never
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Contents
English[edit]
Alternative forms[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈnɛv.ə(ɹ)/
- (US) IPA(key): /ˈnɛ.vɚ/, [ˈnɛvɚ̹]
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Audio (UK) (file) -
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -ɛvə(ɹ)
- Hyphenation: nev‧er
Etymology[edit]
From Middle English nevere, navere, nævere, from Old English nǣfre (“never”), equivalent to ne + ever.
Adverb[edit]
never (not comparable)
- At no time; on no occasion; in no circumstance.
- 1634, William Shakespeare, John Fletcher, The Two Noble Kinsmen, Act 2, Scene 4,
- Why should I love this Gentleman? Tis odds / He never will affect me;
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1898, Winston Churchill, chapter 1, in The Celebrity:
- In the old days, to my commonplace and unobserving mind, he gave no evidences of genius whatsoever. He never read me any of his manuscripts, […], and therefore my lack of detection of his promise may in some degree be pardoned.
- 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.
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I finally finished, and I never want to do that again.
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I repeated the test a hundred times, and never saw a positive result.
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I will never tell.
- 1634, William Shakespeare, John Fletcher, The Two Noble Kinsmen, Act 2, Scene 4,
- Not at any other time; not on any other occasion; not previously.
- 1601 Novenber 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 Novenber 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).
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The police say I stole the car, but I never did it.
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You said you were going to mow the lawn today. – I never!
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Antonyms[edit]
Derived terms[edit]
Terms derived from never
Translations[edit]
at no time
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Statistics[edit]
Most common English words before 1923 in Project Gutenberg: first · down · good · #99: never · shall · most · where
Anagrams[edit]
Norwegian Bokmål[edit]
Noun[edit]
never m
- indefinite plural of neve
Romansch[edit]
Alternative forms[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From neiv or from Vulgar Latin *nivicō, *nivicāre < *nivō, nivāre, from Latin nix, nivis, from Proto-Indo-European *nígʷʰs, *snígʷʰs (“snow”).
Verb[edit]
never
Related terms[edit]
Categories:
- English 2-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms inherited from Old English
- English terms derived from Old English
- English lemmas
- English adverbs
- English uncomparable adverbs
- English terms with usage examples
- English colloquialisms
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- en:Time
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- Romansch terms inherited from Vulgar Latin
- Romansch terms derived from Vulgar Latin
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- rm:Weather
