- costive
- \ \ see CONSTIPATION
Word origins - 2ed. J. Ayto. 2005.
costive
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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… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
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
