The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Continent \Con"ti*nent\, n. [L. continens, prop., a holding
   together: cf. F. continent. See Continent, a.]
   1. That which contains anything; a receptacle. [Obs.]
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            The smaller continent which we call a pipkin. --Bp.
                                                  Kennet.
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   2. One of the grand divisions of land on the globe; the main
      land; specifically (Phys. Geog.), a large body of land
      differing from an island, not merely in its size, but in
      its structure, which is that of a large basin bordered by
      mountain chains; as, the continent of North America.
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   Note: The continents are now usually regarded as six in
         number: North America, South America, Europe, Asia,
         Africa, and Australia. But other large bodies of land
         are also reffered to as continents; as, the Antarctic
         continent; the continent of Greenland. Europe, Asia,
         and Africa are often grouped together as the Eastern
         Continent, and North and South America as the Western
         Continent.
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   The Continent, the main land of Europe, as distinguished
      from the islands, especially from England.
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