Part 2321

<blockquote><b>Constancy</b> and contempt of danger. <i>Prescott.</i></blockquote>

<syn>Syn. -- Fixedness; stability; firmness; steadiness; permanence; steadfastness; resolution. See <er>Firmness</er>.</syn>

<h1>Constant</h1> <Xpage=309>

<hw>Con"stant</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>onstans</ets>, <ets>-antis</ets>, p.pr. of <ets>constare</ets> to stand firm, to be consistent; <ets>con-</ets> + <ets>stare</ets> to stand: cf.F. <ets>constant</ets>. See <er>Stand</er> and f. <er>Cost</er>, <tt>v. t.</tt>]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Firm; solid; fixed; immovable; -- opposed to <i>fluid</i>.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>If . . . you mix them, you may turn these two fluid liquors into a <b>constant</b> body. <i>Boyle.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Not liable, or given, to change; permanent; regular; continuous; continually recurring; steadfast; faithful; not fickle.</def>

<blockquote>Both loving one fair maid, they yet remained <b>constant</b> friends. <i>Sir P. Sidney.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>I am <b>constant</b> to my purposes. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>His gifts, his <b>constant</b> ourtship, nothing gained. <i>Dryden.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Onward the <b>constant</b> current sweeps. <i>Longfellow.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <fld>(Math. & Physics)</fld> <def>Remaining unchanged or invariable, as a quantity, forc, law, etc.</def>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>Consistent; logical.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Shak.</i>

<syn>Syn. -- Fixed; steadfast; unchanging; permanent; unalterable; immutable; perpetual; continual; resolute; firm; unshaken; determined.</syn> <usage> -- <er>Constant</er>, <er>Continual</er>, <er>Perpetual</er>. These words are sometimes used in an absolute and sometimes in a qualified sense. <i>Constant</i> denotes, in its absolute sense, unchangeably fixed; as, a <i>constant</i> mind or purpose. In its qualified sense, it marks something as a "standing" fact or occurence; as, liable to <i>constant</i> interruptions; <i>constantly</i> called for. <i>Continual</i>, in its absolute sense, coincides with <i>continuous</i>. See <er>Continuous</er>. In its qualified sense, it describes, a thing as occuring in steady and rapid succession; as, a round of <i>continual</i> calls; <i>continually</i> changing. <i>Perpetual</i> denotes, in its absolute sense, what literally never ceases or comes to an end; as, <i>perpetual</i> motion. In its qualified sense, it is used hyperbolically, and denotes that which rarely ceases; as, <i>perpetual</i> disturbance; <i>perpetual</i> noise; <i>perpetual</i> intermeddling.</usage>

<h1>Constant</h1> <Xpage=309>

<hw>Con"stant</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>That which is not subject to change; that which is invariable.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Math.)</fld> <def>A quantity that does not change its value; -- used in countradistinction <?/o <i>variable</i>.</def>

<cs><col>Absolute costant</col> <fld>(Math.)</fld>, <cd>one whose value is absolutely the same under all cirumstanes, as the number 10, or any numeral.</cd> -- <col>Arbitrary constant</col>, <cd>an undetermined constant in a differential equation having the same value during all changes in the values of the variables.</cd></cs>

<h1>Constantia</h1> <Xpage=309>

<hw>Con*stan"ti*a</hw> <tt>(? &or; <?/)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>A superior wine, white and red, from Constantia, in Cape Colony.</def>

<h1>Constantly</h1> <Xpage=309>

<hw>Con"stant*ly</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>adv.</tt> <def>With constancy; steadily; continually; perseveringly; without cessation; uniformly.</def>

<blockquote>But she <b>constantly</b> affirmed that it was even so. <i>Acts. xii. 15.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Constat</h1> <Xpage=309>

<hw>Con"stat</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L., it is evident.]</ety> <fld>(Law)</fld> <def>A certificate showing what appears upon record touching a matter in question.</def>

<h1>Constate</h1> <Xpage=309>

<hw>Con*state"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <ety>[F. <ets>constater</ets>; L. <ets>con-</ets> + <ets>stare</ets> to stand.]</ety> <def>To ascertain; to verify; to establish; to prove.</def>

<i>F. P. Cobbe.</i>