Emily Dickinson Lexicon

COS'TIVE, a. [Contracted from It. costipato, costipare, from the L. constipo, to cram, to stuff; con and stipo, to cram.]

1. Literally, crowded, stuffed, as the intestines; hence, bound in body; retaining fecal matter in the bowels, in a hard and dry state; having the excrements obstructed, or the motion of the bowels too slow.
2. Dry and hard; as, costive clay. [Not used.] – Mortimer.