Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary
CONSTRUCTER — CONTENTIOUSNESS
CONSTRUCTER, n. One who constructs or frames.
CONSTRUCTING, ppr. Building; framing; composing.
CONSTRUCTION, n. [L.]
1. The act of building, or of devising and forming; fabrication.
2. The form of building; the manner of putting together the parts of a building, a machine, or a system; structure; conformation.
The sailing of a ship and its capacity depend chiefly on its construction.
3. In grammar, syntax, or the arrangement and connection of words in a sentence, according to established usages, or the practice of good writers and speakers.
4. Sense; meaning; interpretation; explanation; or the manner of understanding the arrangement of words, or of understanding facts. Let us find the true construction; or let us give the authors words a sound, rational, consistent construction. What construction can be put upon this affair, or upon the conduct of a man?
5. The manner of describing a figure or problem in geometry. The drawing of such lines, such figure, etc., as are previously necessary for making any demonstration appear more plain and undeniable.
6. In algebra, the construction of equations is the method of reducing a known equation into lines and figures, in order to a geometrical demonstration.
CONSTRUCTIONAL, a. Pertaining to construction; deduced from construction or interpretation. [Unusual.]
CONSTRUCTIVE, a. By construction; created or deduced by construction, or mode of interpretation; not directly expressed, but inferred; as constructive treason.
Stipulations, expressed or implied, formal or constructive.
CONSTRUCTIVELY, adv. In a constructive manner; by way of construction or interpretation; by fair inference.
A neutral must have notice of a blockade, either actually by a formal information, or constructively by notice to his government.
CONSTRUCTURE, n. An edifice; pile; fabric. [For this, structure is more generally used.]
CONSTRUE, v.t. [L. See Construct.]
1. To arrange words in their natural order; to reduce from a transposed to a natural order, so as to discover the sense of a sentence; hence, to interpret; and when applied to a foreign language, to translate; to render into English; as, to construe Greek, Latin or French.
2. To interpret; to explain; to show or to understand the meaning.
I pray that I may not be so understood or construed.
Thus we are put to construe and paraphrase our own words.
CONSTRUED, pp. Arranged in natural order; interpreted; understood; translated.
CONSTRUING, ppr. Arranging in natural order; expounding; interpreting; translating.
CONSTUPRATE, v.t. [L., to ravish.] To violate; to debauch; to defile.
CONSTUPRATION, n. The act of ravishing; violation; defilement.
CONSUBSIST, v.i. To subsist together. [See Subsist.]
CONSUBSTANTIAL, a. [L. See Substance.]
1. Having the same substance or essence; co-essential.
The orthodox believe the Son to be consubstantial with the Father.
2. Of the same kind or nature.
It continueth a body consubstantial with ours.
CONSUBSTANTIALIST, n. One who believes in consubstantiation.
CONSUBSTANTIALITY, n.
1. The existence of more than one in the same substance; as, the co-eternity and consubstantiality of the Son with the Father.
2. Participation of the same nature.
CONSUBSTANTIATE, v.t. [L, substance.] To unite in one common substance or nature.
CONSUBSTANTIATE, v.i. To profess consubstantiation.
CONSUBSTANTIATION, n. The union of the body of our blessed Savior with the sacramental elements. The Lutherans maintain that after consecration of the elements, the body and blood of Christ are substantially present with the substance of the bread and wine, which is called consubstantiation or impanation.
CONSUL, n. [L., to consult.]
1. The chief magistrate of the Ancient Roman Republic, invested with regal authority for one year. There were two consuls, annually chosen in the campus Martius. In the first ages of Tome, they were elected from Patrician families or noblemen; but in the year of Rome 388, the people obtained the privilege of electing one of the consuls from their own body, and sometimes both were plebeians.
2. In modern usage, the name consul is given to a person commissioned by a king or state to reside in a foreign country as an agent or representative, to protect the rights, commerce, merchants and seamen of the state, and to aid the government in any commercial transactions with such foreign country.
3. An adviser. [Not well authorized.]
CONSULAGE, n. A duty laid by the British Levant Company on imports and exports for the support of the companys affairs.
CONSULAR, a. Pertaining to a consul; as consular power; consular dignity, or privileges.
CONSULATE, n. [L.] The office of a consul. [This is applicable to modern consuls, as well as to the Roman.]
2. The jurisdiction or extent of a consuls authority.
CONSULSHIP, n. The office of a consul; or the term of his office; applicable only to Roman consuls.
CONSULT, v.i. [L., to consult, to ask counsel.]
1. To seek the opinion or advice of another by, by a statement of facts, and suitable inquiries, for the purpose of directing ones own judgment; followed by with.
Rehoboam consulted with the old men. 1 Kings 12:6.
David consulted with the captains of thousands. 1 Chronicles 13:1.
2. To take counsel together; to seek opinions and advice by mutual statements, enquiries and reasonings; to deliberate in common.
The chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus to death. John 12:10.
3. To consider with deliberation. Luke 14:31.
CONSULT, v.t.
1. To ask advice of; to seek the opinion of another, as a guide to ones own judgment; as, to consult a friend or parent.
2. To seek information, or facts, in something; as by examining books or papers, Thus, I consulted several authors on the subject; I consulted the official documents.
3. To regard; to have reference or respect to, in judging or acting; to decide or to act in favor of. We are to consult the necessities, rather than the pleasures of life. We are to consult public as well as private interest. He consulted his own safety in flight.
Ere fancy you consult, consult your purse.
4. To plan, devise or contrive.
Thou hast consulted shame to thy house, by cutting off many people. Habakkuk 2:10. [This sense is unusual and not to be countenanced.]
CONSULT, n. The act of consulting; the effect of consultation; determination; a council, or deliberating assembly. This word is, I believe, entirely obsolete, except in poetry. It would be naturally accented on the first syllable, but the poets accent the last.
CONSULTATION, n.
1. The act of consulting; deliberation of two or more persons, with a view to some decision.
The chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes. Mark 15:1.
2. The persons who consult together; a number of persons seeking mutually each others opinions and advice; a council for deliberation; as, a consultation of physicians was called.
Writ of consultation, in law, a writ awarded by a superior court, to return a cause, which had been removed by prohibition from the court Christian, to its original jurisdiction; so called because the judges on consultation find the prohibition ill founded.
CONSULTATIVE, a. Having the privilege of consulting.
CONSULTED, pp. Asked; enquired of, for opinion or advice; regarded.
CONSULTER, n. One who consults, or asks counsel or information; as a consulter with familiar spirits. Deuteronomy 18:11.
CONSULTING, ppr. Asking advice; seeking information; deliberating and enquiring mutually; regarding.
CONSUMABLE, a. [See Consume.] That may be consumed; possible to be destroyed, dissipated, wasted or spent; as, asbestos is not consumable by fire.
The importation and exportation of consumable commodities.
CONSUME, v.t. [L., to take. So in English we say, it takes up time, that is, it consumes time.]
1. To destroy, by separating the parts of a thing, by decomposition, as by fire, or eating, devouring, and annihilating the form of a substance. Fire consumes wood, coal, stubble; animals consume flesh and vegetables.
2. To destroy by dissipating or by use; to expend; to waste; to squander; as, to consume an estate.
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. James 4:3.
3. To spend; to cause to pass away, as time; as, to consume the day in idleness.
Their days did he consume in vanity. Psalm 78:33.
4. To cause to disappear; to waste slowly.
My flesh is consumed away. Job 33:21.
5. To destroy; to bring to utter ruin; to exterminate.
Let me alone--that I may consume them. Exodus 32:10.
CONSUME, v.i. To waste away slowly; to be exhausted.
Their flesh--their eyes--their tongue shall consume away. Zechariah 14:12.
The wicked shall perish--they shall consume. Psalm 37:20.
CONSUMED, pp. Wasted; burnt up; destroyed; dissipated; squandered; expended.
CONSUMER, n. One who consumes, spends, wastes or destroys; that which consumes.
CONSUMING, ppr.
1. Burning; wasting; destroying; expending; eating; devouring.
2. a. That destroys.
The Lord thy God is a consuming fire. Deuteronomy 4:24.
CONSUMMATE, v.t. [L. See Sum.] To end; to finish by completing what was intended; to perfect; to bring or carry to the utmost point or degree.
He had a mind to consummate the happiness of the day.
CONSUMMATE, a. Complete; perfect; carried to the utmost extent or degree; as consummate greatness or felicity.
CONSUMMATED, pp. Completed; perfected; ended.
CONSUMMATELY, adv. Completely; perfectly.
CONSUMMATING, ppr. Completing; accomplishing; perfecting.
CONSUMMATION, n. [L.]
1. Completion; end; perfection of a word, process or scheme.
2. The end or completion of the present system of things; the end of the world.
3. Death; the end of life.
Consummation of marriage, the most intimate union of the sexes, which completes the connubial relation.
CONSUMPTION, n. [L. See Consume.]
1. The act of consuming; waste; destruction by burning, eating, devouring, scattering, dissipation, slow decay, or by passing away, as time; as the consumption of fuel, of food, of commodities or estate, of time, etc.
2. The state of being wasted, or diminished.
Etna and Vesuvius have not suffered any considerable diminution or consumption.
3. In medicine, a wasting of flesh; a gradual decay or diminution of the body; a word of extensive signification. But particularly, the disease called phthisis pulmonalis, pulmonic consumption, a disease seated in the lungs, attended with hectic fever, cough, etc.
CONSUMPTIVE, a.
1. Destructive; wasting; exhausting; having the quality of consuming, or dissipating; as a long consumptive war.
2. Affected with a consumption or pumonic disease, as consumptive lungs; or inclined to a consumption; tending to the phthisis pulmonalis; applied to the incipient state of the disease, or to a constitution predisposed to it.
CONSUMPTIVELY, adv. In a way tending to consumption.
CONSUMPTIVENESS, n. A state of being consumptive, or a tendency to a consumption.
CONTABULATE, v.t. [L.] To floor with boards.
CONTABULATION, n. The act of laying with boards, or of flooring.
CONTACT, n. [L., to touch. See Touch.] A touching; touch; close union or juncture of bodies. Two bodies come in contact, when they meet without any sensible intervening space; the parts that touch are called the points of contact.
CONTACTION, n. The act of touching.
CONTAGION, n. [L., to touch.]
1. Literally, a touch or touching. Hence, the communication of a disease by contact, or the matter communicated. More generally, that subtil matter which proceeds from a diseased person or body, and communicates the disease to another person; as in cases of small pox, measles, anginas, and malignant fevers; diseases which are communicated without contact. This contagion proceeds from the breath of the diseased, from the perspiration of other excretions.
2. That which communicates evil from one to another; infection; that which propagates mischief; as the contagion of vice or of evil examples.
3. Pestilence; a pestilential disease; venomous exhalations.
CONTAGIOUS, a.
1. Containing or generating contagion; catching; that may be communicated by contact, or by a subtil excreted matter; as a contagious disease.
2. Poisonous; pestilential; containing contagion; as contagious air; contagious clothing.
3. Containing mischief that may be propagated; as contagious example.
4. That may be communicated from one to another, or may excite like affections in others.
His genius rendered his courage more contagious.
CONTAGIOUSNESS, n. The quality of being contagious.
CONTAIN, v.t. [L., to hold. See Tenet, Tenure.]
1. To hold, as a vessel; as, the vessel contains a gallon. Hence, to have capacity; to be able to hold; applied to an empty vessel.
2. To comprehend; to hold within specified limits.
Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee. 1 Kings 8:27.
3. To comprehend; to comprise. The history of Livy contains a hundred and forty books.
4. To hold within limits prescribed; to restrain; to withhold from trespass or disorder.
The Kings person contains the unruly people from evil occasions.
Fear not, my Lord, we can contain ourselves.
5. To include. This article is not contained in the account. This number does not contain the article specified.
6. To inclose; as, this cover or envelop contains a letter.
CONTAIN, v.i. To live in continence or chastity. Arbuthnot and Pope. 1 Corinthians 7:9.
CONTAINABLE, a. That may be contained, or comprised.
CONTAINED, pp. Held; comprehended; comprised; included; inclosed.
CONTAINING, ppr. Holding; having capacity to hold; comprehending; comprising; including; inclosing.
CONTAMINATE, v.t. [L., to defile.] To defile; to pollute; usually in a figurative sense; to sully; to tarnish; to taint. Lewdness contaminates character; cowardice contaminates honor.
Shall we now contaminate our fingers with base bribes?
CONTAMINATE, a. Polluted; defiled; corrupt.
CONTAMINATED, pp. Polluted; defiled; tarnished.
CONTAMINATING, ppr. Polluting; defiling; tarnishing.
CONTAMINATION, n. The act of polluting; pollution; defilement; taint.
CONTECK, n. Quarrel; contention. [Not English.]
CONTECTION, n. [L.] A covering. [Not used.]
CONTEMN, v.t. [L., to despise; to drive away.]
1. To despise; to consider and treat as mean and despicable; to scorn.
In whose eyes a vile person is contemned. Psalm 15:4.
2. To slight; to neglect as unworthy of regard; to reject with disdain.
Wherefore do the wicked contemn God. Psalm 10:13.
They contemn the counsel of the Most High. Psalm 107:11.
CONTEMNED, pp. Despised; scorned; slighted; neglected, or rejected with disdain.
CONTEMNER, n. One who contemns; a despiser; a scorner.
CONTEMNING, ppr. Despising; slighting as vile or despicable; neglecting or rejecting, as unworthy of regard.
CONTEMPER, v.t. [L., to mix or temper. See Temper.] To moderate; to reduce to a lower degree by mixture with opposite or different qualities; to temper.
The leaves qualify and contemper the heat.
CONTEMPERAMENT, n. Moderated or qualified degree; a degree of any quality reduced to that of another; temperament.
CONTEMPERATE, v.t. [See Contemper.] To temper; to reduce the quality of, by mixing something opposite or different; to moderate.
CONTEMPERATION, n.
1. The act of reducing a quality by admixture of the contrary; the act of moderating or tempering.
2. Temperament; proportionate mixture; as the contemperament of humors in different bodies.
[Instead of these words, temper and temperament are now generally used.]
CONTEMPLATE, v.t. [L.]
1. To view or consider with continued attention; to study; to meditate on. This word expresses the attention of the mind, but sometimes in connection with that of the eyes; as, to contemplate the heavens. More generally, the act of the mind only is intended; as, to contemplate the wonders of redemption; to contemplate the state of the nation and its future prospects.
2. To consider or have in view, in reference to a future act or event; to intend.
A decree of the National Assembly of France, June 26, 1792, contemplates a supply from the United States of four millions of livres.
There remain some particulars to complete the information contemplated by those resolutions.
If a treaty contains any stipulations which contemplate a state of future war.
CONTEMPLATE, v.i. To think studiously; to study; to muse; to meditate.
He delights to contemplate on the works of creation.
CONTEMPLATED, pp. Considered with attention; meditated on; intended.
CONTEMPLATING, ppr. Considering with continued attention; meditating on; musing.
CONTEMPLATION, n. [L.]
1. The act of the mind in considering with attention; meditation; study; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject.
Contemplation is keeping the idea, brought into the mind, some time actually in view.
2. Holy meditation; attention to sacred things; a particular application of the foregoing definition.
To have in contemplation, to intend or purpose, or to have under consideration.
CONTEMPLATIVE, a.
1. Given to contemplation, or continued application of the mind to a subject; studious; thoughtful; as a contemplative philosopher, or mind.
2. Employed in study; as a contemplative life.
3. Having the appearance of study, or a studious habit; as a contemplative look.
4. Having the power of thought or meditation; as the contemplative faculty of man.
CONTEMPLATIVELY, adv. With contemplation; attentively; thoughtfully; with deep attention.
CONTEMPLATOR, n. One who contemplates; one employed in study or meditation; an inquirer after knowledge.
CONTEMPORANEOUS, a. [See Cotemporary.] living or being at the same time.
CONTEMPORARY, a. [L., time. For the sake of easier pronunciation and a ore agreeable sound, this word is often changed to cotemporary.] Coetaneous; living at the same time, applied to persons; being or existing at the same time, applied to things; as contemporary kings; contemporary events. [See Cotemporary, the preferable word.]
CONTEMPORARY, n. One who lives at the same time with another.
Socrates and Plato were contemporaries.
CONTEMPORISE, v.t. To make contemporary; to place in the same age or time. [Not used.]
CONTEMPT, n. [L. See Contemn.]
1. The act of despising; the act of viewing or considering and treating as mean, vile and worthless; disdain; hatred of what is mean or deemed vile. This word is one of the strongest expressions of a mean opinion which the language affords.
Nothing, says Longinus, can be great, the contempt of which is great.
2. The state of being despised; whence in a scriptural sense, shame, disgrace.
Some shall awake to everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:2.
3. In law, disobedience of the rules and orders of a court, which is a punishable offense.
CONTEMPTIBLE, a. [L.]
1. Worthy of contempt; that deserves scorn, or disdain; despicable; mean; vile. Intemperance is a contemptible vice. No plant or animal is so contemptible as not to exhibit evidence of the wonderful power and wisdom of the Creator.
The pride that leads to dueling is a contemptible passion.
2. Apt to despise; contemptuous. [Not legitimate.]
CONTEMPTIBLENESS, n. The state of being contemptible, or of being despised; despicableness; meanness; vileness.
CONTEMPTIBLY, adv. In a contemptible manner; meanly; in a manner deserving of contempt.
CONTEMPTUOUS, a. Manifesting or expressing contempt or disdain; scornful; as contemptuous language or manner; a contemptuous opinion. Applied to men, apt to despise; haughty; insolent; as a nation, proud, severe, contemptuous.
CONTEMPTUOUSLY, adv. In a contemptuous manner; with scorn or disdain; despitefully.
The apostles and most eminent Christians were poor, and treated contemptuously.
CONTEMPTUOUSNESS, n. Disposition to contempt; act of contempt; insolence; scornfulness; haughtiness.
CONTEND, v.i. [L., to stretch. Gr., See Tend, Tenet.]
1. To strive, or to strive against; to struggle in opposition.
Distress not the Moabites, nor contend with them in battle. Deuteronomy 2:9.
2. To strive; to use earnest efforts to obtain, or to defend and preserve.
You sit above, and see vain men below contend for what you only can bestow.
Ye should earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints. Jude 3.
3. To dispute earnestly; to strive in debate.
They that were of the circumcision contended with him. Acts 11:2; Job 9:3.
4. To reprove sharply; to chide; to strive to convince and reclaim.
Then contended I with the rulers. Nehemiah 13:11.
5. To strive in opposition; to punish.
The Lord God called to contend by fire. Amos 7:4.
6. To quarrel; to dispute fiercely; to wrangle. The parties contend about trifles.
To contend for, to strive to obtain; as, two competitors contend for the prize.
CONTEND, v.t. To dispute; to contest.
When Carthage shall contend the world with Rome.
This transitive use of contend is not strictly legitimate. The phrase is elliptical, for being understood after contend; but it is admissible in poetry.
CONTENDED, pp. Urged in argument or debate; disputed; contested.
CONTENDENT, n. An antagonist or opposer.
CONTENDER, n. One who contends; a combatant; a champion.
CONTENDING, ppr.
1. Striving; struggling to oppose; debating; urging in argument; quarreling.
2. Clashing; opposing; rival; as contending claims or interests.
CONTENEMENT, n. [con and tenement.] Land, or freehold contiguous to a tenement.
CONTENT, a. [L., to be held; to hold.] Literally, held, contained within limits; hence, quiet; not disturbed; having a mind at peace; easy; satisfied, so as not to repine, object, or oppose.
Content with science in the vale of peace.
Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content. 1 Timothy 6:8.
CONTENT, v.t.
1. To satisfy the mind; to make quiet, so as to stop complaint or opposition; to appease; to make easy in any situation; used chiefly with the reciprocal pronoun.
Do not content yourselves with obscure and confused ideas, where clearer are to be obtained.
Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas. Mark 15:15.
2. To please or gratify.
It doth much content me, to hear him so inclined.
CONTENT, n.
1. Rest or quietness of the mind in the present condition; satisfaction which holds the mind in peace, restraining complaint, opposition, or further desire, and often implying a moderate degree of happiness.
A wise content his even soul securd; By want not shaken, nor by wealth allurd.
2. Acquiescence; satisfaction without examination.
The style is excellent; the sense they humbly take upon content.
3. The term used in the House of Lords in England, to express an assent to a bill or motion.
CONTENT, n.
1. Often in the plural, contents. That which is contained; the thing or things held, included or comprehended within a limit or line; as the contents of a cask or bale; of a room or a ship; the contents of a book or writing.
2. In geometry, the area or quantity of matter or space included in certain lines.
3. The power of containing; capacity; extent within limits; as a ship of great content.
[But in this sense the plural is generally used.]
CONTENTATION, n. Content; satisfaction.
CONTENTED, pp. or a. Satisfied; quiet; easy in mind; not complaining, opposing or demanding more. The good man is contented with his lot. It is our duty to be contented with the dispensations of providence.
CONTENTEDLY, adv. In a contented manner; quietly; without concern.
CONTENTEDNESS, n. State of resting in mind; quiet; satisfaction of mind with any condition or event.
CONTENTFUL, a. Full of contentment. [Not used.]
CONTENTION, n. [L. See Contend.]
1. Strife; struggle; a violent effort to obtain something, or to resist a person, claim or injury; contest; quarrel.
Multitudes lost their lives in a tumult raised by contention among the partizans of the several colors.
2. Strife in words or debate; quarrel; angry contest; controversy.
Avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law. Titus 3:9.
A fool’s lips enter into contention. Proverbs 18:6.
3. Strife or endeavor to excel; emulation.
4. Eagerness; zeal; ardor; vehemence of endeavor.
This is an end worthy of our utmost contention to obtain.
CONTENTIOUS, a.
1. Apt to contend; given to angry debate; quarrelsome; perverse.
A continual dropping in a rainy day, and a contentious woman are alike. Proverbs 27:15.
2. Relating to contention in law; relating to litigation; having power to decide causes between contending parties; as a court of contentious jurisdiction.
3. Exciting or adapted to provoke contention or disputes; as a contentious subject.