1.
A ~ process or event continues for a period of time without stopping.
Residents report that they heard ~ gunfire.
...all employees who had a record of five years’ ~ employment with the firm...
= unbroken
ADJ: usu ADJ n
~ly
The civil war has raged almost ~ly since 1976...
It is the oldest ~ly inhabited city in America.
ADV: usu ADV with v
2.
A ~ line or surface has no gaps or holes in it.
...a ~ line of boats.
ADJ: usu ADJ n
3.
In English grammar, ~ verb groups are formed using the auxiliary ‘be’ and the present participle of a verb, as in ‘I’m feeling a bit tired’ and ‘She had been watching them for some time’. Continuous verb groups are used especially when you are focusing on a particular moment. Compare simple .
= progressive
ADJ