nevermore
/'nevə'mɔ:/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adverb: At no time in the future; never again.
Usage
The word "nevermore" is a formal, literary, or poetic adverb used to emphatically state that something will not happen again. It is often used for dramatic or solemn effect.
Examples
- The ancient prophecy declared that the cursed king would nevermore walk in the light of day.
- After the betrayal, she vowed to trust him nevermore.
- "And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor / Shall be lifted—nevermore!" (From "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe)
Advanced Usage
- Emphatic Negation: "Nevermore" serves as a powerful, emphatic form of "never again," often carrying a tone of finality, sorrow, or doom. It is rarely used in casual, everyday conversation.
- Literary and Rhetorical Device: Its most famous usage is in Edgar Allan Poe's poem "The Raven," where the word is repeated as a refrain, creating a haunting and melancholic atmosphere.
Variants and Related Words
- Never (adverb): At no time; not ever. This is the standard, non-literary equivalent.
- Never again (adverbial phrase): The common phrase with the same meaning as "nevermore."
Synonyms
- Never again
- Not ever again
- No more
Antonyms
- Again
- Once more
- Forevermore
Related Idioms
- "Quoth the Raven, 'Nevermore'": This specific line from Poe's poem is often referenced in popular culture to evoke a sense of grim finality or to make a dramatic, negative pronouncement.
- When asked if the company would recover, the analyst sighed and said, "Quoth the Raven..."
Adverb
- at no time hereafter
- Quoth the raven, nevermore! -E.A.Poe