ever

[ ev-er ]

adverb

1. at all times; always:

   an ever-present danger; He is ever ready to find fault.

   Synonyms: constantly, eternally, perpetually

   Antonyms: never

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

1. South Midland and Southern U.S. every:

   She rises early ever morning.

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.
   (intensifier, in the phrases ever so, ever such, and ever such a )

   ever such a waste

   ever such bad luck

   ever so good

6. ever and again or ever and anon archaic.
   now and then; from time to time
7. is he ever! slang.
   he displays the quality concerned in abundance

Word History and Origins

Origin of ever¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English ǣfre

Word History and Origins

Origin of ever¹

Old English ǣfre, of uncertain origin

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. ever and again, now and then; from time to time. Also Literary, ever and anon.
2. ever so, to a great extent or degree; exceedingly:

   They were ever so kind to me.

More idioms and phrases containing ever

In addition to the idiom beginning with ever , also see hardly ever ; live happily ever after .

Synonym Study

See always.

Example Sentences

And yet we keep devouring the ever-increasing array of Jewish dating apps and sites and Facebook groups--why?

From The Daily Beast

Duke kept running for offices and losing by ever-greater margins.

From The Daily Beast

The bar also claims that it hosted the first-ever poetry slam 28 years ago.

From The Daily Beast

These insights and discoveries help PepsiCo anticipate, rather than react to, an ever-changing consumer landscape.

From The Daily Beast

What she did win, though, was the ever-more intense ardor of her growing number of liberal fans.

From The Daily Beast

A long stretch of smooth ice followed, over which he glided with ever-increasing speed.

From Project Gutenberg

The pole was, therefore, continually floating or rising and falling in steam of ever-varying pressure.

From Project Gutenberg

No, give me deserts or precipices,—anything fixed and solid is better than this capricious, ever-changing sea.

From Project Gutenberg

What matter if souls and bodies are failing beneath the feet of the ever-pressing multitude!

From Project Gutenberg

It is a known fact that the third class traffic pays for the ever-increasing luxuries of first and second class travelling.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• consistently
• constantly
• continually
• forever
• regularly
• usually