c. 1300, "restrain (someone), control (oneself), behave (in a certain way)," from Old French contein-, tonic stem of contenir, from Latin continere (transitive) "to hold together, enclose," from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see con-) + tenere "to hold" (from PIE root *ten- "to stretch").
From mid-14c. as "to have (something) as a constituent part;" from late 14c. as "have something inside, enclose." Related: Contained; containing; containable.
mid-15c., "one who comprises or encompasses," agent noun from contain. From c. 1500 as "that which contains."
"characterized by continuity, not affected by disconnection or interruption," 1640s, from French continueus or directly from Latin continuus "joining, connecting with something; following one after another," from continere (intransitive) "to be uninterrupted," literally "to hang together" (see contain). Related: Continuously; continuousness.
1640s, "a continuous spread or extension, a connection of elements as intimate as that of the instants of time," from Latin continuum "a continuous thing," neuter of continuus "joining, connecting with something; following one after another," from continere (intransitive) "to be uninterrupted," literally "to hang together" (see contain). The plural is continua.
1650s, "action or fact of containing," from contain + -ment. As the word for an international policy of the West against the Soviet Union, it is recorded from 1947, associated with U.S. diplomat George F. Kennan, who in a "Foreign Affairs" article that year advising a policy of "a long-term, patient but firm and vigilant containment of Russian expansive tendencies."
"act or fact of continuing or prolonging; extension in time or space," late 14c., from Old French continuation (13c.) and directly from Latin continuationem (nominative continuatio) "a following of one thing after another," noun of action from past-participle stem of continuare "to join together, connect; make or be continuous," from continuus "joining, connecting with something; following one after another," from continere(intransitive) "to be uninterrupted," literally "to hang together" (see contain).
early 14c., continuell, "proceeding without interruption or cessation; often repeated, very frequent," from Old French continuel (12c.) and directly from Latin continuus "joining, connecting with something; following one after another," from continere (intransitive) "to be uninterrupted," literally "to hang together" (see contain).
That which is continual is that which is either always going on or recurs at short intervals and never comes to an end; that which is continuous is that in which there is no break between the beginning and the end. Related: Continually "always, incessantly, constantly" (c. 1300, contynuelliche).
mid-14c., contynuen, "maintain, sustain, preserve;" late 14c., "go forward or onward; persevere in," from Old French continuer (13c.) and directly from Latin continuare "join together in uninterrupted succession, make or be continuous, do successively one after another," from continuus "joining, connecting with something; following one after another," from continere (intransitive) "to be uninterrupted," literally "to hang together" (see contain). Related: Continued; continuing.
Sense of "to carry on from the point of suspension" is from early 15c. Meaning "to remain in a state, place, or office" is from early 15c. Transitive sense of "to extend from one point to another" is from 1660s. Meaning "to postpone a hearing or trial" is from mid-15c.
early 15c., "uninterrupted connection of parts in space or time," from Old French continuité, from Latin continuitatem (nominative continuitas) "a connected series," from continuus "joining, connecting with something; following one after another," from continere (intransitive) "to be uninterrupted," literally "to hang together" (see contain).
Cinematographic sense, in reference to assuring there are no discrepancies of detail in linked scenes filmed at different times, is recorded by 1919, American English. It was originally especially women's work.
The scenario,—that is the division of the synopsis into scenes from which the picture is made—is written by men and women specially trained for the work. Women are as successful, perhaps more so, in this line than men. The average price for an original motion picture synopsis is from $500 to $1500, but the price may be higher or lower according to the company and the value of the author's name. ... Continuity writers or those who divide the story into the scenes (continuity and scenario being different names for the same thing) are specially well paid. [Helen Christene Hoerle and Florence B. Saltzberg, "The Girl and the Job," New York, 1919]
