Continent

1. That which contains anything; a receptacle.
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.
The Continent ,
the main land of Europe, as distinguished from the islands, especially from England.