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.
Con"ti*nent, n. [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.
&fist; 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.
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.) 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.
Con`ti*nen"tal (?), n. (Amer. Hist.) A soldier in the Continental army, or a piece of the Continental currency. See Continental, a., 3.
Con"ti*nent*ly (?), adv. In a continent manner; chastely; moderately; temperately.
Con*tin"gence (?), n. See Contingency.
Con*tin"gen*cy (?), n.; pl. Contingencies (#). [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.