constantly

English

Alternative forms

• constantliel, constauntly (both obsolete)

Etymology

From constant +‎ -ly. Displaced native Old English singallīċe.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈkɒnstəntli/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈkɑnstənʔli/

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Adverb

constantly (comparative more constantly, superlative most constantly)

1. (archaic) With steadfastness; with resolve; in loyalty, faithfully.
   • 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: , 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed by John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC:
     , I.iv.1:

     Agrippa and the rest of his weeping friends earnestly besought him not to offer violence unto himself, ‘with a settled resolution he desired again they would approve of his good intent, and not seek to dehort him from it’; and so constantly died.

2. In a constant manner; occurring continuously; persistently.
3. (frequency) Recurring regularly.

   I find that I am constantly reminding you to feed your pets.

   • 2013 February 6, Hideo Otake, “Revising the Interpretation of the Japanese Economy”, in Michio Muramatsu, Frieder Naschold, editors, State and Administration in Japan and Germany: A Comparative Perspective on Continuity and Change‎, page 319:

     Japanese retail stores have strove to, and have succeeded in, fulfilling these severe demands, and in doing so, have constantly had to innovate both technologically and institutionally in order to keep up with the competition.

4. In an unchangeable or invariable manner; in every case.

Synonyms

• (in a constant manner): ceaselessly, incessantly, nonstop; see also Thesaurus:continuously
• (in an unchangeable or invariable manner): consistently, invariably, uniformly; See also Thesaurus:uniformly

Translations

References

• “constantly”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “constantly”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.