Part 506

Con*tain", v. i. To restrain desire; to live in continence or chastity.

But if they can not contain, let them marry. 1 Cor. vii. 9.

Con*tain"a*ble (?), a. Capable of being contained or comprised. Boyle.

Con*tain"ant (?), n. A container.

Con*tain"er (?), n. One who, or that which, contains.

Con*tain"ment (?), n. That which is contained; the extent; the substance. [Obs.]

The containment of a rich man's estate. Fuller.

Con*tam"i*na*ble (k&obreve;n*tăm"&ibreve;*n&adot;*b'l), a. Capable of being contaminated.

Con*tam"i*nate (k&obreve;n*tăm"&ibreve;*nāt), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Contaminated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Contaminating (?).] [L. contaminatus, p. p. of contaminare to bring into contact, to contaminate, fr. contamen contagion, for contagmen; con- + root of tangere to touch. See Contact.] To soil, stain, or corrupt by contact; to tarnish; to sully; to taint; to pollute; to defile.

Shall we now Contaminate our figures with base bribes? Shak.

I would neither have simplicity imposed upon, nor virtue contaminated. Goldsmith.

Syn. -- To pollute; defile; sully; taint; tarnish; soil; stain; corrupt.

Con*tam"i*nate (-n&asl;t), a. Contaminated; defiled; polluted; tainted. "Contaminate drink." Daniel.

Con*tam`i*na"tion (k&obreve;n*tăm`&ibreve;*nā"shŭn), n. [L. contaminatio.] The act or process of contaminating; pollution; defilement; taint; also, that which contaminates.

Con*tam"i*tive (k&obreve;n*tăm"&ibreve;*n&adot;*t&ibreve;v), a. Tending or liable to contaminate.

Con*tan"go (k&obreve;n*tă&nsm;"g&osl;), n.; pl. Contangoes (#). [Prob. a corruption of contingent.] 1. (Stock Exchange) The premium or interest paid by the buyer to the seller, to be allowed to defer paying for the stock purchased until the next fortnightly settlement day. [Eng.]

2. (Law) The postponement of payment by the buyer of stock on the payment of a premium to the seller. See Backwardation. N. Biddle.

Con*tec"tion (-t&ebreve;k"shŭn), n. [L. contegere, -tectum, to cover up.] A covering. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

Con"tek (k&obreve;n"t&ebreve;k), n. [OE. conteck, conteke, contake, perh. a corruption either of contact or contest.] 1. Quarrel; contention; contest. [Obs.]

Contek with bloody knife. Chaucer.

2. Contumely; reproach. [Obs.] Wyclif.

Con*temn" (k&obreve;n*t&ebreve;m"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Contemned (- t&ebreve;md); p. pr. & vb. n. Contemning (-t&ebreve;m"n&ibreve;ng or -t&ebreve;m"&ibreve;ng).] [L. contemnere, -temptum; con- + temnere to slight, despise: cf. OF. contemner.] To view or treat with contempt, as mean and despicable; to reject with disdain; to despise; to scorn.

Thy pompous delicacies I contemn. Milton.

One who contemned divine and human laws. Dryden.

Syn. -- To despise; scorn; disdain; spurn; slight; neglect; underrate; overlook. -- To Contemn, Despise, Scorn, Disdain. Contemn is the generic term, and is applied especially to objects, qualities, etc., which are deemed contemptible, and but rarely to individuals; to despise is to regard or treat as mean, unbecoming, or worthless; to scorn is stronger, expressing a quick, indignant contempt; disdain is still stronger, denoting either unwarrantable pride and haughtiness or an abhorrence of what is base.

Con*tem"ner (k&obreve;n*t&ebreve;m"n&etilde;r or -t&ebreve;m"&etilde;r), n. One who contemns; a despiser; a scorner. "Contemners of the gods." South.

Con*tem"ning*ly, adv. Contemptuously. [R.]

Con*tem"per (k&obreve;n*t&ebreve;m"p&etilde;r), v. t. [L. contemperare, - temperatum; con- + temperare to temper. Cf. Contemperate.] To modify or temper; to allay; to qualify; to moderate; to soften. [Obs.]