Constipate

2 definitions found

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

  Constipate \Con"sti*pate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Constipated}; p.
     pr. & vb. n. {Constipating}.] [L. constipatus, p. p. of
     constipare; con- + stipare to crowd together. See {Costive}.]
     1. To crowd or cram into a narrow compass; to press together
        or condense. [Obs.]
        [1913 Webster]


  
              Of cold the property is to condense and constipate.
                                                    --Bacon.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To stop (a channel) by filling it, and preventing passage
        through it; as, to constipate the capillary vessels.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Med.) To render costive; to cause constipation in.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  constipate
       v 1: impede with a clog or as if with a clog; "The market is
            being clogged by these operations"; "My mind is
            constipated today" [syn: {clog}]
       2: cause to be constipated; "These foods tend to constipate
          you" [syn: {bind}]