a. [ L. conticens, p. pr. of conticere; con- + tacere to be silent. ] Silent. [ R. ] “The guests sit conticent.” Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. contignatio, fr. contignare to join with beams; con- + tignum beam. ] 1. The act or process of framing together, or uniting, as beams in a fabric. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A framework or fabric, as of beams. Sir H. Wotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ LL. contiguatus. ] Contiguous; touching. [ Obs. ] Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. contiguité, LL. contiguitas. ] The state of being contiguous; intimate association; nearness; proximity. [ 1913 Webster ]

The convicinity and contiguity of the two parishes. T. Warton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. contiguus; akin to contigere to touch on all sides. See Contingent. ] In actual contact; touching; also, adjacent; near; neighboring; adjoining. [ 1913 Webster ]

The two halves of the paper did not appear fully divided . . . but seemed contiguous at one of their angles. Sir I. Newton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sees no contiguous palace rear its head. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

Contiguous angles. See Adjacent angles, under Angle.

Syn. -- Adjoining; adjacent. See Adjacent.

-- Con*tig"u*ous*ly, adv. -- Con*tig"u*ous*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ , n. [ F. continence, L. continentia. See Continent, and cf. Countenance. ] 1. Self-restraint; self-command. [ 1913 Webster ]

He knew what to say; he knew also, when to leave off, -- a continence which is practiced by few writers. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The restraint which a person imposes upon his desires and passions; the act or power of refraining from indulgence of the sexual appetite, esp. from unlawful indulgence; sometimes, moderation in sexual indulgence. [ 1913 Webster ]

If they [ the unmarried and widows ] have not continency, let them marry. 1 Cor. vii. 9 (Rev. Ver. ). [ 1913 Webster ]

Chastity is either abstinence or continence: abstinence is that of virgins or widows; continence, that of married persons. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Uninterrupted course; continuity. [ Obs. ] Ayliffe. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. continens, -entis, prop., p. pr. of continere to hold together, to repress: cf. F. continent. See Contain. ] 1. Serving to restrain or limit; restraining; opposing. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Exercising restraint as to the indulgence of desires or passions; temperate; moderate. [ 1913 Webster ]

Have a continent forbearance till the speed of his rage goes slower. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Abstaining from sexual intercourse; exercising restraint upon the sexual appetite; esp., abstaining from illicit sexual intercourse; chaste. [ 1913 Webster ]

My past life [ 1913 Webster ]

Hath been as continent, as chaste, as true, [ 1913 Webster ]

As I am now unhappy. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Not interrupted; connected; continuous; as, a continent fever. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The northeast part of Asia is, if not continent with the west side of America, yet certainly it is the least disoined by sea of all that coast. Berrewood. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. continens, prop., a holding together: cf. F. continent. See Continent, a. ] 1. That which contains anything; a receptacle. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The smaller continent which we call a pipkin. Bp. Kennet. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One of the grand divisions of land on the globe; the main land; specifically (Phys. Geog.), a large body of land differing from an island, not merely in its size, but in its structure, which is that of a large basin bordered by mountain chains; as, the continent of North America. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The continents are now usually regarded as six in number: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. But other large bodies of land are also reffered to as continents; as, the Antarctic continent; the continent of Greenland. Europe, Asia, and Africa are often grouped together as the Eastern Continent, and North and South America as the Western Continent. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Continent, the main land of Europe, as distinguished from the islands, especially from England. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Of or pertaining to a continent. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Of or pertaining to the main land of Europe, in distinction from the adjacent islands, especially England; as, a continental tour; a continental coalition. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

No former king had involved himself so frequently in the labyrinth of continental alliances. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Amer. Hist.) Of or pertaining to the confederated colonies collectively, in the time of the Revolutionary War; as, Continental money. [ 1913 Webster ]

The army before Boston was designated as the Continental army, in contradistinction to that under General Gage, which was called the “Ministerial army.” W. Irving. [ 1913 Webster ]

Continental Congress. See under Congress. --
Continental system (Hist.), the blockade of Great Britain ordered by Napoleon by the decree of Berlin, Nov. 21, 1806; the object being to strike a blow at the maritime and commercial supremacy of Great Britain, by cutting her off from all intercourse with the continent of Europe. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Amer. Hist.) A soldier in the Continental army. See Continental, a., 3. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Amer. Hist.) a piece of the Continental currency, paper money issued under authority of the Continental Congress. See Continental, a., 3. [ 1913 Webster ]

"Not worth a continental." was said of Continental currency after the American revolution, when it was considered almost worthless. Eventually, under Alexander Hamilton's direction at the Treasury department, the currency was all redeemed at full value. [ PJC ]