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never

[ nev-er ]
/ ˈnɛv ər /
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adverb
not ever; at no time: Such an idea never occurred to me.
not at all; absolutely not: never mind;This will never do.
to no extent or degree: He was never the wiser for his experience.
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Idioms about never

    never cease to amaze. See entry at never cease to amaze.
    never mind, don't bother; don't concern yourself.

Origin of never

First recorded before 900; from Middle English, from Old English nǣfre, equivalent to ne “not” + ǣfre ever; cf. neither, nought
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use never in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for never

never
/ (ˈnɛvə) /

adverb, sentence substitute
at no time; not ever
certainly not; by no means; in no case
interjection
Also: well I never! surely not!

Word Origin for never

Old English nǣfre, from ne not + æfre ever

usage for never

In informal speech and writing, never can be used instead of not with the simple past tenses of certain verbs for emphasis (I never said that; I never realized how clever he was), but this usage should be avoided in serious writing
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

Other Idioms and Phrases with never

never

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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