• (RP) IPA: /ˈɛvə/
• (America) IPA: /ˈɛvɚ/

ever (not comparable)

1. Always, frequently, forever.

   It was ever thus.

   • […] the Lord Treasurer, who ever secretly feigned himself to be a Moderator and Mollifier of the Catholicks Afflictions […]

   • 1907, Robert William Chambers, chapter IX, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, OCLC 24962326 ↗:

     “A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron; […]. ¶ Near her wandered her husband, orientally bland, invariably affable, and from time to time squinting sideways, as usual, in the ever-renewed expectation that he might catch a glimpse of his stiff, retroussé moustache.

   • 1993, Nancy K. Florida, Javanese Literature in Surakarta Manuscripts: Introduction and manuscripts of the Karaton Surakarta, SEAP Publications (ISBN 9780877276036), page 9:

     The library staffs of the Karaton Surakarta's Sasana Pustaka, the Mangku- nagaran's Reksa Pustaka, and the Museum Radyapustaka were ever helpful and generous with their time.

   • 2007, Roman Frydman, Michael D. Goldberg, Imperfect Knowledge Economics: Exchange Rates and Risk, Princeton University Press (ISBN 9780691121604)

     As with the rest of macroeconomics, the issues have to be rethought in a way that makes the ever-imperfect knowledge of market participants and policymakers an integral part of the analysis.

2. Continuously.
   • 1851 November 13, Herman Melville, chapter 4, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, OCLC 57395299 ↗:

     For what seemed ages piled on ages, I lay there, frozen with the most awful fears, not daring to drag away my hand; yet ever thinking that if I could but stir it one single inch, the horrid spell would be broken.

3. At any time.

   If that ever happens, we’re in deep trouble

   He's back and better than ever.

4. In any way.

   How can I ever get there in time?

5. (informal) As intensifier following an interrogative word.

   Was I ever glad to see you!

   Did I ever!

• (always) seeSynonyms en
• (at any time)
• (in any way)
• (intensifier) seeSynonyms en

• (always) seeSynonyms en

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

• French: jamais
• German: jemals, je
• Italian: mai
• Portuguese: alguma vez, de sempre
• Russian: когда́-либо
• Spanish: alguna vez, jamás

ever (not comparable)

1. (epidemiology) Occurring at any time, occurring even but once during a timespan.

1. (dialectal and informal) Shortening of every
   • 2011, Lee Smith, Oral History ISBN 1101565616

     Queen Anne's lace ever place you look.