Question

continual adjective Since the mid-19th century, many grammarians have drawn a distinction between continual and continuous. Continual should only mean "occurring at regular intervals," they insist, whereas continuous should be used to mean "continuing without interruption." This distinction overlooks the fact that continual is the older word and was used with both meanings for centuries before continuous appeared on the scene. Today, continual is the more likely of the two to mean "recurring," but it also continues to be used, as it has been since the 14th century, with the meaning "continuing without interruption." 1 : continuing indefinitely in time without interruption2 : recurring in steady usually rapid succession

Accepted Answer

September 15, 2019 kun-TIN-yoo-ul The continual blaring of the car's alarm outside made it very difficult for Jane to focus on her work that morning."Cows can drink upwards of 50 gallons of water a day, so making sure the animals have continual access to clean water is a must." — Stephanie Blaszczyk, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 19 July 2019

Word	continual
Date	September 15, 2019
Type	adjective
Syllables	kun-TIN-yoo-ul
Etymology	Since the mid-19th century, many grammarians have drawn a distinction between continual and continuous. Continual should only mean "occurring at regular intervals," they insist, whereas continuous should be used to mean "continuing without interruption." This distinction overlooks the fact that continual is the older word and was used with both meanings for centuries before continuous appeared on the scene. Today, continual is the more likely of the two to mean "recurring," but it also continues to be used, as it has been since the 14th century, with the meaning "continuing without interruption."
Examples	The continual blaring of the car's alarm outside made it very difficult for Jane to focus on her work that morning. "Cows can drink upwards of 50 gallons of water a day, so making sure the animals have continual access to clean water is a must." — Stephanie Blaszczyk, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 19 July 2019
Definition	1 : continuing indefinitely in time without interruption 2 : recurring in steady usually rapid succession

Continual Century Distinction Continuous Continuing Interruption Water September