continually, adv.
(kənˈtɪnjuːəlɪ)
Forms: 4 contynuelli, -eli, -elliche, -aly, contynuli, -tenualliche, -ally, -tinuely, 4–5 -tynuely, -ally, -tinuelly, 4–6 -tynuelly, 5– continually.
[f. continual + -ly2. The Fr. continuelement was used in 13th c.
a 1225 Ancr. R. 142 Loke hwam heo liȝe, and hu, cuntinuelement.]
1. In a continual way; always, incessantly, constantly, perpetually, all the time; i.e. either: Without any intermission, at every moment, continuously (in time); or less strictly: With frequent repetition, very frequently. (Cf. continual 1.)
| c 1305 E.E.P. (1862) 77 Of art he radde six ȝer contynuelliche ynouȝ. a 1340 Hampole Psalter xii. 2 Bot i am in anguys..by day, that is continuelly whils my lif lastis. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) II. 99 He reigned þerynne continualliche þritty ȝere. 1483 Caxton Cato 4 Of an Abbot that contynuelly by thre dayes to fore his dethe helde his eyen open. 1546 Primer Hen. VIII, Too the Cherubin and Seraphin continually do cry. 1602 Marston Ant. & Mel. v. Wks. 1856 I. 60 Oh, to have a husband with a mouth continually smoaking. 1678 R. R[ussell] Geber iii. ii. i. iii. 147 Stir it continually with your Fingers. 1771 Smollett Humph. Cl. 23 Apr., The carriages which are continually making their exit or their entrance. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 366 Why do people delight in continually conversing with you? 1880 Geikie Phys. Geog. ii. ix. 58 The sun is continually radiating heat from his glowing mass. |
† b. Without cessation or end; ever, for ever.
| 1382 Wyclif 2 Sam. vii. 16 Thi troon shalbe stedefast contynuli. a 1485 J. Rows Roll No. 5 (1859), And soo hys heyrys bere countinuali aftyr hym. 1540 Act 32 Hen. VIII, c. 45 Which court..continually and for euer shalbe a court of record. 1547–8 Ordre of Commvn. 15 That wee maye continually [later edd. evermore] dwell in hym. 1678 Bunyan Pilgr. i. 227 There also you shall serve him continually. |
c. At every recurring time, regularly, on every occasion. (Cf. continual 1 b.)
| c 1460 Fortescue Abs. & Lim. Mon. (1714) 115 Thees Counceillours may continually, at such Howres as schall be assigned to them, comewne and deliber. 1568 Bible (Bishops') Heb. x. 1 Those sacrifices whiche they offer yeere by yeere continually. 1597 Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. lxxviii. §1 What service the other priests did continually in the holy place. 1821 Keats Isabel xxxii, On [autumn] eves The breath of Winter comes..And the sick west continually bereaves Of some gold tinge. |
† 2. Continuously, in continuous succession, successively. Obs. rare.
| 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 4744 Whether any other days sal falle Bytwen þa days, or þai sal alle Continuely falle, day aftir day..he can noght say. |
† b. Math. continually proportional: = in continual or continued proportion. Obs.
| 1571 Digges Pantom. iv. xii. Z b, If 7 lines be continually proportional. 1806 Hutton Course Math. I. 314 Quantities are said to be Continually Proportional, or in Continued Proportion, when the ratio is the same between every two adjacent terms. |
† 3. Continuously (in space), uninterruptedly. Obs. rare.
| 1660 Barrow Euclid i. Postul. 2 To produce a right line finite, strait forth continually. 1756 R. Simson Euclid i. Axiom 12 These straight lines being continually produced, shall at length meet upon that side on which are the angles which are less than two right angles. [So in modern edd.] |