Part 505

Con*tac"tion (-tăk"shŭn), n. Act of touching. [Obs.]

Con*ta"gion (-tā"jŭn), n. [L. contagio: cf. F. contagion. See Contact.] 1. (Med.) The transmission of a disease from one person to another, by direct or indirect contact.

&fist; The term has been applied by some to the action of miasmata arising from dead animal or vegetable matter, bogs, fens, etc., but in this sense it is now abandoned. Dunglison.

And will he steal out of his wholesome bed To dare the vile contagion of the night? Shak.

2. That which serves as a medium or agency to transmit disease; a virus produced by, or exhalation proceeding from, a diseased person, and capable of reproducing the disease.

3. The act or means of communicating any influence to the mind or heart; as, the contagion of enthusiasm. "The contagion of example." Eikon Basilike.

When lust . . . Lets in defilement to the inward parts, The soul grows clotted by contagion. Milton.

4. Venom; poison. [Obs.] "I'll touch my point with this contagion." Shak.

Syn. -- See Infection.

Con*ta"gioned (?), a. Affected by contagion.

Con*ta"gion*ist, n. One who believes in the contagious character of certain diseases, as of yellow fever.

Con*ta"gious (?), a. [L. contagiosus: cf. F. contagieux.] 1. (Med.) Communicable by contact, by a virus, or by a bodily exhalation; catching; as, a contagious disease.

2. Conveying or generating disease; pestilential; poisonous; as, contagious air.

3. Spreading or communicable from one to another; exciting similar emotions or conduct in others.

His genius rendered his courage more contagious. Wirt.

The spirit of imitation is contagious. Ames.

Syn. -- Contagious, Infectious. These words have been used in very diverse senses; but, in general, a contagious disease has been considered as one which is caught from another by contact, by the breath, by bodily effluvia, etc.; while an infectious disease supposes some entirely different cause acting by a hidden influence, like the miasma of prison ships, of marshes, etc., infecting the system with disease. "This distinction, though not universally admitted by medical men, as to the literal meaning of the words, certainly applies to them in their figurative use. Thus we speak of the contagious influence of evil associates; their contagion of bad example, the contagion of fear, etc., when we refer to transmission by proximity or contact. On the other hand, we speak of infection by bad principles, etc., when we consider anything as diffused by some hidden influence.

Con*ta"gious*ly, adv. In a contagious manner.

Con*ta"gious*ness, n. Quality of being contagious.

||Con*ta"gi*um (?), n. [L.] Contagion; contagious matter. "Contagium of measles." Tyndall.

Con*tain" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Contained (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Containing.] [OE. contenen, conteinen, F. contenir, fr. L. continere, -tentum; con- + tenere to hold. See Tenable, and cf. Countenance.] 1. To hold within fixed limits; to comprise; to include; to inclose; to hold.

Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can not contain thee; how much less this house! 2 Chron. vi. 18.

When that this body did contain a spirit. Shak.

What thy stores contain bring forth. Milton.

2. To have capacity for; to be able to hold; to hold; to be equivalent to; as, a bushel contains four pecks.

3. To put constraint upon; to restrain; to confine; to keep within bounds. [Obs., exept as used reflexively.]

The king's person contains the unruly people from evil occasions. Spenser.

Fear not, my lord: we can contain ourselves. Shak.