ever

[ev-er] /ˈɛv ər/
adverb
1.
at all times; always:
an ever-present danger; He is ever ready to find fault.
2.
continuously:
ever since then.
3.
at any time:
Have you ever seen anything like it?
4.
in any possible case; by any chance; at all (often used to intensify or emphasize a phrase or an emotional reaction as surprise or impatience):
How did you ever manage to do it? If the band ever plays again, we will dance.
adjective
5.
South Midland and Southern U.S. every:
She rises early ever morning.
Idioms
6.
ever and again, now and then; from time to time.
Also, Literary, ever and anon.
7.
ever so, to a great extent or degree; exceedingly:
They were ever so kind to me.
Origin
before 1000; Middle English; Old English ǣfre
Synonyms
1. eternally, perpetually, constantly. See always.
Antonyms
1. never.
Examples from the web for ever
  • The historical debate is as hot, and unsettled, as ever.
  • The rapidly spreading disease affects more people than ever before.
  • Hardly anybody involved in this movie had ever made one before, including me.
  • In the past several years, hoodies have become much more of an outlet for creative expression than ever before.
  • For all the concern expressed about the imminent demise of the college library, librarians are needed more than ever.
  • Formation of an ocean is a rare event, one few scientists have ever witnessed.
  • Rouse says with this pretty pattern to look at her second story view is better than ever.
  • We traveled further and controlled more land in a few weeks than what has ever been achieved in military history.
  • Don't even try unless you are adding a lot more value than the average daily newspaper ever did.
  • If you ever wanted to grow up to be a dinosaur hunter, now is the time to do it.
British Dictionary definitions for ever

ever

/ˈɛvə/
adverb
1.
at any time: have you ever seen it?
2.
by any chance; in any case: how did you ever find out?
3.
at all times; always: ever busy
4.
in any possible way or manner: come as fast as ever you can
5.
(informal, mainly Brit) (intensifier, in the phrases ever so, ever such, and ever such a): ever so good, ever such bad luck, ever such a waste
6.
(archaic) ever and again, ever and anon, now and then; from time to time
7.
(US & Canadian, slang) is he ever!, he displays the quality concerned in abundance
See also forever
Word Origin
Old English ǣfre, of uncertain origin
Word Origin and History for ever
adv.

Old English æfre "ever, at any time, always;" no cognates in any other Germanic language; perhaps a contraction of a in feore, literally "ever in life" (the expression a to fore is common in Old English writings).

First element is almost certainly related to Old English a "always, ever," from Proto-Germanic *aiwo, from PIE *aiw- "vital force, life, long life, eternity." (see eon). Liberman suggests second element is comparative adjectival suffix -re.

Slang definitions & phrases for ever

ever

adverb

Really; truly; certainly •Used postpositively for emphasis: Boy, has it ever!/ Clinton's generation has already had its chance to make its tastes the country's tastes. Has it ever/ Did we win? Did we ever!


Idioms and Phrases with ever

ever

In addition to the idiom beginning with
ever
also see: