2. Of or pertaining to the main land of Europe, in
distinction from the adjacent islands, especially England;
as, a continental tour; a continental coalition.
--Macaulay.
No former king had involved himself so frequently in
the labyrinth of continental alliances. --Hallam.
3. (Amer. Hist.) Of or pertaining to the confederated
colonies collectively, in the time of the Revolutionary
War; as, Continental money.
The army before Boston was designated as the
Continental army, in contradistinction to that under
General Gage, which was called the ``Ministerial
army.'' --W. Irving.
{Continental Congress}. See under {Congress}.
{Continental system} (Hist.), the blockade of Great Britain
ordered by Napoleon by the decree of Berlin, Nov. 21,
1806; the object being to strike a blow at the maritime
and commercial supremacy of Great Britain, by cutting her
off from all intercourse with the continent of Europe.