confluence (konfloens)

[= F. confluence = Sp. Pg. confluencia = It. confluenza, 2. To contend; fight; strive; struggle. A man would be content to strive with himself, and conflict with great difficulties, in hopes of a mighty reward. conform It was under the pretence of rope-dancing that he filled the Red-bull playhouse, which was a large one, with such a confluence that as many went back for want of room as entered. 1. D'Israeli, Curios. of Lit., III. 18. 3. In philol., the tending toward accordance, or the becoming similar or accordant in form: said of words. Skeat. confluent (kon'flö-ent), a. and n. [F. con fluent = Sp. Pg. It. confluente, Sp. Pg. confluir = F. confluer ), flow together, And the whole ocean's confluent waters swell Only to quench his thirst, or move and blanch his shell. Prior . These confluent streams make some great river's head. Sir R. Black more , Creation, i. 2. In an at., having grown or become blended together, as two bones which were originally separate.-3. In bot. and zoöl., blended into one: as, confluent leaves.-4. In pathol.: ( a ) Running together: as, confluent pustules. ( b ) Characterized by confluent pustules: as, con fluent smallpox.-5t. Rich; affluent. Nares. Th' inhabitants in flocks and herds are wondrous confluent. Chapman, Iliad, ix. 57. Confluent colors, colors which gradually pa into one another without any marked division. - Confluent impre ions, punctures, spots, str iæ, etc., in zool., those impre ions, etc., so close together that they run into one another irregularly. - Confluent veins, veins in the wings of insects, united at the ends. II. n. 1. A tributary stream: as, the Mohawk is a confluent of the Hudson.-2t. A joining or confluence, as of two streams. The confluent where both streams meet together. Holland, tr. of Livy, p. 21. A little beyond the townes end, the River Arar and the Rhodanus doe make a confluent . Coryat , Crudities, I. 62. confluently (kon'flö-ent-li), adv. In a confluent manner; so that the different parts run into one another irregularly: as, confluently punctate or dotted.