a. (and sb.) [f. prec. + -AL: so in mod.F.]
1. Belonging to, characteristic of, or of the nature of a continent or mainland.
1818. B. O’Reilly, Greenland, 17. To the northward, where the continental ice was evidently interminable.
1849. Grote, Greece, II. lx. (1862), V. 279. Greeks continental and insular.
1878. Huxley, Physiogr., xviii. 307. Such streams [Volga, Jordan, etc.] are often called continental rivers, since … their basins are contained within the land.
b. Phys. Geog. Of climate: see quot. 1880.
1865. Petermann, in Reader, 1 April, 374/2. The climate at the south was marine, and consequently moist; at the north it was continental, and consequently dry.
1880. Geikie, Phys. Geog., V. 351. A continental climate is one where the summer is hot, the winter cold, and where the rainfall is comparatively slight.
2. spec. Of, on, or belonging to ‘the Continent,’ i.e., the mainland of Europe, as distinguished from the British Isles.
Continental System (Hist.), the plan of Napoleon Bonaparte for cutting off Great Britain from all connection, political, commercial, and personal, with the continent of Europe; instituted by the Berlin Decree of 19th November 1806, which declared the British Islands in a state of blockade, forbad all commerce with them, ordered the arrest of all British subjects on the continent, etc.
1760. Life & Adv. of Cat, 37. I then ventured upon the continental gentlemen.
1793. Ld. Auckland, Corr., III. 55. The other continental powers.
1829. Lytton, Disowned, vi. That continental tour, deemed then so necessary a part of education.
1839–57. Alison, Hist. Europe, VII. xlii. § 43. 125. The Continental System, based on the project of totally excluding British goods and manufactures from all the European monarchies.
1875. Jevons, Money (1878), 86. Other writers, both continental and English.
3. Amer. Hist. Of or belonging to the colonies or States collectively (during and immediately after the War of Independence; cf. CONTINENT sb. 6); as in Continental Congress (see CONGRESS 7), continental army, debt, money, soldiers, etc.
1775. Gouv. Morris, in Sparks, Life & Writ. (1832), I. 48. The colonies are willing to assent to a Continental Congress.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., I. 321. Pennsylvania … assuring her supposed proportion of the continental debt.
1865. H. Phillips, Amer. Paper Curr., II. Pref. 5. The Bills of Credit issued by Congress, usually known as Continental Money.
1876. Bancroft, Hist. U. S., VI. xlii. 253. The continental regiments of North Carolina.
B. sb.
1. An inhabitant of a continent; spec. of the continent of Europe.
1828. Landor, Wks. (1868), I. 349. This language is not yours, is not an Italian’s, is not a continental’s.
1831. trans. Tour Germ. Prince, III. v. 124. An article in a newspaper after which a Continental would not show himself for three months.
1875. Merivale, Gen. Hist. Rome, xviii. (1877), 103. They laid stress upon their common blood as Italians, and their common interests as continentals.
2. Amer. Hist. a. A regular soldier of the Continental army in the War of Independence. b. A currency note issued by the Continental Congress during the war; the depreciation of which afterwards gave rise to the phrase Not worth a continental. c. pl. ‘The uniform of the Continental troops during the War of the Revolution’ (Farmer, Americanisms). Cf. regimentals.
1828. in Freedom’s Banner, 16 July, 3/4. Hear him complain of the incompetency of his salary, while pocketing annually more than four thousand dollars of the peoples money, and that too, for services not worth a sixpence continental.
1847. L. Sabine, Amer. Loyalists, 30, note. The number of regulars, or of continentals, was derived by him from the official returns deposited in the war office.
1872. ‘Mark Twain,’ Innoc. at Home, 20 (Farmer). He didn’t give a continental for anybody.
1876. Bancroft, Hist. U. S., VI. xlii. 253. These brave volunteers, who were supported by but nine continentals … fought for their homes.
1887. Scribn. Mag. (Farmer). The Yankee, who contemplates his grandfather in continentals above the chimney-piece.
Hence Continental v. nonce-wd. = CONTINENTALIZE I.
1865. G. Meredith, R. Fleming, xxv. (1889), 218. Mr. Edward was Continentalling.
