discontinued, ppl. a.
(dɪskənˈtɪnjuːd)
[f. prec. vb. + -ed1.]
Broken off, interrupted, stopped; made not continuous in time or space.
discontinued proportion: see quot. 1827, and cf. continued 4 a.
| 1561 T. Norton Calvin's Inst. i. 16 He deceiued silly men, and hath oft tymes vsed discontinued phrases, that vnder such visor he might hide his deceites. 1599 Hakluyt Voy. II. i. 137 (R.) By renewing of the foresayd discontinued trade. 1624 N. De Lawne tr. Du Moulin's Logick 13 Number may be counted by it selfe..but continued quantitie cannot be measured but by the helpe of the discontinued quantity. 1728 Pemberton Newton's Philos. 155 This is the case of discontinued fluids. 1748 Richardson Clarissa (1811) VII. 302 I'll see if the air, and a discontinued attention will help me. 1827 Hutton Course Math. I. 113 When the difference or ratio of the consequent of one couplet, and the antecedent of the next couplet, is not the same as the common difference or ratio of the couplets, the proportion is discontinued. So 4, 2, 8, 6, are in discontinued arithmetical proportion. |
Hence disconˈtinuedness, the quality of being discontinued; interruptedness.
| 1727 in Bailey vol. II. |