ever
Part of speech: adv
adj
Morphological type: simple
Topics: epidemiology
medicine
sciences
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”).
Inflected forms:
form: euer
pos: adv
tags: alternative
obsolete
form: e'er
pos: adv
tags: alternative
poetic
form: ev'r
pos: adv
tags: alternative
poetic
form: eva
pos: adv
tags: alternative
dialectal
form: evah
pos: adv
tags: alternative
dialectal
form: eva'
pos: adv
tags: alternative
dialectal
form: evuh
pos: adv
tags: alternative
dialectal
form: iver
pos: adv
tags: alternative
dialectal
form: ivver
pos: adv
tags: alternative
dialectal
form: euer
pos: adj
tags: alternative
obsolete
form: e'er
pos: adj
tags: alternative
poetic
form: ev'r
pos: adj
tags: alternative
poetic
form: eva
pos: adj
tags: alternative
dialectal
form: evah
pos: adj
tags: alternative
dialectal
form: eva'
pos: adj
tags: alternative
dialectal
form: evuh
pos: adj
tags: alternative
dialectal
form: iver
pos: adj
tags: alternative
dialectal
form: ivver
pos: adj
tags: alternative
dialectal
Senses:
gloss: Always, frequently, forever.
pos: adv
tags: archaic
formal
not-comparable
examples: It was ever thus.
[…] the Lord Treasurer, who ever secretly feigned himself to be a Moderator and Mollifier of the Catholicks Afflictions […]
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
gloss: Continuously, constantly, all the time (for the complete duration).
pos: adv
tags: not-comparable
examples: People struggled to cope with the ever-increasing cost of living.
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.
gloss: At any time.
pos: adv
tags: not-comparable
examples: We've only ever talked on the phone.
I scarcely ever see you anymore!.
If that ever happens, we’re in deep trouble.
This is one of the best movies ever.
He's back and better than ever.
I’ll stop your ever doing that again.
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.
He said the study provides clear evidence that AI technologies are growing at a faster rate than ever and will continue to do so.
gloss: As intensifier following an interrogative word.
pos: adv
tags: informal
not-comparable
examples: Was I ever glad to see you!
Did I ever!
gloss: Indicates experiential aspect, once; has or have (done something) before.
pos: adv
tags: Manglish
Singlish
not-comparable
examples: but i ever ran 5mins using the 1400 cells and the type RR 23T motor...
i ever walked from the south to MacRitchie Reservoir.....
gloss: Occurring at any time, occurring even but once during a timespan.
pos: adj
tags: not-comparable
examples: This family empathy measure is highly related to ever use of birth control but not to any measure of continuous use.
Synonyms: the dickens
Antonyms: never
Derived words: 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 such a lot
ever-varying
everwatchful
ever-watchful
everwhat
everwhen
everwhere
everwhich
everwho
every
everywhere
first-ever
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
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