ever

Occurring at any time, occurring even but once during a timespan.

Adjective

  1. Occurring at any time, occurring even but once during a timespan.
    • This family empathy measure is highly related to ever use of birth control but not to any measure of continuous use. - 1965, Reuben Hill, The family and population control: a Puerto Rican experiment in social change:

Origin

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”).

Forms

euer e'er ev'r eva evah eva' evuh iver ivver

Adverb

  1. Always, frequently, forever.
    • It was ever thus.
    • […] the Lord Treasurer, who ever secretly feigned himself to be a Moderator and Mollifier of the Catholicks Afflictions […] - 1592, George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax, An Advertisement […] concerning Seminary...
    • 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. - 1860, Florence...
  2. Continuously, constantly, all the time (for the complete duration).
    • 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. - 1851...
  3. At any time.
    • We've only ever talked on the phone.
    • I scarcely ever see you anymore!.
    • If that ever happens, we’re in deep trouble.
  4. As intensifier following an interrogative word.
    • Was I ever glad to see you!
    • Did I ever!
  5. Indicates experiential aspect, once; has or have (done something) before.
    • but i ever ran 5mins using the 1400 cells and the type RR 23T motor... - 2005 January 10, hellangel, “Tamiya Asiacup Qualifying 2005 (singapore)”, in rctech.net:
    • i ever walked from the south to MacRitchie Reservoir..... - 2021 July 13, Lchlch, “What are your hobbies in sg?”, in HardwareZone Forums:

Forms

euer e'er ev'r eva evah eva' evuh iver ivver

Synonyms

forever the dickens

Antonyms

never

Hyponyms

forever however whatever whatsoever whenever whichever whoever

Derived

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

Determiner

  1. Shortening of every
    • "Ever place you look there's houses and more houses." - 1989, Connie Jordan Green, The War at Home, page 16:
    • Queen Anne's lace ever place you look. - 2011, Lee Smith, Oral History, →ISBN:
    • A sign at the entrance to the road going up Snake Hollow reads, “Snake Hollow is a wonderful place to be, Ever place you look there is a beautiful green tree. Snake Hollow makes you feel alive and free.” Lets keep it...

Forms

euer e'er ev'r eva evah eva' evuh iver ivver