al ‧ ways S1 W1 /ˈɔːlwəz, ˈɔːlwɪz, -weɪz $ ˈɒːl-/ BrE AmE adverb
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old English ; Origin: ealne weg 'all the way' ]
1 . all the time, at all times, or every time:
Always lock your bicycle to something secure.
She’d always assumed that Gabriel was a girl’s name.
He hadn’t always been a butler.
2 . for a very long time:
I’ve always wanted to go to Paris.
John’s always been keen on music.
3 . for ever:
I’ll always remember that day.
4 . if someone or something is always doing something, they do it often, especially in an annoying way:
That woman next door’s always complaining.
5 . always assuming/supposing (that) something British English used to say that one important fact has to be accepted as true for something else to happen, be true etc:
We’ll leave on Tuesday – always assuming the car’s repaired by then.
6 . as always as is usual or expected:
The truth, as always, is more complicated.
As always, Deborah was the last to arrive.
7 . can/could always do something ( also there’s always something ) spoken used to make a polite suggestion:
You could always try ringing again.
If you can’t get it locally, there’s always the Internet.
8 . somebody always was lucky/untidy etc used to say you are not surprised by what someone has done because it is typical of them:
You always were a stubborn creature.
He’s a troublemaker! Always was and always will be!
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THESAURUS
▪ always all the time, at all times, or every time:
I will always love you.
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He always carries his medicine.
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People will always need houses.
▪ forever ( also for ever British English ) if something lasts or continues forever, it remains or continues for all future time:
Nothing lasts forever.
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He seemed to think he would live forever.
▪ permanently always, or for a very long time – used about changes that you expect to last forever. Permanently can be used with a verb or with an adjective:
His eyesight may be permanently damaged.
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They decided to move to Portugal permanently.
▪ for life for the rest of your life:
Marriage is supposed to be for life.
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He was sent to jail for life.
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Remarks like that can affect someone for life.
▪ for good especially spoken forever – used to talk about a permanent change:
This time, he’s coming back for good.
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Once a species dies out, it is gone for good.
▪ for all time forever – used when saying that something will last or be remembered forever because it is very good or special:
Their deeds will be remembered for all time.
▪ to/until your dying day for the rest of your life – used when something has affected you very deeply:
I’ll remember what he said to my dying day.
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GRAMMAR
Always usually comes before the verb, unless the verb is a simple tense of ‘be’, or after the first auxiliary:
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I always wanted to be an engineer.
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He is always cheerful.
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Education in Britain has always been considered some of the best in the world.
always, still
Use still , not always, to say that a previous situation has not changed, and is continuing at the time of speaking:
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He still lives (NOT always lives) with his parents.