Search Result for "pregnant construction":

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Pregnant \Preg"nant\, a. [L. praegnans, -antis; prae before + genere, gignere, to beget: cf. F. pr['e]gnant. See Gender, 2d Kin.] [1913 Webster] 1. Being with young, as a female; having conceived; great with young; breeding; teeming; gravid; preparing to bring forth. [1913 Webster] 2. Heavy with important contents, significance, or issue; full of consequence or results; weighty; as, pregnant replies. " A pregnant argument." --Prynne. " A pregnant brevity." --E. Everett. [1913 Webster] 3. Full of promise; abounding in ability, resources, etc.; as, a pregnant youth. [Obs.] --Evelyn. [1913 Webster] Wherein the pregnant enemy does much. --Shak. [1913 Webster] Pregnant construction (Rhet.), one in which more is implied than is said; as, the beasts trembled forth from their dens, that is, came forth trembling with fright. [1913 Webster]