English

Adjective

everlasting ‎(comparative more everlasting, superlative most everlasting)

1. Lasting or enduring forever; existing or continuing without end; immortal; eternal.
   • (Can we date this quote?), Genesis xx1. 33

     The Everlasting God.

2. Continuing indefinitely, or during a long period; perpetual; sometimes used, colloquially, as a strong intensive.

   this everlasting nonsense‎

   • (Can we date this quote?), Genesis xvii. 8

     I will give to thee, and to thy seed after thee […] the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession.

   • (Can we date this quote?), Alexander Pope (1688-1744)

     And heard thy everlasting yawn confess / The pains and penalties of idleness.

3. (philosophy) Existing with infinite temporal duration (as opposed to existence outside of time).

Adverb

everlasting ‎(comparative more everlasting, superlative most everlasting)

1. (colloquial) Extremely.
   • 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 10, in Mr. Pratt's Patients:

     The Jones man was looking at her hard. Now he reached into the hatch of his vest and fetched out a couple of cigars, everlasting big ones, with gilt bands on them.

Usage notes

• Everlasting, Eternal. Eternal denotes (when taken strictly) without beginning or end of duration; everlasting is sometimes used in our version of the Scriptures in the sense of eternal, but in modern usage is confined to the future, and implies no intermission as well as no end.

  Whether we shall meet again I know not; Therefore our everlasting farewell take; Forever, and forever farewell, Cassius. -William Shakespeare

Synonyms

• eternal, immortal, interminable, endless, never-ending, infinite, unlimited, unceasing, uninterrupted, continual, unintermitted, incessant
• (existing with infinite temporal duration) sempiternal

Antonyms

• (of a short life): ephemeral
• (existing or continuing without end): finite, limited, mortal

Derived terms

• everlasting flower.
• everlasting pea

Translations

Noun

everlasting ‎(plural everlastings)

1. An everlasting flower.
   • 1942, Emily Carr, The Book of Small, “The Orange Lily,”

     With a backward look Small said, “What a lovely lily!” ¶ “Well enough but strong-smelling, gaudy. Come see the everlastings.”

   • 1974, GB Edwards, The Book of Ebenezer Le Page, New York 2007, p. 313:

     ‘It is true perhaps it is too late now for you to look like a rose; but you can always look like an everlasting.’

2. (historical) A durable cloth fabric for shoes, etc.
   • 1988, Eric Kerridge, Textile Manufactures in Early Modern England (page 64)

     Everlastings of one kind or another were used to make gaiters, shoe tops and liveries for sergeants and catchpoles.

Translations