Thesaurus: costive

Related headwords

Definitions

1. a. Retaining fecal matter in the bowels; having too slow a motion of the bowels; constipated.
2. a. Reserved; formal; close; cold.
3. a. Dry and hard; impermeable; unyielding.
4. adj. retarding evacuation of feces; binding; constipating
5. 1. Retaining fecal matter in the bowels; having too slow a motion of the bowels; constipated. 2. Reserved; formal; close; cold. [Obs.] "A costive brain." Prior. "Costive of laughter." B. Jonson. You must be frank, but without indiscretion; and close, but without being costive. Lord Chesterfield. 3. Dry and hard; impermeable; unyielding. [Obs.] Clay in dry seasons is costive, hardening with the sun and wind. Mortimer.
6. a. retarding evacuation of feces; binding; constipating