everlasting
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˌɛvəˈlɑːstɪŋ/
ipa: /-ˈlæst-/
ipa: /ˌɛvəɹˈlæstɪŋ/
text: -
rhymes: -ɑːstɪŋ
rhymes: -æstɪŋ
Forms: form: everlastings
Etymology: From Middle English ever-lasting (“(adjective) eternal, perpetual; constant; (adverb) eternally; (noun) eternity”), from ever (“at all times, always, constantly; eternally, perpetually; regularly; etc.”) + lasting (“continuing, lasting; eternal; etc.”).
* Ever is derived from Old English ǣfre (“ever”), possibly from ā (“always, ever”) + in fēore (“in life”). Ā is from Proto-West Germanic *aiw (“eternity; long time”), from Proto-Germanic *aiwaz (“long time; eternity”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ey- (“life, vital force; long time; eternity”); and fēore is the dative singular of feorh (“life”), from Proto-West Germanic *ferh (“life; kind of tree”), from Proto-Germanic *ferhwą (“body; life; tree”), probably ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *perkʷ- (“oak tree”) (as the oak represented life and vitality in Germanic mythology).
* Lasting is derived from lasten (“to continue, last; etc.”) + -ing (suffix forming present participle forms of verbs, often used as adjectives)); and lasten from Old English lǣstan (“to follow, pursue; to carry out, perform”), from Proto-West Germanic *laistijan (“to follow, pursue; to carry out, perform”), from Proto-Germanic *laistijaną (“to follow, pursue”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *leys- (“to trace, track”).
By surface analysis, ever (adverb) + lasting (adjective).
Senses: examples: text: This yellovv Euerlaſting or Floure-Gentle, called of the later Herbariſts Yellovv Strœcas, is a plant that hath ſtalkes of a ſpan long, […] The floures ſtand on the tops of the ſtalks, […] of a bright yellovv colour; vvhich being gathered before they be ripe, do keep their colour and beauty a long time vvithout vvithering, […]
ref: 1633, John Gerarde [i.e., John Gerard], Thomas Johnson, “Of Golden Floure-gentle”, in The Herball or Generall Historie of Plantes. […], enlarged edition, London: […] Adam Islip, Joice Norton and Richard Whitakers, →OCLC, book II, page 645:
text: With a backward look Small said, “What a lovely lily!” / “Well enough but strong-smelling, gaudy. Come see the everlastings.”
ref: 1942, Emily Carr, “The Orange Lily”, in The Book of Small, Toronto, Ont.: Oxford University Press, →OCLC; republished as The Book of Small (eBook; 0400201.txt), [Australia]: Project Gutenberg Australia, February 2004:
text: 'I am rather past looking like a flower, I am afraid,' she said. 'I can't see that,' I said. 'It is true perhaps it is too late now for you to look like a rose; but you can always look like an everlasting.' I really meant it for a compliment, and to put her in a good mood; but, woman-like, she took it the wrong way.
ref: 1974 (date written), G[erald] B[asil] Edwards, chapter 7, in The Book of Ebenezer Le Page, Mount Kisco, N.Y.: Moyer Bell, published 1981, →ISBN, page 313:
topics: biology
botany
natural-sciences
glosses: Chiefly with a descriptive word: short for everlasting flower (“any of several plants, chiefly of the family Asteraceae (principally the tribe Gnaphalieae), having flowers that retain their colour and form when dried; also, a flower of such a plant”)
examples: text: [T]he people of Thebais in Ægipt, reiected all the ſaid abſurdities of many Goddes, ſaying that there was none other God but only he whom they called Cnef [Kneph?], which was neuer borne, nor could euer dye, that is to ſay the Euerlaſting.
ref: 1587, Philip of Mornay [i.e., Philippe de Mornay], “That the Wisdome of the World hath Acknowledged One Onely God”, in Philip Sidney, Arthur Golding, transl., A Woorke Concerning the Trewnesse of the Christian Religion, […], London: […] [John Charlewood and] George Robinson for Thomas Cadman, […], →OCLC, page 42:
text: O that this too too sallied fleſh vvould melt, / Thavv and reſolue it ſelfe into a devve, / Or that the euerlaſting had not fixt / His cannon gainſt ſeale ſlaughter, ô God, God,
ref: c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (Second Quarto), London: […] I[ames] R[oberts] for N[icholas] L[ing] […], published 1604, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], signature C, recto:
text: Reverently I replaced the grave-cloths, and, with a sigh that flowers so fair should, in the purpose of the Everlasting, have only bloomed to be gathered to the grave, I turned to the body on the opposite shelf, and gently unveiled it.
ref: 1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, “The Tombs of Kôr”, in She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC, page 183:
glosses: Preceded by the: someone or something that lasts forever, or that that has always existed and will continue to exist forever; an eternal, an immortal; specifically (Christianity), God.
examples: text: There is a young man, a third-rate coxcomb, whose first care is always to flourish a white handkerchief, and brush the seat of a tight pair of black silk pantaloons, which shine as if varnished. They must have been made of the stuff called ‘everlasting,’ or perhaps of the same piece as Christian’s garments, in the Pilgrim’s Progress, for he put them on two summers ago, and has not yet worn the gloss off.
ref: 1837 March 6, Nathaniel Hawthorne, “Sunday at Home”, in Twice-Told Tales, Boston, Mass.: American Stationers Co.; John B. Russell, →OCLC, page 33:
text: These everlastings, which were relatively new inventions, were finely woven, close set satins or broken twills with double or treble warps and single wefts, and were often figured or brocaded, those with bold flowers being known as Amens, signifying manufacture in the fashion of Amiens. Everlastings of one kind or another were used to make gaiters, shoe tops and liveries for sergeants and catchpoles.
ref: 1985, Eric Kerridge, “Jerseys”, in Textile Manufactures in Early Modern England, Manchester: Manchester University Press, →ISBN, page 64:
topics: business
clothing
fashion
lifestyle
manufacturing
textiles
qualifier: footwear
glosses: Synonym of lasting (“(uncountable) a durable, plain, woven fabric formerly used for making clothes and for the uppers of women's shoes; (countable) a quantity of such fabric”).
synonyms: word: lasting
extra: (“(uncountable) a durable, plain, woven fabric formerly used for making clothes and for the uppers of women's shoes; (countable) a quantity of such fabric”)
topics: business
clothing
fashion
lifestyle
manufacturing
textiles
qualifier: footwear
glosses: Short for everlasting trimming (“(uncountable) an embroidered edging used on underclothes; (countable) a quantity of such edging”)
Hyponyms: sense: plants
english: or Xerochrysum subundulatum
translation: or Xerochrysum subundulatum
taxonomic: Ozothamnus alpinus
word: alpine everlasting
sense: plants
taxonomic: Pseudognaphalium californicum
word: California everlasting
sense: plants
taxonomic: Ozothamnus secundiflorus
word: cascade everlasting
sense: plants
taxonomic: Gnaphalium macounii
word: clammy everlasting
sense: plants
taxonomic: Xerochrysum bracteatum
word: golden everlasting
sense: plants
alt: Anaphalis margaritacea or Helichrysum macranthum
word: large-flowered everlasting
sense: plants
english: or Hylotelephium telephium
translation: or Hylotelephium telephium
taxonomic: Gnaphalium uliginosum
word: life everlasting
sense: plants
taxonomic: Antennaria dioica
word: mountain everlasting
sense: plants
word: pearl everlasting
sense: plants
taxonomic: Anaphalis spp.
word: pearly everlasting
sense: plants
alt: Lathyrus, especially Lathyrus latifolius and Lathyrus sylvestris
word: pease-everlasting
sense: plants
taxonomic: Gamochaeta pensylvanica
word: Pennsylvania everlasting
sense: plants
taxonomic: Rhodanthe chlorocephala
word: pink and white everlasting
sense: plants
taxonomic: Gamochaeta purpurea
word: purple everlasting
sense: plants
taxonomic: Asteraceae spp.
word: spring everlasting
sense: plants
alt: Ozothamnus thyrsoideus or Xerochrysum viscosum
word: sticky everlasting
sense: plants
taxonomic: Rhodanthe manglesii
alt: syn. Helipterum manglesii
word: Swan River everlasting
sense: plants
taxonomic: Ammobium alatum
word: winged everlasting