Costive

Costive
Costive Cos"tive (k?s"t?v), a. [OF. costev['e], p. p. of costever, F. constiper, L. constipare to press closely together, to cram; con- + stipare to press together, cram. See {Stipulate}, {Stiff}, and cf. {Constipate}.] 1. Retaining fecal matter in the bowels; having too slow a motion of the bowels; constipated. [1913 Webster]

2. Reserved; formal; close; cold. [Obs.] ``A costive brain.'' --Prior. ``Costive of laughter.'' --B. Jonson. [1913 Webster]

You must be frank, but without indiscretion; and close, but without being costive. --Lord Chesterfield. [1913 Webster]

3. Dry and hard; impermeable; unyielding. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

Clay in dry seasons is costive, hardening with the sun and wind. --Mortimer. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • costive — c.1400, from M.Fr. costivé, from L. constipatus, pp. of constipare (see CONSTIPATION (Cf. constipation)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • costive — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ constipated. DERIVATIVES costiveness noun. ORIGIN Old French, from Latin constipare press together …   English terms dictionary

  • costive — [käs′tiv, kôs′tiv] adj. [ME < OFr costeve, pp. of costever < L constipare: see CONSTIPATE] constipated or constipating: used figuratively to mean uncommunicative, stingy, etc. costively adv. costiveness n …   English World dictionary

  • costive — adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo French costivé, past participle of costiver to constipate, from Latin constipare Date: 14th century 1. a. affected with constipation b. causing constipation 2. slo …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • costive — costively, adv. costiveness, n. /kos tiv, kaw stiv/, adj. 1. suffering from constipation; constipated. 2. slow in action or in expressing ideas, opinions, etc. 3. Obs. stingy; tight fisted. [1350 1400; ME < AF *costif, for MF costivé, ptp. of… …   Universalium

  • costive — cos•tive [[t]ˈkɒs tɪv, ˈkɔ stɪv[/t]] adj. 1) pat affected with or causing constipation 2) slow in action or speech 3) cvb Obs. stingy; tight fisted • Etymology: 1350–1400; ME < AF *costif, for MF costivé, ptp. of costiver to constipate < L… …   From formal English to slang

  • costive — /ˈkɒstɪv/ (say kostiv) adjective 1. suffering from constipation; constipated. 2. slow in action or in expressing ideas, opinions, etc.: *A sort of costive English, too, they speak / And sweat and drink and quarrel round the week –john douglas… …  

  • costive — adjective /ˈkɒstɪv/ a) constipated b) miserly, parsimonious …   Wiktionary

  • costive — Pertaining to or causing constipation. [contraction from L. constipo, to press together] * * * cos·tive käs tiv, kȯs adj 1) affected with constipation 2) causing constipation cos·tive·ness n * * * adj. constipated …   Medical dictionary

  • costive — (Roget s Thesaurus II) adjective Ungenerously or pettily reluctant to spend money: cheap, close, close fisted, hard fisted, mean2, miserly, niggard, niggardly, parsimonious, penny pinching, penurious, petty, pinching, stingy, tight, tightfisted.… …   English dictionary for students

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