different between unrelenting vs continual

English

Etymology

un- +? relenting

Adjective

unrelenting (comparative more unrelenting, superlative most unrelenting)

1. Not relenting; not yielding in strength, severity, or determination.

   Synonyms: unyielding, brutal, hard, harsh, stern, cruel
2. Having no pity; not being or becoming lenient, mild, gentle, or merciful

Synonyms

• relentless

Related terms

• relent
• unrelentingly
• unrelentingness

Translations

References

• unrelenting in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• unrelenting in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

English

Alternative forms

• continuall (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English continuel, from Old French continuel, formed from Latin continuus (“continuous”) with the suffix -el.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k?n?t?nju?l/, /k?n?t?nj?l/
• Hyphenation: con?tin?u?al, con?tin?ual

Adjective

continual (not comparable)

1. Recurring in steady, rapid succession.
2. (proscribed) Seemingly continuous; appearing to have no end or interruption.
3. (proscribed) Forming a continuous series.

Usage notes

In careful usage, continual refers to repeated actions “continual objections”, while continuous refers to uninterrupted actions or objects “continuous flow”, “played music continuously from dusk to dawn”. However, this distinction is not observed in informal usage, a noted example being the magic spell name “continual light” (unbroken light), in the game Dungeons & Dragons.

Related terms

• continuance
• continuation
• continue
• continuous
• continuum

Translations

References

Further reading

• continual in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• continual in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• inoculant