ever English · revision 1803

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 750 (Cynewulf's Christ)}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈev.ə/ ''(UK)''; /ˈev.ɚ/ ''(US)''^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|euere]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(MED) [[inh|ang|ǣfre|t=ever, at any time, always]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995) a word with no cognates in the other Germanic languages and of uncertain origin.^(Etymonline)^(Weekley 1921)^(Collins 2023) Its first element is probably related to Old English [[m|ang|ā|t=always, ever]] (see [[aye]]),^(Barnhart 1995)^(MWU 2024)^(Hoad 1986) from [[gem-pro|*aiwi-]], from [[ine-pro|*aiw-|t=vital force, life; long life, eternity]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) The second element is disputed.^(Liberman 2008)^(Barnhart 1988) An old explanation, favoured by the OED, takes ''ǣfre'' as a contraction of the phrase [[m|ang|ā in fēore|t=ever in life]];^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Liberman 2008) Barnhart also mentions [[m|ang|*āw]] with a dative adjective ending -re.^(Barnhart 1988) Liberman argues that the word was coined late by churchmen, by adding the comparative suffix [[m|ang|-re]] to [[m|ang|āwa|t=always]], so that it meant “more than always”, that is, “in all eternity”; he takes the vowel ''ǣ'' to come from other comparatives or from confusion with [[m|ang|ǣ|t=law, covenant]], and finds the derivation from a phrase unlikely.^(Liberman 2008) The Concise Oxford, the New Oxford and the Shorter Oxford call it of unknown origin.^(COED 2004)^(NODE 1998)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Always, at all times; throughout all time, eternally; at any time (Old English, about 750, in Cynewulf's ''Christ'').^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)^(HTOED)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The senses “eternally” and “always, on every occasion” are now archaic or literary, except in phrases such as ''ever since'' and ''ever after'';^(OED 1989)^(SOED 2002) in the sense “always” the word survives in northern dialect.^(OED 1989)^(SOED 2002) In late Old English ''ever'' began to be used to generalize or intensify relative and interrogative words such as ''when'', ''what'' and ''where'' (compare [[whatever]], [[whenever]]),^(Etymonline)^(Chambers 2008) and its meaning moved from “at any time at all” to “at any particular time, under any circumstances”.^(Etymonline) ''Yours ever'' as the close of a letter dates from 1601.^(OED 1989) ''Ever so'' “to whatever extent” is recorded by the 1680s, and the exclamation ''did you ever?'' by 1840.^(Etymonline)^(Weekley 1921) The intensive use in exclamatory questions (''was I ever hungry!'') is originally North American.^(Chambers 2008)^(Collins 2023) The poetic contraction is ''e'er''.^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) Combined with Old English ''ǣlc'' “each”, ''ǣfre'' gave [[every]].^(Partridge 1966)^(Skeat 1911)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 750 – Old English ''ǣfre'', in Cynewulf's ''Christ''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1250 – ''euere''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1290 – ''evermore''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1601 – ''yours ever'', closing a letter.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1680s – ''ever so'', to whatever extent.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1840 – ''did you ever?''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # At any time: ''have you ever been to Europe?''^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Collins 2023)

+ # At all times; always: ''ever hopeful''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Increasingly; constantly: ''ever-increasing''.^(COED 2004)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # In any way; at all: ''how did they ever manage?''^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Used for emphasis in comparisons: ''the biggest ever''.^(COED 2004)^(Chambers 2008)

+ # ''(informal)'' Used as an intensifier, often with ''so'': ''ever so sorry'', or ''was she ever angry!''^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[e'er]]

+ * [[everbearing]]

+ * [[everblooming]]

+ * [[everduring]]

+ * [[evergreen]]

+ * [[everlasting]]

+ * [[evermore]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[aye]]

+ * [[every]]

+ * [[never]]

+ * [[whatever]]

+ * [[whenever]]

+ * [[age]]

+ * [[eternal]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The phrase ''ever so'', “very”, is chiefly British and informal.^(Collins 2023)^(COED 2004) ''Ever'' is used for emphasis in questions expressing astonishment or outrage, as in ''who ever heard of such a thing?''^(COED 2004)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}