Costive

  • 1Costive — 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

  • 2costive — c.1400, from M.Fr. costivé, from L. constipatus, pp. of constipare (see CONSTIPATION (Cf. constipation)) …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 3costive — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ constipated. DERIVATIVES costiveness noun. ORIGIN Old French, from Latin constipare press together …

    English terms dictionary

  • 4costive — [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

  • 5costive — 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

  • 6costive — 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&#8230; …

    Universalium

  • 7costive — 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 &LT; AF *costif, for MF costivé, ptp. of costiver to constipate &LT; L&#8230; …

    From formal English to slang

  • 8costive — /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&#8230; …

  • 9costive — adjective /ˈkɒstɪv/ a) constipated b) miserly, parsimonious …

    Wiktionary

  • 10costive — 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