ever Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adverb at any time
    of all time.
    • did you ever smoke?
    • the best con man of all time
  2. adverb at all times; all the time and on every occasion
    always; e'er.
    • I will always be there to help you
    • always arrives on time
    • there is always some pollution in the air
    • ever hoping to strike it rich
    • ever busy
  3. adverb (intensifier for adjectives) very
    ever so.
    • she was ever so friendly

WordNet

Ev"er adverb
Etymology
OE. ever, æfre, AS. æfre; perh. akin to AS. a always. Cf. Aye, Age,Evry, Never.
Definitions
  1. At any time; at any period or point of time.
    No man ever yet hated his own flesh. Eph. v. 29.
  2. At all times; through all time; always; forever.
    He shall ever love, and always be The subject of by scorn and cruelty. Dryder.
  3. Without cessation; continually. ✍ Ever is sometimes used as an intensive or a word of enforcement. "His the old man e'er a son?" Shak.
    To produce as much as ever they can. M. Arnold.
    ✍ Ever is sometimes joined to its adjective by a hyphen, but in most cases the hyphen is needless; as, ever memorable, ever watchful, ever burning.

Webster 1913