Definition

1. Verb:
   • To persist or endure over time: To keep existing or happening without stopping.
   • To remain in a place, position, or state: To stay in a specific situation or condition.
   • To resume after an interruption: To start again after a pause or break.
   • To do something repeatedly without stopping: To carry on with an action or activity.
   • To cause something to last or endure: To maintain or preserve a state or condition.
   • To go or travel further: To proceed onward in space or time.
   • To speak further after a pause: To carry on talking.

Examples of Usage

• Verb:
  • The rain is expected to continue throughout the night.
  • She decided to continue as the team leader for another season.
  • The meeting will continue after a short coffee break.
  • He continued to practice the piano every day.
  • The museum works to continue the tradition of free public tours.
  • We continued down the road until we reached the village.
  • "The evidence is clear," he continued, "and we must act."

Advanced Usage

• "To continue with something": To proceed with an action or task.
  • Please continue with your presentation.
• "To be continued": Used to indicate that a story, article, etc., will have a further part.
  • The thrilling adventure is to be continued in next month's issue.
• "Continue as before": To keep acting or behaving in the same way.
  • Despite the warnings, he continued as before.

Variants and Related Words

• Continuation (n): The act of continuing or the state of being continued.
  • The continuation of the policy was debated.
• Continual (adj): Recurring frequently or regularly.
  • We faced continual interruptions.
• Continuous (adj): Uninterrupted in time, sequence, or extent.
  • A continuous line of traffic.

Synonyms

• Persist: To continue firmly in a course of action despite difficulty.
• Endure: To last or remain in existence.
• Proceed: To begin or continue a course of action.
• Maintain: To cause something to continue.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Carry on: To continue doing something.
  • They decided to carry on with the project despite the setbacks.
• Go on: To continue or proceed.
  • She went on to explain the details.
• Keep on: To continue doing something.
  • He kept on asking questions.

Related Idioms

• Continue the good work: An encouragement to keep performing well.
  • You're doing great, continue the good work!
• To be continued...: A phrase used at the end of an episode or installment of a serial story.
  • With the hero in danger, the screen faded to black with the words 'To be continued...'

Verb

1. exist over a prolonged period of time
   • The bad weather continued for two more weeks
2. span an interval of distance, space or time
   • The war extended over five years
   • The period covered the turn of the century
   • My land extends over the hills on the horizon
   • This farm covers some 200 acres
   • The Archipelago continues for another 500 miles
3. continue in a place, position, or situation
   • After graduation, she stayed on in Cambridge as a student adviser
   • Stay with me, please
   • despite student protests, he remained Dean for another year
   • She continued as deputy mayor for another year
4. continue after an interruption
   • The demonstration continued after a break for lunch
5. do something repeatedly and showing no intention to stop
   • We continued our research into the cause of the illness
   • The landlord persists in asking us to move
6. allow to remain in a place or position or maintain a property or feature
   • We cannot continue several servants any longer
   • She retains a lawyer
   • The family's fortune waned and they could not keep their household staff
   • Our grant has run out and we cannot keep you on
   • We kept the work going as long as we could
   • She retained her composure
   • this garment retains its shape even after many washings
7. move ahead; travel onward in time or space
   • We proceeded towards Washington
   • She continued in the direction of the hills
   • We are moving ahead in time now
8. keep or maintain in unaltered condition; cause to remain or last
   • preserve the peace in the family
   • continue the family tradition
   • Carry on the old traditions
9. continue talking
   • I know it's hard, he continued, but there is no choice
   • carry on--pretend we are not in the room
10. continue a certain state, condition, or activity
    • Keep on working!
    • We continued to work into the night
    • Keep smiling
    • We went on working until well past midnight