never

alternative pronunciation spelling neva · alternative pronunciation spelling nevah · alternative pronunciation spelling nevuh · alternative pronunciation spelling neber · alternative archaic ne'er · alternative archaic nev'r · alternative obsolete neuer

1. not comparableAt no time; on no occasion; in no circumstance.

   I'll never not like you.

   5 more examples

   I finally finished, and I never do wanna do it again.

   We were at the same college, but happened never to meet.

   Why should I love this Gentleman? Tis odds / He never will affect me;

   1613–1614 (date written), John Fletcher, William Shak[e]speare, The Two Noble Kinsmen: […], London: […] Tho[mas] Cotes, for Iohn Waterson; […], published 1634, →OCLC, Act I, scene ii, page 4

   In the old days, to my commonplace and unobserving mind, he gave no evidences of genius whatsoever. He never read me any of his manuscripts, […], and therefore my lack of detection of his promise may in some degree be pardoned.

   1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter I, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC

   "I never thought you were so fond of Mr. Phillips that you'd require two handkerchiefs to dry your tears just because he was going away," said Marilla.

   1908, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables, Chapter XXI: A New Departure in Flavorings

2. not comparableNot at any other time; not on any other occasion; not previously.

   1908, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables, Chapter XIII: The Delights of Anticipation, I never saw such an infatuated man.

   2 more examples

   There is no jewel, be it of never so rich a price, which I set before this jewel: I mean your love.

   1601 November 30, Elizabeth I of England, Elizabeth I's Farewell Speech

   "He is just what a young man ought to be," said she, "sensible, good-humoured, lively; and I never saw such happy manners!--so much ease, with such perfect good breeding!"

   1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], Pride and Prejudice: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC

3. colloquialnot comparableNegative particle (used to negate verbs in the simple past tense; also used absolutely).

   The police say I stole the car, but I never did it.

   3 more examples

   You said you were going to mow the lawn today. – I never!

   "You're never going to break in?" "This instant, if you'll, help me; in five or ten minutes, if you won't."

   1905, E. W. Horning, A Thief in the Night

   Well I looked at Jay and I said "hey, did you hear what I just heard?" He nodded his head and his face turned red and he never said a word

   1976, “C.B. Savage”, performed by Rod Hart

alternative pronunciation spelling neva · alternative pronunciation spelling nevah · alternative pronunciation spelling nevuh · alternative pronunciation spelling neber · alternative archaic ne'er · alternative archaic nev'r · alternative obsolete neuer

1. ManglishSinglishauxiliaryDid not; didn't.

   That's what he said. But I never see anything. Maybe it's an invisible dog. Or very good at hiding.

   2018, Jean Tay, Sisters & Senang: The Island Plays, Epigram Books, →ISBN, Scene 12, page 73

   1 more example

   I told him to go to Woodlands to buy durian for me. He came back and said no durian. But he some more said-ah, he got see people selling durian in Bukit Timah. I ask him-ah. Why you never buy from Bukit Timah.

   2007, Elangovan, P, Singapore, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 85

   Antonyms: got, ever

alternative pronunciation spelling neva · alternative pronunciation spelling nevah · alternative pronunciation spelling nevuh · alternative pronunciation spelling neber · alternative archaic ne'er · alternative archaic nev'r · alternative obsolete neuer

1. A statement of defiance

   ‘Guess what, I've won the pools!’ ‘Never!’