Middle English Dictionary Entry
discontinūē̆l adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | discontinūē̆l adj. Also discontinual. |
| Etymology | From continūē̆l . |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Med. ~ fever, fever characterized by intermittent onsets; (b) math. ~ progressioun, a series of numbers in which the natural order is interrupted regularly.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)90a/a : Þe cause & þe solucioun of al rotid feueres is I knowe..wheþir þey be continual or discontinual [L discontinue].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)313b/b : Suche swetnesse..moeueþ discontynual feuere.
b
- c1450 Art Number.(Ashm 396)45/23 : Of progressioun one is naturelle or contynuelle, þat oþer broken and discontynuelle..Broken it is, whan me lepithe fro o nombre tille another, and kepithe not the contynuel ordire; as 1.3.5.7.9, etc.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense (a)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. discontinual fever.