continue
- 01 A2 Elementary
v.to keep doing something or to stay in the same state without stopping.
v.to maintain an action, state, or condition without interruption.
Simple“The rain continued all through the night and into the morning.”
In context“Despite the technical difficulties during the first act, the performers continued the show with remarkable professionalism.”
PitfallHe continued his work despite of the noise. He continued his work despite the noise.Do not use 'of' after 'despite'. You can say 'despite the noise' or 'in spite of the noise'.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
v.to start an activity again after a break or interruption.
v.to resume an activity or narrative after a pause or suspension.
Simple“We will continue our meeting after a short break for lunch.”
In context“The trial is expected to continue tomorrow morning once the witness has been properly briefed by legal counsel.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
v.to move a legal case or meeting to a later date.
v.to adjourn or postpone a legal proceeding to a future date. Often used in the passive voice.
Simple“The judge decided to continue the case until next month.”
In context“The defense attorney requested that the hearing be continued to allow more time for the discovery of forensic evidence.”
UsageIn legal contexts, this is often used as a transitive verb meaning to delay.
- 04 B1 Intermediate
n.an option in a video game to keep playing after you lose all your lives.
n.a feature in electronic games allowing a player to resume play from a specific point after a 'game over' state.
Simple“I only had one continue left, so I had to play very carefully.”
In context“The arcade version of the game offered unlimited continues, but the home console port limited the player to three attempts per session.”
Synonymsrestartretry
Usage continue with your reading · continue to work · continues to grow
From Middle English continuen, from Old French continuer, from Latin continuāre. Displaced native Middle English thurghwonen, from Old English þurhwunian.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.