never

never: [[t]ne̱və(r)[/t]]
♦

1) ADV-NEG: ADV before v, ADV group/to-inf Never means at no time in the past or at no time in the future.

I have never lost the weight I put on in my teens...

Never had he been so free of worry...

That was a mistake. We'll never do it again...

Never say that. Never, do you hear?...

He was never really healthy...

This is never to happen again.

2) ADV-NEG: ADV before v, ADV group/to-inf Never means `not in any circumstances at all'.

I would never do anything to hurt him...

Even if you are desperate to get married, never let it show...

Divorce is never easy for children...

The golden rule is never to clean a valuable coin.

3) PHRASE: PHR before v, be PHR group (emphasis) Never ever is an emphatic way of saying `never'.

I never, ever sit around thinking, `What shall I do next?'...

He's vowed never ever to talk about anything personal in public, ever again.

4) ADV-NEG Never is used to refer to the past and means `not'.

He never achieved anything...

He waited until all the luggage was cleared, but Paula's never appeared...

I never knew the lad...

I'd never have dreamt of doing such a thing.

5) EXCLAM (feelings) You say `never!' to indicate how surprised or shocked you are by something that someone has just said. [SPOKEN]

6) EXCLAM (feelings) You say `Well, I never' to indicate that you are very surprised about something that you have just seen or found out. [OLD-FASHIONED, SPOKEN]

`What were you up to there?' - `I was head of the information department.' - `Well I never!'

7) PHRASE: oft it PHR to-inf If you say that something will never do or would never do, you are saying, often humorously, that you think it is not appropriate or not suitable in some way.

It would never do to have Henry there in her apartment...

I don't think it is an example of bad writing myself, otherwise I'd be agreeing with Leavis, and that would never do.

8) never fear → see fear

never mind → see mind

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Synonyms:

At no time, not at any time, not ever / In no degree, not at all, none / Not

Look at other dictionaries:

Never — Nev er (n[e^]v [ e]r), adv. [AS. n[=ae]fre; ne not, no + [=ae]fre ever.] 1. Not ever; not at any time; at no time, whether past, present, or future. Shak. [1913 Webster] Death still draws nearer, never seeming near. Pope. [1913 Webster] 2. In no… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Never so — Never Nev er (n[e^]v [ e]r), adv. [AS. n[=ae]fre; ne not, no + [=ae]fre ever.] 1. Not ever; not at any time; at no time, whether past, present, or future. Shak. [1913 Webster] Death still draws nearer, never seeming near. Pope. [1913 Webster] 2.… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Never — may refer to: Contents 1 Popular culture 2 Places 3 See also … Wikipedia
never — ► ADVERB 1) not ever. 2) not at all. 3) Brit. informal (expressing surprise) definitely or surely not. ● never a one Cf. ↑never a one ● the never never Cf. ↑ … English terms dictionary
never — As a negative adverb, never refers primarily to repeated or continuous non occurrence over a period of time: They never answer letters / It never rained at all last month. It should only be used informally to refer to one occasion, when a simple… … Modern English usage
Never — Never, Never Gonna Give You Up Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Never, Never Gonna Give You Up puede hacer referencia a: Never Gonna Give You Up, canción de Barry White. Never Gonna Give You Up, canción de Rick Astley. Obtenido de Never, Never Gonna … Wikipedia Español
never — (adv.) O.E. næfre never, compound of ne not, no (from PIE root *ne no, not; see UN (Cf. un) ) + æfre ever (see EVER (Cf. ever)). Early used as an emphatic form of not (as still in never mind). Old English, unlike its modern desc … Etymology dictionary
never a — No • • • Main Entry: ↑never … Useful english dictionary
never — index sine die Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
never — [adv] not at any time at no time, don’t hold your breath*, forget it, nevermore, not at all, not ever, not in any way, not in the least, not on your life*, not under any condition, no way*; concept 799 Ant. always, forever … New thesaurus
never — [nev′ər] adv. [ME nevere < OE næfre < ne, not (see NO1) + æfre, EVER] 1. not ever; at no time 2. not at all; by no chance; in no case; under no conditions … English World dictionary

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