Chapter C · hap"ter, v. t. (continued 13)

Syn. — Conflict; combat; battle; encounter; shock; struggle; dispute; altercation; debate; controvesy; difference; disagreement; strife. — Contest, Conflict, Combat, Encounter. Contest is the broadest term, and had originally no reference to actual fighting. It was, on the contrary, a legal term signifying to call witnesses, and hence came to denote first a struggle in argument, and then a struggle for some common object between opposing parties, usually one of considerable duration, and implying successive stages or acts. Conflict denotes literally a close personal engagement, in which sense it is applied to actual fighting. It is, however, more commonly used in a figurative sense to denote strenuous or direct opposition; as, a mental conflict; conflicting interests or passions; a conflict of laws. An encounter is a direct meeting face to face. Usually it is a hostile meeting, and is then very nearly coincident with conflict; as, an encounter of opposing hosts. Sometimes it is used in a looser sense; as, "this keen encounter of our wits." Shak. Combat is commonly applied to actual fighting, but may be used figuratively in reference to a strife or words or a struggle of feeling.

CONTESTABLE Con*test"a*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. contestable.]

Defn: Capable of being contested; debatable.

CONTESTANT Con*test"ant, n. Etym: [Cf. F. contestant.]

Defn: One who contests; an opponent; a litigant; a disputant; one who claims that which has been awarded to another.

CONTESTATION Con`tes*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. contestatio testimony: cf. F. contestation a contesting.]

1. The act of contesting; emulation; rivalry; strife; dispute. "Loverlike contestation." Milton. After years spent in domestic, unsociable contestations, she found means to withdraw. Clarendon.

2. Proof by witness; attestation; testimony. [Obs.] A solemn contestation ratified on the part of God. Barrow.

CONTESTINGLY Con*test"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a contending manner.

CONTEX Con*tex, v. t.

Defn: To context. [Obs.] Boyle.

CONTEXT Con*text", a. Etym: [L. contextus, p.p. of contexere to weave, to unite; con- + texere to weave. See Text.]

Defn: Knit or woven together; close; firm. [Obs.] The coats, without, are context and callous. Derham.

CONTEXT Con"text, n. Etym: [L. contextus; cf. F. contexte .]

Defn: The part or parts of something written or printed, as of Scripture, which precede or follow a text or quoted sentence, or are so intimately associated with it as to throw light upon its meaning. According to all the light that the contexts afford. Sharp.

CONTEXT Con*text", v. t.

Defn: To knit or bind together; to unite closely. [Obs.] Feltham. The whole world's frame, which is contexted only by commerce and contracts. R. Junius.

CONTEXTURAL Con*tex"tur*al, a.

Defn: Pertaining to contexture or arrangement of parts; producing contexture; interwoven. Dr. John Smith (1666).

CONTEXTURE Con*tex"ture, n. Etym: [Cf. F. contexture.]

Defn: The arrangement and union of the constituent parts of a thing; a weaving together of parts; structural character of a thing; system; constitution; texture. That wonderful contexture of all created beings. Dryden. He was not of any delicate contexture; his limbs rather sturdy than dainty. Sir H. Wotton.

CONTEXTURED Con*tex"tured, a.

Defn: Formed into texture; woven together; arranged; composed. [R.] Carlyle.

CONTICENT Con"ti*cent, a. Etym: [L. conticens, p.pr. of conticere; con- + tacere to be silent.]

Defn: Silent. [R.] "The guests sit conticent." Thackeray.

CONTIGNATION Con`tig*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. contignatio, fr. contignare to join with beams; con- + tignum beam.]

1. The act or process of framing together, or uniting, as beams in a fabric. Burke.

2. A framework or fabric, as of beams. Sir H. Wotton.

CONTIGUATE Con*tig"u*ate, a. Etym: [LL. contiguatus.]

Defn: Contiguous; touching. [Obs.] Holland.

CONTIGUITY Con`ti*gu"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. contiguit, LL. contiguitas.]

Defn: The state of being contiguous; intimate association; nearness; proximity. The convicinity and contiguity of the two parishes. T. Warton.

CONTIGUOUS Con*tig"u*ous, a. Etym: [L. contiguus; akin to contigere to touch on all sides. See Contingent.]

Defn: In actual contact; touching; also, adjacent; near; neighboring; adjoining. The two halves of the paper did not appear fully divided . . . but seemed contiguous at one of their angles. Sir I. Newton. Sees no contiguous palace rear its head. Goldsmith. Contiguous angles. See Adjacent angles, under Angle.

Syn. — Adjoining; adjacent. See Adjacent. - Con*tig"u*ous*ly, adv. — Con*tig"u*ous*ness, n.

CONTINENCE; CONTINENCY Con"ti*nence, Con"ti*nen*cy, n. Etym: [F. continence, L. continentia. See Continent, and cf. Countenance.]

1. Self-restraint; self-command. He knew what to say; he knew also, when to leave off, — a continence which is practiced by few writers. Dryden.

2. The restraint which a person imposes upon his desires and passions; the act or power of refraining from indulgence of the sexual appetite, esp. from unlawful indulgence; sometimes, moderation in sexual indulgence. If they [the unmarried and widows] have not continency, let them marry. 1 Cor. vii. 9 (Rev. Ver. ). Chastity is either abstinence or continence: abstinence is that of virgins or widows; continence, that of married persons. Jer. Taylor.

3. Uninterrupted course; continuity. [Obs.] Ayliffe.

CONTINENT Con"ti*nent, a. Etym: [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.

CONTINENT Con"ti*nent, n. Etym: [L. continens, prop., a holding together: cf. F. continent. See Continent, a.]

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.

Note: 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.

CONTINENTAL Con`ti*nen"tal, a.

1. Of or pertaining to a continent.

2. Of or pertaining to the main land of Europe, in distinction from the adjacent islands, especially England; as, a continental tour; a continental coalition. Macaulay. No former king had involved himself so frequently in the labyrinth of continental alliances. Hallam.

3. (Amer. Hist.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the confederated colonies collectively, in the time of the Revolutionary War; as, Continental money. The army before Boston was designated as the Continental army, in contradistinction to that under General Gage, which was called the "Ministerial army." W. Irving. Continental Congress. See under Congress. — Continental system (Hist.), the blockade of Great Britain ordered by Napoleon by the decree of Berlin, Nov. 21, 1806; the object being to strike a blow at the maritime and commercial supremacy of Great Britain, by cutting her off from all intercourse with the continent of Europe.

CONTINENTAL Con`ti*nen"tal, n. (Amer. Hist.)

Defn: A soldier in the Continental army, or a piece of the Continental currency. See Continental, a., 3.

CONTINENTAL DRIVE Con`ti*nen"tal drive. (Automobiles)

Defn: A transmission arrangement in which the longitudinal crank shaft drives the rear wheels through a clutch, change-speed gear, countershaft, and two parallel side chains, in order.

CONTINENTAL GLACIER Continental glacier.

Defn: A broad ice sheet resting on a plain or plateau and spreading outward from a central névé, or region of accumulation.

CONTINENTAL PRONUNCIATION Continental pronunciation (of Latin and Greek.)

Defn: A method of pronouncing Latin and Greek in which the vowels have their more familiar Continental values, as in German and Italian, the consonants being pronounced mostly as in English. The stricter form of this method of pronouncing Latin approaches the Roman, the modified form the English, pronunciation. The Continental method of Greek pronunciation is often called Erasmian.

CONTINENTAL SYSTEM Continental system. (Hist.)

Defn: The system of commercial blockade aiming to exclude England from commerce with the Continent instituted by the Berlin decree, which Napoleon I. issued from Berlin Nov. 21, 1806, declaring the British Isles to be in a state of blockade, and British subjects, property, and merchandise subject to capture, and excluding British ships from all parts of Europe under French dominion. The retaliatory measures of England were followed by the Milan decree, issued by Napoleon from Milan Dec. 17, 1807, imposing further restrictions, and declaring every ship going to or from a port of England or her colonies to be lawful prize.

CONTINENTLY Con"ti*nent*ly, adv.

Defn: In a continent manner; chastely; moderately; temperately.

CONTINGENCE Con*tin"gence, n.

Defn: See Contingency.

CONTINGENCY Con*tin"gen*cy, n,; pl. Contingencies. Etym: [Cf. F. contingence.]

1. Union or connection; the state of touching or contact. "Point of contingency." J. Gregory.

2. The quality or state of being contingent or casual; the possibility of coming to pass. Aristotle says we are not to build certain rules on the contingency of human actions. South.

3. An event which may or may not occur; that which is possible or probable; a fortuitous event; a chance. The remarkable position of the queen rendering her death a most important contingency. Hallam.

4. An adjunct or accessory. Wordsworth.

5. (Law)

Defn: A certain possible event that may or may not happen, by which, when happening, some particular title may be affected.

Syn. — Casualty; accident; chance.

CONTINGENT Con*tin"gent, a. Etym: [L. contingens, -entis, p.pr. of contingere to touch on all sides, to happen; con- + tangere to touch: cf. F. contingent. See Tangent, Tact.]

1. Possible, or liable, but not certain, to occur; incidental; casual. Weighing so much actual crime against so much contingent advantage. Burke.

2. Dependent on that which is undetermined or unknown; as, the success of his undertaking is contingent upon events which he can not control. "Uncertain and contingent causes." Tillotson.

3. (Law)

Defn: Dependent for effect on something that may or may not occur; as, a contingent estate. If a contingent legacy be left to any one when he attains, or if he attains, the age of twenty-one. Blackstone.

CONTINGENT Con*tin"gent, n.

1. An event which may or may not happen; that which is unforeseen, undetermined, or dependent on something future; a contingency. His understanding could almost pierce into future contingets. South.

2. That which falls to one in a division or apportionment among a number; a suitable share; proportion; esp., a quota of troops. From the Alps to the border of Flanders, contingents were required . . . 200,000 men were in arms. Milman.

CONTINGENTLY Con*tin"gent*ly, adv.

Defn: In a contingent manner; without design or foresight; accidentally.

CONTINGENTNESS Con*tin"gent*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being contingent; fortuitousness.

CONTINUABLE Con*tin"u*a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being continued [R.]

CONTINUAL Con*tin"u*al, a. Etym: [OE. continuel, F. continuel. See Continue.]

1. Proceeding without interruption or cesstaion; continuous; unceasing; lasting; abiding. He that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast. Prov. xv. 15.

2. Occuring in steady and rapid succession; very frequent; often repeated. The eye is deligh by a continental succession of small landscapes. W. Irwing. Continual proportionals (Math.), quantities in continued proportion. Brande & C.

Syn. — Constant; prepetual; incessant; unceasing; uninterrupted; unintermitted; continuous. See Constant, and Continuous.

CONTINUALLY Con*tin"u*al*ly, adv.

1. Without cessation; unceasingly; continuously; as, the current flows continually. Why do not all animals continually increase in bigness Bentley.

2. In regular or repeated succession; very often. Thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. 2 Sam. ix. 7.

CONTINUANCE Con*tin"u*ance, n. Etym: [OF. continuance.]

1. A holding on, or remaining in a particular state; permanence, as of condition, habits, abode, etc.; perseverance; constancy; duration; stay. Great plagues, and of long continuence. Deut. xxviii. 59. Patient continuance i well-doing. Rom. ii. 7.

2. Uninterrupted succession; continuation; constant renewell; perpetuation; propagation. The brute immedistely regards his own preservation or the continuance of his species. Addison.

3. A holding together; continuity. [Obs.] Bacon.

4. (Law) (a) The adjournment of the proceedings in a cause from one day, or from one stated term of a court, to another. (b) The entry of such adjuornment and the grounds thereof on the record.

CONTINUANT Con*tin"u*ant, a.

Defn: Continuing; prolonged; sustained; as, a continuant sound. — n.

Defn: A continuant sound; a letter whose sound may be prolonged.

CONTINUATE Con*tin"u*ate, a. Etym: [L. continuatus, p.p. See Continue.]

1. Immediately united together; intimately connocted. [R.] We are of Him and in Him, even as though our very flesh and bones should be made continuate with his. Hooker.

2. Uninterrupted; unbroken; continual; continued. An untirable and continuate goodness. Shak.

CONTINUATION Con*tin`u*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. continuatio: cf. F. connuation.]

1. That act or state of continuing; the state of being continued; uninterrupted extension or succession; prolongation; propagation. Preventing the continuation of the royal line. Macaulay.

2. That which extends, increases, supplements, or carries on; as, the continuation of a story. My continuation of the version of Statius. Pope.

CONTINUATIVE Con*tin"u*a*tive, n. Etym: [Cf. F. continuatif.]

1. (Logic)

Defn: A term or expression denoting continuance. [R.] To these may be added continuatives; as, Rome remains to this day; which includes, at least, two propositions, viz., Rome was, and Rome is. I. Watts.

2. (Gram.)

Defn: A word that continues the connection of sentences or subjects; a connective; a conjunction. Continuatives . . . consolidate sentences into one continuous whole. Harris.

CONTINUATOR Con*tin"u*a`tor, n. Etym: [Cf. F. continuateur.]

Defn: One who, or that which, continues; esp., one who continues a series or a work; a continuer. Sir T. Browne.

CONTINUE Con*tin"ue, v. i. [imp. & p.p. Continued; p.pr. & vb.n. Continuing.] Etym: [F. continuer, L. continuare, -tinuatum, to connect, continue, fr. continuus. See Continuous, and cf. Continuate.]

1. To remain ina given place or condition; to remain in connection with; to abide; to stay. Here to continue, and build up here A growing empire. Milton. They continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat. Matt. xv. 32.

2. To be permanent or durable; to endure; to last. But now thy kingdom shall not continue. 1 Sam. xiii. 14.

3. To be steadfast or constant in any course; to persevere; to abide; to endure; to persist; to keep up or maintain a particular condition, course, or series of actions; as, the army continued to advance. If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed. John viii. 31.

Syn. — To persevere; persist. See Persevere.

CONTINUE Con*tin"ue, v. t.

1. To unite; to connect. [Obs.] the use of the navel is to continue the infant unto the mother. Sir T. browne.

2. To protract or extend in duration; to preserve or persist in; to cease not. O continue thy loving kindness unto them that know thee. Ps. xxxvi. 10. You know how to make yourself happy by only continuing such a life as you have been long acustomed to lead. Pope.

3. To carry onward or extend; to prolong or produce; to add to or draw out in length. A bridge of wond'rous length, From hell continued, reaching th' utmost orb of this frall world. Milton.

4. To retain; to suffer or cause to remain; as, the trustees were continued; also, to suffer to live. And how shall we continue Claudio. Shak.

CONTINUED Con*tin"ued, p.p. & a.

Defn: Having extension of time, space, order of events, exertion of energy, etc.; extended; protacted; uninterrupted; also, resumed after interruption; extending through a succession of issues, session, etc.; as, a continued story. "Continued woe." Jenyns. "Continued succession." Locke. Continued bass (Mus.), a bass continued through an entire piece of music, while the other parts of the harmony are indicated by figures beneath the bass; the same as thorough bass or figured bass; basso continuo. [It.] — Continued fever (Med.), a fever which presents no interruption in its course. — Continued fraction (Math.), a fraction whose numerator is 1, and whose denominator is a whole number plus a fraction whose numerator is 1 and whose denominator is a whole number, plus a fraction, and so on. — Continued proportion (Math.), a proportion composed of two or more equal ratios, in which the consequent of each preceding ratio is the same with the antecedent of the folowing one; as, 4 : 8 : 8 : 16 :: 16 : 32.

CONTINUEDLY Con*tin"u*ed*ly ( or , adv.

Defn: Continuously.

CONTINUER Con*tin"u*er, n.

Defn: One who continues; one who has the power of perseverance or persistence. "Indulgent continuers in sin." Hammond. I would my horse had the speed of your tongue, and so good a continuer. Shak.

CONTINUITY Con`ti*nu"i*ty, n.; pl. Continuities. Etym: [L. continuitas: cf. F. continuit. See Continuous.]

Defn: the state of being continuous; uninterupted connection or succession; close union of parts; cohesion; as, the continuity of fibers. Grew. The sight would be tired, if it were attracted by a continuity of glittering objects. Dryden. Law of continuity (Math. & Physics), the principle that nothing passes from one state to another without passing through all the intermediate states. — Solution of continuity. (Math.) See under Solution.

CONTINUO Con*ti"nu*o ( or , n. Etym: [It.] (Mus.)

Defn: Basso continuo, or continued bass.

CONTINUOUS Con*tin"u*ous, a. Etym: [L. continuus, fr. continere to hold together. See Continent.]

1. Without break, cessation, or interruption; without intervening space or time; uninterrupted; unbroken; continual; unceasing; constant; continued; protracted; extended; as, a continuous line of railroad; a continuous current of electricity. he can hear its continuous murmur. Longfellow.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Not deviating or varying from uninformity; not interrupted; not joined or articulated. Continuous brake (Railroad), a brake which is attached to each car a train, and can be caused to operate in all the cars simultaneously from a point on any car or on the engine. — Continuous impost. See Impost.

Syn. — Continuous, Continual. Continuous is the stronger word, and denotes that the continuity or union of parts is absolute and uninterrupted; as, a continuous sheet of ice; a continuous flow of water or of argument. So Daniel Webster speaks of "a continuous and unbroken strain of the martial airs of England." Continual, in most cases, marks a close and unbroken succession of things, rather than absolute continuity. Thus we speak of continual showers, implying a repetition with occasional interruptions; we speak of a person as liable to continual calls, or as subject to continual applications for aid, etc. See Constant.

CONTINUOUSLY Con*tin"u*ous*ly, adv.

Defn: In a continuous maner; without interruption. — Con*tin"u*ous*ness, n.

CONTLINE Cont"line`, n.

1. (Ropemaking)

Defn: The space between the strands on the outside of a rope. Knight.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: The space between the bilges of two casks stowed side by side.

CONTORNIATE; CONTORNIATE Con*tor"ni*ate, Con*tor"ni*a`te, n., Etym: [It. contorniato, p.pr. of contorniare to make a circuit or outline, fr. contorno circuit, outline. See Contour.] (Numis.)

Defn: A species of medal or medallion of bronze, having a deep furrow on the contour or edge; — supposed to have been struck in the days of Constantine and his successors. R. S. Poole.

CONTORSION Con*tor"sion, n.

Defn: See Contortion.

CONTORT Con*tort", v. t. Etym: [L. contortus, p.p. of contorquere to twist; con- + torquere to twist. See Torture.]

Defn: To twist, or twist together; to turn awry; to bend; to distort; to wrest. The vertebral arteries are variously contorted. Ray. Kant contorted the term category from the proper meaning of attributed. Sir W. Hamilton.

CONTORTED Con*tort"ed, a.

1. Twisted, or twisted together. "A contorted chain of icicles." Massinger.

2. (Bot.) (a) Twisted back upon itself, as some parts of plants. (b) Arranged so as to overlap each other; as, petals in contorted or convolute æstivation.

CONTORTION Con*tor"tion, n. Etym: [L. contortio: cf. F. contorsion. See Contort, and cf. Torsion.]

Defn: A twisting; a writhing; wry motion; a twist; as, the contortion of the muscles of the face. Swift. All the contortions of the sibyl, without the inspiration. Burke.

CONTORTIONIST Con*tor"tion*ist, n.

Defn: One who makes or practices contortions.

CONTORTIVE Con*tor"tive, a.

Defn: Expressing contortion.

CONTORTUPLICATE Con`tor*tu"pli*cate, a. Etym: [L. contortuplicatus; contortus contorted + plicare to fold.] (Bot.)

Defn: Plaited lengthwise and twisted in addition, as the bud of the morning-glory. Gray.

CONTOUR Con*tour", n. Etym: [F. contour, fr. contourner to mark the outlines; con- + tourner to turn. See Turn.]

1. The outline of a figure or body, or the line or lines representing such an outline; the line that bounds; periphery. Titian's coloring and contours. A. Drummond.

2. (Mil.)

Defn: The outline of a horizontal section of the ground, or of works of fortification. Contour feathers (Zoöl.), those feathers that form the general covering of a bird. — Contour of ground (Surv.), the outline of the surface of ground with respect to its undulation, etc. — Contour line (Topographical Suv.), the line in which a horizontal plane intersects a portion of ground, or the corresponding line in a map or chart.

CONTOURNE Con`tour`ne, a. Etym: [F., p.p. of contourner to twist.] (Her.)

Defn: Turned in a direction which is not the usual one; — said of an animal turned to the sinister which is usually turned to the dexter, or the like.

CONTOURNIATED Con*tour"ni*a`ted, a. Etym: [Cf. Contorniate.] (Numis.)

Defn: Having furrowed edges, as if turned in a lathe.

CONTRA Con"tra.

Defn: A Latin adverb and preposition, signifying against, contrary, in opposition, etc., entering as a prefix into the composition of many English words. Cf. Counter, adv. & pref.

CONTRABAND Con"tra*band, n. Etym: [It. contrabando; contra + bando ban, proclamation: cf. F. contrebande. See Ban an edict.]

1. Illegal or prohobited traffic. Persons the most bound in duty to prevent contraband, and the most interested in the seizures. Burke.

2. Goods or merchandise the importation or exportation of which is forbidden.

3. A negro slave, during the Civil War, escaped to, or was brought within, the Union lines. Such slave was considered contraband of war. [U.S.] Contraband of war, that which, according to international law, cannot be supplied to a hostile belligerent except at the risk of seizure and condemnation by the aggrieved belligerent. Wharton.

CONTRABAND Con"tra*band, a.

Defn: Prohibited or excluded by law or treaty; forbidden; as, contraband goods, or trade. The contraband will always keep pace, in some measure, with the fair trade. Burke.

CONTRABAND Con"tra*band, v. t.

1. To import illegaly, as prohibited goods; to smuggle. [Obs.] Johnson.

2. To declare prohibited; to forbid. [Obs.] The law severly contrabands Our taking business of men's hands. Hudibras.

CONTRABANDISM Con"tra*band*ism, n.

Defn: Traffic in contraband gods; smuggling.

CONTRABANDIST Con"tra*band`ist, n.

Defn: One who traffic illegaly; a smuggler.

CONTRABASS Con`tra*bass"

Defn: , n. (Mus.) Double bass; — applied to any instrument of the same deep range as the stringed double bass; as, the contrabass ophicleide; the cotrabass tuba or bombardon.

CONTRABASSO Con`tra*bas"so, n. Etym: [It. contrabasso.] (Mus.)

Defn: The largest kind of bass viol. See Violone.

CONTRACT Con*tract", v. t. [imp. & p.p. Contracted; p.pr. & vb.n. Contracting.] Etym: [L. contractus, p.p. of contrahere to contract; con- + trahere to draw: cf. F. contracter. See Trace, and cf. Contract, n.]

1. To draw together or nearer; to reduce to a less compass; to shorten, narrow, or lesen; as, to contract one's shpere of action. In all things desuetude doth contract and narrow our faculties. Dr. H. More.

2. To draw together so as to wrinkle; to knit. Thou didst contract and purse thy brow. Shak.

3. To bring on; to incur; to acquire; as, to contract a habit; to contract a debt; to contract a disease. Each from each contract new strength and light. Pope. Such behavior we contract by having much conversed with persons of high statiSwift.

4. To enter into, with mutual obligations; to make a bargain or covenant for. We have contracted an inviolable amity, peace, and lague with the aforesaid queen. Hakluyt. Many persons . . . had contracted marriage within the degrees of consanguinity . . . prohibited by law. Strype.

5. To betroth; to affiance. The truth is, she and I, long since contracted, Are now so sure, that nothing can dissolve us. Shak.

6. (Gram.)

Defn: To shorten by omitting a letter or letters or by reducing two or more vowels or syllables to one.

Syn. — To shorten; abridge; epitomize; narrow; lessen; condense; reduce; confine; incur; assume.

CONTRACT Con*tract", v. i.

1. To be drawn together so as to be diminished in size or extent; to shrink; to be reduced in compass or in duration; as, iron contracts in cooling; a rope contracts when wet. Years contracting to a moment. Wordsworth.

2. To make an agreement; to covenant; to agree; to bargain; as, to contract for carrying the mail.

CONTRACT Con"tract, a.

Defn: Contracted: as, a contract verb. Goodwin.

CONTRACT Con*tract", a. Etym: [L. contractus, p.p.]

Defn: Contracted; affianced; betrothed. [Obs.] Shak.

CONTRACT Con"tract, n. Etym: [L. contractus, fr. contrahere: cf. F. contrat, formerly also contract.]

1. (Law)

Defn: The agreement of two or more persons, upon a sufficient consideration or cause, to do, or to abstain from doing, some act; an agreement in which a party undertakes to do, or not to do, a particular thing; a formal bargain; a compact; an interchange of legal rights. Wharton.

2. A formal writing which contains the agreement of parties, with the terms and conditions, and which serves as a proof of the obligation.

3. The act of formally betrothing a man and woman. This is the the night of the contract. Longwellow.

Syn. — Covenant; agreement; compact; stipulation; bargain; arrangement; obligation. See Covenant.

CONTRACTED Con*tract"ed, a.

1. Drawn together; shrunken; wrinkled; narrow; as, a contracted brow; a contracted noun.

2. Narrow; illiberal; selfish; as, a contracted mind; contracted views.

3. Bargained for; betrothed; as, a contracted peace. Inquire me out contracted bachelors. Shak.

CONTRACTEDNESS Con*tract"ed*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being contracted; narrowness; meannes; selfishness.

CONTRACTIBILITY Con*tract`i*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: Capability of being contracted; quality of being contractible; as, the contractibiliy and dilatability of air. Arbuthnot.

CONTRACTIBLE Con*tract"i*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of contraction. Small air bladders distable and contractible. Arbuthnot.

CONTRACTIBLENESS Con*tract"i*ble*ness, n.

Defn: Contractibility.

CONTRACTILE Con*tract"ile, a. Etym: [Cf. F. contractile.]

Defn: tending to contract; having the power or property of contracting, or of shrinking into shorter or smaller dimensions; as, the contractile tissues. The heart's contractile force. H. Brooke. Each cilium seems to be composed of contractile substance. Hixley. Contractile vacuole (Zoöl.), a pulsating cavity in the interior of a protozoan, supposed to be excretory in function. There may be one, two, or more.

CONTRACTILITY Con`trac*til"i*ty, n.

1. The quality or property by which bodies shrink or contract.

2. (Physiol.)

Defn: The power possessed by the fibers of living muscle of contracting or shortening.

Note: When subject to the will, as in the muscles of locomotion, such power is called voluntary contractility; when not controlled by the will, as in the muscles of the heart, it is involuntary contractility.

CONTRACTION Con*trac"tion, n. Etym: [L. contractio: cf. F. contraction.]

1. The act or process of contracting, shortening, or shrinking; the state of being contracted; as, contraction of the heart, of the pupil of the eye, or of a tendion; the contraction produced by cold.

2. (Math.)

Defn: The process of shortening an operation.

3. The act of incurring or becoming subject to, as liabilities, obligation, debts, etc.; the process of becoming subject to; as, the contraction of a disease.

4. Something contracted or abbreviated, as a word or phrase; — as, plenipo for plenipotentiary; crim. con. for criminal conversation, etc.

5. (Gram.)

Defn: The shortening of a word, or of two words, by the omission of a letter or letters, or by reducing two or more vowels or syllables to one; as, ne'er for never; can't for can not; don't for do not; it's for it is.

6. A marriage contract. [Obs.] Shak.

CONTRACTIVE Con*tract"ive, a.

Defn: Tending to contract; having the property or power or power of contracting.

CONTRACTOR Con*tract"or, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: One who contracts; one of the parties to a bargain; one who covenants to do anything for another; specifically, one who contracts to perform work on a rather large scale, at a certain price or rate, as in building houses or making a railroad.

CONTRACT SYSTEM Con"tract sys"tem.

1. The sweating system.

2. The system of employing convicts by selling their labor (to be performed inside the prison) at a fixed price per day to contractors who are allowed to have agents in the prison to superintend the work.

CONTRACT TABLET Con"tract tablet. (Babylonian & Assyrian Antiq.)

Defn: A clay tablet on which was inscribed a contract, for safe keeping. Such tablets were inclosed in an outer case (often called the envelope), on which was inscribed a duplicate of the inscription on the inclosed tablet.

CONTRACTURE Con*trac"ture, n. Etym: [L. contractura a drawing together.] (Med.)

Defn: A state of permanent rigidity or contraction of the muscles, generally of the flexor muscles.

CONTRADANCE Con"tra*dance`, n. Etym: [Pref. contra- + dance: cf. F. contrdance. Cf. Country-dance.]

Defn: A dance in which the partners are arranged face to face, or in opposite lines.

CONTRADICT Con`tra*dict", v. t. [imp. & p.p. Contradicted; p.pr. & vb.n Contradicting.] Etym: [L. contradictus, p.p. of contradicere to speak against; contra + dicere to speak. See Diction.]

1. To assert the contrary of; to oppose in words; to take issue with; to gainsay; to deny the truth of, as of a statement or a speaker; to impugn. Dear Duff, I prithee, contradict thyself, And say it is not so. Shak. The future can not contradict the past. Wordsworth.

2. To be contrary to; to oppose; to resist. [Obs.] No truth can contradict another truth. Hooker. A greater power than we can contradict Hath thwarted our intents. Shak.

CONTRADICT Con`tra*dict, v. i.

Defn: To oppose in words; to gainsay; to deny, or assert the contrary of, something. They . . . spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Acts xiii. 45.

CONTRADICTABLE Con`tra*dict"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being contradicting.

CONTRADICTER Con`tra*dict"er, n.

Defn: one who contradicts. Swift.

CONTRADICTION Con`tra*dic"tion, n. Etym: [L. contradictio answer, objection: cf. F. contradiction.]

1. An assertion of the contrary to what has been said or affirmed; denial of the truth of a statement or assertion; contrary declaration; gainsaying. His fair demands Shall be accomplished without contradiction. Shak.

2. Direct opposition or repugnancy; inconsistency; incongruity or contrariety; one who, or that which, is inconsistent. can be make deathless death That were to make Strange contradiction. Milton. We state our experience and then we come to a manly resolution of acting in contradiction to it. Burke. Both parts of a contradiction can not possibly be true. Hobbes. Of contradictions infinite the slave. Wordsworth. Principle of contradiction (Logic), the axiom or law of thought that a thing cannot be and not be at the same time, or a thing must either be or not be, or the same attribute can not at the same time be affirmed and and denied of the same subject. It develops itself in three specific forms which have been called the "Three Logical Axioms." First. "A is A." Second, "A is not Not-A" Third, "Everything is either A or Not-A."

CONTRADICTIONAL Con`tra*dic"tion*al, a.

Defn: Contradictory; inconsistent; opposing. [R.] Milton.

CONTRADICTIOUS Con`tra*dic"tious, a.

1. Filled with contradictions; inconsistent. [Obs.]

2. Inclined to contradict or cavil [Obs.] Sharp. — Con`tra*dic"tious*ness, n. Norris.

CONTRADICTIVE Con`tra*dict"ive, a.

Defn: Contradictory; inconsistent. — Con`tra*dict"ive*ly, adv..

CONTRADICTOR Con`tra*dict"or, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: A contradicter.

CONTRADICTORILY Con`tra*dict"o*ri*ly, adv.

Defn: In a contradictory manner. Sharp.

CONTRADICTORINESS Con"tra*dict`o*ri*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being contradictory; opposition; inconsistency. J. Whitaker.

CONTRADICTORY Con`tra*dict"o*ry, a. Etym: [LL. contradictorius: cf. F. contradictoire.]

1. Affirming the contrary; implying a denial of what has been asserted; also, mutually contradicting; inconsistent. "Contradictory assertions." South.

2. Opposing or opposed; repugnant. Schemes . . . contradictory to common sense. Addisn.

CONTRADICTORY Con`tra*dict"o*ry, n.; pl. Contradictories (.

1. A proposition or thing which denies or opposes another; contrariety. It is common with princes to will contradictories. Bacon.

2. pl. (Logic)

Defn: propositions with the same terms, but opposed to each other both in quality and quantity.

CONTRADISTINCT Con`tra*dis*tinct", a.

Defn: Distinguished by opposite qualities. J. Goodwin.

CONTRADISTINCTION Con`tra*dis*tinc"tion, n.

Defn: Distinction by contrast. That there are such things as sins of infirmity in contradistinction to those of presumption is not to be questioned. South.

CONTRADISTINCTIVE Con`tra*dis*tinc"tive, a.

Defn: having the quality of contradistinction; distinguishing by contrast. — Con`tra*dis*tinc"tive, n.

CONTRADISTINGUISH Con`tra*dis*tin"guish (; 144), v. t. [imp & p. p. Contradistinguished; p. pr. & vb. n. Contradistinguishing.]

Defn: To distinguish by a contrast of opposite qualities. These are our complex ideas of soul and body, as contradistinguished. Locke.

CONTRAFAGETTO Con`tra*fa*get"to, n. Etym: [It.] (Mus.)

Defn: The double bassoon, an octave deeper than the bassoon.

CONTRAFISSURE Con`tra*fis"sure, n. (Med.)

Defn: A fissure or fracture on the side opposite to that which received the blow, or at some distance from it. Coxe.

CONTRAHENT Con"tra*hent, a. Etym: [L. contrahens, p.pr. See Contract.]

Defn: Entering into covenant; contracting; as, contrahent parties. [Obs.] Mede.

CONTRAINDICANT Con"tra*in"di*cant, n. (Med.)

Defn: Something, as a symptom, indicating that the usual mode of treatment is not to be followed. Burke.

CONTRAINDICATE Con"tra*in*"di*cate, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Contraindicated; p.pr. & vb.n. Contraindicating.] (Med.)

Defn: To indicate, as by a symptom, some method of treatment contrary to that which the general tenor of the case would seem to require. Contraindicating symptoms must be observed. Harvey.

CONTRAINDICATION Con"tra*in`di*ca"tion, n. (med.)

Defn: An indication or symptom which forbids the method of treatment usual in such cases.

CONTRALTO Con*tral"to ( or , n. Etym: [It., fr. contra + alto. See Alto.] (Mus.) (a) The part sung by the highest male or lowest female voices; the alto or counter tenor. (b) the voice or singer performing this part; as, her voice is a contralto; she is a contralto.

Note: The usual range of the contralto voice is from G, below middle C, to the C above that; though exceptionally it embraces two octaves.

CONTRALTO Con*tral"to ( or , a. (Mus.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a contralto, or to the part in music called contralto; as, a contralto voice.

CONTRAMURE Con"tra*mure, n. Etym: [Cf. Countermure.] (fort.)

Defn: An outer wall. [Obs.] Chambers.

CONTRANATURAL Con"tra*nat"u*ral, a. Etym: [Cf. Counternatural.]

Defn: Opposed to or against nature; unnatural. [R.] Bp. Rust.

CONTRAPLEX Con"tra*plex, a. [Contra- + -plex as in duplex.] (Teleg.)

Defn: Pertaining to the sending of two messages in opposite directions at the same time.

CONTRAPOSITION Con"tra*po*si"tion, n. Etym: [Pref. contra- + position: cf. f. conterposition.]

1. A placing over against; opposite position. [Obs.] F. Potter.

2. (Logic)

Defn: A so-called immediate inference which consists in denying the original subject of the contradictory predicate; e.g.: Every S is P; therefore, no Not-P is S.

CONTRAPTION Con*trap"tion, n.

Defn: A contrivance; a new-fangled device; — used scornfully. [Colloq. or Dial.] — Con*trap"tious (#), a.

We all remember some of the extraordinary contraptions which have been thus evolved and put upon the market. F. M. Ware.

CONTRAPUNTAL Con`tra*pun"tal, a. Etym: [It. contrappunto counterpoint. See Counterpoint.] (Mus.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or according to the rules of, counterpoint.

CONTRAPUNTIST Con`tra*pun"tist, n. Etym: [It. contrappuntista.] (Mus.)

Defn: One skilled in counterpoint. L. Mason.

CONTRAREMONSTRANT Con"tra*re*mon"strant, n.

Defn: One who remonstrates in opposition or answer to a remonstraint. [R.] They did the synod wrong to make this distinction of contraremonstrants and remonstrants. Hales.

CONTRARIANT Con*tra"ri*ant, a. Etym: [LL. contrarians, p.pr. of contrariare to oppose, fr. L. contrarius: cf. F. contrariant, p.pr. of contrarier to contradict. See Contrary.]

Defn: Contrary; opposed; antagonistic; inconsistent; contradictory. [R.] The struggles of contrariant factions. Coleridge.

CONTRARIANTLY Con*tra"ri*ant*ly, adv.

Defn: Contrarily. [Obs.]

CONTRARIES Con"tra*ries ( or , n. pl. Etym: [Pl. of Contrary, n.] (Logic)

Defn: Propositions which directly and destructively contradict each other, but of which the falsehood of one does not establish the truth of the other. If two universals differ in quality, they are contraries; as, every vine is a tree; no vine is a tree. These can never be both true together; but they may be both false. I. Watts.

CONTRARIETY Con`tra*ri"e*ty n.; pl. Contrarieties. Etym: [L. contrarietas: cf. F. contrariété.]

1. The state or quality of being contrary; opposition; repugnance; disagreement; antagonism. There is a contrariety between those things that conscience inclines to, and those that entertain the senses. South.

2. Something which is contrary to, or inconsistent with, something else; an inconsistency. How can these contrarieties agree Shak.

Syn. — Inconsistency; discrepancy; repugnance.

CONTRARILY Con"tra*ri*ly or

Defn: (adv. In a contrary manner; in opposition; on the other side; in opposite ways.

CONTRARINESS Con"tra*ri*ness, n.

Defn: state or quality of being contrary; opposition; inconsistency; contrariety; perverseness; obstinancy.

CONTRARIOUS Con*tra"ri*ous, a. Etym: [LL. contrariosus: cf. OF. contrarios contralius.]

Defn: Showing contrariety; repugnant; perverse. [Archaic] Milton. She flew contrarious in the face of God. Mrs. Browning.

CONTRARIOUSLY Con*tra"ri*ous*ly, adv.

Defn: Contrarily; oppositely. Shak.

CONTRARIWISE Con"tra*ri*wise ( or , adv.

1. On the contrary; oppositely; on the other hand. Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; but contrariwise, blessing. 1 Pet. iii. 9.

2. In a contrary order; conversely. Everything that acts upon the fluids must, at the same time, act upon the solids, and contrariwise. Arbuthnot.

CONTRAROTATION Con`tra*ro*ta"tion, n.

Defn: Circular motion in a direction contrary to some other circular motion.

CONTRARY Con"tra*ry ( or ; 48), a. Etym: [OE. contrarie, contraire, F. contraire, fr. L. contrarius, fr. contra. See Contra-.]

1. Opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse; as, contrary winds. And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me. Lev. xxvi. 21. We have lost our labor; they are gone a contrary way. Shak.

2. Opposed; contradictory; repugnant; inconsistent. Fame, if not double-faced, is double mouthed, And with contrary blast proclaims most deeds. Milton. The doctrine of the earth's motion appeared to be contrary to the sacred Scripture. Whewell.

3. Given to opposition; perverse; forward; wayward; as, a contrary disposition; a contrary child.

4. (Logic)

Defn: Affirming the opposite; so opposed as to destroy each other; as, contrary propositions. Contrary motion (Mus.), the progression of parts in opposite directions, one ascending, the other descending.

Syn. — Adverse; repugnant; hostile; inimical; discordant; inconsistent.

CONTRARY Con"tra*ry, n.; pl. Contraries (.

1. A thing that is of contrary or opposite qualities. No contraries hold more antipathy Than I and such a knave. Shak.

2. An opponent; an enemy. [Obs.] Chaucer.

3. the opposite; a proposition, fact, or condition incompatible with another; as, slender proofs which rather show the contrary. See Converse, n., 1. Locke.

4. (Logic)

Defn: See Contraries. On the contrary, in opposition; on the other hand. Swift. — To the contrary, to an opposite purpose or intent; on the other side. "They did it, not for want of instruction to the contrary." Bp. Stillingfleet.

CONTRARY Con"tra*ry, v. t. Etym: [F. contrarier. See Contrary, a.]

Defn: To contradict or oppose; to thwart. [Obs.] I was advised not to contrary the king. Bp. Latimer.

CONTRAST Con*trast", v. i. [imp. & p.p. Contrasted; p.pr. & vb.n. Contrasting.] Etym: [F. contraster, LL. contrastare to resist, withstand, fr. L. contra + stare to stand. See Stand.]

Defn: To stand in opposition; to exhibit difference, unlikeness, or opposition of qualities. The joints which divide the sandstone contrast finely with the divisional planes which separate the basalt into pillars. Lyell.

CONTRAST Con*trast", v. t.

1. To set in opposition, or over against, in order to show the differences between, or the comparative excellences and defects of; to compare by difference or contrariety of qualities; as, to contrast the present with the past.

2. (Fine Arts)

Defn: To give greater effect to, as to a figure or other object, by putting it in some relation of opposition to another figure or object. the figures of the groups must not be all on side . . . but must contrast each other by their several position. Dryden.

CONTRAST Con"trast, n. Etym: [F. contraste: cf. It. contrasto.]

1. The act of contrasting, or the state of being contrasted; comparison by contrariety of qualities. place the prospect of the soul In sober contrast with reality. Wordsworth.

2. Opposition or dissimilitude of things or qualities; unlikeness, esp. as shown by juxtaposition or comparison. The contrasts and resemblances of the seasons. Whewell.

3. (Fine Arts)

Defn: The opposition of varied forms, colors, etc., which by such juxtaposition more vividly express each other's pecularities. Fairholt.

CONTRASTIMULANT Con`tra*stim"u*lant, a.

Defn: Counteracting the effects of stimulants; relating to a course of medical treatment based on a theory of contrastimulants. — n. (Med.)

Defn: An agent which counteracts the effect of a stimulant.

CONTRATE Con"trate, a. Etym: [See Contra-.]

Defn: Having cogs or teeth projecting parallel to the axis, instead of radiating from it. [R.] Contrate wheel. See Crown wheel.

CONTRATENOR Con"tra*ten`or, n. Etym: [Cf. Counter tenor.] (Mus.)

Defn: Counter tenor; contralto.

CONTRAVALLATION Con`tra*val*la"tion, n. Etym: [Pref. contra- + vallation: cf. F. contrevallation. Cf. Countervallation.] (Fort.)

Defn: A trench guarded with a parapet, constructed by besiegers, to secure themselves and check sallies of the besieged.

CONTRAVENE Con`tra*vene", v. t. [imp. & p.p. Contravened; p.pr. & vb.n. Contravening.] Etym: [LL. contravenire; L. contra + venire to come: cf. F. contrevenir. See Come.]

1. To meet in the way of opposition; to come into conflict with; to oppose; to contradict; to obstruct the operation of; to defeat. So plain a proposition . . . was not likely to be contravened. Southey.

2. To violate; to nullify; to be inconsistent with; as, to contravene a law. Laws that place the subjects in such a state contravene the first principles of the compact of authority. Johnson.

Syn. — To contradict; set aside; nullify; defeat; cross; obstruct; baffle; thwart.

CONTRAVENER Con`tra*ven"er, n.

Defn: One who contravenes.

CONTRAVENTION Con`tra*ven"tion, n. Etym: [Cf.F. contravention.]

Defn: The act of contravening; opposition; obstruction; transgression; violation. Warrants in contravention of the acts of Parliament. Macaulay. In contravention of all his marriage stipulations. Motley.

CONTRAVERSION Con`tra*ver"sion, n.

Defn: A turning to the opposite side; antistrophe. Congreve.

CONTRAYERVA Con`tra*yer"va, n. Etym: [Sp. contrayerba, literally, a counter herb, hence, an antidote for poison, fr. l. contra + herba herb.] (Bot.)

Defn: A species of Dorstenia (D. Contrayerva), a South American plant, the aromatic root of which is sometimes used in medicine as a gentle stimulant and tonic.

CONTRECOUP Con`tre*coup", n. Etym: [F., fr. contre (L. contra) + coup a blow.] (med.)

Defn: A concussion or shock produced by a blow or other injury, in a part or region opposite to that at which the blow is received, often causing rupture or disorganisation of the parts affected.

CONTREDANSE Con"tre*danse`, n. [Cf. F. contredanse (fr. E. Country-dance). ]

1. (a) A dance in which the partners are arranged face to face, or in opposite lines. (b) The quadrille. [Obs.]

2. (Music) A piece of music in the rhythm of such a dance.

CONTRETEMPS Con`tre*temps", n. Etym: [F., fr. contre (L. conta) + temps time, fr. L. tempus.]

Defn: An unexpected and untoward accident; something inopportune or embarassing; a hitch. In this unhappy contretemps. De Quincey.

CONTRIBUTABLE Con*trib"u*ta*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being contributed.

CONTRIBUTARY Con*trib"u*ta*ry, a.

1. Contributory. [R.]

2. Tributary; contributing. [R.] It was situated on the Ganges, at the place where this river received a contributary stream. D'Anville (Trans. ).

CONTRIBUTE Con*trib"ute, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Contributed; p.pr. & vb.n. Contributing.] Etym: [L. contributus, p.p. of contribuere to bring together, to add; con- + tribuere to grant, impart. See Tribute.]

Defn: To give or grant i common with others; to give to a common stock or for a common purpose; to furnish or suply in part; to give (money or other aid) for a specified object; as, to contribute food or fuel for the poor. England contributes much more than any other of the allies. Addison.

CONTRIBUTE Con*trib"ute, v. i.

1. To give a part to a common stock; to lend assistance or aid, or give something, to a common purpose; to have a share in any act or effect. We are engaged in war; the secretary of state calls upon the colonies to contribute. Burke.

2. To give or use one's power or influence for any object; to assist. These men also contributed to obstruct the progress of wisdom. Goldsmith.

CONTRIBUTION Con`tri*bu"tion, n. Etym: [L. contributio: cf. F. contribution.]

1. The act of contributing.

2. That which is contributed; — either the portion which an individual furnishes to the common stock, or the whole which is formed by the gifts of individuals. A certain contribution for the poor saints which are at jerusalem. Rom. xv. 26. Aristotle's actual contributions to the physical sciences. Whewell.

3. (Mil.)

Defn: An irregular and arbitrary imposition or tax leved on the people of a town or country. These sums, . . . and the forced contributions paid by luckless peasants, enabled him to keep his straggling troops together. Motley.

4. (Law)

Defn: Payment, by each of several jointly liable, of a share in a loss suffered or an amount paid by one of their number for the common benefit.

CONTRIBUTIONAL Con`tri*bu"tion*al, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or furnishing, a contribution.

CONTRIBUTION PLAN Con`tri*bu"tion plan. (Life Insurance)

Defn: A plan of distributing surplus by giving to each policy the excess of premiums and interest earned thereon over the expenses of management, cost of insurance, and the policy value at the date of computation. This excess is called the contribution of the policy.

CONTRIBUTIVE Con*trib"u*tive, a.

Defn: Contributing, or tending to contribute. Fuller.

CONTRIBUTOR Con*trib"u*tor, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, contributes; specifically, one who writes articles for a newspaper or magazine.

CONTRIBUTORY Con*trib"u*to*ry, a.

Defn: Contributing to the same stock or purpose; promoting the same end; bringing assistance to some joint design, or increase to some common stock; contributive. Milton. Bonfires of contributory wood. Chapman. Contributory negligence (Law), negligence by an injured party, which combines with the negligence of the injurer in producing the injury, and which bars recovery when it is the proximate cause of the injury. Wharton.

CONTRIBUTORY Con*trib"u*to*ry, n.; pl. Contributories (.

Defn: One who contributes, or is liable to be called upon to contribute, as toward the discharge of a common indebtedness. Abbott.

CONTRIST Con*trist", v. t. Etym: [Cf. F. contrister. See Contristate.]

Defn: To make sad. [Obs.] To deject and contrist myself. Sterne.

CONTRISTATE Con*tris"tate, v. t. & i. Etym: [L. contristatus, p.p. of contristare to sadden; con- + tristis sad.]

Defn: To make sorrowful. [Obs.] Bacon.

CONTRITE Con"trite, a. Etym: [L. contritus bruised, p. p. of contrere to grind, bruise; con- + terere to rub, grind: cf. F. contrit See Trite.]

1. Thoroughly bruised or broken. [Obs.]

2. Broken down with grief and penitence; deeply sorrowful for sin because it is displeasing to God; humbly and thoroughly penitent. A contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Ps. li. 17. Be penitent, and for thy fault contrite. Milton.

Syn. — Penitent; repentant; humble; sorrowful.

CONTRITE Con"trite, n.

Defn: A contrite person. Hooker.

CONTRITE Con"trite, v.

Defn: In a contrite manner.

CONTRITENESS Con"trite`ness, n.

Defn: Deep sorrow and penitence for sin; contrition.

CONTRITION Con*tri"tion, n. Etym: [F. contrition, L. contritio.]

1. The act of grinding or ribbing to powder; attrition; friction; rubbing. [Obs.] The breaking of their parts into less parts by contrition. Sir I. Newton.

2. The state of being contrite; deep sorrow and repentance for sin, because sin is displeasing to God; humble penitence; through repentance. My future days shall be one whole contrition. Dryden.

Syn. — repentance; penitence; humiliation; compunction; self-reproach; remorse. — Contrition, Attrition, repentance. — Contrition is deep sorrow and self-condemnation, with through repetance for sin because it is displeasing to God, and implies a feeling of love toward God. Attrition is sorrow for sin, or imperfect repentance produced by fear of punishment or a sense of the baseness of sin. Repentance is a penitent renunciation of, and turning from, sin; thorough repentance produces a new life. Repentance is often used as synonymous with contrition. See Compunction.

CONTRITURATE Con*trit"u*rate, v. t.

Defn: To triturate; to pulverize. [R.]

CONTRIVABLE Con*triv"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being contrived, planned, invented, or devised. A perpetual motion may seem easily contrivable. Bp. Wilkins.

CONTRIVANCE Con*triv"ance, n.

1. The act or faculty of contriving, inventing, devising, or planning. The machine which we are inspecting demonstrates, by its construction, contrivance and design. Contrivance must have had a contriver. Paley.

2. The thing contrived, invented, or planned; disposition of parts or causes by design; a scheme; plan; atrifice; arrangement. Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants. Burke.

Syn. — Device; plan; scheme; invention; machine; project; design; artifice; shift. See Device.

CONTRIVE Con*trive", v. t. [imp. & p.p. Contrived; p.pr. & vb.n. Contriving.] Etym: [OE. contriven, contreven, controven, to invent, OF. controver, contruver; con- + trouver to find. See Troubadour, trover.]

Defn: To form by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise; to invent; to design; to plan. What more likely to contrive this admirable frame of the universe than infinite wisdom. Tillotson. neither do thou imagine that I shall contrive aught against his life. Hawthorne.

Syn. — To invent; discover; plan; design; project; plot; concert; hatch.

CONTRIVE Con*trive", v. i.

Defn: To make devices; to form designs; to plan; to scheme; to plot. The Fates with traitors do contrive. Shak. Thou hast contrived against th very life Of the defendant. Shak.

CONTRIVEMENT Con*trive"ment, n.

Defn: Contrivance; invention; arrangement; design; plan. [Obs.] Consider the admirable contrivement and artifice of this great fabric. Glanvill. Active to meet their contrivements. Sir G. Buck.

CONTRIVER Con*triv"er, n.

Defn: One who contrives, devises, plans, or schemas. Swift.

CONTROL Con*trol", n. Etym: [F. contrôle a counter register, contr. fr. contr-rôle; contre (L. contra) + rôle roll, catalogue. See Counter and Roll, and cf. Counterroll.]

1. A duplicate book, register, or account, kept to correct or check another account or register; a counter register. [Obs.] Johnson.

2. That which serves to check, restrain, or hinder; restraint. "Speak without control." Dryden.

3. Power or authority to check or restrain; restraining or regulating influence; superintendence; government; as, children should be under parental control. The House of Commons should exercise a control over all the departments of the executive administration. Macaulay. Board of control. See under Board.

CONTROL Con*trol", v. t. [imp. & p.p. Controlled; p.pr. & vb.n. Controlling.] Etym: [F. contrôler, fr. contrôle.] [Formerly written comptrol and controul.]

1. To check by a counter register or duplicate account; to prove by counter statements; to confute. [Obs.] This report was controlled to be false. Fuller.

2. To exercise restraining or governing influence over; to check; to counteract; to restrain; to regulate; to govern; to overpower. Give me a staff of honor for mine age, But not a scepter to control the world. Shak. I feel my virtue struggling in my soul: But stronger passion does its power control. Dryden.

Syn. — To restrain; rule; govern; manage; guide; regulate; hinder; direct; check; curb; counteract; subdue.

CONTROLLABILITY Con*trol`la*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: Capability of being controlled; controllableness.

CONTROLLABLE Con*trol"la*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being controlled, checked, or restrained; amenable to command. Passion is the drunkeness of the mind, and, therefore, . . . not always controllable by reason. South.

CONTROLLABLENESS Con*trol"la*ble*ness, n.

Defn: Capability of being controlled.

CONTROLLER Con*trol"ler, n. Etym: [From control, v.t.: cf. F. contrôleur.]

1. One who, or that which, controls or restraines; one who has power or authority to regulate or control; one who governs. The great controller of our fate Deigned to be man, and lived in low estate. Dryden.

2. An officer appointed to keep a counter register of accounts, or to examine, rectify, or verify accounts. [More commonly written controller.]

3. (Naut.)

Defn: An iron block, usually bolted to a ship's deck, for controlling the running out of a chain cable. The links of the cable tend to drop into hollows in the block, and thus hold fast until disengaged.

CONTROLLERSHIP Con*trol"ler*ship, n.

Defn: The office of a controller.

CONTROLMENT Con*trol"ment, n.

1. The power or act of controlling; the state of being rstrained; control; restraint; regulation; superintendence. You may do it without controlment. Shak.

2. Opposition; resistance; hostility. [Obs.] Here have we war for war, and blood for blood, Controlment for controlment. Shak.

CONTROVERSAL Con`tro*ver"sal, a.

1. Turning or looking opposite ways. [Obs.] The temple of Janus, with his two controversal faces. Milton.

2. Controversal. [Obs.] Boyle.

CONTROVERSARY Con`tro*ver"sa*ry, a.

Defn: Controversial. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

CONTROVERSE Con"tro*verse, n. Etym: [Cf. F. controverse.]

Defn: Controversy. [Obs.] Spenser.

CONTROVERSE Con"tro*verse, v. t. Etym: [L. controversari, fr. controversus turned against, disputed.]

Defn: To dispute; to controvert. [Obs.] "Controversed causes." Hooker.

CONTROVERSER Con"tro*ver`ser, n.

Defn: A disputant. [Obs.]

CONTROVERSIAL Con`tro*ver"sial, a. Etym: [Cf. LL. controversialis.]

Defn: Relating to, or consisting of, controversy; disputatious; polemical; as, controversial divinity. Whole libraries of controversial books. Macaulay.

CONTROVERSIALIST Con`tro*ver"sial*ist, n.

Defn: One who carries on a controversy; a disputant. He [Johnson] was both intellectually and morally of the stuff of which controversialists are made. Macaulay.

CONTROVERSIALLY Con`tro*ver"sial*ly, adv.

Defn: In a controversial manner.

CONTROVERSION Con`tro*ver"sion, n.

Defn: Act of controverting; controversy. [Obs.] Hooker.

CONTROVERSOR Con"tro*ver`sor, n.

Defn: A controverser. [Obs.]

CONTROVERSY Con"tro*ver`sy, n.; pl. Controversies. Etym: [L. controversia, fr. controversus turned against, disputed; contro- = contra + versus, p.p. of vertere to turn. See Verse.]

1. Contention; dispute; debate; discussion; agitation of contrary opinions. This left no room for controversy about the title. Locke. A dispute is commonly oral, and a controversy in writing. Johnson.

2. Quarrel; strife; cause of variance; difference. The Lord hath a controversy with the nations. Jer. xxv. 31.

3. A suit in law or equity; a question of right. [Obs.] When any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment. 2 Sam. xv. 2.

Syn. — Dispute; debate; disputation; disagreement; altercation; contention; wrangle; strife; quarrel.

CONTROVERT Con"tro*vert, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Controverted; p.pr. & vb.n. Controverting.] Etym: [See Controversy.]

Defn: To make matter of controversy; to dispute or oppose by reasoning; to contend against in words or writings; to contest; to debate. Some controverted points had decided according to the sense of the best jurists. Macaulay.

CONTROVERTER Con"tro*ver`ter, n.

Defn: One who controverts; a controversial writer; a controversialist. Some controverters in divinity are like swaggerers in a tavern. B. Jonson.

CONTROVERTIBLE Con`tro*ver"ti*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being controverted; disputable; admitting of question. — Con`tro*ver"ti*bly, adv.

CONTROVERTIST Con"tro*ver`tist, n.

Defn: One skilled in or given to controversy; a controversialist. How unfriendly is the controvertist to the discernment of the critic! Campbell.

CONTUBERNAL; CONTUBERNIAL Con*tu"ber*nal, Con`tu*ber"ni*al, a. Etym: [L. contubernalis a tent companion, fr. contubernium tent companionship.]

Defn: Living or messing together; familiar; in companionship. Humble folk ben Christes friends: they ben contubernial with the Lord, thy King. Chaucer.

CONTUMACIOUS Con`tu*ma"cious, a. Etym: [L. contumax, -acis. See Contumacy.]

1. Exhibiting contumacy; contemning authority; obstinate; perverse; stubborn; disobedient. There is another very, efficacious method for subding the most obstinate, contumacious sinner. Hammond.

2. (Law)

Defn: Willfully disobedient to the summous or prders of a court. Blackstone.

Syn. — Stubborn; obstinate; obdurate; disobedient; perverse; unyielding; headstrong. — Con`tu*ma"cious*ly, adv. — Con`tu*ma"cious*ness, n.

CONTUMACY Con"tu*ma*cy, n.; pl. Contumacies. Etym: [L. contumacia, fr. contumax, -acis, insolent; prob. akin to contemnere to despise: cf. F. contumace. Cf. Contemn.]

1. Stubborn perverseness; pertinacious resistance to authority. The bishop commanded him . . . to be thrust into the stocks for his manifest and manifold contumacy. Strype.

2. (Law)

Defn: A willful contempt of, and disobedience to, any lawful summons, or to the rules and orders of court, as a refusal to appear in court when legally summoned.

Syn. — Stubbornness; perverseness; obstinacy.

CONTUMELIOUS Con`tu*me"li*ous (or ; 106), a. Etym: [L. contumeliosus.]

1. Exhibiting contumely; rudely contemptuous; insolent; disdainful. Scoffs, and scorns, and contumelious taunts. Shak. Curving a contumelious lip. Tennyson.

2. Shameful; disgraceful. [Obs.] Dr. H. More. — Con`tu*me"li*ous*ly, adv. — Con`tu*me"li*ous*ness, n.

CONTUMELY Con"tu*me*ly, n. Etym: [L. contumelia, prob. akin to contemnere to despise: cf. OF. contumelie. Cf. Contumacy.]

Defn: Rudeness compounded of haughtiness and contempt; scornful insolence; despiteful treatment; disdain; contemptuousness in act or speech; disgrace. The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely. Shak. Nothing aggravates tyranny so much as contumely. Burke.

CONTUSE Con*tuse", v. t. [imp. & p.p. Contused; p.pr. & vb.n. Contusing.] Etym: [L. contusus, p.p. of contundere to beat, crush; con- + tundere to beat, akin to Skr. tud (for stud) to strike, Goth. stautan. See Stutter.]

1. To beat, pound, or together. Roots, barks, and seeds contused together. Bacon.

2. To bruise; to injure or disorganize a part without breaking the skin. Contused wound, a wound attended with bruising.

CONTUSION Con*tu"sion, n. Etym: [L. contusio: cf. F. contusion.]

1. The act or process of beating, bruising, or pounding; the state of being beaten or bruised.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A bruise; an injury attended with more or less disorganization of the subcutaneous tissue and effusion of blood beneath the skin, but without apparent wound.

CONUNDRUM Co*nun"drum, n. Etym: [Origin unknown.]

1. A kind of riddle based upon some fanciful or fantastic resemblance between things quite unlike; a puzzling question, of which the answer is or involves a pun. Or pun ambiguous, or conundrum quaint. J. Philips.

2. A question to which only a conjectural answer can be made. Do you think life is long enough to let me speculate on conundrums like that W. Black.

CONURE Co*nure", n. Etym: [NL. conurus, fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An American parrakeet of the genus Conurus. Many species are known. See Parrakeet.

CONUS Co"nus, n. Etym: [L., a cone.]

1. A cone.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A Linnean genus of mollusks having a conical shell. See Cone, n., 4.

CONUSABLE Con"u*sa*ble, a.

Defn: Cognizable; liable to be tried or judged. [Obs.] Bp. Barlow.

CONUSANT Con"u*sant, a. (Law)

Defn: See Cognizant.

CONUSOR Con`u*sor", n. (Law)

Defn: See Cognizor.

CONVALESCE Con`va*lesce", v. i. [imp. & p.p. Convalesced; p.pr. & vb.n. Convalescing.] Etym: [L. convalscere; con- + valescere to grow strong, v. incho. of valere to be strong. See Vallant.]

Defn: To recover health and strength gradually, after sickness or weakness; as, a patient begins to convalesce.

CONVALESCED Con`va*lesced", a.

Defn: Convalescent. [R.] He found the queen somewhat convalesced. J. Knox.

CONVALESCENCE; CONVALESCENCY Con`va*les"cence, Con`va*les"cen*cy, n. Etym: [L. convalescentia: cf. F. convalescence.]

Defn: The recovery of heath and strength after disease; the state of a body renewing its vigor after sickness or weakness; the time between the subsidence of a disease and complete restoration to health.

CONVALESCENT Con`va*les"cent, a. Etym: [L. convalescens, -entis, p.pr.: cf. F. convalescent.]

1. Recovering from siclness or debility; partially restored to health or strength.

2. Of or pertaining to convalescence.

CONVALESCENT Con`va*les"cent, n.

Defn: One recovering from sickness.

CONVALESCENTLY Con`va*les"cent*ly, adv.

Defn: In the manner of a convalescent; with increasing strength or vigor.

CONVALLAMARIN Con*val"la*ma`rin, n. Etym: [Convalaria + L. amarus bitter.] (Chem.)

Defn: A white, crystalline, poisonous substance, regarded as a glucoside, extracted from the lily of the valley (Convallaria Majalis). Its taste is first bitter, then sweet.

CONVALLARIA Con`val*la"ri*a, n. Etym: [NL., from L. convallis a valley; con- + vallis valley.] (Bot. & Med.)

Defn: The lily of the valley.

CONVALLARIN Con`val*la"rin, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A white, crystalline glucoside, of an irritating taste, extracted from the convallaria or lily of the valley.

CONVECTION Con*vec"tion, n. Etym: [L. convectio, fr. convehere to bring together; con- + vehere to carry.]

1. The act or process of conveying or transmitting.

2. (Physics)

Defn: A process of transfer or transmission, as of heat or electricity, by means of currents in liquids or gases, resulting from changes of temperature and other causes. Liquids are generally heated by convection — when heat is applied from bellow. Nichol.

CONVECTIVE Con*vec"tive, a.

Defn: Caused or accomplished by convection; as, a convective discharge of electricity. Faraday.

CONVECTIVELY Con*vec"tive*ly, adv.

Defn: In a convective manner. Hare.

CONVELLENT Con*vel"lent, a. Etym: [L. convellens, p.pr. of convellere. See Convulse.]

Defn: Tending to tear or pull up. [Obs.] The ends of the fragment . . . will not yield to the convellent force. Todd & Bowman.

CONVENABLE Con*ven"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being convened or assembled.

CONVENABLE Con"ve*na*ble, a. Etym: [F. convenable, fr. convenir. See Convene.]

Defn: Consistent; accordant; suitable; proper; as, convenable remedies. [Obs.] With his wod his work is convenable. Spenser.

CONVENANCE Con"ve*nance, n. Etym: [F., fitness, suitableness.]

Defn: That which is suitable, agreeable, or convenient. And they missed Their wonted convenance, cheerly hid the loss. Emerson.

CONVENE Con*vene", v. i. [imp. & p.p. Convened; p.pr. & vb.n. Convenong.] Etym: [L. convenire; con- + venire to come: cf. F. convenir to agree, to be fitting, OF. also, to assemble. See Come, and cf. Covenant.]

1. To come together; to meet; to unite. [R.] In shortsighted men . . . the rays converge and convene in the eyes before they come at the bottom. Sir I. Newton.

2. To come together, as in one body or for a public purpose; to meet; to assemble. Locke. The Parliament of Scotland now convened. Sir R. Baker. Faint, underneath, the household fowls convene. Thomson.

Syn. — To meet; to assemble; to congregate; to collect; to unite.

CONVENE Con*vene", v. t.

1. To cause to assemble; to call together; to convoke. And now the almighty father of the gods Convenes a council in the blest abodes. Pope.

2. To summon judicially to meet or appear. By the papal canon law, clerks . . . can not be convened before any but an ecclesiastical judge. Ayliffe.

CONVENER Con*ven"er, n.

1. One who convenes or meets with others. [Obs.]

2. One who calls an assembly together or convenes a meeting; hence, the chairman of a committee or other organized body. [Scot.]

CONVENIENCE; CONVENIENCY Con*ven"ience, Con*ven"ien*cy, n. Etym: [L. convenientia agreement, fitness. See Convenient.]

1. The state or quality of being convenient; fitness or suitableness, as of place, time, etc.; propriety. Let's futher think of this; Weigh what convenience both of time and means May fit us to our shape. Shak. With all brief and plain conveniency, Let me have judgment. Shak.

2. Freedom from discomfort, difficulty, or trouble; commodiousness; ease; accommodation. Thus necessity invented stools, Convenience next suggested elbow chairs. Cowper. We are rather intent upon the end of God's glory than our own conveniency. Jer. Taylor.

3. That which is convenient; that which promotes comfort or advantage; that which is suited to one's wants; an accommodation. A pair of spectacles and several other little conveniences. Swift.

4. A convenient or fit time; opportunity; as, to do something at one's convenience.

CONVENIENT Con*ven"ient, a. Etym: [L. conveniens, -entis, suitable, p.pr. of convenire to be suitable, to come. See Convene, v. i.]

1. Fit or adapted; suitable; proper; becoming; appropriate. [Archaic] Feed me with food convenient for me. Prov. xxx. 8. Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient. Eph. v. 4.

2. Affording accommodation or advantage; well adapted to use; handly; as, a convenient house; convenient implements or tools.

3. Seasonable; timely; opportune; as, a convenient occasion; a convenient season. Acts xxiv. 25.

4. Near at hand; easy of access. [Colloq.] Hereties used to be brought thither, convenient for burning. Thackeray.

Syn. — Fit; suitable; proper; adapted; fitted; suited; handly; commodious.

CONVENIENTLY Con*ven"ient*ly, adv.

Defn: In a convenient manner, form, or situation; without difficulty.

CONVENT Con"vent, n. Etym: [L. conventus a meeting, LL. also, a convent. See Convene, v. i.]

1. A coming together; a meeting. [Obs.] A usual ceremony at their [the witches] convents or meetings. B. Jonson.

2. An association or community of recluses devoted to a religious life; a body of monks or nuns. One of our convent, and his [the duke's] confessor. Shak.

3. A house occupied by a community of religious recluses; a monastery or nunnery. One seldom finds in Italy a spot of ground more agreeable than ordinary that is not covered with a convent. Addison.

Syn. — Nunnery; monastery; abbey. See Cloister.

CONVENT Con*vent", v. i. Etym: [L. conventus, p.p. of convenire. See Convene, v. i.]

1. To meet together; to concur. [obs.] Beau. & Fl.

2. To be convenient; to serve. [Obs.] When that is known and golden time convents. Shak.

CONVENT Con*vent", v. t.

Defn: To call before a judge or judicature; to summon; to convene. [Obs.] Shak.

CONVENTICAL Con*vent"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or from, or pertaining to, a convent. "Conventical wages." Sterne. Conventical prior. See Prior.

CONVENTICLE Con*ven"ti*cle, n. Etym: [L. conventiculum, dim. of conventus: cf. F. conventicule. See Convent, n.]

1. A small assembly or gathering; esp., a secret assembly. They are commanded to abstain from all conventicles of men whatsoever. Ayliffe.

2. An assembly for religious worship; esp., such an assembly held privately, as in times of persecution, by Nonconformists or Dissenters in England, or by Covenanters in Scotland; — often used opprobriously, as if those assembled were heretics or schismatics. The first Christians could never have had recourse to nocturnal or clandestine conventicles till driven to them by the violence of persecution. Hammond. A sort of men who . . . attend its [the curch of England's] service in the morning, and go with their wives to a conventicle in the afternoon. Swift.

CONVENTICLER Con*ven"ti*cler, n.

Defn: One who supports or frequents conventicles. Dryden.

CONVENTICLING Con*ven"ti*cling, a.

Defn: Belonging or going to, or resembling, a conventicle. [Obs.] Conventicling schools . . . set up and taught secretly by fanatics. South.

CONVENTION Con*ven"tion, n. Etym: [L. conventio: cf. F. convention. See Convene, v. i.]

1. The act of coming together; the state of being together; union; coalition. The conventions or associations of several particles of matter into bodies of any certain denomination. Boyle.

2. General agreement or concurrence; arbitrary custom; usage; conventionality. There are thousands now Such women, but convention beats them down. Tennyson.

3. A meeting or an assembly of persons, esp. of delegates or representatives, to accomplish some specific object, — civil, social, political, or ecclesiastical. He set himself to the making of good laws in a grand convention of his nobles. Sir R. Baker. A convention of delegates from all the States, to meet in Philadelphia, for the sole and express purpose of reserving the federal system, and correcting its defects. W. Irving.

4. (Eng. Hist)

Defn: An extraordinary assembly of the parkiament or estates of the realm, held without the king's writ, — as the assembly which restored Charles II. to the throne, and that which declared the throne to be abdicated by James II. Our gratitude is due . . . to the Long Parliament, to the Convention, and to William of Orange. Macaulay.

5. An agreement or contract less formal than, or preliminary to, a traety; an informal compact, as between commanders of armies in respect to suspension of hostilities, or between states; also, a formal agreement between governments or sovereign powers; as, a postal convetion between two governments. This convention, I think from my soul, is nothing but a stipulation for national ignominy; a truce without a suspension of hostilities. Ld. Chatham. The convention with the State of georgia has been ratified by their Legislature. T. Jefferson.

CONVENTIONAL Con*ven"tion*al, a. Etym: [L. conventionalis: cf. F. conventionnel.]

1. Formed by agreement or compact; stipulated. Conventional services reserved by tenures upon grants, made out of the crown or knights' service. Sir M. Hale.

2. Growing out of, or depending on, custom or tacit agreement; sanctioned by general concurrence or usage; formal. "Conventional decorum." Whewell. The conventional language appropriated to monarchs. Motley. The ordinary salutations, and other points of social behavior, are conventional. Latham.

3. (Fine Arts) (a) Based upon tradition, whether religious and historical or of artistic rules. (b) Abstracted; removed from close representation of nature by the deliberate selection of what is to be represented and what is to be rejected; as, a conventional flower; a conventional shell. Cf. Conventionalize, v. t.

CONVENTIONALISM Con*ven"tion*al*ism, n.

1. That which is received or established by convention or arbitrary agreement; that which is in accordance with the fashion, tradition, or usage. All the artifice and conventionalism of life. Hawthorne. They gaze on all with dead, dim eyes, — wrapped in conventionalisms, . . . simulating feelings according to a received standart. F. W. Robertson.

2. (Fine Arts)

Defn: The principles or practice of conventionalizing. See Conventionalize, v. t.

CONVENTIONALIST Con*ven"tion*al*ist, n.

1. One who adheres to a convention or treaty.

2. One who is governed by conventionalism.

CONVENTIONALITY Con*ven`tion*al"i*ty, n.; pl. Conventionalities (.

Defn: The state of being conventional; adherence to social formalities or usages; that which is established by conventional use; one of the customary usages of social life.

CONVENTIONALIZATION Con*ven`tion*al*i*za"tion, n. (Fine Arts) (a) The act of making conventional. (b) The state of being conventional.

CONVENTIONALIZE Con*ven"tion*al*ize, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Conventionalized; p.pr. & vb.n. Conventionalizing.]

1. To make conventional; to bring under the influence of, or cause to conform to, conventional rules; to establish by usage.

2. (Fine Arts) (a) To represent by selecting the important features and those which are expressible in the medium employed, and omitting the others. (b) To represent according to an established principle, whether religious or traditional, or based upon certain artistic rules of supposed importance.

CONVENTIONALIZE Con*ven"tion*al*ize, v. i. (Fine Arts)

Defn: To make designs in art, according to conventional principles. Cf. Conventionalize, v. t., 2.

CONVENTIONALLY Con*ven"tion*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a conventional manner.

CONVENTIONARY Con*ven"tion*a*ry, a.

Defn: Acting under contract; settled by express agreement; as, conventionary tenants. [Obs.] R. Carew.

CONVENTIONER Con*ven"tion*er, n.

Defn: One who belongs to a convention or assembly.

CONVENTIONIST Con*ven"tion*ist, n.

Defn: One who enters into a convention, covenant, or contract.

CONVENTUAL Con*ven"tu*al, a. Etym: [LL. conventualis: cf. F. conventuel.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a convent; monastic. "A conventual garb." Macaulay. Conventual church, a church attached or belonging to a convent or monastery. Wordsworth.

CONVENTUAL Con*ven"tu*al, n.

Defn: One who lives in a convent; a monk or num; a recluse. Addison.

CONVERGE Con*verge", v. i. [imp. & p.p. Converged; p.pr. & vb.n. Converging.] Etym: [Pref. con- + L. vergere to turn, incline; cf. F. converger. See Verge, v. i.]

Defn: To tend to one point; to incline and approach nearer together; as, lines converge. The mountains converge into a single ridge. Jefferson.

CONVERGE Con*verge", v. t.

Defn: To cause to tend to one point; to cause to incline and approach nearer together. I converge its rays to a focus of dazzling brilliancy. Tyndall.

CONVERGENCE; CONVERGENCY Con*ver"gence, Con*ver"gen*cy, n. Etym: [Cf. F. convergence.]

Defn: The condition or quality of converging; tendency to one point. The convergence or divergence of the rays falling on the pupil. Berkeley.

CONVERGENT Con*ver"gent, a. Etym: [Cf. F. convergent.]

Defn: tending to one point of focus; tending to approach each other; converging. As many rays of light, as conveniently can be let in, and made convergent. Boyle. The vast dome of its cathedral . . . directing its convergent curves to heaven. Hallam.

CONVERGING Con*ver"ging, a.

Defn: Tending to one point; approaching each other; convergent; as, converging lines. Whewell. Converging rays(Opt.), rays of light, which, proceeding from different points of an object, tend toward a single point. — Converging series (Math.), a series in which if an indefinitely great number of terms be taken, their sum will become indefinitely near in value to a fixed quantity, which is called the sum of the series; — opposed to a diverging series.

CONVERSABLE Con*vers"a*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. conversable.]

Defn: Qualified for conversation; disposed to converse; sociable; free in discourse. While young, humane, conversable, and kind. Cowper.

CONVERSABLENESS Con*vers"a*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being conversable; disposition to converse; sociability.

CONVERSABLY Con*vers"a*bly, adv.

Defn: In a conversable manner.

CONVERSANCE Con"ver*sance, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being conversant; habit of familiarity; familiar acquaintance; intimacy. [R.]

CONVERSANCY Con"ver*san*cy, n.

Defn: Conversance [R.]

CONVERSANT Con"ver*sant, a. Etym: [L. conversans, p.pr. of conversari: cf. F. conversant.]

1. Having frequent or customary intercourse; familiary associated; intimately acquainted. I have been conversant with the first persons of the age. Dryden.

2. Familiar or acquainted by use or study; well-informed; versed; — generally used with with, sometimes with in. Deeply conversant in the Platonic philosophy. Dryden. he uses the different dialects as one who had been conversant with them all. Pope. Conversant only with the ways of men. Cowper.

3. Concerned; occupied. Education . . . is conversant about children. W. Wotton.

CONVERSANT Con*vers"ant, n.

Defn: One who converses with another; a convenser. [R.]

CONVERSANTLY Con"ver*sant*ly, adv.

Defn: In a familiar manner.

CONVERSATION Con`ver*sa"tion, n. Etym: [OE. conversacio (in senses 1 & 2), OF. conversacion, F. conversation, fr. L. conversatio frequent abode in a place, intercourse, LL. also, manner of life.]

1. General course of conduct; behavior. [Archaic] Let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel. Philip. i. 27.

2. Familiar intercourse; intimate fellowship or association; close acquaintance. "Conversation with the best company." Dryden. I set down, out of long experience in business and much conversation in books, what I thought pertinent to this business. Bacon.

3. Commerce; intercourse; traffic. [Obs.] All traffic and mutual conversation. Hakluyt.

4. Colloqual discourse; oral interchange of sentiments and observations; informal dialogue. The influence exercised by his [Johnson's] conversation was altogether without a parallel. Macaulay.

5. Sexual intercourse; as, criminal conversation.

Syn. — Intercourse; communion; commerce; familiarity; discourse; dialogue; colloque; talk; chat. — Conversation, Talk. There is a looser sense of these words, in which they are synonymous; there is a stricter sense, in which they differ. Talk is usually broken, familiar, and versatile. Conversation is more continuous and sustained, and turns ordinarily upon topics or higher interest. Children talk to their parents or to their companions; men converse together in mixed assemblies. Dr. Johnson once remarked, of an evening spent in society, that there had been a great deal of talk, but no conversation.

CONVERSATIONAL Con`ver*sa"tion*al, a.

Defn: Pertaining to conversation; in the manner of one conversing; as, a conversational style. Thackeray.

CONVERSATIONALIST Con`ver*sa"tion*al*ist, n.

Defn: A conversationist.

CONVERSATIONED Conver*sa"tioned, a.

Defn: Acquainted with manners and deportment; behaved. [Obs.] Till she be better conversationed, . . . I'll keep As far from her as the gallows. Beau. & Fl.

CONVERSATIONISM Con`ver*sa"tion*ism, n.

Defn: A word or phrase used in conversation; a colloqualism.

CONVERSATIONIST Con`ver*sa"tion*ist, n.

Defn: One who converses much, or who excels in conversation. Byron.

CONVERSATIVE Con*ver"sa*tive, a.

Defn: Relating to intercourse with men; social; — opposed to contemplative. She chose . . . to endue him with the conversative qualities of youth. Sir H. Wotton.

CONVERSAZIONE Con`ver*sa`zio"ne (or ), n.; pl. Conversazioni. Etym: [It. See Conversation.]

Defn: A meeting or assembly for conversation, particularly on literary or scientific subjects. Gray. These conversazioni [at Florence] resemble our card assemblies. A. Drummond.

CONVERSE Con*verse", v. i. [imp. & p.p. Conversed; p.pr. & vb.n. Conversing.] Etym: [F. converser, L. conversari to associate with; con- + versari to be turned, to live, remain, fr. versare to turn often, v. intens. of vertere to turn See Convert.]

1. To keep company; to hold intimate intercourse; to commune; — followed by with. To seek the distant hills, and there converse With nature. Thomson. Conversing with the world, we use the world's fashions. Sir W. Scott. But to converse with heaven -This is not easy. Wordsworth.

2. To engage, in familiar colloqui; to interchange thoughts and opinions in a free, informal manner; to chat; — followed by with before a person; by on, about, concerning, etc., before a thing. Companions That do converse and waste the time together. Shak. We had conversed so often on that subject. Dryden.

3. To have knowledge of, from long intercourse or study; — said of things. According as the objects they converse with afford greater or less variety. Locke.

Syn. — To associate; commune; discourse; talk; chat.

CONVERSE Con"verse, n.

1. Frequent intercourse; familiar communion; intimate association. Glanvill. "T is but to hold Converse with Nature's charms, and view her stores unrolled. Byron.

2. Familiar discourse; free interchange of thoughts or views; conversation; chat. Formed by thy converse happily to steer From grave to gay, from lively to severe. Pope.

CONVERSE Con"verse

Defn: , a. Etym: [L. conversus, p.p. of convertere. See Convert.] Turned about; reversed in order or relation; reciprocal; as, a converse proposition.

CONVERSE Con"verse, n.

1. (Logic)

Defn: A proposition which arises from interchanging the terms of another, as by putting the predicate for the subject, and the subject for the predicate; as, no virtue is vice, no vice is virtue.

Note: It should not (as is often done) be confounded with the contrary or opposite of a proposition, which is formed by introducing the negative not or no.

2. (Math.)

Defn: A proposition in which, after a conclusion from something supposed has been drawn, the order is inverted, making the conclusion the supposition or premises, what was first supposed becoming now the conclusion or inference. Thus, if two sides of a sides of a triangle are equal, the angles opposite the sides are equal; and the converse is true, i.e., if these angles are equal, the two sides are equal.

CONVERSELY Con"verse*ly ( or , adv.

Defn: In a converse manner; with change of order or relation; reciprocally. J. S. Mill.

CONVERSER Con*vers"er, n.

Defn: One who engages in conversation.

CONVERSIBLE Con*ver"si*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being converted or reversed. Hammond.

CONVERSION Con*ver"sion, n. Etym: [L. conversio: cf. F. conversion. See Convert.]

1. The act of turning or changing from one state or condition to another, or the state of being changed; transmutation; change. Artificial conversion of water into ice. Bacon. The conversion of the aliment into fat. Arbuthnot.

2. The act of changing one's views or course, as in passing from one side, party, or from of religion to another; also, the state of being so changed. "Conversion to Christianity." Prescott.

3. (Law)

Defn: An appropriation of, and dealing with the property of another as if it were one's own, without right; as, the conversion of a horse. Or bring my action of conversion And trover for my goods. Hudibras.

4. (Logic)

Defn: The act of interchanging the terms of a proposition, as by putting the subject in the place of the predicate, or the contrary.

5. (Math.)

Defn: A change or reduction of the form or value of a proposition; as, the conversion of equations; the conversion of proportions.

6. (Mil.) (a) A change of front, as a body of troops attacked in the flank. (b) A change of character or use, as of smoothbore guns into rifles.

7. (Theol.)

Defn: A spiritual and moral change attending a change of belief with conviction; a change of heart; a change from the service of the world to the service of God; a change of the ruling disposition of the soul, involving a transformation of the outward life. He oft Frequented their assemblies, . . . and to them preached Conversion and repentance, as to souls In prison under judgments imminent. Milton.

CONVERSIVE Con*ver"sive, a.

1. Capable of being converted or changed.

2. Ready to converse; social. [Archaic] Feltham.

CONVERT Con*vert", v. t. [imp. & p.p. Converted; p.pr. & vb.n. Converting.] Etym: [L. convertere, -versum; con- + vertere to turn: cf. F. convertir. See Verse.]

1. To cause to turn; to turn. [Obs.] O, which way shall I first convert myself B. Jonson.

2. To change or turn from one state or condition to another; to alter in form, substance, or quality; to transform; to transmute; as, to convert water into ice. If the whole atmosphere were converted into water. T. Burnet. That still lessens The sorrow, and converts it nigh to joy. Milton.

3. To change or turn from one belief or course to another, as from one religion to another or from one party or sect to another. No attempt was made to convert the Moslems. Prescott.

4. To produce the spiritual change called conversion in (any one); to turn from a bad life to a good one; to change the heart and moral character of (any one) from the controlling power of sin to that of holiness. He which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death. Lames v. 20.

5. To apply to any use by a diversion from the proper or intended use; to appropriate dishonestly or illegally. When a bystander took a coin to get it changed, and converted it, [it was] held no larceny. Cooley.

6. To exchange for some specified equivalent; as, to convert goods into money.

7. (Logic)

Defn: To change (one proposition) into another, so that what was the subject of the first becomes the predicate of the second.

8. To turn into another language; to translate. [Obs.] Which story . . . Catullus more elegantly converted. B. Jonson. Converted guns, cast-iron guns lined with wrought-iron or steel tubes. Farrow. — Converting furnace (Steel Manuf.), a furnace in which wrought iron is converted into steel by cementation.

Syn. — To change; turn; transmute; appropriate.

CONVERT Con*vert", v. i.

Defn: To be turned or changed in character or direction; to undergo a change, physically or morally. If Nebo had had the preaching that thou hast, they [the Neboites] would have converted. Latimer. A red dust which converth into worms. Sandys. The public hope And eye to thee converting. Thomson.

CONVERT Con"vert, n.

1. A person who is converted from one opinion or practice to another; a person who is won over to, or heartily embraces, a creed, religious system, or party, in which he has not previously believed; especially, one who turns from the controlling power of sin to that of holiness, or from unbelief to Christianity. The Jesuits did not persuade the converts to lay aside the use of images. Bp. Stillingfleet.

2. A lay friar or brother, permitted to enter a monastery for the service of the house, but without orders, and not allowed to sing in the choir.

Syn. — Proselyte; neophyte. — Convert, Proselyte, Pervert. A convert is one who turns from what he believes to have been a decided error of faith or practice. Such a change may relate to religion, politics, or other subjects. properly considered, it is not confined to speculation alone, but affects the whole current of one's feelings and the tenor of his actions. As such a change carries with it the appearance of sincerity, the term convert is usually taken in a good sense. Proselyte is a term of more ambiguous use and application. It was first applied to an adherent of one religious system who had transferred himself externally to some other religious system; and is also applied to one who makes a similar transfer in respect to systems of philosophy or speculation. The term has little or no reference to the state of the heart. Pervert is a term of recent origin, designed to express the contrary of convert, and to stigmatize a person as drawn off perverted from the true faith. It has been more particulary applied by members of the Church of England to those who have joined the Roman Catholic Church.

CONVERTEND Con`ver*tend", n. Etym: [L. convertenus to be converted.] (Logic)

Defn: Any proposition which is subject to the process of conversion; — so called in its relation to itself as converted, after which process it is termed the conversae. See Converse, n. (Logic).

CONVERTER Con*vert"er, n.

1. One who converts; one who makes converts.

2. (Steel Manuf.)

Defn: A retort, used in the Bessemer process, in which molten cast iron is decarburized and converted into steel by a blast of air forced through the liquid metal.

CONVERTIBILITY Con*vert`i*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The condition or quality of being convertible; capability of being exchanged; convertibleness. The mutual convertibility of land into money, and of money into land. Burke.

CONVERTIBLE Con*vert"i*ble, a. Etym: [L. convertibilis: cf. F. convertible.]

1. Capable of being converted; susceptible of change; transmutable; transformable. Minerals are not convertible into another species, though of the same genus. Harvey.

2. Capable of being exchanged or interchanged; reciprocal; interchangeable. So long as we are in the regions of nature, miraculous and improbable, miraculous and incredible, may be allowed to remain convertible terms. Trench.

CONVERTIBLENESS Con*vert"i*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being convertible; convertibility.

CONVERTIBLY Con*vert"i*bly, adv.

Defn: In a convertible manner.

CONVERTITE Con"vert*ite, n. Etym: [Cf. It. convertito, p.p. of convertire to convert.]

Defn: A convert. [Obs.] Shak.

CONVEX Con"vex, a. Etym: [L. convexus vaulted, arched, convex, concave, fr. convehere to bring together: cf. F. convexe. See Vehicle.]

Defn: Rising or swelling into a spherical or rounded form; regularly protuberant or bulging; — said of a spherical surface or curved line when viewed from without, in opposition to concave. Drops of water naturally form themselves into figures with a convex surface. Whewell. Double convex, convex on both sides; convexo-convex.

CONVEX Con"vex, n.

Defn: A convex body or surface. Half heaven's convex glitters with the flame. Tickell.

Note: This word was often pronounced con-vex' by early writers, as by Milton, and occasionallyby later poets.

CONVEXED Con"vexed ( or ), a.

Defn: Made convex; protuberant in a spherical form. Sir T. Browne.

CONVEXEDLY Con*vex"ed*ly, dv.

Defn: In a convex form; convexly. Sir T. Browne.

CONVEXEDNESS Con*vex"ed*ness, n.

Defn: Convexity.

CONVEXITY Con*vex"i*ty, n.; pl. Convexities. Etym: [L. convexitas: cf. F. convexité.]

Defn: The state of being convex; the exterior surface of a convex body; roundness. A smooth, uniform convexity and rotundity of a globe. Bentley.

CONVEXLY Con"vex*ly, adv.

Defn: In a convex form; as, a body convexly shaped.

CONVEXNESS Con"vex*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being convex; convexity.

CONVEXO-CONCAVE Con*vex"o-con"cave (or ), a.

Defn: Convex on one side, and concave on the other. The curves of the convex and concave sides may be alike or may be different. See Meniscus.

CONVEXO-CONVEX Con*vex"o-con"vex, a.

Defn: Convex on botConvex, a.

CONVEXO-PLANE Con*vex"o-plane`, a.

Defn: Convex on one side, and flat on the other; plano-convex.

CONVEY Con*vey", v. t. [imp. & p.p. Conveyed; p.pr. & vb.n. Conveying.] Etym: [OF. conveir, convoier, to escort, convoy, F. convoyer, LL. conviare, fr. L. con- + via way. See Viaduct, Voyage, and cf. Convoy.]

1. To carry from one place to another; to bear or transport. I will convey them by sea in fleats. 1 Kings v. 9. Convey me to my bed, then to my grave. Shak.

2. To cause to pass from one place or person to another; to serve as a medium in carrying (anything) from one place or person to another; to transmit; as, air conveys sound; words convey ideas.

3. To transfer or deliver to another; to make over, as property; more strictly (Law), to transfer (real estate) or pass (a title to real estate) by a sealed writing. The Earl of Desmond . . . secretly conveyed all his lands to feoffees in trust. Spenser.

4. To impart or communicate; as, to convey an impression; to convey information. Men fill one another's heads with noise and sound, but convey not thereby their thoughts. Locke.

5. To manage with privacy; to carry out. [Obs.] I . . . will convey the business as I shall find means. Shak.

6. To carry or take away secretly; to steal; to thieve. [Obs.]

7. To accompany; to convoy. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Syn. — To carry; transport; bear; transmit; trnsfer.

CONVEY Con*vey", v. i.

Defn: To play the thief; to steal. [Cant] But as I am Crack, I will convey, crossbite, and cheat upon Simplicius. Marston.

CONVEYABLE Con*vey"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being conveyed or transferred. Burke.

CONVEYANCE Con*vey"ance, n.

1. The act of conveying, carrying, or transporting; carriage. The long joirney was to be performed on horseback, — the only sure mode of conveyamce. Prescott. Following th river downward, there is conveyance into the countries named in the text. Sir W. Raleigh.

2. The instrument or means of carrying or transporting anything from place to place; the vehicle in which, or means by which, anything is carried from one place to another; as, stagecoaches, omnibuses, etc., are conveyances; a canal or aqueduct is a conveyance for water. There pipes and these conveyances of our blood. Shak.

3. The act or process of transferring, transmitting, handing down, or communicating; transmission. Tradition is no infallible way of conveyance. Stillingfleet.

4. (Law)

Defn: The act by which the title to property, esp. real estate, is transferred; transfer of ownership; an instrument in writing (as a deed or mortgage), by which the title to property is conveyed from one person to another. [He] found the conveyances in law to be so firm, that in justice he must decree the land to the earl. Clarendon.

5. Dishonest management, or artifice. [Obs.] the very jesuits themselves . . . can not possibly devise any juggling conveyance how to shift it off. Hakewill.

CONVEYANCER Con*vey"an*cer, n. (Law)

Defn: One whose business is to draw up conveyances of property, as deeds, mortgages, leases, etc. Burrill.

CONVEYANCING Con*vey"an*cing, n. (Law)

Defn: The business of a conveyancer; the act or business of drawing deeds, leases, or other writings, for transferring the title to property from one person to another.

CONVEYER Con*vey"er, n.

1. One who, or that which, conveys or carries, transmits or transfers.

2. One given to artifices or secret practices; a juggler; a cheat; a thief. [Obs.] Shak.

CONVEYOR Con*vey"or, n. (Mach.)

Defn: A contrivance for carrying objects from place to place; esp., one for conveying grain, coal, etc., — as a spiral or screw turning in a pipe or trough, an endless belt with buckets, or a truck running along a rope.

CONVICIATE Con*vi"ci*ate, v. i. Etym: [L. conviciatus, p.p. of conviciari to revile, fr. convicium loud reproach.]

Defn: To utter reproaches; to raise a clamor; to rail. [Obs.] To conviciate instead of accusing. Laud.

CONVICINITY Con`vi*cin"i*ty, n.; pl. Convicinities (.

Defn: Immediate vicinity; neighborhood. The convicinity and contiguity of the two parishes. T. Warton.

CONVICIOUS Con*vi"cious, a.

Defn: Expressing reproach; abusive; railing; taunting. [Obs.] "Convicious words." Queen Elizabeth (1559).

CONVICT Con*vict", p.a. Etym: [L. convictus, p.p. of convincere to convict, prove. See Convice.]

Defn: Proved or found guilty; convicted. [Obs.] Shak. Convict by flight, and rebel to all law. Milton.

CONVICT Con"vict, n.

1. A person proved guilty of a crime alleged against him; one legally convicted or sentenced to punishment for some crime.

2. A criminal sentenced to penal servitude.

Syn. — Malefactor; culprit; felon; criminal.

CONVICT Con*vict", v. t. [imp. & p.p. Convicted; p.pr. & vb.n. Convicting.]

1. To prove or find guilty of an offense or crime charged; to pronounce guilty, as by legal decision, or by one's conscience. He [Baxter] . . . had been convicted by a jury. Macaulay. They which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one. John viii. 9.

2. To prove or show to be false; to confute; to refute. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

3. To demonstrate by proof or evidence; to prove. Imagining that these proofs will convict a testament, to have that in it which other men can nowhere by reading find. Hooker.

4. To defeat; to doom to destruction. [Obs.] A whole armado of convicted sail. Shak.

Syn. — To confute; defect; convince; confound.

CONVICTIBLE Con*victi*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being convicted. [R.] Ash.

CONVICTION Con*vic"tion, n. Etym: [L. convictio proof: cf. F. conviction conviction (in sense 3 & 4). See Convict, Convince.]

1. The act of convicting; the act of proving, finding, or adjudging, guilty of an offense. The greater certainty of conviction and the greater certainty of punishment. Hallam.

2. (Law)

Defn: A judgment of condemnation entered by a court having jurisdiction; the act or process of finding guilty, or the state of being found guilty of any crime by a legal tribunal. Conviction may accrue two ways. Blackstone.

3. The act of convincing of error, or of compelling the admission of a truth; confutation. For all his tedious talk is but vain boast, Or subtle shifts conviction to evade. Milton.

4. The state of being convinced or convicted; strong persuasion or belief; especially, the state of being convicted of sin, or by one's conscience. To call good evil, and evil good, against the conviction of their own consciences. Swift. And did you presently fall under the power of this conviction Bunyan.

Syn. — Conviction; persuasion. — Conviction respects soley matters of belief or faith; persuasion respects matters of belief or practice. Conviction respects our most important duties; persuasion is frequently applied to matters of indifference. Crabb. — Conviction is the result of the [operation of the] understanding; persuasion, of the will. Conviction is a necessity of the mind, persuasion an acquiescence of the inclination. C. J. Smith. — Persuasion often induces men to act in opposition to their conviction of duty.

CONVICTISM Con"vict*ism, n.

Defn: The policy or practice of transporting convicts to penal settlements. "The evils of convictism." W. Howitt.

CONVICTIVE Con*vict"ive, a.

Defn: Convincing. [R.] The best and most convictive argument. Glanwill. — Con*vict"ive*ly, adv. — Con*vict"ive*ness, n.

CONVINCE Con*vince", v. t. [imp. & p.p. Convinced; p.pr. & vb.n. Convincing.] Etym: [L. convincere, -victum, to refute, prove; con- + vincere to conquer. See Victor, and cf. Convict.]

1. To overpower; to overcome; to subdue or master. [Obs.] His two chamberlains Will I with wine and wassail so convince That memory, the warder of the brain, Shall be a fume. Shak.

2. To overcome by argument; to force to yield assent to truth; to satisfy by proof. Such convincing proofs and assurances of it as might enable them to convince others. Atterbury.

3. To confute; to prove the fallacy of. [Obs.] God never wrought miracle to convince atheism, because his ordinary works convince it. Bacon.

4. To prove guilty; to convinct. [Obs.] Which of you convinceth me of sin John viii. 46. Seek not to convince me of a crime Which I can ne'er repent, nor you can pardon. Dryden.

Syn. — To persuade; satisfy; convict. — To Convince, persuade. To convince is an act of the understanding; to persuade, of the will or feelings. The one is effected by argument, the other by motives. There are cases, however, in which persuade may seem to be used in reference only to the assent of the understanding; as when we say, I am persuaded it is so; I can not persuade myself of the fact. But in such instances there is usually or always a degree of awakened feeling which has had its share in producing the assent of the understanding.

CONVINCEMENT Con*vince"ment, n.

Defn: Act of convincing, or state of being convinced; conviction. [R.] The fear of a convincement. Milton.

CONVINCER Con*vin"cer, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, convinces; one who wins over by proof.

CONVINCIBLE Con*vin"ci*ble, a.

1. Capable of being convinced or won over.

2. Capable of being confuted and disproved by argument; refutable. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

CONVINCINGLY Con*vin"cing*ly, adv.

Defn: in a convincing manner; in a manner to compel assent.

CONVINCINGNESS Con*vin"cing*ness, n.

Defn: The power of convincing, or the quality of being convincing.

CONVIVAL Con*viv"al, a. Etym: [L. convivalis. See Convive.]

Defn: pertaining to a feast or to festivity; convivial. [Obs.] "A convival dish." Sir T. Browne.

CONVIVE Con*vive", v. i. Etym: [L. convivari; akin to convivium a feast, convivere to live or feast together; con- + vivere to live.]

Defn: To feast together; to be convivial. [Obs.] "There, in the full, convive we." Shak.

CONVIVE Con"vive, n. Etym: [L. conviva: cf. F. convive.]

Defn: A quest at a banquet. [R.] Beaumont.

CONVIVIAL Con*viv"i*al, a. Etym: [From L. convivium a feast; con- + vivere to live. See Victuals, and cf. Convive.]

Defn: Of or relating to a feast or entertainment, or to eating and drinking, with accompanying festivity; festive; social; gay; jovial. Which feasts convivial meetings we did name. Denham.