Learner's definition of EVER
1
: at any time曾经;(以往)任何时候 -
The crime rate is higher now than it has ever been.如今的犯罪率比以往任何时候都要高。
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He's forgotten all he's ever learned about history.他把过去所学的历史知识全都忘光了。
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Have you ever been to France?你去过法国吗?
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She's doing fine and is as pretty as ever.她现在很好,还像以前那么漂亮。
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No one has ever seen a better example of woodwork.还从没有人见过比这更好的木制品。
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We need your help now more than ever (before).我们现在比以往任何时候更需要你的帮助。
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Has this ever been done before?以前这样做过吗?
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That was my best vacation ever. [=the best vacation I have ever had]那是我有生以来最美好的假期。
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Did it ever occur to you that I might like more myself?你可曾想过我可能更爱我自己?
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He's a born politician if ever I saw one. [=he is certainly a born politician]如果说我见过天生的政治家的话,那无疑就是他了。
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That was the worst movie I ever saw.那是我看过的最差的电影。
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I don't ever want to do that again. = (informal) I don't want to ever do that again. = I don't want to do that again, ever!我再也不想做那样的事了。
2
formal : at all times总是;一直;始终 -
He is ever [=always] faithful.他总是那么忠诚。
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moving ever westward一直向西行进。
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a guard who is ever watchful = an ever-watchful guard始终保持警惕的守卫
3
: to a greater degree更加 -
Technology in recent years has become ever more sophisticated.近年来,技术已变得更加精湛了。
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The deadline draws ever closer.离截止日期更近了。
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Millions of farmers were forced into ever-deeper debt during the Great Depression.经济大萧条时期,数百万农民被迫背上了更高的债务。
4
—
used after words like where, who, how, and why to make a question more forceful究竟,到底(用在where、who、how和why等词后加强疑问句语气) -
How ever can I (possibly) thank you?我究竟该怎样答谢你才好呢?
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What ever happened to my former classmates?我过去的同学们到底发生了什么事情呢?
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Where ever did I put my keys?我到底把钥匙放到哪儿了呢?
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“I can't do that.” “Why ever not?”“我不能那样做。”“究竟为何呢?”
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Who ever would want to go there?究竟谁会想去那儿呢?
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also used in indirect questions也用于间接疑问句 5
US, informal —
used to give stress to what follows非常,很,确实,的确(用于强调ever后面的内容) -
Wow, was he ever funny! [=he was very funny]哇,他真是太有趣了!
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Am I ever embarrassed! [=I am very embarrassed]我真是太难为情了!
as ever
: as has always been true : as usual一直;照常;依旧
ever after
old-fashioned
: from that time forward从此 ◊ Fairy tales sometimes end by saying that the characters in the story lived happily ever after.从此过着幸福的生活(童话故事有时以此作为结尾)
◊ The phrase live happily ever after is also used to describe real people who are being compared in some way to characters in a fairy tale.*live happily ever after也用于描述被比作童话人物的真实人物。
ever and anon
old-fashioned + literary
: at different times : now and then时时;不时
ever since
1
: continually or often from a past time until now从那时起;自那以后 -
We both liked the idea and have been working on it ever since. [=since then]我们俩都喜欢那个想法,并且从那时起便努力将它付诸实践。
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I went to the festival its first year and have been returning ever since.我参加了这个节日的首次庆典,此后我每年都去参加。
2
: continually from the time in the past when : since自…以后;从…以来
ever so
informal
: very非常;十分 -
Thank you ever so much.非常感谢您。
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I'm ever so glad that you got better.我非常高兴你好起来了。
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The violin was ever so slightly out of tune.这把小提琴有点跑音。
ever such
chiefly British, informal
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used as a more forceful way to say “such”非常,很,确实,的确(用于加强such的语气)
never ever
informal
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used especially in speech as a more forceful way to say “never”永远不,绝不(尤用于口语中加强never的语气)
rarely/seldom ever
: almost never : rarely几乎不;很少 ◊ Some people regard rarely ever and seldom ever as incorrect, but these phrase are common in speech and in informal writing.一些人认为rarely ever和seldom ever是不正确用法,但这些短语在口语和非正式的书面语中十分普遍。
rarely/seldom if ever
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used as a more forceful way to say “rarely” or “seldom”很少,几乎不(用于加强rarely或seldom的语气) ◊ Rarely if ever and seldom if ever can be written both with or without commas*rarely if ever和seldom if ever书写时既可用逗号分隔,也可连在一起。
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Such radical opinions have rarely, if ever, been heard here before.如此激进的观点此前在这里很少听到。
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She rarely if ever sings anymore.她很少再唱歌了。
Yours ever
British or Ever yours
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used as a way to end an informal letter你的永远的朋友(用作非正式信件的结尾)