Continent — Defs

01 a. Serving to restrain or limit; restraining; opposing.

1.
Serving to restrain or limit; restraining; opposing.[Obs.]
2.
Exercising restraint as to the indulgence of desires or passions; temperate; moderate.
“Have a continent forbearance till the speed of his rage goes slower.” — Shak.
3.
Abstaining from sexual intercourse; exercising restraint upon the sexual appetite; esp., abstaining from illicit sexual intercourse; chaste.
“My past life Hath been as continent, as chaste, as true, As I am now unhappy.” — Shak.
4.
Not interrupted; connected; continuous; as, a continent fever.[Obs.]
“The northeast part of Asia is, if not continent with the west side of America, yet certainly it is the least disoined by sea of all that coast.” — Berrewood.

02 n. That which contains anything; a receptacle.

1.
That which contains anything; a receptacle.[Obs.]
“The smaller continent which we call a pipkin.” — Bp. Kennet.
2.
One of the grand divisions of land on the globe; the main land; specifically (Phys. Geog.), a large body of land differing from an island, not merely in its size, but in its structure, which is that of a large basin bordered by mountain chains; as, the continent of North America.(Phys. Geog.)

Phrases & compounds

The Continent — the main land of Europe, as distinguished from the islands, especially from England.