From Middle English alwayes, allwayes, allweyes, a variant of Middle English allwaye, alwey, alle wey, from Old English ealneġ, ealneweġ, from ealne + weġ, equivalent to alway + -s.

• (British) IPA: /ˈɔː(l).weɪz/, /ˈɔːl.wɪz/
• (America) IPA: /ˈɔl.weɪz/, /ˈɔl.wɪz/, /ˈɔl.wəz/
  • (cot-caught) IPA: /ˈɑl.weɪz/, /ˈɑl.wɪz/, /ˈɑl.wəz/
• (Canada) IPA: [ˈɒː(ɫ)we(ɪ)z], [-wɪz]
• (Southern US) IPA: /ˈɔləs/

always (not comparable)

1. At all times; throughout all time; since the beginning.

   Synonyms: perpetually, continually, all the time, every time, Thesaurus:forever

   Antonyms: at no time, never, Thesaurus:never

   God is always the same.

   Green has always been my favorite color. I’ve loved it for as long as I can remember.

   Airplanes did not always exist as a form of transportation.

2. Constantly during a certain period, or regularly at stated intervals (opposed to sometimes or occasionally).

   Synonyms: invariably, uniformly, Thesaurus:uniformly

   Antonyms: manywise, sundrily, variously, Thesaurus:diversely

   In this street, the shops always close during lunchtime.

   • 1840, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, Money:

     His liveries are black,—his carriage is black,—he always rides a black galloway,—and, faith, if he ever marry again, I think he will show his respect to the sainted Maria by marrying a black woman.

   • 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC ↗:

     They burned the old gun that used to stand in the dark corner up in the garret, close to the stuffed fox that always grinned so fiercely. Perhaps the reason why he seemed in such a ghastly rage was that he did not come by his death fairly. And why else was he put away up there out of sight?—and so magnificent a brush as he had too.

   • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 7, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC ↗:

     The highway to the East Coast which ran through the borough of Ebbfield had always been a main road and even now, despite the vast garages, the pylons and the gaily painted factory glasshouses which had sprung up beside it, there still remained an occasional trace of past cultures.

3. (informal) In any event.

   Synonyms: anyhow, anyway, at any rate, regardless, Thesaurus:regardless

   I thought I could always go back to work.

• never

• French: toujours
• German: immer, stets, ständig
• Italian: sempre
• Portuguese: sempre
• Russian: всегда́
• Spanish: siempre

• German: immer
• Italian: sempre
• Portuguese: sempre, constantemente
• Russian: всегда́
• Spanish: siempre