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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 ourtship, nothing gained. Dryden. Onward the constant current…

An authoritative ordinance, regulation or enactment; especially, one made by a Roman emperor, or one affecting ecclesiastical doctrine or disipline; as, the constitutions of Justinian. The positive constutions of our own churches. Hooker. A constitution of Valentinian addressed to Olybrius, then prefect of Rome, for th…

Regulated by, dependent on, or secured by, a constitution; as, constitutional government; constitutional rights. Hallam.

se to shrink. [R.] Strong liquors . . . intoxicate, constringe, harden the fibers, and coagulate the fluids. Arbuthnot.

In regular or repeated succession; very often. Thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. 2 Sam. ix. 7.

An irregular and arbitrary imposition or tax leved on the people of a town or country. These sums, . . . and the forced contributions paid by luckless peasants, enabled him to keep his straggling troops together. Motley.

Power or authority to check or restrain; restraining or regulating influence; superintendence; government; as, children should be under parental control. The House of Commons should exercise a control over all the departments of the executive administration. Macaulay. Board of control. See under Board.…

One who, or that which, controls or restraines; one who has power or authority to regulate or control; one who governs. The great controller of our fate Deigned to be man, and lived in low estate. Dryden.

The power or act of controlling; the state of being rstrained; control; restraint; regulation; superintendence. You may do it without controlment. Shak.

Rising or swelling into a spherical or rounded form; regularly protuberant or bulging; -- said of a spherical surface or curved line when viewed from without, in opposition to concave. Drops of water naturally form themselves into figures with a convex surface. Whewell. Double convex, convex on both sides; convexo-conv…

An irregular, tortuous folding of an organ or part; as, the convolutions of the intestines; the cerebral convolutions. See Brain.

To contract violently and irregulary, as the muscular parts of an animal body; to shake with irregular spasms, as in excessive laughter, or in agony from grief or pain. With emotions which checked his voice and convulsed his powerful frame. Macaulay.

Any violent and irregular motion or agitation; a violent shaking; a tumult; a commotion. Those two massy pillars, With horrible convulsion, to and fro He tugged, he shook, till down they came. Milton. Times of violence and convulsion. Ames.

attended with, convulsions or spasms; characterized by convulsions; convulsionary. An irregular, convulsive movement may be necessary to throw off an irregular, convulsive disease. Burke.

To give a common action, movement, or condition to; to regulate and combine so as to produce harmonious action; to adjust; to harmonize; as, to coördinate muscular movements.

cutive, the legislative, and the judicial authority in forming a government; the act of regulating and combining so as to produce harmonious results; harmonious adjustment; as, a coördination of functions. "Coördination of muscular movement by the cerebellum." Carpenter.

a fritter having green Indian corn mixed through its batter. [U. S.] -- Corn laws, laws regulating trade in corn, especially those in force in Great Britain till 1846, prohibiting the importation of foreign grain for home consumption, except when the price rose above a certain rate. -- Corn marigold. (Bot.) See under…

habiting different parts of the Russian empire and furnishing valuable contingents of irregular cavalry to its armies, those of Little Russia and those of the Don forming the principal divisions.

A tune which regulates the dance.

To rise with a regular nap, as cloth does. [Obs.] It cottons well; it can not choose but bear A pretty nap. Family of Love.