Pronunciation
Adverb
never (not comparable)
- At no time; on no occasion; in no circumstance.
- 1634,
, John Fletcher, The Two Noble Kinsmen, Act 2, Scene 4, - Why should I love this Gentleman? Tis odds / He never will affect me;
- 1908, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables, Chapter XXI: A New Departure in Flavorings,
- "I never thought you were so fond of Mr. Phillips that you'd require two handkerchiefs to dry your tears just because he was going away," said Marilla.
- 1919, B. G. Jefferis, J. L. Nichols, Searchlights on Health: Sensible Rules for the Nurse,
- Never speak of the symptoms of your patient in his presence, unless questioned by the doctor, whose orders you are always to obey implicitly.
- I finally finished, and I never want to do that again.
- I repeated the test a hundred times, and never saw a positive result.
- I will never tell.
- 1634,
- Not at any other time; not on any other occasion; not previously.
- 1601 November 30, Elizabeth I of England, Elizabeth I's Farewell Speech,
- There is no jewel, be it of never so rich a price, which I set before this jewel: I mean your love.
- 1813, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 4,
- "He is just what a young man ought to be," said she, "sensible, good-humoured, lively; and I never saw such happy manners!--so much ease, with such perfect good breeding!"
- 1908, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables, Chapter XIII: The Delights of Anticipation,
- I never saw such an infatuated man.
- 1601 November 30, Elizabeth I of England, Elizabeth I's Farewell Speech,
- (colloquial) Negative particle (used to negate verbs in the simple past tense; also used absolutely).
- The police say I stole the car, but I never did it.
- You said you were going to mow the lawn today. – I never!
- I never saw him today.
- French: jamais
- German: nie, niemals, nimmer
- Italian: mai, giammai (emphatic, obsolete)
- Portuguese: nunca, jamais
- Russian: никогда́
- Spanish: nunca, jamás
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