ne'er
/neə/
Definition
- Adverb:
- At no time; not ever: "ne'er" is a poetic or archaic contraction of "never," used to indicate that something has not happened at any time in the past or will not happen at any time in the future.
Usage Examples
- Adverb:
- He swore he'd ne'er return to that cursed place. (He swore he would never return to that cursed place.)
- "I'll ne'er forget your kindness," she whispered. ("I will never forget your kindness," she whispered.)
Advanced Usage
- Poetic/Literary Context: "Ne'er" is primarily used in poetry, song lyrics, old literature, or to create an archaic, formal, or romantic tone. It is not standard in modern everyday English.
- "For ne'er was a story of more woe / Than this of Juliet and her Romeo." (From Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet)
Variants and Related Words
- Never (adv.): The standard, full modern form of the word.
- I never eat meat.
- Ever (adv.): At any time. ("Never" is its direct opposite).
- Have you ever been to Paris?
Synonyms
- Not ever: The literal meaning.
- At no time: A more formal equivalent.
Related Phrases
- Ne'er-do-well (n.): A person who is lazy and worthless. (Note: This is a compound noun listed here as a related term, not as a definition of "ne'er" itself).
- He was considered the town ne'er-do-well.
Related Idioms
- Now or never: At this precise moment, or it will not be possible.
- It's now or never—jump!
- Never say never: One should not say that something is impossible, as the future is uncertain.
- I said I'd never skydive, but never say never!
Adverb
-
not ever; at no time in the past or future
-
I have never been to China
-
I shall never forget this day
-
had never seen a circus
-
never on Sunday
-
I will never marry you!
-
Khám phá thêm
Các từ liên quan
Từ đồng nghĩa
