a. (sb.) [a. F. constant (14th c. in Littré), ad. L. constāns, constānt-em standing firm, firm, immovable, stable, etc., pres. pple. (also used as adj.) of constāre to stand together, stand firm, etc., f. con- + stāre to stand.]
A. adj.
1. Standing firm in mind or purpose; steadfast, unmoved, resolute. In later use, with a descriptive sb., as martyr, student, etc., or with mind.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Clerk’s T., 991. She ay sad and constant as a wal, Continuynge euere hire Innocence oueral.
1483. Caxton, Cato, A viij. He ought to be vertuous constant and stedfast.
1655–60. Stanley, Hist. Philos. (1701), 3/2. These things … which thus disorder even thee a most constant person.
1671. Milton, Samson, 848. The best-resolved of men, The constantest.
1562. (title) Certayn Godly Sermons made upon the Lords Prayer, preached by the Righte Reuerende Father and constant Martyr of Christ, Master Hughe Latimer.
1614. Bp. Hall, Medit. & Vowes, III. § 78. The constant suffrings of ancient martyrs.
1667. Milton, P. L., V. 902. Nor number, nor example with him wrought To swerve from truth, or change his constant mind.
1669. Penn, No Cross, I. v. § 5. Stephen, that bold and constant Martyr of Jesus.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, VIII. xviii. Which might have affected a more constant mind than that of Mr. Partridge.
1859. Sat. Rev., VIII. 726. The most constant enemy of their revolutionary … principles.
† b. Const. to do something. Obs.
1481. Caxton, Myrr., I. iv. 13. Prudent and constaunt for to doo weel and prouffyt.
1535. Coverdale, 1 Chron. xxix [xxviii]. 7. Yf he be constant to do after my commaundementes.
1602. Marston, Ant. & Mel., II. Wks. 1856, I. 26. O no, thart too constant to afflict my heart.
2. Steadfast in attachment to a person or cause; faithful, true (to).
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., IX. xxvi. 63. He wes a constant Catholike, All Lollard he hatyt and Heretike.
1599. Shaks., Much Ado, II. iii. 67. Men were deceiuers euer … To one thing constant neuer.
1606. Wily Beguilde, in Hazl., Dodsley, IX. 315. And I as constant as Penelope.
c. 1665. Mrs. Hutchinson, Mem. Col. Hutchinson (1846), 29. Faithful and constant to his friends.
1702. Pope, Jan. & May, 41. Tho’ fortune change, his constant spouse remains.
1887. Lowell, Democr., 93. Surely there are no friends so constant as the poets.
† 3. Firm in opinion, certain, confident. b. Of a statement, etc.: Certain. It is constant = L. constat.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., IV. ii. 53. I am no more madde then you are, make the triall of it in any constant question.
1611. B. Jonson, Catiline, I. i. 267. The augurs all are constant I am meant.
1626. Massinger, Rom. Actor, V. ii. Predictions! I grow constant they are false.
1667. Sir W. Temple, Lett., 27 May, Wks. (1720), II. 35. It is constant, without any dispute, that if they had fallen on these provinces in the beginning of this month, Charleroy, etc. … would have cost them neither time nor danger.
4. Of things: Remaining ever the same in condition, quality, state, or form; invariable, fixed, unchanging, uniform.
Often used with a noun of quality, where constantly with the corresponding adj. might be used; e.g., constant fatality, the quality of being constantly, or in all cases, fatal.
1549. Compl. Scot., i. 21. Na thyng remanis lang constant in ane prosperus stait.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lxxi. § 2. The constant habit of well-doing.
1627–47. Feltham, Resolves, I. ix. (1677), 12. Time keeps his constant pace.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., III. xxxiv. 207. The foundation of all true Ratiocination, is the constant Signification of words.
1684. Contempl. State Man, I. ii. (1699), 17. Nothing here below is constant, but all is mutable.
1710. Berkeley, Princ. Hum. Knowl., § 150. This is the constant language of Scripture.
1728. Veneer, Sincere Penit., Ded. Your constant way both of thinking and living.
1807. Med. Jrnl., XVII. 572. The constant fatality of small-pox at that age.
1833. Lyell, Princ. Geol., III. 161. The sand is frequently yellow … but this colour is by no means constant.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. i. 1. This direction remained perfectly constant throughout the entire quarry.
† b. Unvaried, not changed; invariably used.
c. 1710. C. Fiennes, Diary (1888), 216. This is ye Constant way all people goe, and saved severall miles ridings. Ibid., 239. The kings Constant bed Chamber.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 129, ¶ 1. Did they keep to one constant Dress they would sometimes be in the Fashion.
1830. D’Israeli, Chas. I., III. vi. 92. The King had his constant hours for writing, and he read much.
c. Nat. Hist. Having one unvarying form or type.
1793. W. Curtis, in Bot. Mag., I. 183. Who ever saw its leaves constant in their form?
1876. Darwin, in Life & Lett. (1887), I. 90. Keeping specific forms constant.
d. Invariable in presence or occurrence.
1817. Ld. Loughborough, in Douglass, Rep., II. 727. A fine to be paid on the change of a tenant is almost a constant incident of a copyhold estate.
1839. G. Bird, Nat. Phil., 330. The line D [of the spectrum] … appears to be very constant in the planets, and in many … fixed stars.
1875. W. Houghton, Brit. Insects, 18. The evacuating ducts are constant.
† e. Constant age: see CONSISTENT 2 b. Obs.
1620. Venner, Via Recta (1650), 291. Next is the constant and manly age to the fiftieth year.
5. Math. and Phys. Remaining the same in quantity or amount under uniform conditions; retaining the same value throughout an investigation or process. Opposed to variable.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v., The semi-diameter of a circle is a constant quantity; for while the absciss and semi-ordinates increase, it remains the same.
1756. N. Saunderson, Meth. Fluxions, 2. The Fluxion of a constant Quantity is nothing.
1803. J. Wood, Princ. Mech., I. 15. When a force … acts incessantly, it is called a constant force.
1830. Lyell, Princ. Geol., I. 113. However constant we believe the relative proportion of sea and land to continue.
1871. B. Stewart, Heat, 24. If we imagine the bore of the tube to preserve a constant volume for all temperatures.
6. Of actions, conditions, processes, etc.: Continuing without intermission or cessation, or only with such intermissions as do not interrupt continuity: continual, incessant, perpetual, persistent.
1653. Walton, Angler, 163. By reason of … the Owners constant being neer to them.
1688. Col. Rec. Pennsylv., I. 239. Not able to bear ye Charge of Constant Attendance.
a. 1763. Shenstone, Wks. (1764), I. 66. By constant vigils worn.
1830. Lyell, Princ. Geol., I. 117. In a state of constant and universal flux and reflux.
1869. E. A. Parkes, Pract. Hygiene (ed. 3), 12. The supply of water to houses may be … intermittent or constant.
1890. Sir N. Lindley in Law Times Rep., LXIII. 690/1. Forms … in constant use in the Chancery Division.
Mod. The constant ticking of a watch. Disturbed by their constant chatter. The constant repetition of this expression.
† b. Of a thing: Always kept up; permanent.
1620–55. I. Jones, Stone-Heng (1725), 6. There were then no publick Roads … no constant Habitations.
1645. Fuller, Good Th. in Bad T. (1841), 20. No guest comes unawares to him who keeps a constant table.
c. 1710. C. Fiennes, Diary (1888), 1. There is also a large Cross in another place and house over it for a Constant Market for fruite, fowle, Butter and Cheese and a fish Market.
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), III. 152. The appellation of curia regis was only applied to that constant and permanent court … held in the king’s palace.
c. transf. Of a person: Continually engaged in the action denoted by the noun (or by the context).
1639. Fuller, Holy War, V. xiii. (1840), 265. The German emperor … was not constant amongst them.
1649. Milton, Eikon., Wks. 1738, I. 368. A constant reader of Saint Paul’s Epistles.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 430, ¶ 1. Each Beggar that is constant at a particular Place.
1872. E. Peacock, Mabel Heron, I. ix. 167. He was her constant adviser.
1876. J. H. Newman, Hist. Sk., II. I. viii. 159. He was constant in devotional and penitential exercises.
† 7. Settled, firm, steady (physically). Obs.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., II. (1887), 156. Ane oratione sa excellent and elegant, wt sa constante a countenance.
1610. Shaks., Temp., II. ii. 119. ’Prethee doe not turne me about, my stomacke is not constant.
1741. Betterton, Hist. Eng. Stage, v. 69. A constant and direct Foot, is the Index, of a steady, certain, constant … Study and Aim.
† 8. Consistent, consonant (to). Obs.
1580. Baret, Alv., C. 1107. A death constant and agreeable to a life honestly and godly ledde.
† 9. Of firm or solid consistency. Obs. rare.
B. sb.
Math. and Physics. A quantity that does not vary, or that is assumed not to vary, throughout an investigation: opposed to variable.
Often applied to a numerical quantity expressing the fixed relation between two elements, geometrical or physical, the effect of some constant force or motion, or combination of forces or motions, or the value of some particular physical property of a substance, that remains always the same for the same substance in the same conditions, but differs for different substances: thus circular constant, constant of aberration, friction, gravitation, nutation, precession, constants of color, tidal constants, etc.
1832. W. Turnbull (title), Treatise on Strength, Flexure, and Stiffness of Cast-Iron Beams and Columns, with Tables of Constants.
1837. Penny Cycl., VII. 469. The proportion between the circumference and diameter of a circle is a determinate constant.
1869. Phipson, trans. Guillemin’s The Sun (1870), 27. A constant quantity of heat, which Pouillet has named the Solar constant, because it expresses the constant heating power of the Sun.
1879. Rood, Chromatics, xiv. 210. Its colour depends, then, on its luminosity, wavelength, and purity; these quantities … are called the constants of colour.
1886. Whitaker’s Almanack, Tidal Constants, The time of High Water at the undermentioned Ports and Places may be approximately found by taking the time of High Water at London Bridge, and adding to or subtracting therefrom the quantities annexed.
1890. C. A. Young, Elem. Astron., § 126. The velocity of light being 186,330 miles per second … while that of the earth in its orbit is 18.5 miles, we find that a star, situated on a line at right angles to the direction of the earth’s motion, is apparently displaced by an angle which equals … 20″.5…. This is the so-called ‘CONSTANT OF ABERRATION.’ Ibid., § 211. The Solar Constant is the number of heat units which a square unit of the earth’s surface, unprotected by any atmosphere, and exposed perpendicularly to the sun’s rays, would receive from the sun in a unit of time.
fig. 1856. Emerson, Eng. Traits, Lit., Wks. (Bohn), II. 107. A few generalizations … are in the world constants, like the Copernican and Newtonian theories in physics.
1865. J. Martineau, in Theolog. Rev., 670. What he regards as the constants of religion.
