These words refer to the abstinence from immoral thoughts and actions, especially those of a sexual nature. Chaste is most often taken to mean abstinence from sexual activity of any sort: men who consort with promiscuous women but insist on marrying one who has been chaste . The word has a wider range of use, however: chaste in thought, word and deed. It can also refer to a married person who refrains from committing adultery: a chaste wife; Her husband had remained chaste largely through lack of opportunity. While humorous, the last example indicates that chaste can be taken as indicating mere lack of activity. Generally speaking, where action is concerned, self-restraint or self-denial is, in fact, usually implied as necessary in maintaining chaste behaviour. But chaste thoughts would be those completely and naturally free of sensual or sexual desire. Chaste can also refer to whatever is self-restrained, free of frivolity, and spare or severe in effect: a chaste prose style that was striking in its simplicity and clarity.

Pure emphasizes what has never been adulterated by immoral or sexual strivings. In this it is like chaste as it applies to thought, but here, pure can apply to the whole range of possibilities with this emphasis: the pure in spirit; He insisted that even the purest infant had already been tainted with original sin. Virtuous is much milder in its force than either pure or chaste , pointing to someone who refrains from immoral actions. With this word, the stress is less exclusively on sexual behaviour, indicating a generally moral or decent behaviour: the virtuous citizens of his hometown; those who are blessed with a virtuous husband or wife.

Continent refers strictly to refraining from acting upon desires or needs. Where sexuality is concerned, a person might not be pure in feeling or chaste in his imaginings and yet be continent if he successfully resists actual physical activity: She insisted that they remain continent until they were engaged to be married. In addition to sexuality, resistance to other appetites may be indicated by the word; here moderation rather than abstinence may be the point of its use: the alcoholic who found it impossible to be continent at a cocktail party; ex-servicemen’s re-unions at which few remain continent . The aspect of control is especially evident in a related use, pertaining to the ability to retain bodily discharges: devices to help bed-wetters become continent .