To distant lands Vertumnus never roves; Like you, contented with his native groves. Pope. CONTENTEDNESS. n. s. [from contented.] State of satisfaction in any lot. Angling was, after tedious study, a calmer of unquiet thoughts, a moderator of passions, a proWalton's Angler. curer of contentedness. CONTENTION. n. s. [contentio, Lat.] 1. Strife; debate; contest ; quarrel; mutual opposition. Can we with manners ask what was the difference? -Safely, I think; 't was a contention in publick. Shakspeare. Avoid foolish questions and genealogies, and contentions and strivings. Titus. con Can they keep themselves in a perpetual tention with their ease, their reason, and their God, and not endure a short combat with a sinful custom? Decay of Piety. The ancients made contention the principle that reigned in the chaos at first, and then love; the one to express the divisions, and the other the union of all parties in the middle and common bond. Burnet's Theory of the Earth. 2. Emulation; endeavour to excel. Sons and brother at a strife! What is your quarrel? how began it first? -No quarrel, but a sweet contention. Shaks. 3. Eagerness; zeal; ardour; vehemence of endeavour. Your own earnestness and contention to effect what you are about, will continually suggest to Holder. you several artifices. This is an end, which at first view appears worthy our utmost contention to obtain. Rogers. CONTENTIOUS. adj. [from contend.] Quarrelsome; given to debate; perverse; not peaceable. Thou thinkest much that this contentious storm Invades us to the skin. Shakspeare's King Lear. There are certain contentious humours that are L'Estrange. never to be pleased. Rest made them idle, idleness made them curious, and curiosity contentious. Decay of Piety. CONTENTIOUS Jurisdiction. [In law.] A court which has a power to judge and determine differences between contending parties. The lord chief justices, and judges, have a contentious jurisdiction; but the lords of the treasury, and the commissioners of the customs, have none, being merely judges of accounts Chambers. and transactions. CONTENTIOUSLY. adv. [from contentious.] Perversely; quarrelsomely, We shall not contentiously rejoin, or only to justify our own, but to applaud and confirm his Brown. maturer assertions. CONTENTIOUSNESS. n. 5. [from contentious.] Proneness to contest; perverseness; turbulence; quarrelsomeness. Do not contentiousness, and cruelty, and study of revenge, seldom fail of retaliation? Bentley. CONTENTLESS. adj. [from content.] Discontented; dissatisfied; uneasy. Best states, contentless, Have a distracted and most wretched being, Worse than the worst, content. Shakspeart. CONTENTMENT. n. s. [from content, the verb.] 1. Acquiescence, without plenary satis-. faction. tunes. Such men's contentment must be wrought by stratagem: the usual method of fare is not for them. Hooker. Submission is the only reasoning between a creature and its Maker, and contentment in his will is the best remedy we can apply to misforTemple. Contentment without external honour, is humility; without the pleasure of eating, temper Grew's Cosmologia. Some place the bliss in action, some in ease; Those call it pleasure, and contentmentthese.Pop. But now no face divine contentment wears, "T is all black sadness, or continual tears. Pope. 2. Gratification. ance. At Paris the prince spent one whole day, to give his mind some contentment in viewing of a famous city. Wotton CONTE'RMINOUS. adj. [conterminus, Lat.] Bordering upon; touching at the bow daries. This conformed so many of them, as we re conterminous to the colonies and garrisons, to de Roman laws. Hale. CONTERRA'NEOUS. adj. [conterraners, Lat.] Of the same country. Dit. To CONTE'ST. v. a. [contester, French, probably from contra testari, Lat.] To dispute; to controvert; to litigate; to call in question. "T is evident upon what account none ha ve presumed to contest the proportion of these a ncient pieces. Dryden's Dufresm y. To CONTE'ST. v. n. 1. To strive; to contend: followed by avith. The difficulty of an argument adds to the pleasure of contesting with it, when there are hopes of victory. 2. To vie; to emulate. I do contest Burne to Shakspear. As hotly and as nobly with thy love, As ever in ambitious strength I did Contend against thy valour. Of man, who dares in pomp with Jove contest, Unchang'd, immortal, and supremely blest? Pope's Odyssey Co'NTEST. n. s. [from the verb. It is now accented on the first syllable.] Dispute; difference; debate. This of old no less contests did move, Than when for Homer's birth sev'n cities strove. Denham. A definition is the only way whereby the meaning of words can be known, without leaving Lock. room for contest about it. Leave all noisy contests, all immodest clamours, Watts. and brawling language. CONTE'STABLE. adj. [from contest.] That may be contested; disputable; controvertible. CONTE'STABLENESS. n. s. [from contesDict. table.] Possibility of contest. CONTESTATION. n. s.[from contest.] The act of contesting; debate; strife. Doors shut, visits forbidden, and, which was worse, divers contestations even with the queen Wetion. herself. After years spent in domestick, unsociable contestations, she found means to withdraw. Clarend. 2. CONTEX. v. a. [contexo, Lat.] To weave together; to unite by interposition of parts. Not in use. Nature may contex a plant, though that be a perfectly mixt concrete, without having all the elements previously presented to her to compound it of. Boyle. The fluid body of quicksilver is contexed with the salts it carries up in sublimation. Boyle. Co'NTEXT. n. s. [contextus, Latin.] The general series of a discourse; the parts of the discourse that precede and follow the sentence quoted. That chapter is really a representation of one, which hath only the knowledge, not practice, of his duty; as is manifest from the context. Hammond on Fundamentals. CONTEXT. adj. [from contex.] Knit together; firm. Hollow and thin, for lightness; but withal context and firm, for strength. Derham. CONTEXTURE. n. s. [from contex.] The disposition of parts one among others; the composition of any thing out of separate parts; the system; the constitution; the manner in which any thing is woven or formed. He was not of any delicate contexture; his Cmbs rather sturdy than dainty. Wotton. Every species, afterwards expressed, was produced from that idea, forming that wonderful putexture of created beings. The east and west, Upon the globe, a mathematick point Distinguish them by the diminution of the lights and shadows, joining the contiguous pjects by the participation of their colours. Dryden. When I viewed it too near, the two halfs of the paper did not appear fully divided from one another, but seemed contiguous at one of their angles. Newton's Opticks. 2. It has sometimes with. Water, being contiguous with air, cooleth it, Thus disembroil'd, they take their proper place, CONTINENCE I Dict. n. s. [continentia, Lat.] 1. Restraint; command of one's self. He knew what to say; he knew also when to leave off, a continence which is practised by few writers. Dryden's Fab. Pref. 2. Chastity in general. Where is he? -In her chamber, making a sermon of continency to her; and rails, and swears, and rates. Shakrp. Suffer not dishonour to approach Dryden. 3. 4. Hence 'gan relax We mean a porch, or cloister, or the like, of one contignation, and not in storied buildings. Wotton's Architecture. Where more of the orders than one shall be set in several stories or contignations, there must be an exquisite care to place the columns one over another. Wotton. 2. The act of framing or joining a fabrick of wood. CONTIGUITY. 7. s. [from contiguous.] Actual contact; situation in which two bodies or countries touch upon each other. He defined magnetical attraction to be a natural imitation and disposition conforming unto contiguity. Brown. The immediate contiguity of that convex were a real space. Hale's Orig. of Mankind. CONTIGUOUS. adj. [contiguus, Lat.] 1. Meeting so as to touch; bordering upon each other; not separate. Flame doth not mingle with flame as air doth Of chaos far remov'd; lest fierce extremes, Milion. Chastity is either abstinence or continence: ab stinence is that of virgins or widows; contine, of married persons. Tayler. Continuity; uninterrupted course. Ansivers ought to be made before the same judge, before whom the depositions were produced, lest the continence of the course should be divided; or, in other terms, lest there should be a discontinuance of the cause. Aylife. CO'NTINENT. adj. [continens, Lat.] 1. Chaste; abstemious in lawful pleasures. Life Hath been as continent, as chaste, as true, As I am now unhappy. Shakspeart 2. Restrained; moderate; temperate. I pray you, have a continent forbearance, till the speed of his rage goes slower. Shakspeare 3. Continuous; connected. The north-east part of Asia, if not continent with the west side of America, yet certainly is the least disjoined by sea of all that coast of Asia. Brerewood on Language. 4. Opposing; restraining. My desire All continent impediments would o'erbear That did oppose my will. Shakspear. CONTINENT. n. s. [continens, Lat.] 1. Land not disjoined by the sea from other lands. 4. That which contains any thing. sense is perhaps only in Shakspeare. O cleave, my sides! This Heart, once be stronger than thy continent; Their credulities assent unto any prognosticks, which, considering the contingency in events, are Brown. only in the prescience of God. For once, O heav'n! unfold thy adamantine book; If not thy firm immutable decree, At least the second page of great contingency, South. tion. CONTINGENTLY.adv. [from contingent.] It is digged out of the earth contingently, and He that is of a merry heart hath a continual Proverbs. feast. Other care perhaps May have diverted from continual watch Our great forbidder. Milton. 'Tis all blank sadness, or continual tears. Pope. 2. [In law.] A continual claim is made from time to time, within every year and day, to land or other thing, which, in some respect, we cannot attain without danger. For example, if I be disseised of land, into which, though I have right into it, I dare not enter for fear of beating; it behooveth me to hold on my right of entry to the best opportunity of me and mine heir, by approaching as near it as I can, once every year as long as I live; and so I save the 3. It is sometimes used for perpetual. 2. Without ceasing. Why do not all animals continually increase in bigness, during the whole space of their lives? Bentley's Sermons. CONTINUANCE. n. s. [from continue.] 1. Succession uninterrupted. The brute immediately regards his own preservation, or the continuance of his species. Addison's Spectator. 2. Permanence in one state. Continuance of evil doth in itself increase evil. A chamber where a great fire is kept, though the fire be at one stay, yet with the continuance continually hath its heat increased. Sidney These Romish casuists speak peace to the consciences of men, by suggesting something which shall satisfy their minds, notwithstanding South. a known, avowed continuance in sins. 3. Abode in a place. 4. Duration; lastingness. You either fear his humour, or my negligence, that you call in question the continuance of his love. Shakspeare's Twelfth Night.. Their duty depending upon fear, the one was of no greater continuance than the other. Hayw. That pleasure is not of greater continuance, which arises from the prejudice or malice of its hearers. Addison's Freeholder. 5. Perseverance. To them who, by patient continuance in welldoing, seek for glory, and honour, and immorRomans tality, eternal life. 6. Progression of time. In thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned. Psalms. 7. Resistance to separation of parts; continuity. Wool, tow, cotton, and raw silk, have, besides the desire of continuance in regard to the tenuity of their thread, a greediness of moisture. Bacon CONTINUATE. adj. [continuatus, Lat.] 1. Immediately united. We are of him and in him, even as though our very flesh and bones should be made contiHooker. nuate with his. 2. Uninterrupted; unbroken. A most incomparable man, breath'd, as it CONTINUATIVE. n. s. [from continuate.] An expression noting permanence or duration. To these may be added continuatives: as, Rome remains to this day; which includes at least two propositions, viz. Rome was, and Rome is. Watts's Logick. CONTINUA TOR. n. s. [from continuate.] He that continues or keeps up the series or succession. It seems injurious to Providence to ordain a way of production which should destroy the producer, or contrive the continuation of the species by the destruction of the continuator. Brown. To CONTINUE. v. n. [continuer, Fr. continuo, Latin.] 1. To remain in the same state, or place. The multitude continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat. Matthew. The popular vote Inclines here to continue, and build up here A growing empire. Milton. Happy, but for so happy ill secur'd Long to continue. Milton. Milton. 1 Samuel. He six days and nights Continued making. 2. To last; to be durable. Thy kingdom shall not continue. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. Hebrews. They imagine that an animal of the longest duration should live in a continued motion, without that rest whereby all others continue. Brown's Vulgar Errours. 3. To persevere. If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed. Jobn. Impetuous, and continued till the earth Down rush'd the rain No more was seen. To CONTINUE. v.a. Milton. The dark abyss, whose boiling gulph Tamely endur'd a bridge of wond'rous length, From hell continued, reaching th' utmost orb Of this frail world. Milton's Par. Lost. Here Priam's son, Deiphobus, he found, Whose face and limbs were one continued wound; Dishonest, with lopp'd arms, the youth appears, Spoil'd of his nose, and shorten'd of his ears. Dryden's Eneid. Where any motion or succession is so slow, as that it keeps not pace with the ideas in our minds, there the series of a constant continued succession is lost, and we perceive it not but with certain gaps of rest between. Locke. CONTINUEDLY. adv. [from continued.] Without interruption; without ceasing. By perseverance, I do not understand a con tinuedly uniform, equal course of obedience, and such as is not interrupted with the least act of Norris. sin. CONTINUER. n. s. [from continue.] That which has the power of perseverance. I would my horse had the speed of your tongue, and so good a continue. Shakspeare. It wraps itself about the flame, and b continuity hinders any air or nitre from co Addison en Ind 2. [In physick.] That texture or cus sion of the parts of an animal bo upon the destruction of which there said to be a solution of continuity. Qu As in the natural body a wound or solu of continuity is worse than a corrupt humour, in the spiritual. Bacon's E The solid parts may be contracted by disso ing their continuity; for a fibre, cut thro contracts itself. Arbut CONTINUOUS. adj. [continuus, Latt Joined together without the intervent of any space. As the breadth of every ring is thus augmen ed, the dark intervals must be diminished, u the neighbouring rings become continuous, are blended. Newton's Optun To whose dread expanse, Continuous depth, and wond'rous length of cours Our floods are rills. Thomson's Sum To CONTO'RT. v. a. [contortus, Lat. To twist; to writhe. The vertebral arteries are variously contorta CONTOUR. n. s. [French.] The outlin the line by which any figure is defic or terminated. Co'NTRA. A Latin preposition, used in composition, which signifies against. CONTRABAND. adj. [contraban Ital. contrary to proclamation.] Pre hibited; illegal; unlawful. If there happen to be found an irreverent e pression, or a thought too wanton, in the car let them be staved or forfeited, like contrab goods. Dryden's Fables, Prefa To CONTRABAND. v. a. [from the a jective.] To import goods prohibite To CONTRACT. v. a. [contractus, Lat 1. To draw together into less compass. But first contracted, that, if ever found, His head should pay the forfeit. 5. To betroth; to affiance. Dryden The truth is, she and I, long since contracted, Are now so sure that nothing can dissolve us. Shakspeare. She was a lady of the highest condition in that country, and contracted to a man of merit and Tatler. quality. 6. To procure; to bring; to incur; to draw; to get. Of enemies he could not but contract good store, while moving in so high a sphere. King Charles. He that but conceives a crime in thought, Contracts the danger of an actual fault. Dryd. Like friendly colours, found them both unite, And each from each contract new strength and Pope. Such behaviour we contract by having much conversed with persons of high stations. Swift. 7. To shorten: as, life was contructed. 8. To epitomise; to abridge. To CONTRACг. v. n. light. 1. To shrink up; to grow short. Whatever empties the vessels, gives room to the fibres to contract. 2. To bargain: as, to contract for a quan- First was he contract to lady Lucy; Your mother lives a witness to that vow. Shak. ■ COʻNTRACT. n. s. [from the verb. Anciently accented on the last syllable.] An act whereby two parties are brought together; a bargain; a compact. The agreement upon orders, by mutual con trast, with the consent to execute them by common strength, they make the rise of all civil Temple. governments. Shall Ward draw contracts with a statesman's Or Japhet pocket, like his grace, a will? Fope. 2. An act whereby a man and woman are betrothed to one another. Touch'd you the bastardy of Edward's child- -I did, with his contract with lady Lucy, By this continual contractibility and dilatability by different degrees of heat, the air is kept Arbuthnot. in a constant motion. CONTRACTIBLE. adj. [from contract.] Capable of contraction. Small air bladders, dilatable and contractible, are capable to be inflated by the admission of air, and to subside at the expulsion of it. Arbuthnot on Aliments. CONTRACTIBLENESS. n. s. [from contractible.] The quality of suffering conDict. traction. CONTRACTILE. adj. [from contract.] Having the power of contraction, or of shortening itself. The arteries are elastick tubes, endued with: contractile force, by which they squeeze and drive the blood still forward. Arbuthnot. CONTRACTION. n. s. [contractio, Lat.] 1. The act of contracting or shortening. The main parts of the poem, such as the fa- 2. The act of shrinking or shrivelling. Some things induce a contraction in the nerves placed in the mouth of the stomach, which is a Bacon. great cause of appetite. Comparing the quantity of contraction and di latation made by all the degrees of each colour, Newtons I found it greatest in the red. 4. [In grammar.] The reduction of two vowels or syllables to one. 5. Any thing in its state of abbreviation or contraction: as, the awriting is full of contractions. CONTRACTOR. n. s. [from contract.] One of the parties to a contract or bargain. Let the measure of your affirmation or denial be the understanding of your contractor; for he that deceives the buyer or the seller by speaking what is true, in a sense not understood by the other, is a thief. Taylor's Rule of Living Holy. All matches, friendships, and societies, are dangerous and inconvenient, where the contrac➜ L'Estrange. tors are not equals. To CONTRADICT. v. a. [contradico, 1. To oppose verbally; to assert the con- It is not lawful to contradict a point of history which is known to all the world; as to make Hannibal and Scipio contemporaries with AlexDryden. ander. 2. To be contrary to; to repugn; to op |