, or near the border of a country. – Shak.
2. He or that which is near the limit; a near neighbor; he or that which is adjacent or contiguous; as, confiners in art; confiners between plants and animals, as oysters. – Wotton. Bacon.

CON-FIN'ER, n.

He or that which limits or restrains.

CON-FIN'ING, ppr.

Restraining; limiting; imprisoning.

CON-FIN'I-TY, n. [L. confinitas.]

Contiguity; nearness; neighborhood. – Dict.

CON-FIRM', v.t. [conferm'; L. confirmo; con and firmo, to make firm. See Firm.]

1. To make firm, or more firm; to add strength to; to strengthen; as, health is confirmed by exercise.
2. To fix more firmly; to settle or establish. Confirming the souls of the disciples. – Acts xiv. I confirm thee in the priesthood. – Maccabees. Confirm the crown to me and to mine heirs. – Shak.
3. To make firm or certain; to give new assurance of truth or certainty; to put past doubt. The testimony of Christ was confirmed in you. – 1 Cor. i.
4. To fix; to radicate; as, the patient has a confirmed dropsy.
5. To strengthen; to ratify; as, to confirm an agreement, promise, covenant or title.
6. To make more firm; to strengthen; as, to confirm an opinion, a purpose or resolution.
7. To admit to the full privileges of a Christian, by the imposition of hands. – Johnson.

CON-FIRM'A-BLE, a. [conferm'able.]

That may be confirmed, established or ratified; capable of being made more certain. – Brown.

CON-FIRM-A'TION, n.

1. The act of confirming or establishing; a fixing, settling, establishing or making more certain or firm; establishment. In the defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye are all partakers of my grace. – Phil. i.
2. The act of ratifying; as, the confirmation of a promise, covenant, or stipulation.
3. The act of giving new strength; as, the confirmation of health.
4. The act of giving new evidence; as, the confirmation of opinion or report.
5. That which confirms; that which gives new strength or assurance; additional evidence; proof; convincing testimony; as, this fact or this argument is a confirmation of what was before alledged.
6. In law, an assurance of title, by the conveyance of an estate or right in esse, from one man to another, by which a voidable estate is made sure or unavoidable, or a particular estate is increased, or a possession made perfect. – Blackstone.
7. In church affairs, the act of ratifying the election of an archbishop or bishop, by the king, or by persons of his appointment. – Blackstone.
8. The act or ceremony of laying on of hands, in the admission of baptized persons to the enjoyment of Christian privileges. The person to be confirmed brings his godfather and godmother, and takes upon himself the baptismal vows This is practiced in the Greek, Roman and Episcopal churches. – Hammond. Encyc.

CON-FIRM'A-TIVE, a. [conferm'ative.]

Having the power of confirming; tending to establish.