English dictionary



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English verb: continue

1. continue (stative) continue a certain state, condition, or activity


SamplesKeep on working!.
We continued to work into the night.
Keep smiling.
We went on working until well past midnight.


ExamplesThey continue to move , They continue moving


Synonymsgo along, go on, keep, proceed


Pattern of useSomething ----s.
Somebody ----s.
Somebody ----s VERB-ing


Broader (hypernym)act, move


Narrower (hyponym)hold, keep going, ride, run on


Verb groupbear on, carry on, continue, continue, preserve, uphold


Antonymsdiscontinue

2. continue (communication) continue talking


SamplesI know it's hard,.
But there is no choice.
Carry on--pretend we are not in the room.


Synonymscarry on, go on, proceed


Pattern of useSomebody ----s.
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE.
Somebody ----s VERB-ing


Broader (hypernym)speak, talk


Narrower (hyponym)jog, ramble, ramble on, segue

3. continue (stative) keep or maintain in unaltered condition; cause to remain or last


SamplesPreserve the peace in the family.
Continue the family tradition.
Carry on the old traditions.


Synonymsbear on, carry on, preserve, uphold


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Something ----s something


Broader (hypernym)hold, keep, maintain


Narrower (hyponym)hang in, hang on, hold on, keep up, mummify, perpetuate, persevere, persist, prolong, re-start, restart, resume, sustain


Verb groupcontinue, continue, go along, go forward, go on, keep, proceed, proceed


Antonymscease, discontinue, lay off, quit, stop, give up

4. continue (motion) move ahead; travel onward in time or space


SamplesWe proceeded towards Washington.
She continued in the direction of the hills.
We are moving ahead in time now.


ExamplesThey continue up the hill


Synonymsgo forward, proceed


Pattern of useSomething ----s.
Somebody ----s


Broader (hypernym)go, locomote, move, travel


Narrower (hyponym)head, limp, roar, trace, wander


Verb groupbear on, carry on, continue, preserve, uphold

5. continue (social) allow to remain in a place or position or maintain a property or feature


SamplesWe 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.


Synonymskeep, keep on, retain


Pattern of useSomebody ----s somebody.
Something ----s somebody


Broader (hypernym)keep up, prolong, sustain


Verb groupcontinue, persist in

6. continue (stative) do something repeatedly and showing no intention to stop


SamplesWe continued our research into the cause of the illness.
The landlord persists in asking us to move.


Synonymspersist in


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Something ----s something


Broader (hypernym)act, move


Verb groupcontinue, keep, keep on, retain

7. continue (stative) continue after an interruption


SamplesThe demonstration continued after a break for lunch.


Pattern of useSomething ----s.
Somebody ----s


Broader (hypernym)act, move


Verb groupcontinue, go along, go on, keep, proceed

8. continue (stative) continue in a place, position, or situation


SamplesAfter 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.


Synonymsremain, stay, stay on


Pattern of useSomebody ----s.
Somebody ----s PP


Broader (hypernym)be


Narrower (hyponym)abide, bide, hold over, stay

9. continue (stative) span an interval of distance, space or time


SamplesThe 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.


Synonymscover, extend


Pattern of useSomething ----s something


Broader (hypernym)be


Narrower (hyponym)constellate, cross, dot, overlap, overspread, ridge, span, spread, stud, sweep, sweep, traverse


Verb groupcover

10. continue (change) exist over a prolonged period of time


SamplesThe bad weather continued for two more weeks.


Pattern of useSomething ----s


Broader (hypernym)be


Narrower (hyponym)carry, die hard, endure, extend, persist, prevail, run, stand









Based on WordNet 3.0 copyright © Princeton University.
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