ever-lovingadj.n.
/ˈɛvəˌlʌvɪŋ/, U.S. /ˈɛvərˌləvɪŋ/ A. adj.
1. That loves for ever; now usually colloquial as a stock epithet for a wife, girlfriend, etc.
ΚΠ
1587 A. Day Shepheards Holidaie in Longus's Daphnis & Chloe sig. L Nor to her Peeres and vassalls al so deere, Nor of such port and euer louing cheere.
1650 Perfect Diurnall No. 41. 512 We are preserved to magnifie the great and glorious name of our everliving and everloving God.
1931 D. Runyon Guys & Dolls (1932) i. 26 Maud Milligan, who is well known to one and all as the ever-loving doll of Big Nip.
1938 D. Runyon Furthermore v. 87 His ever-loving wife is passing a tambourine around.
2016 Philippine Star (Nexis) 11 Sept. (headline) Our ever-loving God.
2. U.S. As an intensifier, typically used self-consciously as a mild expletive. Cf. everlasting adj. 2d, mother-loving adj. 2.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > love > amorous love > [adjective] > that loves for ever
ever-loving1912
the mind > language > malediction > oaths > [adjective] > oaths other than religious or obscene
confounded1652
buggering1784
everlasting1834
condemned1841
ever-loving1912
1912 Calif. Pelican (Univ. Calif., Berkeley) Apr. Tarump, don't you dare to slip, Tarump, don't you dare to trip, In that ever lovin' Partheneia Glide.
1961 R. Gover One Hundred Dollar Misunderstanding 22 This daddio pull out the biggest fuggin wad o'green I ever in my everlovin born days ever-ever did see!
1981 Evening Rev. (East Liverpool, Ohio) 18 Sept. 6/1 I mean, what in the everloving, blue-eyed world is ‘negative growth’?
2009 Atlantic Monthly Jan. 63/1 You wanna tell me that you won't vote for him because of the color of his skin? Are you out of your ever-loving mind?
B. n.
A person who loves for ever; (colloquial) a person's wife.
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > kinship or relationship > marriage or wedlock > married person > married woman > [noun] > wife > one's wife
peculiar1615
old woman1668
old girl1745
the Mrs1821
old lady1836
old Dutcha1889
duchess1909
ever-loving1939
her indoors1979
1696 Mr. De Labadie's Let. to Daughter 6 I rest Your ever Loving.
1868 Monthly Relig. Mag. July 63 The Ever-loving, the Ever-faithful, the Ever-near, our Portion, our Refuge, our Joy.
1939 Indiana (Pa.) Evening Gaz. 20 Sept. 2/5 This handiness undoubtedly elevates husbands in the esteem of their ever-lovings. Women like competent men.
1968 ‘P. Barrington’ Accessory to Murder ii. 34 The old fool was devoted to his ever-loving. I reckon she was damn lucky.
1990 Sunday Tel. 14 Jan. 45/3 My second mistake was to agree to my ever-loving's suggestion that he raise fruit and vegetables.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2018; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.1587