Constant

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Constant \Con"stant\, n.
     1. That which is not subject to change; that which is
        invariable.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Math.) A quantity that does not change its value; -- used


        in countradistinction to {variable}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Astron.) A number whose value, when ascertained (as by
        observation) and substituted in a general mathematical
        formula expressing an astronomical law, completely
        determines that law and enables predictions to be made of
        its effect in particular cases.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     4. (Physics) A number expressing some property or condition
        of a substance or of an instrument of precision; as, the
        dielectric constant of quartz; the collimation constant of
        a transit instrument.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     5. (Computers) a data structure that does not change during
        the course of execution of a program. It may be a number,
        a string, or a more complex data structure; -- contrasted
        with {variable}.
        [PJC]
  
     {Aberration constant}, or {Constant of aberration} (Astron.),
        a number which by substitution in the general formula for
        aberration enables a prediction to be made of the effect
        of aberration on a star anywhere situated. Its value is
        20[sec].47.
  
     {Absolute constant} (Math.), one whose value is absolutely
        the same under all circumstances, as the number 10, or any
        numeral.
  
     {Arbitrary constant}, an undetermined constant in a
        differential equation having the same value during all
        changes in the values of the variables.
  
     {Gravitation constant} (Physics), the acceleration per unit
        of time produced by the attraction of a unit of mass at
        unit distance. When this is known the acceleration
        produced at any distance can be calculated.
  
     {Solar constant} (Astron.), the quantity of heat received by
        the earth from the sun in a unit of time. It is, on the C.
        G. S. system, 0.0417 small calories per square centimeter
        per second. --Young. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     {Constant of integration} (Math.), an undetermined constant
        added to every result of integration.
        [1913 Webster + Webster 1913 Suppl.]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Constant \Con"stant\ (k[o^]n"stant), a. [L. onstans, -antis, p.
     pr. of constare to stand firm, to be consistent; con- + stare
     to stand: cf. F. constant. See {Stand} and cf. {Cost}, v. t.]
     1. Firm; solid; fixed; immovable; -- opposed to {fluid}.
        [Obs.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              If . . . you mix them, you may turn these two fluid
              liquors into a constant body.         --Boyle.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Not liable, or given, to change; permanent; regular;
        continuous; continually recurring; steadfast; faithful;
        not fickle. Opposite of {changeable} and {variable}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Both loving one fair maid, they yet remained
              constant friends.                     --Sir P.
                                                    Sidney.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              I am constant to my purposes.         --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              His gifts, his constant courtship, nothing gained.
                                                    --Dryden.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Onward the constant current sweeps.   --Longfellow.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Math. & Physics) Remaining unchanged or invariable, as a
        quantity, force, law, etc.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. Consistent; logical. [Obs.] --Shak.
  
     Syn: Fixed; steadfast; unchanging; permanent; unalterable;
          immutable; invariable; perpetual; continual; resolute;
          firm; unshaken; determined.
  
     Usage: {Constant}, {Continual}, {Perpetual}. These words are
            sometimes used in an absolute and sometimes in a
            qualified sense. Constant denotes, in its absolute
            sense, unchangeably fixed; as, a constant mind or
            purpose. In its qualified sense, it marks something as
            a "standing" fact or occurence; as, liable to constant
            interruptions; constantly called for. Continual, in
            its absolute sense, coincides with continuous. See
            {Continuous}. In its qualified sense, it describes a
            thing as occuring in steady and rapid succession; as,
            a round of continual calls; continually changing.
            Perpetual denotes, in its absolute sense, what
            literally never ceases or comes to an end; as,
            perpetual motion. In its qualified sense, it is used
            hyperbolically, and denotes that which rarely ceases;
            as, perpetual disturbance; perpetual noise; perpetual
            intermeddling.
            [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  constant
       adj 1: persistent in occurrence and unvarying in nature;
              "maintained a constant temperature"; "a constant
              beat"; "principles of unvarying validity"; "a steady
              breeze" [syn: {changeless}, {invariant}, {steady}, {unvarying}]
       2: continually recurring or continuing without interruption;
          "constant repetition of the exercise"; "constant chatter
          of monkeys"
       3: steadfast in purpose or devotion or affection; "a man
          constant in adherence to his ideals"; "a constant lover";
          "constant as the northern star" [ant: {inconstant}]
       4: uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing; "the
          ceaseless thunder of surf"; "in constant pain"; "night and
          day we live with the incessant noise of the city"; "the
          never-ending search for happiness"; "the perpetual
          struggle to maintain standards in a democracy"; "man's
          unceasing warfare with drought and isolation";
          "unremitting demands of hunger" [syn: {ceaseless}, {incessant},
           {never-ending}, {perpetual}, {unceasing}, {unremitting}]
       n 1: a quantity that does not vary [syn: {constant quantity}]
       2: a number representing a quantity assumed to have a fixed
          value in a specified mathematical context; "the velocity
          of light is a constant"

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  336 Moby Thesaurus words for "constant":
     abiding, accordant, active, age-long, aged, ageless, alike,
     ancient, antique, ardent, articulated, assiduous, atom,
     atomic mass, atomic number, atomic weight, automatic, balanced,
     beaten, catenated, ceaseless, changeless, chattering, chronic,
     clinging, close, coeternal, colorfast, committed, compliant,
     concatenated, confirmed, conforming, connected, conscientious,
     consistent, consonant, continual, continued, continuing,
     continuous, correspondent, cyclical, dateless, dedicated,
     deep-dyed, delicate, dependable, determined, devoted, devout,
     diligent, direct, diuturnal, dogged, double-dyed, durable, duteous,
     dutiful, dyed-in-the-wool, endless, enduring, equable, equal,
     eternal, eterne, even, ever-being, ever-durable, ever-during,
     evergreen, everlasting, everliving, exact, express, fadeless,
     faithful, fast, featureless, fine, firm, fixed, flat, flinty,
     frequent, frozen, gapless, habitual, hackneyed, hardy, homogeneous,
     immediate, immemorial, immobile, immovable, immutable, inalterable,
     incessant, incommutable, inconvertible, indefatigable,
     indefeasible, indelible, indestructible, indomitable, industrious,
     inerrable, inerrant, inert, infallible, infinite, inflexible,
     ingrain, ingrained, insistent, insusceptible of change, intact,
     interminable, intransient, intransmutable, invariable, inveterate,
     invincible, inviolate, irretrievable, irreversible, irrevocable,
     joined, jointless, lasting, level, liege, linked, long-lasting,
     long-lived, long-standing, long-term, longeval, longevous, loyal,
     machine gun, macrobiotic, marble-constant, mathematical, measured,
     mechanical, methodic, methodical, meticulous,
     micrometrically precise, microscopic, mindful, monolithic,
     monotonous, never-ceasing, never-ending, never-tiring, nice, noble,
     nonreturnable, nonreversible, nonstop, nonterminating,
     nonterminous, observant, obstinate, of a piece, of long duration,
     of long standing, olamic, ordered, orderly, oscillating, patient,
     patient as Job, perdurable, perduring, perennial, periodic,
     permanent, perpetual, perseverant, persevering, persistent,
     persisting, pertinacious, pinpoint, plodding, plugging, practicing,
     precise, preoccupied, pulsating, punctilious, punctual, quantum,
     quiescent, rapid, rapt, recurrent, recurring, refined, regardful,
     regular, regular as clockwork, relentless, religious,
     religiously exact, remaining, repeated, repetitive, resolute,
     reverseless, rigid, rigorous, robotlike, round-the-clock, routine,
     running, scientific, scientifically exact, scrupulous, seamless,
     sedulous, sempervirent, sempiternal, serried, set, settled, severe,
     single-minded, sleepless, slogging, smooth, solid, sot, square,
     stabile, stable, staccato, static, stationary, staunch, staying,
     steadfast, steady, steely, stereotyped, straight, strict, stubborn,
     stuttering, subtle, sustained, systematic, tenacious, tested,
     timeless, tireless, torpid, tough, tried, tried and true, trite,
     true, true-blue, trusty, twenty-four-hour, unabating, unalterable,
     unalterative, unaltered, unbending, unbroken, unceasing,
     unchangeable, unchanged, unchanging, unchecked, unconquerable,
     undaunted, undeflectable, undestroyed, undeviating,
     undifferentiated, undiscouraged, undiversified, undrooping,
     unending, unerring, unfading, unfailing, unfaltering, unflagging,
     unflappable, unflinching, uniform, unintermitted, unintermittent,
     unintermitting, uninterrupted, unmodifiable, unmovable, unnodding,
     unrelaxing, unrelenting, unrelieved, unremitting, unrestorable,
     unreturnable, unruffled, unshakable, unshakeable, unshaken,
     unshifting, unsleeping, unstopped, unsusceptible, unswerving,
     untiring, unvariable, unvaried, unvarying, unwavering, unwearied,
     unwearying, unwinking, unyielding, utterly attentive, valence,
     vibrating, vital, weariless, well-trodden, well-worn,
     without end