Consort Con"sort (kŏn"s皾t) noun [ Latin consore , -sortis ; con- + sors lot, fate, share. See Sort .] 1. One who shares the lot of another; a companion; a partner; especially, a wife or husband. Milton.

He single chose to live, and shunned to wed,
Well pleased to want a consort of his bed.
Dryden.

The consort of the queen has passed from this troubled sphere.
Thakeray.

The snow-white gander, invariably accompanied by his darker consort .
Darwin.

2. (Nautical) A ship keeping company with another.

3. Concurrence; conjunction; combination; association; union. "By Heaven's consort ." Fuller. "Working in consort ." Hare.

Take it singly, and it carries an air of levity; but, in consort with the rest, has a meaning quite different.
Atterbury.

4. [ Late Latin consortium .] An assembly or association of persons; a company; a group; a combination. [ Obsolete]

In one consort ' there sat
Cruel revenge and rancorous despite,
Disloyal treason, and heart-burning hate.
Spenser.

Lord, place me in thy consort .
Herbert.

5. [ Perh. confused with concert .] Harmony of sounds; concert, as of musical instruments. [ Obsolete] Milton.

To make a sad consort ';
Come, let us join our mournful song with theirs.
Spenser.

Prince consort , the husband of a queen regnant. -- Queen consort , the wife of a king, as distinguished from a queen regnant , who rules alone, and a queen dowager , the window of a king.

Consort Con新ort" (kŏn*s皾t") intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Consorted ; present participle & verbal noun Consorting .] To unite or to keep company; to associate; -- used with with .

Which of the Grecian chiefs consorts with thee?
Dryden.

Consort Con新ort" transitive verb 1. To unite or join, as in affection, harmony, company, marriage, etc.; to associate.

He with his consorted Eve.
Milton.

For all that pleasing is to living ears
Was there consorted in one harmony.
Spenser.

He begins to consort himself with men.
Locke.

2. To attend; to accompany. [ Obsolete]

Thou, wretched boy, that didst consort him here,
Shalt with him hence.
Shak.

Consortable Con新ort"a搓le (kŏn*s皾t"ȧ*b'l) adjective Suitable for association or companionship. [ Obsolete] Sir H. Wotton.

Consortion Con新or"tion (kŏn*s皾"shŭn) noun [ Latin consortio .] Fellowship; association; companionship. [ Obsolete] Sir T. Browne.

Consortship Con"sort新hip (kŏn"s皾t*shĭp) noun The condition of a consort; fellowship; partnership. Hammond.

Consound Con"sound (-sound) noun [ Corrupted from French consoude , fr Latin consolida comfrey (so called because supposed to have healing power); con- + solidus solid, consolidare to make solid. Confer Comfrey , Consolidate .] (Botany) A name applied loosely to several plants of different genera, esp. the comfrey.

Conspecific Con`spe搾if"ic (kŏn`spe*sĭf"ĭk) adjective Of the same species.

Conspectuity Con`spec暗u"i暗y (- spĕk*tū"ĭ*tȳ) noun ; plural Conspectuities (-tĭz). The faculty of seeing; sight; eye. [ A word of Menenius's making. Coriolanus ii. 1 .] Shak.

Conspectus Con新pec"tus (kŏn*spĕk"tŭs) noun A general sketch or outline of a subject; a synopsis; an epitome.

Conspersion Con新per"sion noun [ Latin conspersio , from conspergere to sprinkle.] The act of sprinkling. [ Obsolete]

The conspersion washing the doorposts.
Jer. Taylor.

Conspicuity Con`spi搾u"i暗y noun The state or quality of being clear or bright; brightness; conspicuousness. [ R.] Chapman.

Conspicuous Con新pic"u搗us adjective [ Latin conspicuus , from conspicere to get sight of, to perceive; con- + spicere , specere , to look. See Spy ] 1. Open to the view; obvious to the eye; easy to be seen; plainly visible; manifest; attracting the eye.

It was a rock
Of alabaster, piled up to the clouds,
Conspicious far.
Milton.

Conspicious by her veil and hood,
Signing the cross, the abbess stood.
Sir W. Scott.

2. Obvious to the mental eye; easily recognized; clearly defined; notable; prominent; eminent; distinguished; as, a conspicuous excellence, or fault.

A man who holds a conspicuous place in the political, ecclesiastical, and literary history of England.
Macaulay.

Syn. -- Distinguished; eminent; famous; illustrious; prominent; celebrated. See Distinguished .

-- Con*spic"u*ous*ly , adverb -- Con*spic"u*ous*ness , noun

Conspiracy Con新pir"a搾y noun ; plural Conspiracies . [ See Conspiration .] 1. A combination of men for an evil purpose; an agreement, between two or more persons, to commit a crime in concert, as treason; a plot.

When shapen was all his conspiracy
From point to point.
Chaucer.

They made a conspiracy against [ Amaziah].
2 Kings xiv. 19.

I had forgot that foul conspiracy

Of the beast Caliban and his confederates.
Shak.

2. A concurence or general tendency, as of circumstances, to one event, as if by agreement.

A conspiracy in all heavenly and earthly things.
Sir P. Sidney.

3. (Law) An agreement, manifesting itself in words or deeds, by which two or more persons confederate to do an unlawful act, or to use unlawful to do an act which is lawful; confederacy.

Syn. -- Combination; plot; cabal.

Conspirant Con新pir"ant adjective [ Latin conspirans , present participle of conspirare : confer French conspirant .] Engaging in a plot to commit a crime; conspiring. [ Obsolete] Shak.

Conspiration Con`spi斟a"tion noun [ French conspiration , Latin conspiratio .] Agreement or concurrence for some end or purpose; conspiracy. [ R.]

As soon as it was day, certain Jews made a conspiration .
Udall.

In our natural body every part has a nacassary sympathy with every other, and all together form, by their harmonious onspiration , a healthy whole.
Sir W. Hamilton.

Conspirator Con新pir"a暗or noun One who engages in a conspiracy; a plotter. 2 Sam. xv. 31.

Conspire Con新pire" (kŏn*spīr") intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Conspired (- spīrd"); present participle & verbal noun Conspiring .] [ French conspirer , Latin conspirare to blow together, harmonize, agree, plot; con- + spirare to breathe, blow. See Spirit .] 1. To make an agreement, esp. a secret agreement, to do some act, as to commit treason or a crime, or to do some unlawful deed; to plot together.

They conspired against [ Joseph] to slay him.
Gen. xxxvii. 18.

You have conspired against our royal person,
Joined with an enemy proclaimed.
Shak.

2. To concur to one end; to agree.

The press, the pulpit, and the stage
Conspire to censure and expose our age.
Roscommon.

Syn. -- To unite; concur; complot; confederate; league.

Conspire Con新pire" transitive verb To plot; to plan; to combine for.

Angry clouds conspire your overthrow.
Bp. Hall.

Conspirer Con新pir"er noun One who conspires; a conspirator.

Conspiringly Con新pir"ing損y adverb In the manner of a conspirator; by conspiracy. Milton.

Conspissation Con`spis新a"tion noun [ Latin conspissatio , from conspissare to make thick.] A making thick or viscous; thickness; inspissation. [ R.] Dr. H. More.

Conspurcate Con新pur"cate transitive verb [ Latin conspurcatus , past participle of conspurcare .] To pollute; to defile. [ Obsolete] Cockeram.

Conspurcation Con`spur搾a"tion noun [ Latin conspurcare , -spuratum , to defile.] The act of defiling; defilement; pollution. Bp. Hall.

Constable Con"sta搓le (kŭn"stȧ*b'l) noun [ Middle English conestable , constable , a constable (in sense 1), Old French conestable , French conn彋able , Late Latin conestabulus , constabularius , comes stabuli , orig., count of the stable, master of the horse, equerry; comes count (L. companion) + Latin stabulum stable. See Count a nobleman, and Stable .] 1. A high officer in the monarchical establishments of the Middle Ages.

» The constable of France was the first officer of the crown, and had the chief command of the army. It was also his duty to regulate all matters of chivalry. The office was suppressed in 1627. The constable , or lord high constable , of England , was one of the highest officers of the crown, commander in chief of the forces, and keeper of the peace of the nation. He also had judicial cognizance of many important matters. The office was as early as the Conquest, but has been disused (except on great and solemn occasions), since the attainder of Stafford, duke of Buckingham, in the reign of Henry VIII.

2. (Law) An officer of the peace having power as a conservator of the public peace, and bound to execute the warrants of judicial officers. Bouvier.

» In England, at the present time, the constable is a conservator of the peace within his district, and is also charged by various statutes with other duties, such as serving summons, precepts, warrants, etc. In the United States, constables are town or city officers of the peace, with powers similar to those of the constables of England. In addition to their duties as conservators of the peace, they are invested with others by statute, such as to execute civil as well as criminal process in certain cases, to attend courts, keep juries, etc. In some cities, there are officers called high constables , who act as chiefs of the constabulary or police force. In other cities the title of constable, as well as the office, is merged in that of the police officer.

High constable , a constable having certain duties and powers within a hundred. [ Eng.] -- Petty constable , a conservator of the peace within a parish or tithing; a tithingman. [ Eng.] -- Special constable , a person appointed to act as constable of special occasions. -- To overrun, or outrun , the constable , to spend more than one's income; to get into debt. [ Colloq.] Smollett.

Constablery Con"sta搓ler暄 noun [ Old French conestablerie . Confer Constabulary .] 1. The constabulary. [ Obsolete]

2. The district or jurisdiction of a constable. [ Obsolete]

Constableship Con"sta搓leship noun The office or functions of a constable.

Constabless Con"sta搓less noun The wife of a constable. [ Obsolete]

Constablewick Con"sta搓le暈ick` noun [ Constable + wick a village] The district to which a constable's power is limited. [ Obsolete] Sir M. Hale.

Constabulary Con新tab"u損a斟y adjective [ Late Latin constabularius an equerry. See Constable .] Of or pertaining to constables; consisting of constables.

Constabulary Con新tab"u損a斟y noun The collective body of constables in any town, district, or country.

Constabulatory Con新tab"u損a暗o斟y noun A constabulary. [ Obsolete] Bp. Burnet.

Constancy Con"stan搾y noun [ Latin constantia : confer French constance . See Constant .] 1. The state or quality of being constant or steadfast; freedom from change; stability; fixedness; immutability; as, the constancy of God in his nature and attributes.

2. Fixedness or firmness of mind; persevering resolution; especially, firmness of mind under sufferings, steadiness in attachments, or perseverance in enterprise; stability; fidelity.

A fellow of plain uncoined constancy .
Shak.

Constancy and contempt of danger.
Prescott.

Syn. -- Fixedness; stability; firmness; steadiness; permanence; steadfastness; resolution. See Firmness .

Constant Con"stant adjective [ Latin onstans , -antis , present participle of constare to stand firm, to be consistent; con- + stare to stand: confer French constant . See Stand and confer Cost , transitive verb ] 1. Firm; solid; fixed; immovable; -- opposed to fluid . [ Obsolete]

If . . . you mix them, you may turn these two fluid liquors into a constant body.
Boyle.

2. Not liable, or given, to change; permanent; regular; continuous; continually recurring; steadfast; faithful; not fickle.

Both loving one fair maid, they yet remained constant friends.
Sir P. Sidney.

I am constant to my purposes.
Shak.

His gifts, his constant courtship, nothing gained.
Dryden.

Onward the constant current sweeps.
Longfellow.

3. (Math. & Physics) Remaining unchanged or invariable, as a quantity, force, law, etc. Contrasted with variable .

4. Consistent; logical. [ Obsolete] Shak.

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

Constant Con"stant noun 1. That which is not subject to change; that which is invariable.

2. (Math.) A quantity that does not change its value; -- used in countradistinction to variable .

Absolute constant (Math.) , one whose value is absolutely the same under all circumstances, as the number 10, or any numeral. -- Arbitrary constant , an undetermined constant in a differential equation having the same value during all changes in the values of the variables.

Constant Con"stant noun 1. (Astron.) A number whose value, when ascertained (as by observation) and substituted in a general mathematical formula expressing an astronomical law, completely determines that law and enables predictions to be made of its effect in particular cases.

2. (Physics) A number expressing some property or condition of a substance or of an instrument of precision; as, the dielectric constant of quartz; the collimation constant of a transit instrument.

Aberration constant , or Constant of aberration (Astron.) , a number which by substitution in the general formula for aberration enables a prediction to be made of the effect of aberration on a star anywhere situated. Its value is 20″.47. -- Constant of integration (Math.) , an undetermined constant added to every result of integration. -- Gravitation constant (Physics) , the acceleration per unit of time produced by the attraction of a unit of mass at unit distance. When this is known the acceleration produced at any distance can be calculated. -- Solar constant (Astron.) , the quantity of heat received by the earth from the sun in a unit of time. It is, on the C. G. S. system, 0.0417 small calories per square centimeter per second. Young.

Constantia Con新tan"ti戢 noun A superior wine, white and red, from Constantia, in Cape Colony.

Constantly Con"stant損y adverb With constancy; steadily; continually; perseveringly; without cessation; uniformly.

But she constantly affirmed that it was even so.
Acts. xii. 15.

Constat Con"stat noun [ Latin , it is evident.] (Law) A certificate showing what appears upon record touching a matter in question.

Constate Con新tate" transitive verb [ French constater ; Latin con- + stare to stand.] To ascertain; to verify; to establish; to prove. F. P. Cobbe.

Constellate Con"stel損ate intransitive verb [ Prefix con- + Latin stellatus , past participle of stellare to cover with stars, stella star. See Stellate .] To join luster; to shine with united radiance, or one general light. [ R.]

The several things which engage our affections . . . shine forth and constellate in God.
Boule.

Constellate Con"stel損ate transitive verb 1. To unite in one luster or radiance, as stars. [ R.]

Whe know how to constellate these lights.
Boyle.

2. To set or adorn with stars or constellations; as, constellated heavens. J. Barlow.

Constellation Con`stel損a"tion noun [ French constellation , Latin constellatio .] 1. A cluster or group of fixed stars, or division of the heavens, designated in most cases by the name of some animal, or of some mythologial personage, within whose imaginary outline, as traced upon the heavens, the group is included.

The constellations seem to have been almost purposely named and delineated to cause as much confusion and inconvenience as possible.
Sir J. Herschel.

» In each of the constellations now recognized by astronomers (about 90 in number) the brightest stars, both named and unnamed, are designated nearly in the order of brilliancy by the letters of the Greek alphabet; as, α Tauri (Aldebaran) is the first star of Taurus, γ Orionis (Bellatrix) is the third star of Orion.

2. An assemblage of splendors or excellences.

The constellations of genius had already begun to show itself . . . which was to shed a glory over the meridian and close of Philip's reign.
Prescott.

3. Fortune; fate; destiny. [ Obsolete]

It is constellation , which causeth all that a man doeth.
Gower.

Consternation Con`ster搖a"tion noun [ Latin consternatio , from consternare to overome, perplex, an accessory form of consternere to throw down, prostrate; con + sternere to spread out, throw down: confer French consternation . See Stratum .] Amazement or horror that confounds the faculties, and incapacitates for reflection; terror, combined with amazement; dismay.

The chiefs around,
In silence wrapped, in consternation drowned.
Attend the stern reply.
Pope.

Syn. -- Alarm; fright; amazement; astonishment; surprise; panic; perturbation. See Alarm .

Constipate Con"sti搆ate transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Constipated ; present participle & verbal noun Constipating .] [ Latin constipatus , past participle of constipare ; con- + stipare to crowd together. See Costive .] 1. To crowd or cram into a narrow compass; to press together or condense. [ Obsolete]

Of cold the property is to condense and constipate .
Bacon.

2. To stop (a channel) by filling it, and preventing passage through it; as, to constipate the capillary vessels.

3. (Medicine) To render costive; to cause constipation in.

Constipation Con`sti搆a"tion noun [ Latin constipatio a crowding together: confer French constipation .] 1. Act of crowding anything into a less compass, or the state of being crowded or pressed together; condensation. [ Obsolete]

Fullness of matter, or a pretty close constipation . . . of its particles.
Boyle.

2. A state of the bowels in which the evacuations are infrequent and difficult, or the intestines become filled with hardened f熯es; costiveness.

Constituency Con新tit"u搪n搾y noun ; plural Constituencies A body of constituents, as the body of citizens or voters in a representative district.

Constituent Con新tit"u搪nt adjective [ Latin constituens , -entis , present participle See Constitute .] 1. Serving to form, compose, or make up; elemental; component.

Body, soul, and reason are the three parts necessarily constituent of a man.
Dryden.

2. Having the power of electing or appointing.

A question of right arises between the constituent and representative body.
Junius.

Constituent Con新tit"u搪nt noun 1. The person or thing which constitutes, determines, or constructs.

Their first composure and origination require a higher and nobler constituent than chance.
Sir M. Hale

2. That which constitutes or composes, as a part, or an essential part; a component; an element.

We know how to bring these constituents together, and to cause them to form water.
Tyndall.

3. One for whom another acts; especially, one who is represented by another in a legislative assembly; -- correlative to representative .

The electors in the district of a representative in Congress, or in the legislature of a State, are termed his constituents .
Abbot.

To appeal from the representatives to the constituents .
Macaulay.

4. (Law) A person who appoints another to act for him as attorney in fact. Burrill.

Constitute Con"sti暗ute transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Constituted ; present participle & verbal noun Constituting .] [ Latin constitutus , past participle of constiture to constitute; con- + statuere to place, set, from status station, from stare to stand. See Stand .] 1. To cause to stand; to establish; to enact.

Laws appointed and constituted by lawful authority.
Jer. Taylor.

2. To make up; to compose; to form.

Truth and reason constitute that intellectual gold that defies destruction.
Johnson.

3. To appoint, depute, or elect to an office; to make and empower.

Me didst Thou constitute a priest of thine.
Wordsworth.

Constituted authorities , the officers of government, collectively, as of a nation, city, town, etc. Bartlett.

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