Part 2327

<hw>Con*straint"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[OF. <ets>constrainte</ets>, F. <ets>constrainte</ets>.]</ety> <def>The act of constraining, or the state of being constrained; that which compels to, or restrains from, action; compulsion; restraint; necessity.</def>

<blockquote>Long imprisonment and hard <b>constraint</b>. <i>Spenser.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Not by <b>constraint</b>, but b<?/ my choice, I came. <i>Dryden.</i></blockquote>

<syn>Syn. -- Compulsion; violence; necessity; urgency.</syn> <usage> -- <er>Constraint</er>, <er>Compulsion</er>. <i>Constraint</i> implies strong binding force; as, the <i>constraint</i> of necessity; the <i>constraint</i> of fear. <i>Compulsion</i> implies the exertion of some urgent impelling force; as, driven by <i>compulsion</i>. The former prevents us from acting agreeably to our wishes; the latter forces us to act contrary to our will. <i>Compulsion</i> is always produced by some active agent; a <i>constraint</i> may be laid upon us by the forms of civil society, or by other outward circumstances.</usage>

<i>Crabb.</i>

<h1>Constraintive</h1> <Xpage=310>

<hw>Con*straint"ive</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Constraining; compulsory.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark> "Any <i>constraintive</i> vow."

<i>R. Carew.</i>

<h1>Constrict</h1> <Xpage=310>

<hw>Con*strict"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p.p.</tt> <er>Constricted</er>; <tt>p.pr. & vb.n.</tt> <er>Constricting</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[L. <ets>constrictus</ets>, p.p. of <ets>constringere</ets>. See <er>Constrain</er>.]</ety> <def>To draw together; to render narrower or smaller; to bind; to cramp; to contract or ause to shrink.</def>

<blockquote>Such things as <b>constrict</b> the fibers. <i>Arbuthnot.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Membranous organs inclosing a cavity which their contraction <b>constrict</b>. <i>Todd & Bowman.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Constricted</h1> <Xpage=310>

<hw>Con*strict"ed</hw>, <tt>a.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Drawn together; bound; contracted; cramped.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Bot.)</fld> <def>Contracted or compressed so as to be smaller in certain places or parts than in others.</def>

<h1>Constriction</h1> <Xpage=310>

<hw>Con*stric"tion</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>constrictio</ets>: cf. F. <ets>constriction</ets>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>The act of constricting by means of some inherent power or by movement or change in the thing itself, as distinguished from <i>compression</i>.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>The state of being constricted; the point where a thing is constricted; a narrowing or binding.</def>

<blockquote>A <b>constriction</b> of the parts inservient to speech. <i>Grew.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Constrictive</h1> <Xpage=310>

<hw>Con*strict"ive</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Serving or tending to bind or constrict.</def>

<h1>Constrictor</h1> <Xpage=310>

<hw>Con*strict"or</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>That which constricts, draws together, or contracts.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Anat.)</fld> <def>A muscle which contracts or closes an orifice, or which compresses an organ; a sphincter.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>A serpent that kills its prey by inclosing and crushing it with its folds; <as>as, the boa <ex>constrictor</ex></as>.</def>

<h1>Constringe</h1> <Xpage=310>

<hw>Con*stringe"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p.p.</tt> <er>Constringed</er> <tt>(?)</tt>; <tt>p.pr. & vb.n.</tt> <er>Constringing</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[L. <ets>constringere</ets>. See <er>onstrain</er>.]</ety> <def>To dawn together; to contract; to force to contract itself; to constrict; to cause to shrink.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<blockquote>Strong liquors . . . intoxicate, <b>constringe</b>, harden the fibers, and coagulate the fluids. <i>Arbuthnot.</i></blockquote>