7 results for: Continual

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

con·tin·u·al

Audio Help [kuh

n-tin-yoo-uh

l] Pronunciation Key

–adjective

1.	of regular or frequent recurrence; often repeated; very frequent: continual bus departures.

2.	happening without interruption or cessation; continuous in time.

[Origin: 1300–50; < ML continuālis, equiv. to L continu(us) continuous + -ālis -al¹; r. ME continuel < MF < L, as above

]

—Related forms

con·tin·u·al·i·ty, con·tin·u·al·ness, noun

—Synonyms 1. successive, recurrent, repetitive, repetitious. 2. unceasing, ceaseless, incessant, uninterrupted, unremitting, unbroken, permanent, unending.

—Usage note Although usage guides generally advise that continual may be used only to mean “intermittent” and continuous only to mean “uninterrupted,” the words are used interchangeably in all kinds of speech and writing with no distinction in meaning: The President's life is under continual (or continuous) scrutiny. Continuous (or continual) bursts of laughter punctuated her testimony. The adverbs continually and continuously are also used interchangeably. To make a clear distinction between what occurs at short intervals and what proceeds without interruption, writers sometimes use the contrasting terms intermittent (intermittent losses of power during the storm) and uninterrupted (uninterrupted reception during the storm) or similar expressions. Continuous is not interchangeable with continual in the sense of spatial relationship: a continuous (not continual) series of passages.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Continual

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

con·tin·u·al Audio Help (kən-tĭn'yōō-əl) Pronunciation Key
adj.

Recurring regularly or frequently: the continual need to pay the mortgage.
Not interrupted; steady: continual noise; a continual diet of vegetables.

con·tin'u·al·ly adv.

Synonyms: These adjectives mean occurring repeatedly over a long period of time. Continual is chiefly restricted to what is intermittent or repeated at intervals: The continual banging of the shutter in the wind gave me a headache.
Continuous implies lack of interruption: The horizon is a continuous line.
Constant stresses steadiness or persistence and unvarying nature: The constant ticking of the clock lulled him to sleep.
Ceaseless and incessant pertain to uninterrupted activity: The ceaseless thunder of the surf eroded the beach. The toddler asked incessant questions.
Perpetual emphasizes both steadiness and duration: The ambassador had a perpetual stream of visitors.
Eternal refers to what is everlasting, especially to what is seemingly without temporal beginning or end: "That freedom can be retained only by the eternal vigilance which has always been its price" (Elmer Davis).
Perennial describes existence that goes on year after year, often with the suggestion of self-renewal: The candidates discussed the perennial problem of urban poverty.
Interminable refers to what is or seems to be endless and is often applied to something prolonged and wearisome: After an interminable delay, our flight was canceled outright.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

continual
adjective
1.	occurring without interruption; chiefly restricted to what recurs regularly or frequently in a prolonged and closely spaced series; "the continual banging of the shutters" [ant: sporadic]
2.	'continual' (meaning seemingly uninterrupted) is often used interchangeably with 'continuous' (meaning without interruption)

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary (Beta Version) - Cite This Source - Share This
conˈtinual adjective

very frequent; repeated many times
Example: continual interruptions

Arabic:	مُتَواصِل، مُتَتابِع
Chinese (Simplified):	连续的
Chinese (Traditional):	連續的
Czech:	ustavičný, neustálý
Danish:	konstant; vedvarende; gentaget
Dutch:	voortdurend
Estonian:	jätkuv
Finnish:	jatkuva
French:	continuel
German:	sehr häufig
Greek:	συνεχής, διαρκής
Hungarian:	szakadatlan
Icelandic:	sífelldur, síendurtekinn
Indonesian:	sering
Italian:	continuo

Japanese:	ひん繁な
Korean:	끊임없는, 빈번한
Latvian:	ļoti biežs; nerimstošs
Lithuanian:	nuolatinis
Norwegian:	gjentatt, stadig
Polish:	ustawiczny
Portuguese (Brazil):	contínuo
Portuguese (Portugal):	constante
Romanian:	continuu
Russian:	беспрестанный
Slovak:	neustály
Slovenian:	pogost
Spanish:	continuo, repetido
Swedish:	ständig, idelig
Turkish:	sürekli, devamlı

See also: continuous, continuously, continuation, continue, continuity

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Continual

Con"stant\, a. [L. onstans, -antis, p. pr. of constare to stand firm, to be consistent; con- + stare to stand: cf. F. constant. See Stand and cf. Cost, v. t.]

1. Firm; solid; fixed; immovable; -- opposed to fluid. [Obs.]

If . . . you mix them, you may turn these two fluid liquors into a constant body. --Boyle.

2. Not liable, or given, to change; permanent; regular; continuous; continually recurring; steadfast; faithful; not fickle.

Both loving one fair maid, they yet remained constant friends. --Sir P. Sidney.

I am constant to my purposes. --Shak.

His gifts, his constant ourtship, nothing gained. --Dryden.

Onward the constant current sweeps. --Longfellow.

3. (Math. & Physics) Remaining unchanged or invariable, as a quantity, force, law, etc.

4. Consistent; logical. [Obs.] --Shak.

Syn: Fixed; steadfast; unchanging; permanent; unalterable; immutable; invariable; perpetual; continual; resolute; firm; unshaken; determined.

Usage: Constant, Continual, Perpetual. These words are sometimes used in an absolute and sometimes in a qualified sense. Constant denotes, in its absolute sense, unchangeably fixed; as, a constant mind or purpose. In its qualified sense, it marks something as a "standing" fact or occurence; as, liable to constant interruptions; constantly called for. Continual, in its absolute sense, coincides with continuous. See Continuous. In its qualified sense, it describes a thing as occuring in steady and rapid succession; as, a round of continual calls; continually changing. Perpetual denotes, in its absolute sense, what literally never ceases or comes to an end; as, perpetual motion. In its qualified sense, it is used hyperbolically, and denotes that which rarely ceases; as, perpetual disturbance; perpetual noise; perpetual intermeddling.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Continual

Con*tin"u*al\, a. [OE. continuel, F. continuel. See Continue.]

1. Proceeding without interruption or cesstaion; continuous; unceasing; lasting; abiding.

He that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast. --Prov. xv. 15.

2. Occuring in steady and rapid succession; very frequent; often repeated.

The eye is deligh by a continental succession of small landscapes. --W. Irwing.

Continual proportionals (Math.), quantities in continued proportion. --Brande & C.

Syn: Constant; prepetual; incessant; unceasing; uninterrupted; unintermitted; continuous. See Constant, and Continuous.

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