forever

[fawr-ev-er, fer-]

adverb

1. without ever ending; eternally.

   Like the memory of her laughter, the love for her in our hearts will last forever.

2. continually; incessantly; always.

   He's forever complaining.

noun

1. an endless or seemingly endless period of time.

   It took them forever to make up their minds.

adjective

1. lasting for an endless period of time; permanent.

   The stray dog is staying with us until we can find a forever home for it.

forever

/ fɔːˈrɛvə, fə- /

adverb

1. Also: for ever. without end; everlastingly; eternally

2. at all times; incessantly

3. informal,  for a very long time

   he went on speaking forever

noun

1. informal,  (as object) a very long time

   it took him forever to reply

2. an exclamation expressing support or loyalty

   Scotland forever!

Usage

Forever and for ever can both be used to say that something is without end. For all other meanings, forever is the preferred form

Word History and Origins

Origin of forever¹

First recorded in 1300–50; originally a prepositional phrase for ever

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. forever and a day, eternally; always.

   They pledged to love each other forever and a day.

Example Sentences

She said the opportunity to see Santa one last time before he moves into his "forever home" will delight him and allow him "to make precious memories" with his two brothers.

Read more on BBC

But we pay a heavy price for comfort: Lycra, which is in almost everything we wear now, lives forever in landfills.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Now, Joan has two impossible choices to make: Which of her great loves will she pick, and where will they spend their shared forever?

Read more on Salon

It is designed to transfer wealth across several generations—potentially forever—while avoiding estate and generation-skipping transfer taxes at each handoff.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The greatest moment by a Dodger benchwarmer in baseball history, a guy so embedded in the landscape of Los Angeles sports that he will be forever known simply by two abbreviated versions of his name...

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• always 
• endlessly www.thesaurus.com
• eternally 
• permanently www.thesaurus.com