even

[ ee-vuhn ]

/ ˈi vən /

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adjective

level; flat; smooth; without surface irregularities: an even road.

on the same level; in the same plane or line; parallel: even with the ground.

free from variations or fluctuations; regular: even motion.

uniform in action, character, or quality: to hold an even course.

equal in measure or quantity: Add even amounts of oil and vinegar.

divisible by two, as a number (opposed to odd).

denoted by such a number: the even pages of a book.

exactly expressible in integers, or in tens, hundreds, etc., without fractional parts: an even seven miles.

Mathematics. (of a function) having a sign that remains the same when the sign of each independent variable is changed at the same time.

equally balanced or divided; equal: Check to see if the scales are even.

leaving no balance of debt on either side; square: We will not be even until I can repay him for saving my life.

calm; placid; not easily excited or angered: an even temper.

equitable, impartial, or fair: an even bargain.

adverb

evenly: The road ran even over the fields.

still; yet (used to emphasize a comparative): even more suitable.

(used to suggest that something mentioned as a possibility constitutes an extreme case or an unlikely instance): Even the slightest noise disturbs him. Even if he attends, he may not participate.

just (used to emphasize occurrence, coincidence, or simultaneousness of occurrences): Even as he lay dying, they argued over his estate.

fully or quite: even to death.

indeed (used as an intensive for stressing the identity or truth of something): He is willing, even eager, to do it.

exactly or precisely: It was even so.

verb (used with object)

to make even; level; smooth (sometimes followed by out): to even a board with a plane.

to place in an even state as to claim or obligation; balance (often followed by up): to even up accounts.

verb (used without object)

to become even: The odds evened before the race.

Verb Phrases

even out,

to make or become even, smooth, or flat: The wrinkles will even out when the suit dries.
to become equal, balanced, stable, etc.: optimistic that the situation would even out eventually.

OTHER WORDS FOR even

1 plane.

12 tranquil, temperate, composed, peaceful.

13 just.

See synonyms for even on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR even

1 irregular, uneven.

12 mercurial.

13 biased.

See antonyms for even on Thesaurus.com

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Idioms about even

break even, to have one's profits equal one's losses; neither gain nor lose: The company barely broke even last year.

get even, to be revenged; retaliate: He vowed to get even for the insult.

Origin of even

First recorded before 900; Middle English adjective even, efn(e), emne, Old English efen, efn; cognate with Gothic ibns, Old High German eban, Old Norse jafn “even, equal”; adverb and verb derivative of the adjective

synonym study for even

1. See level.

OTHER WORDS FROM even

e·ven·er, noune·ven·ly, adverbe·ven·ness, noun

Other definitions for even (2 of 3)

even²

[ ee-vuhn ]

/ ˈi vən /

noun Archaic.

evening; eve.

Origin of even

First recorded before 950; Middle English eve(n), Old English ǣfen, ēven; akin to German Abend, Old Frisian āvend, ēvend; see evening

Other definitions for even (3 of 3)

Even

[ ey-wuhn, ev-uhn ]

/ ˈeɪ wən, ˈɛv ən /

noun, plural E·vens, (especially collectively) E·ven for 1.

a member of a Siberian people living mainly in the Yakut Autonomous Republic in the Russian Federation.

the Tungusic language spoken by the Even.

Also called Lamut.

Origin of Even

<Russian ėvén<Evenki əwən

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use even in a sentence

There is a degree of evenness and keenness of cutting and clean insertion beyond which it is not possible to go.
Antonio Stradivari|Horace William Petherick
Grace can only be gained by a perfect timing of the steps to the music, and also evenness of step.
The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness|Florence Hartley
Landy rasped his feet to evenness and cautioned that he would have to be shod if used on hard-surfaced roads.
David Lannarck, Midget|George S. Harney
Guy Oscard only realised the meaning of that sound when a black shadow crept on to the smooth evenness of the river's breast.
With Edged Tools|Henry Seton Merriman

The symmetrical arrangement of hair and beard carry out the character of perfect evenness belonging to the supreme ruler.
Greek Sculpture|Estelle M. Hurll

British Dictionary definitions for even (1 of 2)

even¹

/ (ˈiːvən) /

adjective

level and regular; flatan even surface

(postpositive foll by with) on the same level or in the same plane (as)one surface even with another

without variation or fluctuation; regular; constantan even rate of progress

not readily moved or excited; placid; calman even temper

equally balanced between two sidesan even game

equal or identical in number, quantity, etctwo even spoonfuls of sugar

(of a number) divisible by two
characterized or indicated by such a numbermaps are on the even pages Compare odd (def. 4)

relating to or denoting two or either of two alternatives, events, etc, that have an equal probabilityan even chance of missing or catching a train

having no balance of debt; neither owing nor being owed

just and impartial; fairan even division

exact in number, amount, or extentan even pound

equal, as in score; levelnow the teams are even

maths (of a function) unchanged in value when the sign of the independent variable is changed, as in y = z ²See odd (def. 8)

even money

a bet in which the winnings are the same as the amount staked
(as modifier)the even-money favourite

get even informal to exact revenge (on); settle accounts (with)

of even date law formal, or obsolete of the same or today's date

adverb

(intensifier; used to suggest that the content of a statement is unexpected or paradoxical)even an idiot can do that

(intensifier; used with comparative forms)this is even better

notwithstanding; in spite ofeven having started late she soon caught him up

used to introduce a more precise version of a word, phrase, or statementhe is base, even depraved

used preceding a clause of supposition or hypothesis to emphasize the implication that whether or not the condition in it is fulfilled, the statement in the main clause remains valideven if she died he wouldn't care

archaic that is to say; namely (used for emphasis)he, even he, hath spoken these things

archaic all the way; fullyI love thee even unto death

even as (conjunction) at the very same moment or in the very same way thateven as I spoke, it thundered

even so in spite of any assertion to the contrary: nevertheless

verb

to make or become even

See also break even, even out, evens, even up

Derived forms of even

evener, nounevenly, adverbevenness, noun

Word Origin for even

Old English efen; related to Old Norse jafn even, equal, Gothic ibns, Old High German eban

British Dictionary definitions for even (2 of 2)

even²

/ (ˈiːvən) /

noun

an archaic word for eve, evening

Word Origin for even

Old English ǣfen; related to Old Frisian ēvend, Old High German āband

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for even

even

[ ē′vən ]

Divisible by 2 with a remainder of 0, such as 12 or 876.

Other Idioms and Phrases with even

even

In addition to the idioms beginning with even

even money
even so

also see:

break even
never give a sucker an even break
on an even keel

even

OTHER WORDS FOR even

OPPOSITES FOR even

Idioms about even

Origin of even

synonym study for even

OTHER WORDS FROM even

Other definitions for even (2 of 3)

Origin of even

Other definitions for even (3 of 3)

Origin of Even

Words related to even

How to use even in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for even (1 of 2)

Derived forms of even

Word Origin for even

British Dictionary definitions for even (2 of 2)

Word Origin for even

Scientific definitions for even

Other Idioms and Phrases with even