even

Flat and level.

Adjective

  1. Flat and level.
    • Clear out those rocks. The surface must be even.
  2. Without great variation.
    • Despite her fear, she spoke in an even voice.
  3. Equal in proportion, quantity, size, etc.
    • The distribution of food must be even.
    • Call it even.
  4. Of an integer, divisible by two.
    • Four, fourteen and forty are even numbers.
  5. Of a number, convenient for rounding other numbers to; for example, ending in a zero.
    • Coles. How many shares have you bought, Mr. Garfinkle? Garfinkle. One hundred and ninety-six thousand.[…] Jorgenson. […] How'd you figure out to buy such an odd amount? Why not two hundred thousand — nice even number....
    • He put me on the scale in my underwear and socks: 82 pounds.[…] I left, humming all day long, remembering that once upon a time my ideal weight had been 84, and now I'd even beaten that. I decided 80 was a better...
  6. On equal monetary terms; neither owing nor being owed.
  7. On equal terms of a moral sort; quits.
    • You biffed me back at the barn, and I biffed you here—so now we're even.
  8. Parallel; on a level; reaching the same limit.
    • And shall lay thee even with the ground. - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke xix:44:
  9. Without an irregularity, flaw, or blemish; pure.
    • I know my life so even. - 1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First...
  10. Associate; fellow; of the same condition.
    • His even servant. - c. 1382–1395, John Wycliffe, Bible - Matthew 18.29

Origin

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...

Forms

evener more even evenest most even eben e'en

Synonyms

flat level uniform regular monotone on par round quits square

Antonyms

uneven odd

Derived

all even break even break-even point call it even doubly even draw even even chance even-Christian even-down evendown even-even even function even hand at the tiller evenhanded even hand on the tiller evenhood even-interval evenish even keel even-keeled evenlike evenly even-minded even money

Adverb

  1. Exactly; just; fully.
    • I fulfilled my instructions even as I had promised.
    • You are leaving tonight? — Even so.
    • This is my commandment, that ye love one another, even as I have loved you.
  2. In reality (used to imply an extreme example in the case mentioned).
    • Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn sometimes.
    • Did you even make it through the front door?
    • That was before I was even born.
  3. Used to emphasise a comparative.
    • I was strong before, but now I am even stronger.
  4. Used to indicate a further degree of comparison.
    • Bob is taller than Alice, but Cameron is even taller than Bob.
  5. Rather; that is (used to signal a correction of a previous utterance).
    • My favorite actor is Jack Nicklaus. Jack Nicholson, even.

Forms

eben e'en

Synonyms

definitely precisely so much as still in other words

Derived

can't even don't even think about it even a blind pig can find an acorn even a blind pig can find an acorn once in a while even a blind squirrel can find a nut once in a while even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every now and then even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every once in a while even as even as we speak even a worm will turn even Homer nods even if even if one's life depended on it even Jove nods even more even so even still even then even though get even or get even worse I hardly even know her it is not even funny it isn't even funny it's not even funny

Noun mathematics, sciences

  1. An even number.
    • So let's see. There are two evens here and three odds.

Forms

evens eben e'en

Noun archaic, poetic

  1. Evening.
    • We'll meet at even, when the sun is set.
    • Whẽ the evẽ was come they bꝛought vnto hĩ many that were poſſeſſed with devyllꝭ / […] - 1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Matthew...
    • When ſparkling ſtars twire not thou guil'ſt th' eauen. - 1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 28”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC,...

Origin

From Middle English even, from Old English ǣfen, from Proto-West Germanic *ābanþ, from Proto-Germanic *ēbanþs (“evening”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Äivend, Äiwend, Eeuwend (“evening”), West Frisian jûn (“evening”), Dutch avond (“evening”), Low German Avend (“evening”), German Abend (“evening”), Danish aften (“evening”). See also the related terms eve and evening.

Forms

evens eben e'en

Synonyms

evening eventide

Related

eve evening

Derived

evenfall evenlight evensong evenstar evenward yestereven

Verb

  1. To make flat and level.
    • We need to even this playing field; the west goal is too low.
    • This temple Xerxes evened with the soil. - 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):
    • [...] 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: [...] - 1669, John Evelyn, “Kalendarium Hortense: OrThe Gard’ners Almanac;...
  2. To equal or equate; to make the same.
    • 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. - 1639, Thomas...
    • “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...
  3. To be equal.
    • Thrice nine evens twenty seven.
    • A redoubled numbering never eveneth with the first. - 1609, Richard Carew, The Survey of Cornwall, London: […] S[imon] S[tafford] for Iohn Iaggard, […], →OCLC:
  4. 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.
    • We need to even the score.
    • 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...
  5. To set right; to complete.
  6. To act up to; to keep pace with.
    • Prithee away, There's more to be considered: but we'll even All that good time will give us. - c. 1611, William Shakespeare, Cymbeline, act 3, scene 4:

Forms

evens evening evened eben e'en

Synonyms

flatten level match settle

Derived

even out even the score even up