ever
Language: English
Part of speech: adv
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈɛvə/
ipa: /ˈɛvɚ/
rhymes: -ɛvə(ɹ)
Forms: form: euer
form: e'er
form: ev'r
form: eva
form: evah
form: eva'
form: evuh
form: iver
form: ivver
Etymology: From Middle English ever, from Old English ǣfre, originally a phrase whose first element undoubtedly consists of Old English ā (“ever, always”) + in (“in”) + an element possibly from feorh (“life, existence”) (dative fēore). Compare Old English ā tō fēore (“ever in life”), Old English feorhlīf (“life”).
Sense 5 of the adverb was likely formed by association with never, which also carries the meaning of did not in colloquial Singaporean and Malaysian English. Also, compare Chinese 有 … 過 /有 … 过 (yǒu ... guò / jau⁵ ... gwo³, “has […] before”).
Senses: examples: text: It was ever thus.
text: […] the Lord Treasurer, who ever secretly feigned himself to be a Moderator and Mollifier of the Catholicks Afflictions […]
ref: 1592, George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax, An Advertisement […] concerning Seminary Priests:
text: Let us ever remember that our conception, our comprehension, our feeling of God must be ever imperfect, yet should be ever advancing. We must not make God: we must find Him and feel Him more and more.
ref: 1860, Florence Nightingale, Suggestions for Thought to the searchers after truth among the artizans of England., page 302:
text: “A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron;[…]. ¶ Near her wandered her husband, orientally bland, invariably affable, and from time to time squinting sideways, as usual, in the ever-renewed expectation that he might catch a glimpse of his stiff, retroussé moustache.
ref: 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter IX, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:
text: The library staffs of the Karaton Surakarta's Sasana Pustaka, the Mangku- nagaran's Reksa Pustaka, and the Museum Radyapustaka were ever helpful and generous with their time.
ref: 1993, Nancy K. Florida, Javanese Literature in Surakarta Manuscripts: Introduction and manuscripts of the Karaton Surakarta, SEAP Publications, →ISBN, page 9:
text: As with the rest of macroeconomics, the issues have to be rethought in a way that makes the ever-imperfect knowledge of market participants and policymakers an integral part of the analysis.
ref: 2007, Roman Frydman, Michael D. Goldberg, Imperfect Knowledge Economics: Exchange Rates and Risk, Princeton University Press, →ISBN:
text: Kane picked up the ball 25 yards out with 18 minutes left before proving he is ever the opportunist by flashing a dipping swerving drive beyond the deceived Szczesny.
ref: 2021 September 8, Phil McNulty, “Poland 1-1 England”, in BBC Sport:
glosses: Always, frequently, forever.
examples: text: People struggled to cope with the ever-increasing cost of living.
text: For what seemed ages piled on ages, I lay there, frozen with the most awful fears, not daring to drag away my hand; yet ever thinking that if I could but stir it one single inch, the horrid spell would be broken.
ref: 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, chapter 4, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 29:
glosses: Continuously, constantly, all the time (for the complete duration).
examples: text: We've only ever talked on the phone.
text: I scarcely ever see you anymore!.
text: If that ever happens, we’re in deep trouble.
text: This is one of the best movies ever.
text: He's back and better than ever.
text: I’ll stop your ever doing that again.
text: Now all this was very fine, but not at all in keeping with the Celebrity's character as I had come to conceive it. The idea that adulation ever cloyed on him was ludicrous in itself. In fact I thought the whole story fishy, and came very near to saying so.
ref: 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter III, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
text: He said the study provides clear evidence that AI technologies are growing at a faster rate than ever and will continue to do so.
ref: 2019 February 3, “UN Study: China, US, Japan Lead World AI Development”, in Voice of America, archived from the original on 07 Feb 2019:
glosses: At any time.
examples: text: Was I ever glad to see you!
text: Did I ever!
glosses: As intensifier following an interrogative word.
examples: text: but i ever ran 5mins using the 1400 cells and the type RR 23T motor...
ref: 2005 January 10, hellangel, “Tamiya Asiacup Qualifying 2005 (singapore)”, in rctech.net:
text: i ever walked from the south to MacRitchie Reservoir.....
ref: 2021 July 13, Lchlch, “What are your hobbies in sg?”, in HardwareZone Forums:
glosses: Indicates experiential aspect, once; has or have (done something) before.
Synonyms: sense: always
word: forever
word: the dickens
Hyponyms: forever
however
whatever
whatsoever
whenever
whichever
whoever
Derived terms: as ever
as ever trod shoe leather
as ever trod shoe-leather
e'er
ever after
ever and again
ever and anon
ever and ever
everbearer
everbearing
everblack
everbloomer
everblooming
ever-burning
ever-busy
everchanging
-changing
everclear
evercookie
ever-damned
everduring
everfleeing
everflowing
evergreen
ever-growing
evergrowing
everlast
everlasting
everliving
everloving
ever-loving
evermore
ever-more
ever-moving
everness
Evernet
ever-present
evershifting
ever-shifting
ever since
ever smoker
ever-smoker
ever so
ever-varying
everwatchful
ever-watchful
everwhat
everwhen
everwhere
everwhich
everwho
every
everywhere
for ever
…and ever
forever and ever
for ever more
greatest story ever told
happily ever after
happily-ever-after
happy ever after
if ever
if ever there was one
if ever there has been one
if I ever saw one
if I've ever seen one
may the odds be ever in your favor
never ever have I
never have I ever
never
never ever
nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people
public
no one…public
nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American people
no one…people
…good taste…people
no good deed ever goes unpunished
ready as I'll ever be
said no one ever
seldom or ever
soever
that ever walked on two legs
what-so-ever
whencever
wherever
whitherever
whomever
whosever
whyever
yours ever