DEFINITIONS
The
2019 WORD
OF THE YEAR is...

ever

[ ev-er ]
/ ˈɛv ər /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR ever ON THESAURUS.COM

adverb

at all times; always: an ever-present danger; He is ever ready to find fault.
continuously: ever since then.
at any time: Have you ever seen anything like it?
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

South Midland and Southern U.S. every: She rises early ever morning.

Content related to ever

Are New Idioms Ever Created?Many idioms—expressions that are not taken literally—are so old and so familiar that we don’t think twice about using them. We say, for example, “it’s raining cats and dogs” to indicate that it’s pouring outside, and “comfortable as an old shoe” to explain an easy and familiar relationship. We can trace the etymology of some idioms to books and sayings that were first used hundreds …
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Make America Great AgainRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
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Words related to ever

evermore, occasionally

Words nearby ever

eventual, eventuality, eventually, eventuate, eventus, ever, ever and again, everbearing, everblooming, everdur, everest

Idioms for ever

    ever and again, now and then; from time to time.Also Literary, ever and anon.
    ever so, to a great extent or degree; exceedingly: They were ever so kind to me.

Origin of ever

before 1000; Middle English; Old English ǣfre
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for ever and again

ever
/ (ˈɛvə) /

adverb

See also forever

Word Origin for ever

Old English ǣfre, of uncertain origin
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

Idioms and Phrases with ever and again (1 of 2)

ever and again

Now and then, occasionally. For example, We visit her ever and again. This phrase has largely replaced the earlier ever and anon, dating from the late 1500s, but is less common than every now and then. [Late 1800s]

Idioms and Phrases with ever and again (2 of 2)

ever

In addition to the idiom beginning with ever

  • ever and again
  • every bit
  • every cloud has a silver lining
  • every dog has its day
  • every inch
  • every last one
  • every little bit helps
  • every man for himself
  • every man has his price
  • every minute counts
  • every nook and cranny
  • every now and then
  • every other
  • every single one
  • every so often
  • every time one turns around
  • every Tom, Dick, and Harry
  • every which way

also see:

  • hardly ever
  • live happily ever after
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.