continent
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈkɒntɪnənt/
ipa: /ˈkɑntɪnənt/
ipa: /ˈkɑnt(ə)nənt/
Forms: form: more continent
form: most continent
Etymology: From Middle English contynent, from Old French continent, from Latin continentem (“continuous; holding together”), present participle of continēre (“to contain”).
Senses: examples: text: Have a continent forbearance till the speed of his rage goes slower.
ref: c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
text: Their strength was the strength of men geographically beyond temptation: the poverty of Arabia made them simple, continent, enduring.
ref: 1926, T.E. Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom, New York: Anchor, published 1991, page 219:
text: A celibate himself, he was of the opinion that marriage was something of a concession to human frailty, to save from fornication those who could not be continent, so it was better to marry than to burn with lust.
ref: 2009, Diarmaid MacCulloch, A History of Christianity, Penguin, published 2010, page 119:
glosses: Exercising self-restraint; controlled, temperate with respect to one’s bodily needs or passions, especially sex.
glosses: Having voluntary control over one’s urination or defecation.
examples: text: a continent fever
text: Affrike and Europe bordering on your land,
And continent to your Dominions: […]
ref: c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene i:
text: The northeast part of Asia is, if not continent with the west side of America, yet certainly it is the least disjoined by sea of all that coast.
ref: 1843, John McIntosh, The Origin of the North American Indians:
glosses: Not interrupted; connected; continuous, whether in time or space.
examples: text: There did I ſee that low ſpirited Swaine, [...] hight Coſtard, (Clow[ne]. O mee) ſorted and conſorted contrary to thy eſtabliſhed proclaymed Edict and continent Cannon; Which with, o with, but with this I paſſion to ſay wherewith: / Clo[wne]. With a Wench.
ref: c. 1595–1596 (date written), W. Shakespere [i.e., William Shakespeare], A Pleasant Conceited Comedie Called, Loues Labors Lost. […] (First Quarto), London: […] W[illiam] W[hite] for Cut[h]bert Burby, published 1598, →OCLC; republished as Shakspere’s Loves Labours Lost (Shakspere-Quarto Facsimiles; no. 5), London: W[illiam] Griggs, […], [1880], →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
text: Have a continent forbearance till the speed of his rage goes slower.
ref: c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iv]:
glosses: Serving to restrain or limit; restraining; opposing.
glosses: Containing or capable of containing.
Derived terms: continently
continentness
uncontinent