Continental /(?)/
Con·ti·nen·tal
Continental
a.
- Of or pertaining to a continent.
-
Of or pertaining to the main land of Europe, in distinction from the adjacent islands, especially England; as, a continental tour; a continental coalition.
No former king had involved himself so frequently in the labyrinth of continental alliances.
-
Of or pertaining to the confederated colonies collectively, in the time of the Revolutionary War; as, Continental money. (Amer. Hist.)
The army before Boston was designated as the Continental army, in contradistinction to that under General Gage, which was called the “Ministerial army.”
Phrases & Compounds
- Continental Congress
- See under Congress.
- Continental system
- the blockade of Great Britain ordered by Napoleon by the decree of Berlin, Nov. 21, 1806; the object being to strike a blow at the maritime and commercial supremacy of Great Britain, by cutting her off from all intercourse with the continent of Europe.
Continental
n.
- A soldier in the Continental army. See Continental, a., 3. (Amer. Hist.)
- a piece of the Continental currency, paper money issued under authority of the Continental Congress. See Continental, a., 3. (Amer. Hist.)