ever

Signification (Anglais)

Adv

1. (archaic, formal, not-comparable) Always, frequently, forever.
2. (not-comparable) Continuously, constantly, all the time (for the complete duration).
3. (not-comparable) At any time.
4. (informal, not-comparable) As intensifier following an interrogative word.
5. (Manglish, Singlish, not-comparable) Indicates experiential aspect, once; has or have (done something) before.

Adj

Occurring at any time, occurring even but once during a timespan.

Det

Shortening of every

Concepts

jamais

toujours

jadis

un jour

parfois

perpétuel

point

que

quelquefois

sans fin

celui

1️⃣

en tous temps

tout le temps

un de ces jours

chaque fois

un jour ou l’autre

conque

depuis

éternellement

Synonymes

always

never

at any time

sometime

forever

constantly

once

someday

at some time

formerly

sometimes

perpetually

continually

at all

occasionally

often

e’er

invariably

at all times

evermore

ever so

at times

aye

some day

before

ago

frequently

earlier

of all time

in the least

have already

eternally

soever

usually

very

well

when

whenever

yesteryear

yet

anywhen

forever and ever

under no circumstances

ex-

even in a slight degree

all

stop no more

good

👍

ably

absolutely

Traductions

je

mai

jemals

ooit

altijd

sempre

sempre

alguma vez

πάντα

alguna vez

steeds

siempre

semper

immer

Prononcé comme (IPA)

/ˈɛvə/

Étymologie (Anglais)

Appartenant à ancien anglais: ā

Appartenant à ancien anglais: ā tō fēore

Appartenant à ancien anglais: feorhlīf

In summary

From Middle English ever, from Old English ǣfre, originally a phrase whose first element undoubtedly consists of Old English ā (“ever, always”) + in (“in”) + an element possibly from feorh (“life, existence”) (dative fēore). Compare Old English ā tō fēore (“ever in life”), Old English feorhlīf (“life”).
Sense 5 of the adverb was likely formed by association with never, which also carries the meaning of did not in colloquial Singaporean and Malaysian English. Also, compare Chinese 有 … 過 /有 … 过 (yǒu ... guò / jau⁵ ... gwo³, “has […] before”).

Phrases

What did he ever do for his country ?

Qu'a-t-il jamais fait pour son pays?

He has been doing so ever since it fell dark .

Il le fait depuis qu'il est tombé sombre.

And yet , none of these people has ever met the old king .

Et pourtant, aucune de ces personnes n'a jamais rencontré le vieux roi.

No wise man ever wishes to be younger .

Aucun homme sage ne souhaite jamais être plus jeune.

He was absolutely the best " Star Wars " artist you could ever want to have .

Il était absolument le meilleur artiste "Star Wars" que vous puissiez avoir.

He was the first career employee ever to become director of the agency .