continue and preserve share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. continue means “continue a certain state, condition, or activity”. preserve means “keep or maintain in unaltered condition; cause to remain or last”. continue is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/kənˈtɪnju/
1.v.continue a certain state, condition, or activity
“Keep on working!”
2.v.continue talking
“`I know it's hard', he continued, `but there is no choice'”
3.v.keep or maintain in unaltered condition; cause to remain or last
“preserve the peace in the family”
/pɹəˈzɝv/
1.v.keep or maintain in unaltered condition; cause to remain or last
“preserve the peace in the family”
2.v.keep in safety and protect from harm, decay, loss, or destruction
“We preserve these archeological findings”
3.v.to keep up and reserve for personal or special use
“She saved the old family photographs in a drawer”
| continue | preserve | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /kənˈtɪnju/ | /pɹəˈzɝv/ |
| Said | kuhn-TI-nyoo | pruh-ZURV |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Letters | 8 | 8 |
| Parts of speech | verb | verb, noun |
| Senses | 10 | 9 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | go on, proceed, go along | continue, uphold, carry on |
Full entry for continue · Full entry for preserve · More comparisons