ensue
part of speech
verb (ensue, ensues, ensued, ensuing) — (formal)
meaning for a pupil
1) (formal) To happen after something and because of it; to follow as a result. tree →
2) (formal) To come next in time. tree →
sense in the lessons
A stiff, formal word for «follow» or «result». In stories: «chaos ensued», «a fight ensued», «panic ensued» — something started because of what happened before. In exam questions it may mean «what happened next». Everyday talk uses «then … happened» or «that led to».
examples
- The dog got into the kitchen and chaos ensued. tree →
- When the lights went out, panic ensued. tree →
- A long argument ensued over who had won. tree →
- Hilarity ensued when the teacher slipped on the banana skin. tree →
- The storm hit and floods ensued. tree →
- Describe the events that ensued after the king's death. tree →
- A chase ensued through the market. tree →
- To enter the city was now an easy matter, and a fearful slaughter ensued. tree →
note
Formal and literary; it does not take an object (you cannot «ensue something»). Often appears in the past: «ensued». The adjective «ensuing» means «the following». Simple meaning: «then happened as a result».
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «ensue» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.