Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Continent
Con′ti-nent
,Adj.
[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.
2.
Exercising restraint as to the indulgence of desires or passions; temperate; moderate.
Have a
continent
forbearance till the speed of his rage goes slower. Shak.
3.
Abstaining from sexual intercourse; exercising restraint upon the sexual appetite; esp., abstaining from illicit sexual intercourse; chaste.
My past life
Hath been as
continent
, as chaste, as true, As I am now unhappy.
Shak.
4.
Not interrupted; connected; continuous;
as, a
. continent
fever[Obs.]
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.
Con′ti-nent
,Noun.
1.
That which contains anything; a receptacle.
[Obs.]
The smaller
continent
which we call a pipkin. Bp. Kennet.
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☞ 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.
The Continent
, the main land of Europe, as distinguished from the islands, especially from England.
Webster 1828 Edition
Continent
CONTINENT
,Adj.
1.
Refraining from unlawful sexual commerce, or moderate in the indulgence of lawful pleasure; chaste.2.
Restrained; moderate; temperate. Have a continent forbearance.
3.
Opposing; restraining.4.
Continuous; connected; not interrupted. The North East part of Asia, if not continent with America--
A continent fever. More generally we now say a continued fever.
CONTINENT
,Noun.
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.In Spenser, continent is use for ground in general.
2.
That which contains any thing. [Not used.]