continental

/,kɔnti'nentl/

Thân thiện

The continental breakfast includes a croissant and coffee.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Relating to a continent: Pertaining to, characteristic of, or limited to a continent, especially the continents of North America or Europe.
   • Characteristic of mainland Europe: Of or relating to the customs, styles, or practices of mainland Europe, as distinct from the British Isles.
   • Historical (U.S.): Of or relating to the American colonies during and immediately after the American Revolutionary War.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • The continental United States excludes Hawaii and Alaska.
  • They enjoyed a continental breakfast of coffee and pastries.
  • The Continental Army fought for American independence.

Advanced Usage

• "Continental" as a noun (historical, informal): Refers to a soldier in the Continental Army during the American Revolution or to paper currency issued by the Continental Congress.
  • The continentals were often poorly supplied.
• "Not worth a continental": An idiom meaning utterly worthless, originating from the devalued currency of the American Revolution.
  • His promise isn't worth a continental.

Variants and Related Words

• Continentally (adverb): In a continental manner.
  • The climate varies continentally.
• Intercontinental (adjective): Existing or carried on between continents.
  • intercontinental travel
• Transcontinental (adjective): Extending or going across a continent.
  • a transcontinental railway

Synonyms

• Mainland: The principal landmass of a region or country (e.g., ).
• Continental European: Specifically relating to mainland Europe.

Related Phrases

• Continental divide: A drainage divide on a continent separating river systems that flow into different oceans or seas.
• Continental drift: The theory that continents slowly move across the Earth's surface.
• Continental climate: A climate typical of the interior of a continent, characterized by large seasonal temperature differences.
• Continental shelf: The extended perimeter of each continent, covered by shallow seas.

Idioms

• Not care/give a continental: To not care at all; to consider something worthless.
  • I don't care a continental what they think.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. being or concerning or limited to a continent especially the continents of North America or Europe
   • the continental United States
   • continental Europe
   • continental waters
2. of or relating to or characteristic of a continent
   • the continental divide
   • continental drift
3. of or relating to or concerning the American colonies during and immediately after the American Revolutionary War
   • the Continental Army
   • the Continental Congress
4. of or pertaining to or typical of Europe
   • a Continental breakfast

Từ đồng nghĩa

• continental