never
never
adverb
/ˈnevə(r)/
1 not at any time; not on any occasion
You never help me.
He'll never forget her.
He has never been abroad.
She had never seen so much snow.
She left the country, vowing never to return again.
‘Would you vote for him?’ ‘Never.’
‘I work for a company called Orion Technology.’ ‘Never heard of them.’
Never in all my life have I seen such a horrible thing.
Never ever tell anyone your password.
Never before has English cuisine been so stylish.
TOPICS Time A1
2 used to emphasize a negative statement instead of ‘not’
I never knew (= didn't know until now) you had a twin sister.
I never realized just how easy it is.
(especially British English) Someone might find out, and that would never do (= that is not acceptable).
He never so much as smiled (= did not smile even once).
Most people have never even heard of Iggy.
(especially British English) ‘I told my boss exactly what I thought of her.’ ‘You never did!’ (= ‘Surely you didn't!’)
(British English, slang) ‘You took my bike.’ ‘No, I never.’
(old-fashioned or humorous) Never fear (= Do not worry), everything will be all right.
Idioms
never say never
on the never-never
Well, I never (did)!
Word Origin
Old English nǣfre, from ne ‘not’ + ǣfre ‘ever’.