even

[ee-vuhn]

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adjective

level; flat; without surface irregularities; smooth: 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.

Idioms

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

before 900; (adj.) Middle English; Old English efen; cognate with Gothic ibns, Old High German eban, Old Norse jafn even, equal; (adv.) Middle English even(e), Old English efne, derivative of the adj.; (v.) Middle English evenen, Old English efnan to lower, derivative of the adj.

Related formse·ven·er, noune·ven·ly, adverbe·ven·ness, noun

Synonyms for even

1. plane. See level. 12. tranquil, temperate, composed, peaceful. 13. just.

Antonyms for even

1. irregular. 12. mercurial. 13. biased.

even

[ee-vuh n]

noun Archaic.

evening; eve.

Origin of even

before 950; Middle English; Old English ǣfen; akin to German Abend, Old Frisian ēvend. See evening

Even

[ey-wuh n, ev-uh n]

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.

Origin of Even

< Russian ėvén < Evenki əwən

Also called Lamut.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for evens

alike, indeed, much, match, square, constant, smooth, direct, right, flush, balanced, proportional, matching, plumb, same, stable, plane, horizontal, parallel, level

Examples from the Web for evens

Contemporary Examples of evens

Washington evens it up by shooting Wahlberg in the leg, then throws an arm around him as they set off together.
Hollywood, Shootings, and ‘2 Guns’: When Is Stylized Violence Obscene?
Michael Daly
July 30, 2013

Historical Examples of evens

But the mage was even with him, or rather he was 'odds and evens.'
HE
Andrew Lang
So I guess you might say that evens things up some, you know.
Dave Dawson with the R.A.F
R. Sidney Bowen
I can run the 100 in ten-one and the 220 in evens and I'm a good quarterback.
Football Days
William H. Edwards
“I guess that evens things up,” crowed Jimmy gleefully, his usual good-humor completely restored.
The Radio Boys at the Sending Station
Allen Chapman
Gus said with infinite slyness: "Look here, I'll bet you evens Biffen's don't pull off the final."
Acton's Feud
Frederick Swainson

British Dictionary definitions for evens

evens

adjective, adverb

(of a bet) winning the same as the amount staked if successful

(of a runner) offered at such odds

even

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 Formsevener, nounevenly, adverbevenness, noun

Word Origin for even

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

even

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

Word Origin and History for evens

even

adj.

Old English efen "level," also "equal, like; calm, harmonious; quite, fully; namely," from Proto-Germanic *ebnaz (cf. Old Saxon eban, Old Frisian even "level, plain, smooth," Dutch even, Old High German eban, German eben, Old Norse jafn, Danish jævn, Gothic ibns).

Etymologists are uncertain whether the original sense was "level" or "alike." Used extensively in Old English compounds, with a sense of "fellow, co-" (e.g. efeneald "of the same age;" Middle English even-sucker "foster-brother"). Of numbers, from 1550s. Modern adverbial sense (introducing an extreme case of something more generally implied) seems to have arisen 16c. from use of the word to emphasize identity ("Who, me?" "Even you," etc.) Sense of "on an equal footing" is from 1630s. Rhyming reduplication phrase even steven is attested from 1866; even break first recorded 1911. Even-tempered from 1875.