Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
adjective
- unable to restrain natural discharges or evacuations of urine or feces.
- unable to contain or retain (usually followed by of): incontinent of temper.
- lacking in moderation or self-control, especially of sexual desire.
- unceasing or unrestrained: an incontinent flow of talk.
adjective
- lacking in restraint or control, esp sexually
- relating to or exhibiting involuntary urination or defecation
- (foll by of) having little or no control (over)
- unrestrained; uncontrolled
adverb
- obsolete words for immediately
late 14c., “inability to restrain sexual desire, sexual immorality,” later “inability to keep to a religious rule” (early 15c.), from Old French incontinence “lack of abstinence, unchastity” (12c.) or directly from Latin incontinentia “greediness; incontinence,” noun of quality from incontinens “incontinent, immoderate, intemperate” (see incontinent). Meaning “inability to retain bodily functions” is from 1754.
late 14c., “wanting in self restraint,” from Old French incontinent, from Latin incontinentem (nominative incontinens) “incontinent, immoderate, intemperate,” from in- “not, opposite of” (see in- (1)) + continens (see continent). Originally chiefly of sexual appetites; sense of “unable to control bowels or bladder” first attested 1828.
n.
- The inability to control excretory functions.
- Lack of restraint in sexual relations; immoderation.
adj.
- Lacking normal voluntary control of excretory functions.
- Lacking sexual restraint; unchaste.