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Continent (?), a. [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.
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2. Exercising restraint as to the indulgence of desires or passions; temperate; moderate.
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Have a continent forbearance till the speed of his rage goes slower. Shak.
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3. Abstaining from sexual intercourse; exercising restraint upon the sexual appetite; esp., abstaining from illicit sexual intercourse; chaste.
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My past life
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Hath been as continent, as chaste, as true,
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As I am now unhappy. Shak.
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4. Not interrupted; connected; continuous; as, “a continent fever”. [Obs.]
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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.
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Continent, n. [L. continens, prop., a holding together: cf. F. continent. See Continent, a.]
1. That which contains anything; a receptacle. [Obs.]
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The smaller continent which we call a pipkin. Bp. Kennet.
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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”.
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☞ 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.
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The Continent, the main land of Europe, as distinguished from the islands, especially from England.
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Encratite (?), n. [L. Encratitae, pl., fr. Gr. self-disciplined; in + strength.] (Eccl. Hist.) One of a sect in the 2d century who abstained from marriage, wine, and animal food; -- called also Continent.
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