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Definition of continue verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

continue

verb
 
/kənˈtɪnjuː/
 
/kənˈtɪnjuː/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they continue
 
/kənˈtɪnjuː/
 
/kənˈtɪnjuː/
he / she / it continues
 
/kənˈtɪnjuːz/
 
/kənˈtɪnjuːz/
past simple continued
 
/kənˈtɪnjuːd/
 
/kənˈtɪnjuːd/
past participle continued
 
/kənˈtɪnjuːd/
 
/kənˈtɪnjuːd/
-ing form continuing
 
/kənˈtɪnjuːɪŋ/
 
/kənˈtɪnjuːɪŋ/
jump to other results
  1. [intransitive, transitive] to keep existing or happening without stopping
    • If the current trend continues, that number will increase 165 per cent by 2050.
    • Police have not yet made any arrests, but investigations continue.
    • + adv./prep. The exhibition continues until 25 July.
    • Fighting continued for four years.
    • The rain will continue into the evening.
    • Unions declared that the strike would continue indefinitely.
    • Life continued on as normal.
    • Work continues apace on the second phase of the development.
    • The tradition continues to this day.
    • + adj. The violence continues unabated.
    • continue to do something The economy is continuing to grow.
    • The number of car accident deaths is continuing to decline.
    • Costs continued to rise.
    • The rain continued to fall all afternoon.
    • continue doing something The rain continued falling all afternoon.
    Extra Examples
    • The process continued throughout the day.
    • Work continued until nightfall.
    • The trial is expected to continue for three months.
    • Work on the new road is expected to continue for another two months.
  2. [transitive, intransitive] to keep doing something without stopping
    • continue doing something She wanted to continue working until she was 60.
    • He vowed to continue fighting.
    • continue to do something We will continue to work closely with our international partners on this.
    • He continued to ignore everything I was saying.
    • continue something to continue a tradition/trend
    • The board of inquiry is continuing its investigations.
    • An estimated 2 per cent of the population continue their education beyond secondary school.
    • She moved to New York to continue her studies.
    • He continued his work in secret.
    • His mother vowed to continue her fight for justice.
    • continue (with something) Are you going to continue with the project?
    • At the age of 70 she still runs 5 kilometres every day and intends to continue for as long as she can.
    Extra Examples
    • We need your support to enable us to continue with our work.
    • She wanted to continue working after the baby was born.
    • The council has voted to continue using pesticides in public parks.
    • The orchestra continues its policy of commissioning major new works.
    • Both governments will continue efforts to iron out their political differences.
    • Please continue with the work you were doing before.
  3. [intransitive] to go or move further in the same direction
    • The rough track continues, but it quickly disappears into undergrowth.
    • + adv./prep. The path continued over rough, rocky ground.
    • He continued on his way.
    • The road continues through the village of Knightwick.
  4. [intransitive] to remain in a particular job or condition
    • She will continue in her present job until a replacement can be found.
    • continue as something I want you to continue as project manager.
  5. [intransitive, transitive] to start or start something again after stopping for a time synonym resume
    • The story continues in our next issue.
    • continue something They had to continue their journey on foot.
    • We shall continue our discussion of retailing in Chapter 7.
    • The story will be continued in our next issue.
  6. [intransitive, transitive] to start speaking again after stopping
    • Please continue—I didn't mean to interrupt.
    • continue something She simply turned her back to me and continued her phone conversation.
    • + speech ‘In fact,’ he continued, ‘I'd like to congratulate you.’
  7. Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French continuer, from Latin continuare, from continuus ‘uninterrupted’, from continere ‘hang together’ (from con- ‘together with’ + tenere ‘hold’).
See continue in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee continue in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
perspective
noun
 
 
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