[f. as prec. + -ING2.]
1. That continues (in various senses of the verb); abiding, lasting; persistent, persevering.
1393. Gower, Conf., II. 18. It semeth love is welwillende To hem that ben continuende With besy herte to pursue Thing that is to love due.
1526. Tindale, Heb. xiii. 14. For here haue we no continuynge citie [So 1611].
1634. Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 152. Desiring to eternize his fame, in a more continuing way,… [Mahomet] divulged himselfe to be mightie Prophet.
1845. S. C. Hall, Whiteboy, xi. 100. Stimulated by continuing peril.
1875. Bryce, Holy Rom. Emp., v. (ed. 5), 63. A continuing protest against the validity of Charles’s title.
† 2. Formerly used in concord with a substantive absolutely (= Lat. ablative absolute), as an adverbial adjunct of the sentence, like, during, pending, and so tending to be regarded as a preposition: e.g., continuing my life = while my life continues, during my life. Obs.
1515. Barclay, Egloges (1570), B iij b. Thy dishes be one continuing the yere. Ibid., B vj b. Better were to bide continuing my life.
1683. G. Vernon, Life of Heylyn, 34. Continuing this time, Mr. Heylyn had no very considerable subsistence for himself and his new Companion.
Hence Continuingly adv.
1494. Fabyan, Chron., VI. ccxiv. 231. The sayd … vii. slepers … sleped contynuyngly to the laste … yeres of Theodocius.
