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Webster 1913 Edition


Forever

For-ev′er

(fŏr-ĕv′ẽr)
,
adv.
[
For
, prep. +
ever
.]
1.
Through eternity; through endless ages; eternally.
2.
At all times; always.
☞ In England, for and ever are usually written and printed as two separate words; but, in the United States, the general practice is to make but a single word of them.
Syn. – Constantly; continually; invariably; unchangeably; incessantly; always; perpetually; unceasingly; ceaselessly; interminably; everlastingly; endlessly; eternally.

Definition 2024


forever

forever

See also: for ever

English

Alternative forms

Adverb

forever (not comparable)

  1. (duration) For all time, for all eternity; for a lifetime; for an infinite amount of time.
    I shall love you forever.
    • 1839, Denison Olmsted, A Compendium of Astronomy Page 95
      Secondly, When a body is once in motion it will continue to move forever, unless something stops it. When a ball is struck on the surface of the earth, the friction of the earth and the resistance of the air soon stop its motion.
  2. (duration, colloquial) For a very long time, 'an' eternity.
    We had to wait forever to get inside.
  3. (frequency) Constantly or frequently.
    You are forever nagging me.
    • 1912: Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan of the Apes, Chapter 5
      Early in his boyhood he had learned to form ropes by twisting and tying long grasses together, and with these he was forever tripping Tublat or attempting to hang him from some overhanging branch.

Usage notes

  • In the United Kingdom and most of the Commonwealth, the spelling for ever may be used instead of forever for the senses "for all time" and "for a long time". In Canada and the United States, generally only forever is used, regardless of sense.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Noun

forever (plural forevers)

  1. An extremely long time.
    • 2001 September, Michael Knisley, “The Braves' last stand”, in Sporting News, volume 225, number 36, page 12:
      It's been a fortnight of forevers since the Braves could count on a late-game comeback.
    • 2007, Ruth O'Callaghan, Where acid has etched
      In the airport, holiday lovers kiss, mouth forevers, the usual argot betrays you. Desire makes love dull.
  2. (colloquial) a mythical time in the infinite future that will never come.
    Sure, I'd be happy to meet with you on the 12th of forever.

Translations