ENGLISH
REFERENCE

ensue

v.
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ɪnˈsu// UK //ɛnsjˈuː// en·sue Archaic

v. to happen after something else, usually as a result of it. You use this when one event naturally follows another.

v. to happen or occur afterward or as a consequence. Intransitive — does not take a direct object.


SIMPLE

A long silence followed, and then a loud argument ensued.

CONTEXTUAL

After the referee made the controversial decision, a heated debate ensued between the two coaches.

COMPLEX

The sudden collapse of the regional bank caused widespread panic, and a series of emergency meetings ensued as government officials scrambled to prevent a total market failure.

Synonyms
Origin

From Old French ensu-, stem of some conjugated forms of ensuivre (“follow close upon, come afterward”) (French ensuivre), from Latin īnsequere, from īnsequi (“to pursue, follow, follow after; come next”), from in- (“upon”) (see in-) + sequi (“follow”) (see sequel).

Usage

The verb is intransitive and cannot take a direct object; it is often used in the third person to describe events following a specific cause.

Pitfall

The argument ensued the meetingThe argument ensued after the meetingEnsue is intransitive; it cannot be followed directly by the event that caused it. Use 'after' or let the context imply the sequence.

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