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t; the subject matter of discussion of strife; a position taken or contended for. All men seem agreed what is to be done; the contention is how the subject is to be divided and defined. Bagehot. This was my original contention, and I still maintain that you should abide by your former decision. Jowett.…

eighboring; adjoining. The two halves of the paper did not appear fully divided . . . but seemed contiguous at one of their angles. Sir I. Newton. Sees no contiguous palace rear its head. Goldsmith. Contiguous angles. See Adjacent angles, under Angle.

sions; as, the contractile tissues. The heart's contractile force. H. Brooke. Each cilium seems to be composed of contractile substance. Hixley. Contractile vacuole (Zoöl.), a pulsating cavity in the interior of a protozoan, supposed to be excretory in function. There may be one, two, or more.

ptom, some method of treatment contrary to that which the general tenor of the case would seem to require. Contraindicating symptoms must be observed. Harvey.

Capable of being contrived, planned, invented, or devised. A perpetual motion may seem easily contrivable. Bp. Wilkins.

ly written corporeal. Milton. A corporal heaven . . . .where the stare are. Latimer. What seemed corporal melted As breath into the wind. Shak.

body, as in reverence, pain, labor, etc.; to stoop; to crouch. [Obs.] An aged squire That seemed to couch under his shield three-square. Spenser.

simile. In same things the laws of Normandy agreed with the laws of England, so that they seem to be, as it were, copies or counterparts one of another. Sir M. Hale.

To attempt to gain; to solicit; to seek. They might almost seem to have courted the crown of martyrdem. Prescott. Guilt and misery . . . court privacy and silitude. De Quincey.

e plan of "Rasselas" little was said by the critics; and yet the faults of the plan might seem to invite severe criticism. Macaulay.

ylor. The cross and unlucky issue of my design. Glanvill. The article of the resurrection seems to lie marvelously cross to the common experience of mankind. South. We are both love's captives, but with fates so cross, One must be happy by the other's loss. Dryden.

wing, or pretending to swallow, knives; -- applied to persons who have swallowed, or have seemed to swallow, knives with impunity. Dunglison.

A disease in potatoes, in which the leaves, at their first appearance, seem curled and shrunken. Blue curls. (Bot.) See under Blue.

ieces of mechanism, to check some action at a particular time. Nor did Sabrina's presence seem to act as any damper at the modest little festivities. W. Black.

t clear to the understanding; not easily The dark problems of existence. Shairp. What may seem dark at the first, will afterward be found more plain. Hooker. What's your dark meaning, mouse, of this light word Shak.

in social intercourse, in actions, or in discourse; proper formality; becoming ceremony; seemliness; hence, freedom from obscenity or indecorum; modesty. Observances of time, place, and of decency in general. Burke. Immodest words admit of no defense, For want of decency is want of sense. Roscommon.…

Suitable in words, behavior, dress, or ceremony; becoming; fit; decorous; proper; seemly; as, decent conduct; decent language. Shak. Before his decent steps. Milton.

a character, or to the time, place, and occasion; marked with decorum; becoming; proper; seemly; befitting; as, a decorous speech; decorous behavior; a decorous dress for a judge. A decorous pretext the war. Motley. -- De*co"rous*ly, adv. -- De*co"rous*ness, n.

ch and behavior to one's own character, or to the place and occasion; decency of conduct; seemliness; that which is seemly or suitable. Negligent of the duties and decorums of his station. Hallam. If your master Would have a queen his beggar, you must tell him, That majesty, to keep decorum, must No less beg than a kin…

violence or danger. In cases of defense 't is best to weigh The enemy more mighty than he seems. Shak.