continence
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English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Dated from the 14th century as Middle English contynence, from Old French continence, from Latin continentia (“a repression”). See also countenance.
Pronunciation[edit]
Noun[edit]
continence (usually uncountable, plural continences)
- (urology) The voluntary control of urination and defecation.
- 2022 October 2, Cara Schacter, “My Year of Stress and Constipation”, in The New York Times[1]:
- To maintain continence, the puborectalis muscle chokes the anal canal. The sling of tissue is supposed to release during defecation. Mine has not been doing that.
- Moderation or self-restraint, especially in sexual activity; abstinence.
- For quotations using this term, see Citations:continence.
- 1700, [John] Dryden, “Preface”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
- He knew what to say; he knew also, when to leave off, — a continence which is practised by few writers.
- 1651, Jer[emy] Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Francis Ashe […], →OCLC:
- Chastity is either abstinence or continence: abstinence is that of virgins or widows; continence of married persons.
- 1953, Samuel Beckett, Watt, Olympia Press:
- For this was a line so little frequented, especially at this hour, when the driver, the stoker, the guard and the station staffs all along the line, were anhelating towards their wives, after the long hours of continence, that the train would hardly draw up, when it would be off again, like a bouncing ball.
- Uninterrupted course; continuity.
- 1726, John Ayliffe, Parergon juris canonici Anglicani
- the Continence of the Cause should be divided
- 1726, John Ayliffe, Parergon juris canonici Anglicani
Alternative forms[edit]
Synonyms[edit]
- (moderation or self-restraint): asceticism, temperance
- (uninterrupted course): See also Thesaurus:continuity
Antonyms[edit]
- (all): incontinence
- (moderation or self-restraint): acrasia, acrasy, intemperance
- (uninterrupted course): See also Thesaurus:discontinuity
Related terms[edit]
Translations[edit]
voluntary control of urination and defecation
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moderation or self-restraint, especially in sexual activity; abstinence
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See also[edit]
References[edit]
- Douglas Harper (2001–2023), “continence”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
- “continence”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
- continence at OneLook Dictionary Search
French[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Latin continentia.
Pronunciation[edit]
Noun[edit]
continence f (plural continences)
Related terms[edit]
Further reading[edit]
- “continence”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Categories:
- English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *ten-
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old French
- English terms derived from Latin
- English doublets
- English 3-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- English countable nouns
- en:Urology
- English terms with quotations
- French terms derived from Latin
- French 3-syllable words
- French terms with IPA pronunciation
- French lemmas
- French nouns
- French countable nouns
- French feminine nouns