from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Continental \Con`ti*nen"tal\, a.
1. Of or pertaining to a continent.
[1913 Webster]
2. Of or pertaining to the main land of Europe, in
distinction from the adjacent islands, especially England;
as, a continental tour; a continental coalition.
--Macaulay.
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No former king had involved himself so frequently in
the labyrinth of continental alliances. --Hallam.
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3. (Amer. Hist.) Of or pertaining to the confederated
colonies collectively, in the time of the Revolutionary
War; as, Continental money.
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The army before Boston was designated as the
Continental army, in contradistinction to that under
General Gage, which was called the "Ministerial
army." --W. Irving.
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{Continental Congress}. See under {Congress}.
{Continental system} (Hist.), 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.
[1913 Webster]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Continental system \Continental system\ (Hist.)
The system of commercial blockade aiming to exclude England
from commerce with the Continent instituted by the
{Berlin decree}, which Napoleon I. issued from Berlin Nov.
21, 1806, declaring the British Isles to be in a state of
blockade, and British subjects, property, and merchandise
subject to capture, and excluding British ships from all
parts of Europe under French dominion. The retaliatory
measures of England were followed by the
{Milan decree}, issued by Napoleon from Milan Dec. 17, 1807,
imposing further restrictions, and declaring every ship
going to or from a port of England or her colonies to be
lawful prize.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]