[a. OF. continuance (13–14th c. in Godef.), f. continuer to CONTINUE (pr. pple. continuant): see -ANCE.]
I. The action of the vb. CONTINUE trans.
1. Keeping up, going on with, maintaining, or prolonging (an action, process, state, etc.).
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, III. 28. Of your lordship eke Continuance I wolde yow byseke.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg. (MS. A), 103. Wiþ contynuaunce [v.r. contynewaunce] or þe same cure tofore seid.
1559. in Strype, Ann. Ref., I. App. viii. 20. Howe the same from tyme to tyme were enlarged, and had their continuance.
1686. Evelyn, Diary, 1 Jan. Imploring the continuance of God’s providential care for the yeare now enterd.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 120, ¶ 13. His own preservation, or the continuance of his species.
1846. McCulloch, Acc. Brit. Empire (1854), II. 135. A prorogation … is the continuance of a parliament from one session to another.
1874. Morley, Compromise (1886), 74. The continuance of the unending task of human improvement.
† b. Retention in some position or state. Obs.
1691. T. H[ale], Acc. New Invent., 90. An Unaccountable Continuance of the sheathing upon the Bodies of these Ships, beyond what the Practice … of the Navy … can justifie.
2. Law. The adjournment or deferring of a suit or trial (or sometimes other proceedings) till a future date or for a period. (Sometimes the present cessation, sometimes the virtual continuity, is the prominent notion.) Cf. CONTINUE v. 8.
In the United States, the deferring of a trial or suit from one stated term of the court to another.’ Webster (1828). In England now Obs. in civil processes.
1425. Paston Lett., No. 5, I. 21. John … hath cesed of his sute … takyng continuance of the same matier unto Cristemasse next comyng.
a. 1639. Spottiswood, Hist. Ch. Scot., VI. (1677), 353. Sir Robert Melvil … requested for some eight days continuance of the Execution; whereunto she answered, Not an hour.
1641. Termes de la Ley, 80. Continuance in the Common Law is of the same signification with Prorogatio in the Civile Law: As continuance untill the next Assise.
1741. T. Robinson, Gavelkind, v. 64. Continuances are entered for two years more.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., III. 316. The giving of this day is called the continuance, because thereby the proceedings are continued without interruption from one adjournment to another.
1880. Daily Tel., 26 Nov. A mandamus directing the justices to enter continuances, and hear an appeal brought by the applicants.
II. The action of the vb. CONTINUE intr.
3. a. Continuing in, or going on with, an action or course of conduct; perseverance, persistence. (Said of agents.) arch.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Frankl. T., Prol. 8. God … in vertu send thee continuaunce.
c. 1430. Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, IV. xlvi. (1869), 197. Þis awgere … þat bi his good continuaunce maketh þe heuene an hygh to perce.
1558. Bp. Watson, Sev. Sacram., v. 27. With pacience and continuaunce kepyng our promise.
1611. Bible, Rom. ii. 7. Them, who by patient continuance in well doing, seeke for glorie, and honour, and immortalitie, eternal life.
1829. Carlyle, Misc. (1857), II. 38. The want of earnestness, of intense continuance, is fatal to him.
b. The going on (of an action or process), the duration or lasting (of a condition or state). The most usual current sense.
1530. Palsgr., 382. All suche dedes as … had contynuaunce after the same present tyme.
1562. Act 5 Eliz., c. 12 § 1. All Lycences being made and granted as ys abovesaid … shall have Continuance and bee good onely for one Yere.
1612. T. Taylor, Comm. Titus ii. 13. Blessednesse in greatest measure, and endles continuance.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xxix. 170. Though they be grieved with the continuance of disorder.
1691. T. H[ale], Acc. New Invent., 43. Any Voyage not exceeding five or six years continuance.
1750. Johnson, Rambler, No. 38, ¶ 11. Burnt up by a long continuance of drought.
1883. Froude, Short Stud., IV. I. vii. 78. The sole cause of the continuance of the quarrel.
c. adj. phr. of long (short, some, any, etc.) continuance.
1594. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad., II. lii. Their amitie and vnion … cannot be of long continuance.
1655–60. Stanley, Hist. Philos. (1701), 133/1. We shall first dispatch those which were of shortest Continuance.
1721. Bradley, Philos. Acc. Wks. Nat., 77. It is remarkable, that this Year (1719) we had no Frost or Snow of any Continuance in England, unless in the most Inland Parts.
1784. Cowper, Lett., Feb. Wks. (1876), 160. A frost of nine weeks’ continuance.
1797–1804. Bewick, Brit. Birds (1847), I. 147. The strain is of short continuance.
Mod. Is the rain likely to be of any continuance?
4. The action or fact of continuing or remaining (in some place, position, state, or condition); stay. (Said of persons or things.)
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 303. Men sain, that frele is youth With leiser and continuaunce.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., ccxxiv. 229. Thurgh continuaunce and haboundaunce of waters.
1540. Act 32 Hen. VIII., c. 38 § 2. After long continuances togither in matrimonye.
1555. Eden, Decades, 220. The most part of them … haue no houses of continuaunce, but … cary them from place to place.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., II. v. 106. Cloy’d With long continuance in a setled place.
1726. trans. Gregory’s Astron., II. xxxiii. The … Continuance above the Horizon of any Star.
1746. Wesley, Princ. Methodist, 18. Our Continuance in a state of Justification.
1835. Mrs. Carlyle, Lett., I. 20. Our continuance in London has … become more uncertain.
1874. Act 37–38 Vict., c. 7 § 2. The Assistant Judge, during his continuance in office.
5. Duration or lapse of time, course of time (obs.); period, length of time (obs. or arch.). In continuance: in course of time.
c. 1440. York Myst., xxvi. 102. He coueres all þat comes … But in a schort contynuaunce.
1538. Leland, Itin. A very neere kinswoman of the kinges fell in love with him, and in continuance was wedded unto him.
1589. Nashe, Greene’s Arcadia, Pref. (Arb.), 9. The sea exhaled by droppes, will in continuance be drie.
1611. Bible, Ps. cxxxix. 16. All my members … which in continuance were fashioned.
1684. Contempl. State Man, I. ii. (1699), 13. The strongest and most sumptuous Palaces decay with continuance.
1754. Edwards, Freed. Will, II. vi. 60. Ideas … don’t remain so for any sensible Continuance.
1794. Godwin, Cal. Williams, 205. Speed I was nearly unable to exert for any continuance.
† 6. The quality of lasting or enduring; permanence, durability. Obs.
1552. Huloet, Continuaunce, continuatio, perennitas.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., I. iv. 6. You call in question the continuance of his loue.
1620–55. I. Jones, Stone-Heng (1725), 8. They raise Cabbins and Cottages … of no great Continuance.
1664. Evelyn, Kal. Hort., Introd. (1729), 188. Fruits … are to be as well consider’d in relation to their Lasting and Continuance, as to their Maturity and Beauty.
† 7. The quality or fact of having lasted a long time; long standing, antiquity. Obs.
1528. Roy & Barlow, Rede me (Arb.), 38. Goddis worde … slewe the masse downe right Of so auncient continuaunce.
1581. Savile, Tacitus’ Hist., II. xlviii. (1591), 82. Hauing … brought into a house of no great continuance the honor of hauing an Emperor.
1631. Weever, Anc. Fun. Mon., 37. They were accounted the more sacred, by how much they were of more continuance.
1699. Bentley, Phal., 363. The Aristocracy was of some Continuance.
† 8. Continuity, connection (lit. and fig.). Obs.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIII. xxi. (1495), 454. Though it be al one see in contynuaunce therof, yet by costes and countrees he takith dyuerse names.
1586. A. Day, Eng. Secretary, I. (1625), 3. That continuance of matter ought not to be used in an Epistle.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. i. (1873), 90. Without a perfect continuance or contexture of the thread of the narration.
1756. Burke, Subl. & B., III. xxv. The winding surface, the unbroken continuance, the easy gradation of the beautiful.
† b. Succession; sequence. Obs. rare.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. i. (1873), 90. Commentaries … set down a continuance of the naked events and actions, without the motives or designs.
9. concr. = CONTINUATION 9. ? Obs.
1552. Huloet, Continuaunce or tenoure of a matter, tenor.
1586. Thynne, in Holinshed, Chron., II. 405. In this my continuance of the Annales of Scotland.
1607–12. Bacon, Ess., Parents, xxiii. (Arb.), 272. Beholding them [Children], as the contynuance not onely of theire kind, but of theire worke.
1631. Weever, Anc. Fun. Mon., 761. To spend the continuance of their liues.
1838–9. Hallam, Hist. Lit., II. vii. II. § 40. 314. This romance and a continuance of it by Gil Polo.
1879. Trollope, Thackeray, i. This novel [‘The Virginians’] … is a continuance of ‘Esmond.’
10. attrib. continuance act, a legislative act continuing for a further period a temporary measure; † continuance-money, a payment for renewal of a loan.
1678. R. L’Estrange, Seneca’s Mor. (1702), 183. Procuration, and Continuance-Mony, these are only … the Dreams of Avarice.
1700. Brown. trans. Du Fresny’s Amusem., 29. A Hunger-starv’d Usurer in quest of a Crasie Citizen for Use and Continuance-Money.
1863. H. Cox, Instit., I. iv. 21. Many statutes of temporary operation are kept in force from time to time by Continuance Acts.
¶ Erroneously or loosely for CONTINENCE.
a. 1619. Beaum. & Fl., Knt. Malta, I. i. Zanthia doth enamour me Beyond all continuance.
