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Continent


CONTINENT, adjective [Latin]

1. Refraining from unlawful sexual commerce, or moderate in the indulgence of lawful pleasure; chaste.

2. Restrained; moderate; temperate.

Have a continent forbearance.

3. Opposing; restraining.

4. Continuous; connected; not interrupted.

The North East part of Asia, if not continent with America--

A continent fever. More generally we now say a continued fever.

CONTINENT, noun

1. In geography, a great extent of land, not disjoined or interrupted by a sea; a connected tract of land of great extent; as the Eastern and Western continent It differs from an isle only in extent. New Holland may be denominated a continent Britain is called a continent as opposed to the isle of Anglesey.

In Spenser, continent is use for ground in general.

2. That which contains any thing. [Not used.]