adv[
Language: Old English;Origin: nAfre, from ne-
'not' + Afre
'ever']
not at any time, or not once
He's never been to Australia. I'm never going back there again, not as long as I live. It is never too late to give up smoking.Never had/did/was etc Never had she been so confused.never ever(=used to emphasize what you are saying)
I'll never ever forgive him for leaving me. Never again (=never after a particular time) would he return to Naples.never in all my life(=used to emphasize how bad something was)
Never in all my life have I felt so humiliated.never for one moment(=used to emphasize that you never thought something)
She had never for one moment imagined that it could happen to her.sb/sth has never been known to do sth(=used to say that something is strange because it has never happened before)
Max had never been known to leave home without telling anyone.you never knowspoken used to say that something which seems unlikely may happen
Try it! You never know, you might be lucky.I never knew (that)spoken used to mean that you did not know something until now
I never knew you played the guitar!never so much asused to emphasize that someone did not do something, especially when this seems surprising
I do everything for him, and he's never so much as made me a cup of coffee.that would/will never dospoken used to say that you would not want something to happen
Someone might discover our secret and that would never do.never!BrE spoken used when you are very surprised by something
'They're getting married next month.' 'Never!' He's never going to cycle all the way to Manchester! Well I never! I wouldn't have thought she was that old!(no) I never!BrE spoken used to say that you did not do something bad that someone has said you did. Many teachers think this is not correct English
'You cheated, didn't you?' 'No, I never.'never say neverinformalused to say that you should not say that you will never do something, because there is always a small possibility that you might do it
never say dieused to encourage someone not to give up
never fearspoken old-fashioned used to tell someone not to worry
She'll be back, never fear.→
never the twain shall meetattwain
HINT sense 1Do not use another negative word (e.g. 'not') with
never. Use
ever with
not:I've never seen her. |
I haven't ever seen her.