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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Continental \Con`ti*nen"tal\, a.
1. Of or pertaining to a continent.
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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.
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Continental \Con`ti*nen"tal\, n.
1. (Amer. Hist.) A soldier in the Continental army. See
{Continental}, a., 3.
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2. (Amer. Hist.) a piece of the Continental currency, paper
money issued under authority of the Continental Congress.
See {Continental}, a., 3.
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Note: "Not worth a continental." was said of Continental
currency after the American revolution, when it was
considered almost worthless. Eventually, under
Alexander Hamilton's direction at the Treasury
department, the currency was all redeemed at full
value.
[PJC]