constitutive 
Individuality ia as in in ha t iJilirt>,',- fart of eaeh hllinnn 
being as is tin- trail \vhieh IK- slums in omnium with his 
fellow-.. rii. .SVi'. .I/"., XXX. W,. 
2. Having power to cnai-l r establish ; insti- 
tuting. Constitutive difference. Same as ><:>,, ;,t. 
I in- iliffi 'ivniv (which sec, under i-i,ni;.Ml'iv). COngtitU- 
tive mark, in /"/", an essential mark ; our of the marks 
.MI, I;,, 1 n, 11,,; .1, mull I a thin--'. Constitutive 
principles. (") In /":/'<: (1) The two |,rrmi*e> ;,n,l three 
terms of a syllogism : called iitnt'Tini <>!, ..!ilnt,i-:' f,,<n<-i- 
;;(-. (2) The mood and lluro ol syllogism : culled /<>ri{ 
contain'"',' in i:i:''i'l< -.*. lii hoih senses distiRgililheid front 
rf'ful'itii''' an.) ndiuttvt /'"//'// * o* hi<'U >ee, iiinler the 
iidjfi lives), (k) in ih,- Kiiiihnii pAillM., principle! accord- 
ing to which all uhjei't of pure intuition ran he r<m-.t ru. I 
e,l a |,li"ii: oppose.! to fi''iu/ritt >.' fritii-ijih'* (which see, 
under /.,/,i/,.,i. Constitutive use of a conception, 
in the K<inti<in ftliilim., tile holding of a conreption to be 
true as a maU'T of tart : opposed to the /</"/<('" < "*<, 
which consist* in acting as if it. were true. 
constitutively (kon'sti-tu-tiv-li), adv. In a 
constitutive manner. 
constitutor (kon'sti-tu-tor), n. [< L. constitu- 
tor, < COIIMtitlll'IT, pll. COIIxlitlltllx. Constitute: See 
constitute."] 1. One who or that wliich consti- 
tutes or makes up ; a constituent. 
Eloeution ia only an assistant, hut not a cmutitutor ol 
eloquence, (jotilsmilh, The Bee, No, 7. 
2. One who promises to pay the debt of another. 
liniMtljr and Lawrence. 
constrain (kon-stran'), v. t. [< ME. constraint, 
constrcynen, cousin ii/nrn, < OF. constraindre, 
constreindre, citnxlrttindre, costreindre, F. con- 
traindre = Pr. costraigiier = Sp. constrenir = 
Pg. eonistrangrr, constrinyir = It. constringere, 
costrigncre, \ L. constringere, pp. constrictus ( > 
E. constringe and constrict, q. v. ), bind together, 
draw together, fetter, constrict, hold in check, 
restrain, constrain, < com-, together, + strin- 
gere, pp. strictus, draw tight: see strict, strin- 
gent, strain 2 . Cf. distrain, restrain."] 1. In gen- 
eral, to exert force, physical or moral, upon, 
either in urging to action or in restraining 
from it ; press ; urge ; drive ; restrain. Hence 
2. To urge with irresistible power, or with a 
force sufficient to produce the effect ; compel ; 
necessitate ; oblige. 
The seke meu be not constreifned to that Fast. 
Mandetitte, Travels, p. 134. 
Me thynketh, syre Reson, 
Men sholde constreyne no clerke to knauene werkes. 
Piers Plowman (C), vi. 54. 
I was constrained to appeal unto Crosar. Acts xxviii. 19. 
Cruel need 
Constrain'd us, but a better time has come. 
Tennyson, Geraint. 
Pardon us, constrained to do this deed 
By the King's will. 
H'illiiini Morris, Earthly Paradise, I. 145. 
3. To confine or hold by force ; restrain from 
escape or action ; repress or compress ; bind. 
How the strait stays the slender waist constrain. Gay. 
He hinds in chains 
The drowsy prophet, and his limbs constraint. 
Dryden. 
4. To check; repress; hinder; deter. 5f. To 
force. 
Her spotless chastity, 
Inhuman traitors, you constraint and fore'd. 
Shut., Tit. And., v. 2. 
constrainable (kon-stra'na-bl), a. [< constrain 
+ -able; = F. contraigndblc."} That may be 
constrained, forced, or repressed; subject to 
constraint or to restraint ; subject to compul- 
sion. 
Before Novatlan's uprising, no man was conttrainable to 
confess publicly any sin. Hooker, Eceles. Polity, vi. 4. 
constrained (kon-strand'), p. a. [Pp. of con- 
strain, r.] Produced by constraint, especially 
in opposition to nature ; manifesting constraint, 
especially interniil constraint or repression of 
emotion : as, a constrained voice ; a constrained 
manner. 
The scars upon your honour ... he 
Does pity, as constrained blemishes, 
Not as ileserv'd. Shale., A. and C., lit. 11. 
constrainedly (kon-stra'ned-li), adv. By con- 
straint ; by compulsion. 
constrained (kon-stra'ner), n. One who con- 
si rains. 
Constraint (kon-stranf), n. [< ME. constreint, 
eoHStrcynti; i-onxln-nt. < OF. "constraintc, con- 
trainti; K. I'ontniinte, orig. fern, of "constraint, 
contraint, pp. of conxlrniiuln', constrain: see 
fnnttniiii."] 1. Irresistible force, or its effect ; 
any force or power, physical or moral, which 
compels to act or to forbear action ; compul- 
sion; coercion; restraint. 
Feed the llocknf iiiul. . . . taking the oversight thereof, 
n,,t hy Himtriiint. but willingly. 1 Pet. v. ->. 
Thru 1 lone, iniprisoninent ami hanl <-n*frnint. 
Spenser, F. (J., I. x. 2. 
77 
1217 
Commands are no constraints. If I obey them, 
1 ,1., it lively. MiU'in,8. A., 1. 1S72. 
Specifically 2. Repression of emotion, or of 
the expression of one's thoughts and feelings ; 
hence, embarrassment: as, he spoke with <./- 
xlrnint. 
The ambassador and Fernandcs were received liy the 
enero 
civility. 
Benero with an air of ,-un*t,'<ini< an' I co.,lne>s, though with 
Ilruce, Source ..I the Nile, II. 31 
3. Iniiiiitli/tirtil mech., the product of the mass of 
a particle into the square of that velocity which, 
compounded with the velocity the particle 
would have if free, would give tne actual velo- 
city. Degree of constraint, a one -dimensional geo- 
metric condition imjKMied upon the possible displacement 
ol a liotly or system of bodies. Thus, if one point of tile 
system be forced to remain on the surface of a given 
sphere, one (teijrce of constraint is introduced ; if one point 
be fixed, three ./, /, -, . . ,,/ i-owttraint are introduced, etc. 
Kinetic constraint, the condition that a point of a sys- 
tem shall move in a Kiven way. Principle of least con- 
straint, in atuUiftictil tnectt., the principle that, when 
there are connections between parts of a system, the mo- 
tion is such as to make the sum of the constraint* a mini 
muni. 
The maximum and minimum principles have at last 
assumed their final form in the 1'rincipte o/ Least Con- 
tlniint established by Uausg. Accordinn to him, the move- 
ments of a system of masses, however the masses may be 
connected together, take place at every moment in tiie 
utmost possible agreement with their free movement, and 
therefore under the least constraint. As measure of the 
constraint, is taken the sum of the products of every mass 
into the square of its departure from free motion. 
Quoted in Mind, IX. 458. 
= Syn. 1. Violence, necessity, coercion. Seeforct, n. 
constraintivet (kon-stran'tiv), a. [< constraint 
+ -ive.] Having power to compel. 
Not through any constraining necessity, or constrain- 
tice vow, but on a voluntary choice. 
R. Carew, Survey of Cornwall, foL 127. 
constrict (kon-strikt'). ' ' [< L. constrictus, 
pp. of constringere, draw together : see constrain, 
constringe.] 1. To draw together in any part 
or at any point by internal force or action ; con- 
tract ; cause shrinkage or diminution of bulk, 
volume, or capacity in : as< to constrict a canal 
or a duct. 2. To compress in one part by ex- 
ternal force ; squeeze ; bind ; cramp. 
Suchthingsas constrict the fibres. . I rbuthnot, Aliments. 
constrict (kon-strikt'), a. [< L. constrictus, pp. : 
see the verb.] Same as constricted. 
constricted (kon-strik'ted), p. a. [< constrict 
+ -erf 2 .] Drawn together ; compressed or con- 
tracted; straitened; cramped: as, the middle 
of an hour-glass is constricted. Specifically (o) In 
bot. and inert. , contracted or tightened so as to be smaller 
in some parts than in others : as, a constricted pod ; a con- 
stricted urethra. 
Some among the cells in the microscopic fields are seen 
to be elongated and constricted into an hour-glass shape 
in the middle. S. B. Herriclc, Plant Life, p. 32. 
('0 In entom. : (1) Suddenly ami disproportionally more 
slender in any part : as, an abdomen constricted in the 
middle. (2) Much more slender than the neighboring 
parts : as, a constricted joint of the antenna. 
constriction (kon-strik'shon), . [= F. con- 
striction = Pr. constriccio = Sp. constriccion = 
Pg. constriccSo = It. costririone, < LL. constric- 
tio(n-), < L. constringere, pp. constrictus, con- 
strict: see constrain, constrict.] 1. The act 
or process of constricting; the state of being 
constricted, (a) A drawing together or into smaller 
compass by some intrinsic means or action ; shrinkage in 
one or more parts ; contraction. (6) The operation of com- 
pressing by external force ; a squeezing or cramping by 
pressing upon or binding; compression by extraneous 
means. 
2. The result of constricting ; a constricted or 
narrowed part. 
Constrictipedes (kon-strik-ti-pe'dez), n. pi. 
[NL., < L. constrictus, drawn together, constrict- 
ed (see constrict), + pes, pi. pcdes, = E. foot."} 
In ornith., a subclass of birds, proposed by 
Hogg in 1846 upon physiological considera- 
tions : opposed to his Inconstricti/irtlt.t, and cor- 
responding approximately with the Altrices of 
Bonaparte and with the Psilopa;des or Gymno- 
pa"des of Sundevall. [Not in use.] 
constrictive (kpn-strik'tiv), a. [= F. constric- 
tif = Pr. coxtricliu = Sp. Pg. constrictivo = It. 
costrcttivo, < LL. constrictirus, < L. constrictus, 
pp. of constringere, constrict: see constrain, 
constrict."] Tending to constrict, contract, or 
compress. 
constrictor (kon-strik'tor), n. and a. [= F. con- 
xtric/i'iir = Sp. Pg. 00Min0Mr = It. constrittorc. 
contrition', < NL. constrictor, < L. constringere, 
pp. eonstrictus, constrict: see coiuttrniii. I-IIH- 
strict."] I. it. 1. That whicli constricts, con- 
tracts, or draws together ; specifically, in anal., 
a muscle which <lr:i\vs parts together, or closes 
an opening; a sphincter: as, the constrictor of 
the esophagus. 
construction 
He supposed the c"it*ti-i<-t,,,-< of the ,-\.li,|- must be 
strengthened in the sujM-ii'illoiis. II ililtnu. 
2. A large serpent wliich envelops and crushes 
its prey in its folds: as, the b(MK)M*fri0(0r. See 
boa. 3. The technical pn-ilic mime of the 
common black-snake of North America, 
iiinii ciiiixtrictor. Bee cut undi-r 
Constrictor arcuum, <mc of BMDundMOoniMvtlBcbnD- 
chial arches ut , a. h ^iiie in some of the lower vertebrates, 
as Aiui>h,i,i,<. Constrictor isthml faucium, the paia 
-us: a small nin-rle of the soft palate ami t.-iuu, , 
ton,, in- the j,o>t< rinr pillar of the faiires. Constrictor 
pharvngls superior, medius, Inferior, the upi-r, mid- 
ule, a 1 1' I lower jmarj nyral . -mi'ti irloi v thiee muscles form- 
in- most of the fleshy wall of the human pharynx, having 
several attachments to the base of the skull, the lower jaw, 
hyoid bone, larynx, etc. 
II. a. Acting as a constrictor; constricting: 
as, a constrictor muscle. 
Constrictores (kon-strik-to'rez), n. pi. [NL., 
pi. of constrictor : see constrictor."] In Oppel's 
system of classification (1811), the constrictors, 
a family of ophidians ; the boas and pythons of 
the genera Boa and Eryx. See lioida; 1'ytho- 
niilir. 
constringe (kon-strinj'), . t. ; pret. and pp. con- 
stringed, ppr. constringing. [< L. constringere, 
draw together: see constrain, constrict."} To 
cause constriction in ; constrict or cause to con- 
tract or pucker; astringe. 
Strong liquors . . . cottstrinye, harden the fibres, and 
coagulate the fluids. Arbutlinot. 
On tasting it [water from the Dead Sea], my mouth was 
constringed as If it had been a strong allum water. 
Pococke, Description of the East, II. i. 36. 
constringent (kpn-strin'jent), a. [= F. con- 
stringent = Sp. Pg. constriiigcnte = It. costri- 
gnente, < L. constringcn(t-)s, ppr. of constringere, 
constrict: see constrain, constringe.] Causing 
constriction ; having the quality of constrict- 
ing, contracting, or puckering; extremely as- 
tringent. 
construct (kon - strukt ' ), v. [< L. constructus, 
pp. of construere ( > It. costruirc, construire = Sp. 
Pg. construir = Pr. F. construire (> D. konstrue- 
ren = G. construiren = Dan. konntruere = Sw. 
konstruera) ; cf. construe), heap together, build, 
make, construct, connect grammatically (see 
construe), < com-, together, + struere, heap up, 
pile: see structure.] I. trans. 1. To put to- 
gether the parts of in their proper place and 
order; erect; build; form: as, to construct an 
edifice or a ship. 
Bivalve shells are made to open and shut, but on what 
a number of patterns is the hinge constructed, from the 
long row of neatly interlocking teeth in a Nucula to the 
simple ligament of a Mussel ! 
Darwin, Origin of Species, p. 187. 
2. To devise and put into orderly arrangement ; 
form by the mind ; frame ; fabricate ; evolve 
the form of: as, to construct a story. 
He constructed a new system. Johnson. 
3f. To interpret or understand; construe. 4. 
To draw, as a figure, so as to fulfil given condi- 
tions. See construction, 4. = Syn. 1. To fabricate, 
erect, raise. 2. To invent, originate, frame, make, insti- 
tute. See construe. 
II. intrans. To engage in or practise con- 
struction. 
Demolition is undoubtedly a vulgar task ; the highest 
glory of the statesman is to construct. 
MacmUay, Mlrabean. 
construct (kon ' strukt), a. [< L. constructns, 
pp. : see the verb.] In gram., constituting or 
expressing connection as governing substan- 
tive with the substantive governed.- Construct 
state, in Hebrew and other .Semitic languages, the form 
of a noun, generally characterized by shortened or changed 
vowels, used lif fore another noun which in Indo-European 
languages would he in the genitive case, or preceded hy 
of. It may therefore be translated by nj appended to the 
governing noun, and the distinctive peculiarity a*, com- 
pared with the family of languages last named, is that it 
is the governing and not the governed noun wliich is al- 
tered in form. 
Bel's consort was named Belit (for belat III R. 7, col. I 
3, on account of the preceding eX construct state of heltu, 
"lady." Amcr. Jour. Philal., VIII. 2B9. 
constructor (kon-struk'ter), . Same as con- 
structor. 
construction (kon-struk'shon), n. [= D. kon- 
xtniktii- = G. eoMfnwffofl ="Dan. Sw. konstrtik- 
tion, < F. ctinxtrnctio>i = Pr. conxtructio, costructio 
= Sp. construccion = Pg. conxtriicylo = It. co- 
Ktru:ioiu; < L. i-niixtriii-tiii(n-). < construerr, pp. 
conxtructus, construct: see construct, r.] 1. 
The act of building or making; the act of de- 
vising and forming; fabrication. 
From the raft or canoe ... to the construction of a 
vessel capable of conveying a numerous crew with safety 
to a distant coast, the progress in improvement is inm 
Roorrtsun. 
