Ever

Pronunciation

• RP IPA: /ˈɛvÉ™/
• GenAm IPA: /ˈɛvÉš/
• Rhymes: -É›vÉ™(r)
• Hyphenation: ev + er

Origin

From Middle English evere, from Old English ǣfre, originally a phrase whose first element undoubtedly consists of Old English ā "ever, always" + in "in" + an element possibly from fēore (nominative feorh) "life, existence". Compare Old English ā tō fēore "ever in life", Old English feorhlīf ("life").

Full definition of ever

Adverb

1. Always
   It was ever thus.
2. At any time.
   If that ever happens, we’re in deep trouble.   He's back and better than ever.
• 1898, Winston Churchill, The Celebrity Chapter 3, 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.
3. In any way
   How can I ever get there in time?
4. (informal) As intensifier.
   Was I ever glad to see you!   Did I ever!
   After that experience, I will never ever do it again!

Derived terms

Adjective

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

Anagrams

• veer