even
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈiːvn̩/
ipa: /ˈivn̩/
ipa: [ˈivn̩]
rhymes: -iːvən
Forms: form: evens
form: evening
form: evened
form: evened
form: eben
form: e'en
Etymology: From Middle English even, from Old English efn (“flat; level, even, equal”), from Proto-West Germanic *ebn, from Proto-Germanic *ebnaz, from Proto-Indo-European *(h₁)em-no- (“equal, straight; flat, level, even”).
Cognate with Saterland Frisian íeuwen (“even, flat”), West Frisian even (“even”), Alemannic German ëben (“even”), Cimbrian ébane (“even”), Dutch even (“even, equal, same”), effen (“leveled”), German eben (“even, flat, level”), Danish jævn (“even, flat, smooth”), Icelandic jafn (“even”), Norwegian Bokmål jevn (“even, smooth”), Norwegian Nynorsk jamn (“even, smooth”), Swedish jämn (“even, level, smooth”), Gothic 𐌹𐌱𐌽𐍃 (ibns, “even”), Old Cornish eun (“equal, right”) (attested in Vocabularium Cornicum eun-hinsic (“iustus, i. e., just”)), Old Breton eun (“equal, right”) (attested in Eutychius Glossary eunt (“aequus, i. e., equal”)), Middle Breton effn, Breton eeun, Sanskrit अम्नस् (amnás, “(adverb) just, just now; at once”).
The verb descends from Middle English evenen, from Old English efnan; the adverb from Middle English evene, from Old English efne.
The traditional proposal connecting the Germanic adjective with the root Proto-Indo-European *h₂eym- (Latin imāgō (“picture, image, likeness, copy”), Latin aemulus (“competitor, rival”), Sanskrit यम (yamá, “pair, twin”)) is problematic from a phonological point of view.
For the meaning development compare with Latin aequus (“equal, level, even, flat, horizontal”), Russian ро́вный (róvnyj, “even, level, flat, smooth”), ра́вный (rávnyj, “equal”), по́ровну (pórovnu, “in equal parts”).
Senses: examples: text: We need to even this playing field; the west goal is too low.
text: This temple Xerxes evened with the soil.
ref: 1614, Walter Ralegh [i.e., Walter Raleigh], The Historie of the World […], London: […] William Stansby for Walter Burre, […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=1 to 5):
text: [...] It will now be good to Beat, Roll, and Mow Carpet-walks, and Cammomile; for now the ground is ſupple, and it will even all inequalities: [...]
ref: 1669, John Evelyn, “Kalendarium Hortense: OrThe Gard’ners Almanac; […] [October.]”, in Sylva, or A Discourse of Forest-trees and the Propagation of Timber in His Majesties Dominions. […], 3rd edition, London: […] Jo[hn] Martyn, and Ja[mes] Allestry, printers to the Royal Society, →OCLC, page 27:
glosses: To make flat and level.
examples: text: The Engliſh Earl [William Longespée the Younger], though he ſtood on the lower ground in point of birth, yet conceived himſelf to even him [Robert I, Count of Artois] in valour and martiall knowledge.
ref: 1639, Thomas Fuller, “Discords betwixt the French and English; the Death & Disposition of Meladine King of Egypt”, in The Historie of the Holy Warre, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Thomas Buck, one of the printers to the Universitie of Cambridge [and sold by John Williams, London], →OCLC, book IV, page 192:
text: “But aside from that,” I continued, “what have I done that you should even me to dogs by such a supposition? I never yet failed a friend, and it’s not likely I’ll begin with you. There are things between us that I can never forget, even if you can.”
ref: 1886 May 1 – July 31, Robert Louis Stevenson, Kidnapped, being Memoirs of the Adventures of David Balfour in the Year 1751: […], London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 1886, →OCLC:
glosses: To equal or equate; to make the same.
examples: text: Thrice nine evens twenty seven.
text: A redoubled numbering never eveneth with the first.
ref: 1609, Richard Carew, The Survey of Cornwall, London: […] S[imon] S[tafford] for Iohn Iaggard, […], →OCLC:
glosses: To be equal.
examples: text: We need to even the score.
text: Madam, the care I have had to even your
content I wish might be found in the calendar of my
past endeavours, for then we wound our modesty, and
make foul the clearness of our deservings, when of
ourselves we publish them.
ref: c. 1604–05, William Shakespeare, All's Well that Ends Well, act 1, scene 3:
glosses: To place in an equal state, as to obligation, or in a state in which nothing is due on either side; to balance, as accounts; to make quits.
glosses: To set right; to complete.
examples: text: Prithee away,
There's more to be considered: but we'll even
All that good time will give us.
ref: c. 1611, William Shakespeare, Cymbeline, act 3, scene 4:
glosses: To act up to; to keep pace with.
Synonyms: sense: to make flat and level
word: flatten
sense: to make flat and level
word: level
sense: to equal
word: match
sense: to place in an equal state
word: settle
Derived terms: even out
even the score
even up