Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CON'TEXT, n. [L. contextus, from contexo; con and texo, to weave.]

The general series or composition of discourse; more particularly, the parts of a discourse which precede or follow the sentence quoted; the passages of Scripture which are near the text, either before it or after it. The sense of a passage of Scripture is often illustrated by the context.

CON-TEXT', v.t.

To knit together. [Not used.]

CON-TEX'TU-RAL, a.

Pertaining to contexture, or to the human frame. – Smith.

CON-TEX'TURE, n.

The manner of interweaving several parts into one body; the disposition and union of the constituent parts of a thing, with respect to each other; composition of parts; constitution; as, a silk of admirable contexture. He was not of any delicate contexture; his limbs rather sturdy than dainty. – Wotton.

CON-TEX'TUR-ED, a.

Woven; formed into texture.

CON-TIG-NA'TION, n. [L. contignatio; con and tignum, a beam.]

1. A frame of beams; a story. – Wotton.
2. The act of framing together, or uniting beams in a fabric. – Burke.

CON-TI-GU'I-TY, n. [See Contiguous.]

Actual contact of bodies; a touching. – Hale.

CON-TIG'U-OUS, a. [L. contiguus; con and tango, tago, to touch.]

Touching; meeting or joining at the surface or border; as two contiguous bodies or countries. The houses in ancient Rome were not contiguous. – Encyc. Usually followed by to. Bacon uses with, but he has not been followed.

CON-TIG'U-OUS-LY, adv.

In a manner to touch; without intervening space. – Dryden.

CON-TIG'U-OUS-NESS, n.

A state of contact; close union of surfaces or borders.

CON'TI-NENCE, or CON'TI-NEN-CY, n. [L. continentia, from contineo, to hold, or withhold; con and teneo, to hold. See Tenet.]

1. In a general sense, the restraint which a person imposes upon his desires and passions; self-command.
2. Appropriately, the restraint of the passion for sexual enjoyment; resistance of concupiscence; forbearance of lewd pleasures: hence, chastity. But the term is usually applied to males, as chastity is to females. Scipio the younger exhibited the noblest example of continence recorded in Pagan history; an example surpassed only by that of Joseph in sacred history.
3. Forbearance of lawful pleasure. Content without lawful venery, is continence; without unlawful, is chastity. – Grew.
4. Moderation in the indulgence of sexual enjoyment. Chastity is either abstinence or continence: abstinence is that of virgins or widows; continence, that of married persons. – Taylor.
5. Continuity; uninterrupted course. [Not amused.] – Ayliffe.

CON'TI-NENT, a. [L. continens.]

1. Refraining from unlawful sexual commerce, or moderate in the indulgence of lawful pleasure; chaste.
2. Restrained; moderate; temperate. Have a continent forbearance. Shak.
3. Opposing; restraining. – Shak.
4. Continuous; connected; not interrupted; as, a continent fever. More generally we now say a continued fever. The northeast part of Asia, if not continent with America … – Brerewood.

CON'TI-NENT, n.

1. In geography, a great extent of land, not disjoined or interrupted by a sea; a connected tract of land of great extent; as, the Eastern and Western continent. It differs from an isle only in extent. New Holland may be denominated a continent. Britain is called a continent, as opposed to the Isle of Anglesey. – Henry, Hist. Brit. i. 34. In Spenser, continent is used for ground in general.
2. That which contains any thing. [Not used.] – Shak.

CON-TI-NENT'AL, a.

Pertaining or relating to a continent; as, the continental powers of Europe. In America, pertaining to the United States, as continental money, in distinction from what pertains to the separate states; a word much used during the revolution.

CON'TI-NENT-LY, adv.

In a continent manner; chastely; moderately; temperately.

CON-TIN'GENCE, or CON-TIN'GEN-CY, n. [L. contingens; contingo, to fall or happen to; con and tango, to touch. See Touch.]

1. The quality of being contingent or casual; a happening; or the possibility of coming to pass. We are not to build certain rules on the contingency of human actions. – South.
2. Casualty; accident; fortuitous event. The success of the attempt will depend on contingencies. [See Accident and Casualty.]

CON-TIN'GENT, a.

1. Falling or coming by chance, that is, without design or expectation on our part; accidental; casual. On our part, We speak of chance or contingencies; but with an infinite being, nothing can be contingent.
2. In law, depending on an uncertainty; as, a contingent remainder. – Blackstone.

CON-TIN'GENT, n.

1. A fortuitous event; that which comes without our design, foresight or expectation.
2. That which falls to one in a division or apportionment among a number; a quota; an equal or suitable share; proportion. Each prince furnishes his contingent of men, money and munitions.

CON-TIN'GENT-LY, adv.

Accidentally; without design or foresight.

CON-TIN'GENT-NESS, n.

The state of being contingent; fortuitousness.

CON-TIN'U-A-BLE, a.

That may be continued. – Jefferson.

CON-TIN'U-AL, a. [Fr. continuel; L. continuus. See Continue.]

1. Proceeding without interruption or cessation; unceasing; not intermitting; used in reference to time. He that hath a merry heart hath a continual feast. – Prov. xv. I have great heaviness and continual sorrow of heart. – Rom. ix.
2. Very frequent; often repeated; as, the charitable man a continual applications for alms.
3. Continual fever, or continued fever, a fever that abates, but never entirely intermits, till it comes to a crisis; thus distinguished from remitting and intermitting fever.
4. Continual claim, in law, a claim that is made from time to time within every year or day, to land or other estate, the possession of which can not be obtained without hazard. – Cowell.
5. Perpetual.

CON-TIN'U-AL-LY, adv.

1. Without pause or cessation; unceasing; as, the ocean is continually rolling its waves on the shore.
2. Very often; in repeated succession; from time to time. Thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. – 2 Sam. ix.

CON-TIN'U-AL-NESS, n.

Permanence. – Hales.

CON-TIN'U-ANCE, n. [See Continue.]

1. A holding on or remaining in a particular state, or in a course or series. Applied to time, duration; a state of lasting; as, the continuance of rain or fair weather for a day or a week. Sensual pleasure is of short continuance.
2. Perseverance; as, no excuse will justify a continuance in sin. By patient continuance in well doing. Rom. ii.
3. Abode; residence; as, during our continuance in Paris.
4. Succession uninterrupted; continuation; a prolonging of existence; as, the brute regards the continuance of his species. – Addison.
5. Progression of time. In thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned. Ps. cxxxix.
6. In law, the deferring of a suit, or the giving of a day for the parties to a suit to appear. After issue or demurrer joined, as well as in some of the previous stages of proceeding, a day is continually given, and entered upon record, for the parties to appear on from time to time. The giving of this day is called a continuance. – Blackstone.
7. In the United States, the deferring of a trial or suit from one stated term of the court to another.
8. Continuity; resistance to a separation of parts; a holding together. [Little used.] – Bacon.