I. ˈēvən noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English even, eve, from Old English ǣfen; akin to Old Frisian ēvend evening, Old Saxon āƀand, Old High German āband, Old Norse aptann evening, and perhaps to Greek epi on — more at epi-
1. archaic : evening
2. archaic : eve I 2
II. adjective
( sometimes -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English efen; akin to Old Frisian even even, equal, Old Saxon eƀan, Old High German eban, Old Norse jafn, Gothic ibns
1.
a.
(1) : having a horizontal surface : not sloping : flat , level
toiling up the mountain they at last came to even ground
(2) : being without gross deviation from a geometrical plane
pneumatic hammers … work across the … block, producing a rough but even surface — American Guide Series: Vermont
b. : being without break, indentation, roughness, or other irregularity : smooth , continuous
the coastline was always even and unbroken — Valter Schytt
c. : being in the same plane or line : level , parallel — used chiefly with with
the man came even with the corner — Robert Murphy
houses even with each other
that great wind had laid the tree even with the ground
2.
a.
(1) : being without variation or fluctuation : regular , smooth , equal , steady , uniform
even distances apart
the even motion of the airplane
the even beat of raindrops on the roof
his straight nose and clear even features went well with his blondness — Louis Auchincloss
(2) : uniform or consistent in character or quality
the darkling sky was of an even slate color
the texture of his writing is even and finished — Times Literary Supplement
(3) : level 5
b. : not easily disturbed : serene , unruffled , calm , placid
the child … was naturally of an even temper — Samuel Butler †1902
the even tenor of his life
speaks in a thoughtful, even voice — Stuart Keate
3.
a. obsolete : straightforward , plain , direct
b. : equal in quality, opportunity, or station
they started out even , since neither had had any playing experience
c. : giving no advantage to either side
an even exchange
the even balance of its interests — F.L.Paxson
: fair , impartial , just
d.
(1) : leaving nothing due on either side : square , quits
we shall not be even till you repay my visit
(2) : fully revenged — often used in the phrase get even with
get even with his tormentor
e. : being in equilibrium : balanced
the scales hang even
specifically : being neither loser nor gainer : showing neither profit nor loss
the firm has to do an enormous business in order to stay even — Harold Koontz & Cyril O'Donnell
4. : equal in size, number, or quantity
even shares
5.
a. : being any member of a sequence of positive integers beginning with two and counting by twos : being always exactly divisible by 2 — opposed to odd
b. : having an even number as one of a series
an even page in a book
an even -pinnate leaf
c. : containing an even number of individuals
analyzing a committee chairman's tie-breaking function … we see that … in an even committee he is never pivotal — L.S.Shapley & Martin Shubik
6. : having neither more nor less than the named or understood amount, extent, or number : exact
an even mile
an even dollar
7. : as likely as not : nicely balanced : fifty-fifty
it is at least an even chance that he will prosper
he stands an even chance of winning
the chances of success or failure are even
Synonyms: see level , steady
•
- at even hand
- of even date
- on even keel
III. ˈēvən or except in sense 1b ˈēv ə m or ˈēb ə m adverb
Etymology: Middle English evene, even, from Old English efne, from efen, adjective
1.
a. obsolete : without disagreement : in accord
b. knitting : without change by increasing or decreasing — used chiefly in the phrase work even
work even until armhole measures same as back armhole — National Needlecraft Bureau
2.
a. : as well : precisely , just , exactly
even as you and I, children need warmth and affection
some can appreciate character even as other men — Nora Waln
b. : to a degree that extends : fully , quite
even to the shedding of some natural tears — William Wordsworth
to be faithful even unto death
c. : at the very time : already
even as the fish's head fell from the crocodile's munching mouth there was a swoop of white wings — Francis Birtles
perhaps even now the time has arrived — Walt Whitman
d. archaic : to be sure
3.
a. : truly , indeed , nay — used as an intensive that serves to emphasize the identity or character of something
we, even we, henceforth flaunt out masterful — Walt Whitman
a huge, even monstrous animal
b. — used as an intensive serving to indicate an extreme, hypothetical, or unlikely case or instance of something
corruption is so diffused that no one even protests — Gilbert Seldes
refused even to look at her
even if help comes, it will be too late
ravaged it even to the precious library and family Bible — American Guide Series: North Carolina
c. — used as an intensive serving to stress the comparative degree
did even better under the new coach
emeralds are even scarcer than rubies
4. : in an even manner
IV. ˈēvən verb
( evened ; evened ; evening ˈēv(ə)niŋ ; evens )
Etymology: Middle English evenen, from Old English efnan, from efen, adjective
transitive verb
1.
a. : to make (a surface) smooth or even
even out the soil with a spade
b. : to make regular or uniform : free of fluctuations : stabilize — often used with out
giant reservoirs … even out the flow of the river by controlling floods in winter and releasing water in dry periods — G.R.Clapp
even out the activities of the construction industry … providing a reasonable level of construction throughout the year — Beardsley Ruml
2. archaic
a. : to regard as being on the same level : treat as equal : compare
b. : to come up to : match , rival
c. : to bring down to a certain level
3. dialect Britain : ascribe , impute
4. : to make even in advantage : make (accounts or some other reckoning) balanced : make quits
things are evened up in this world — Irish Digest
his mind … is suggestible to suspicious jealousy, and he cannot cease until he is evened with the Moor wife for wife — College English
intransitive verb
: to be or become even
odds have probably evened somewhat between us and the Russians in the air-atomic field — R.W.Frase