Also 4 conteynent, 4–6 contynent. [a. OF. continent (12th c. in Littré, in our sense 1), ad. L. continēnt-em lit. ‘holding together,’ hence ‘contiguous, connected, continuous,’ also ‘holding oneself in, self-restraining, restraining one’s passions’ (the latter the sense in which the word was first taken into the modern languages), pr. pple. of continēre: see CONTAIN.]
I. Holding in, restraining.
1. Self-restraining, or marked by self-restraint, esp. in relation to bodily passions, appetites, or indulgences; temperate.
1382. Wyclif, Tit. i. 7. It bihoueth a bischop forto be … iust, hooly, contynent [continentem, ἐγκρατῆ; Tindale, etc. temperate].
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), III. 313. His deeth schewed that he was vertuous and contynent.
1605. Shaks., Lear, I. ii. 182. I pray you haue a continent forbearance till the speed of his rage goes slower.
1635. N. R., trans. Camden’s Hist. Eliz., IV. an. 33. 395. Of such continent moderation was he in coveting.
1841. Emerson, Addr., Man the Reformer, Wks. 1875, II. 247. Not … a subject of irregular and interrupted impulses of virtue, but a continent, persisting, immovable person.
1885. Sir A. Grant, Aristotle’s Eth., I. xiii., note. In the continent and the incontinent man [τοῦ ἐγκρατοῦς καἱ ἀκρατοῦς] we praise the reason … but there appears also to be something else in them … which fights and strives against the reason.
2. spec. Characterized by self-restraint in the matter of sexual indulgence; chaste.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVIII. i. (1495), 738. Some beestes ben contynent and chaste alwayes: as bein.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 34/4. The chore or quyer signefieth the continente. And the body sygnefyeth thordre of them that ben maryed.
1581. Marbeck, Bk. of Notes, 59. Saint Paule foretelleth of Antichrists disciples, that they shall beare a great countenaunce of continent life, & forbid mariage.
1623. Cockeram, Continent, chaste [1626 sober].
1882. Syd. Soc. Lex., Continent … practising continence.
transf. 1576. Holinshed, Chron., III. 20. The shamefull villanie … was such, as honest eares would be ashamed to heare, and continent toongs to speake thereof.
† 3. Restraining, restrictive. Obs.
(Both quots. may be in sense 2; at least there is app. a play on that sense.)
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., I. i. 262. Contrary to thy established proclaymed Edict and Continent Cannon. Ibid. (1605), Macb., IV. iii. 6. My Desire All continent Impediments would orebeare, That did oppose my will.
b. Holding in, keeping back, retentive of. rare.
1840. Carlyle, Heroes, vi. I am continent of my thought hitherto.
4. Containing; capable of containing, capacious. rare.
[cf. 1580. in CONTINENT sb.1; 1605 in CONTENT sb.1 1 b.]
1856. Dobell, Hero’s Grave. The round Of the dull continent flesh.
1867. Trench, Gospel Stud., vii. Old vessels … continent of the new life.
1870. Pall Mall G., 9 Aug., 12. Fashion … is as continent as the Black-hole in Calcutta.
II. [from L. continēre (intr.) to hold together, be continuous.]
† 5. Holding or hanging together in space.
a. Cohering, continuous, or uninterrupted in itself. Continent land: land extending connectedly or continuously over a large space: see CONTINENT sb. 3, 4.
a. 1470. Tiptoft, Caesar, xiii. (1530), 18. Cesar before entendyd to ly that winter tyme in contynent land.
1555. Eden, Decades W. Ind., 310. Affirmynge that those landes are from thense continent and greate.
1569. Grafton, Chron., IV. (1809), I. 28. The mayne and continent land of the whole worlde.
1648. Gage, West Ind., xii. (1655), 55. Being the same continued continent land.
† b. Connected to or with, continuous with. Obs.
c. 1590. Marlowe, Faust., iii. 109. Ile ioyne the hils that binde the Affricke shore And make that country continent to Spaine.
1605. Verstegan, Dec. Intell., iv. (1628), 88. It is shewed to haue beene continent or firme land with Gallia.
1612. Brerewood, Lang. & Relig., xiii. 118. Those parts of Asia and America are continent one with the other.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, II. V. vi. § 7. 443. These [bridges] were covered with plankes and turfe; that they might seeme continent with the ground.
1692. Ray, Dissol. World, II. v. (1732), 207. Great Britain was anciently Continent to Gaul.
6. Continuous in duration; not intermittent. (Old Med. and Phys.)
† a. Continent fever: see quots. Obs.
1684. trans. Bonet’s Merc. Compit., VI. 158. Galen … cures Continent and Continual fevers onely by bleeding.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Continent Feaver, is that which performs its Course without any Intermission, or Abatement.
1776–83. Cullen, First Lines, § 28. Wks. I. 488. A Continent Fever.
† b. Continent cause (mod.L. causa continens, F. cause continente]: see quots. 1706, 1753. Obs.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. x. § 5. In that is the cause continent of many diseases.
1656. Ridgley, Pract. Physick, 95. The continent cause is evacuated by purging.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Continent Cause of a Distemper, is that on which the Disease depends so immediately, that it continues so long as that remains, and ceases when the said Cause is remov’d.
1707. Floyer, Physic. Pulse-Watch, 53. The continent causes of the Pulse are the strength of the Spirits, and the irritation of the Blood.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v. Cause, Continent, conjunct, or proximate Cause, that principle in the body which immediately adheres to the disease, and which being present, the disease is also present.
7. as adv.
1536. Primer Hen. VIII., 145. And yet I love Him continent, My faith in Him is not mispent.
