Confidential communication (Law) See Privileged communication, under Privileged. -- Confidential creditors, those whose claims are of such a character that they are entitled to be paid before other creditors. -- Confidential debts, debts incurred for borrowed money, and regarded as having a claim to be paid before other debts. McElrath.
Con`fi*den"tial*ly (?), adv. In confidence; in reliance on secrecy.
Con"fi*dent*ly (?), adv. With confidence; with strong assurance; positively.
Con"fi*dent*ness, n. The quality of being confident.
Con*fid"er (?), n. One who confides.
Con*fid"ing, a. That confides; trustful; unsuspicious. -- Con*fid"ing*ly, adv. -- Con*fid"ing*ness, n.
Con*fig"ur*ate (?), v. i. [L. configuratus, p. p. of configurare to form or after; con- + figurare to form, figura form. See Figure.] To take form or position, as the parts of a complex structure; to agree with a pattern.
Known by the name of uniformity;
Where pyramids to pyramids relate
And the whole fabric doth configurate.
Jordan.
Con*fig`u*ra"tion (?), n. [L. configuratio.] 1. Form, as depending on the relative disposition of the parts of a thing; shape; figure.
It is the variety of configurations [of the mouth] . . . which gives birth and origin to the several vowels.
Harris.
2. (Astrol.) Relative position or aspect of the planets; the face of the horoscope, according to the relative positions of the planets at any time.
They [astrologers] undertook . . . to determine the course of a man's character and life from the configuration of the stars at the moment of his birth.
Whewell.
3. (Chem.) the spatial arrangement of atoms in a molecule as determined by the covalent bonds between them; the three-dimensional structure that cannot be changed without breaking the covalent bonds between atoms of a molecule. It is distinguished from conformation, which is the exact relative location in space of all of the atoms of a molecule, which may vary at different times or in different environments.
[PJC]
4. (Computers) a specification of the parts of a computer system, consisting of the essential components of the computer plus the complete set of all internal and external devices directly attached to it; as, by the year 2000, a microcomputer configuration without a CD-ROM or DVD drive will be unsalable.
[PJC]
Con*fig"ure (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Configured (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Configuring.] [L. configurare: cf. F. configurer. See Configurate.] To arrange or dispose in a certain form, figure, or shape. Bentley.
Con*fin"a*ble (?), a. Capable of being confined, restricted, or limited.
Not confinable to any limits.
Bp. Hall.
Con*fine" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Confined (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Confining.] [F. confiner to border upon, LL. confinare to set bounds to; con- + finis boundary, end. See Final, Finish.] To restrain within limits; to restrict; to limit; to bound; to shut up; to inclose; to keep close.
Now let not nature's hand
Keep the wild flood confined! let order die!
Shak.
He is to confine himself to the compass of numbers and the slavery of rhyme.
Dryden.
To be confined, to be in childbed.
Syn. -- To bound; limit; restrain; imprison; immure; inclose; circumscribe; restrict.
Con"fine (? or &?;); 277), v. i. To have a common boundary; to border; to lie contiguous; to touch; -- followed by on or with. [Obs.]
Where your gloomy bounds
Confine with heaven.
Milton.
Bewixt heaven and earth and skies there stands a place.
Confining on all three.
Dryden.
Con"fine (?), n. 1. Common boundary; border; limit; -- used chiefly in the plural.
Events that came to pass within the confines of Judea.
Locke.
And now in little space
The confines met of empyrean heaven,
And of this world.
Milton.
On the confines of the city and the Temple.
Macaulay.