Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
Note: 'Ever' is an adverb which you use to add emphasis in negative sentences, commands, questions, and conditional structures.
1.
Ever means at any time. It is used in questions and negative statements.
I’m not sure I’ll ~ trust people again...
Neither of us had ~ skied...
Have you ~ experienced failure?...
I don’t know if you ~ read any of his books...
? n~
ADV: ADV before v, ADV adv
2.
You use ~ in expressions such as ‘did you ~’ and ‘have you ~’ to express surprise or shock at something you have just seen, heard, or experienced, especially when you expect people to agree with you.
Have you ~ seen anything like it?...
Did you ~ hear anyone sound so peculiar?
ADV: in questions, ADV before v emphasis
3.
You use ~ after comparatives and superlatives to emphasize the degree to which something is true or when you are comparing a present situation with the past or the future.
She’s got a great voice and is singing better than ~...
Japan is wealthier and more powerful than ~ before...
He feels better than he has ~ felt before...
This is the most awful evening I can ~ remember.
ADV: ADV after compar than , ADV after adj-superl emphasis
4.
You use ~ to say that something happens more all the time.
They grew ~ further apart...
ADV: ADV adj/adv
5.
You can use ~ for emphasis after ‘n~’. (INFORMAL)
I can n~, ~, forgive myself...
ADV: ADV before v emphasis
6.
You use ~ in questions beginning with words such as ‘why’, ‘when’, and ‘who’ when you want to emphasize your surprise or shock.
Why ~ didn’t you tell me?...
Who ~ heard of a thing like that?
ADV: quest ADV emphasis
7.
If something has been the case ~ since a particular time, it has been the case all the time from then until now.
He’s been there ~ since you left!...
Ever since we moved last year, I worry a lot about whether I can handle this new job...
PHRASE
•
Ever is also an adverb.
I simply gave in to him, and I’ve regretted it ~ since...
ADV: ADV after v, ADV with cl
8.
You use ~ in the expressions ~ such and ~ so to emphasize that someone or something has a particular quality, especially when you are expressing enthusiasm or gratitude. (BRIT INFORMAL)
When I met Derek he was ~ such a good dancer...
I like him ~ so much...
I’m ~ so grateful...
ADV: ADV such/so emphasis
9.
see also for~
10.
You use the expression all someone ~ does when you want to emphasize that they do the same thing all the time, and this annoys you.
All she ~ does is whinge and complain...
PHRASE: V inflects emphasis
11.
You say as ~ in order to indicate that something or someone’s behaviour is not unusual because it is like that all the time or very often.
As ~, the meals are primarily fish-based...
PHRASE: PHR with cl
12.
hardly ~: see hardly