never

never
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 descendant, had the useful custom of attaching ne to words to create their negatives, as in nabban for na habban "not to have."
Italian giammai, Fr. jamais, Sp. jamas are from L. iam "already" + magis "more;" thus lit. "at any time, ever," originally with a negative, but this has been so thoroughly absorbed in sense as to be formally omitted.
Phrase never say die "don't despair" is from 1818. Never Never Land is first attested in Australia as a name for the uninhabited northern part of Queensland (1884), perhaps so called because anyone who had gone there once never wished to return. Meaning "imaginary, illusory or utopian place" first attested 1900 in American English.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • 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 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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