| 释义 |
evenn.1 Origin: A word inherited from Germanic. Etymology: Cognate with Old Frisian āvend , ēvend (West Frisian jūn , East Frisian äiwend ), Old Dutch āvont , āvond- (Middle Dutch avont , avond- , Dutch avond ), Old Saxon āƀand , āvand (Middle Low German āvent , āvend- ), Old High German āband (Middle High German ābent , German Abend ), and perhaps further with Old Icelandic aptann , aptunn , Old Norwegian æftann (Norwegian (Nynorsk) aftan , (Bokmål) aften ), Old Swedish aptan , apton , aftan (Swedish afton ), Danish aften ; further etymology uncertain. Compare even v.2, evening n.1, eve n.2Further etymology. This word and its cognates in the West Germanic languages appear to derive from a common base in Germanic, although Old English ǣfen is a ja -stem and is usually neuter, whereas forms in the other West Germanic languages show a final dental (apparently suggesting a morphologically distinct form) and are masculine a -stems. The relationship between these forms and those in the Scandinavian languages is more problematic phonologically, although various attempts have been made to explain them as developments ultimately from the same Indo-European base, perhaps a suffixed form of the base of after adv. (compare e.g. Hittite išpant- night (compare west adv.), Sanskrit hamantá winter, vasantá sprinɡ). For a detailed discussion see A. L. Lloyd & O. Springer Etymol. Wörterbuch des Althochdeutschen (1988) I. 9–13. Inflection in Old English. In Old English the word is attested both as a strong neuter and as a strong masculine. Strong neuter inflection is found in other Old English formations in -enn- (e.g. fæsten fasten n.), although in the case of ǣfen the details of the development are less clear. The word sometimes shows an unmarked dative (originally an endingless locative), especially in prepositional phrases (compare on-even adv.). Form history. With the Old English (Northumbrian) form ēfern compare β. forms at western n.1 and discussion at that entry; compare also β. forms at Lenten n. and adj. and similar forms at fasten n. The β. forms show the development of a palatal on-glide. The γ. forms show metanalysis. Now archaic, poetic, and regional. the world > time > day and night > day or daytime > afternoon > [noun] the world > time > day and night > day or daytime > evening > [noun] OE 1242 Symle me onsende siegdryhten min..engel ufancundne, se mec efna gehwam, meahtig meotudes þegn, ond on morgne eft, sigorfæst gesohte. OE (2008) 1235 Syþðan æfen cwom ond him Hroþgar gewat to hofe sinum, rice to ræste. OE Homily: Hist. Holy Rood-tree (Kansas Y 103) in (1962) 37 63 Oðres æfenes þa becomen hi to þære stowe þe genemned is Delemia. c1175 (Burchfield transcript) l. 1105 He wass all daȝȝ Vnnclene anan till efenn. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon (Calig.) (1978) l. 9765 Þa hit wes eauen. a1325 (c1250) (1968) l. 1675 Iacob wurð drunken, and euen cam. 1340 (1866) 113 (MED) Þet is þe peny þet he yefþ to his workmen h[u]anne euen comþ. c1425 J. Lydgate (Augustus A.iv) v. 2940 (MED) Glad swevenes, Boþe at morwe & on lusti evenes. 1509 (de Worde) sig. A.viii He ne wyst whether it was daye or euen. 1535 Ezek. xii. 4 Thou thy self shalt go forth also at euen in their sight. 1567 R. Sempill in J. Cranstoun (1891) I. 31 Ane King at euin, with Sceptur, Sword, & Crown, At morne bot ane deformit lumpe of clay. a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) v. ii. 40 She did intend confession At Patricks Cell this euen . View more context for this quotation 1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics i, in tr. Virgil 68 Th' unerring Sun..declares, What the late Ev'n, or early Morn prepares. View more context for this quotation 1759 S. Johnson I. ii. 10 From the dawn of morning to the close of even. 1792 M. Flinders Diary 11 Mar. in (2009) II. 107 On Saturday Even: about half past 8 o'clock was felt in this place the shock of an Earthquake. 1816 J. Wilson ii. ii. 228 A plaintive tune..sung at fall of even. 1843 A. Bethune 279 Daylight, done at four o'clock, Yields to the lang dark e'en. 1926 D. C. Scott 264 When he comes home at even, The dew upon his scythe, His stride is weary. 1968 H. Orton & M. F. Wakelin IV. iii. 832 Q[uestion]. What do you call the various parts of the day? [Berkshire] Even. 1985 in (1991) II. (at cited word) Even—short for evening, any time after noon, in West Virginia. 1996 I. Monk tr. G. Perec Exeter Text in (2004) 74 When even fell, seven henchmen..entered the tents then slew Mehmet Ben Berek. the world > time > period > a day or twenty-four hours > [noun] > special or ceremonial days > eve of society > faith > worship > liturgical year > feast, festival > [noun] > eve of eOE (Parker) anno 626 Her Eanflęd Edwines dohtor cyninges wæs gefulwad in þone halgan æfen Pentecosten. OE (Tiber. B.iv) anno 1066 He [sc. cometa] æteowde ærest on þone æfen Letania Maior viii kalendas Mai, & swa scan ealle þa seofon niht. 1389 in J. T. Smith & L. T. Smith (1870) 25 (MED) Alle ye bretheren..shul kepen and begynnen her deuocioun on ye euen of ye feste of ye Trinitee. a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. ix. xxxi. 548 To estir parteyneþ þe euen þerof þat..is iclepid..‘þe holy Satirday’. ?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng (Petyt) (1996) ii. l. 4234 Þe euen of þe Trinite vnder Acres Richard gan aryue. 1478–9 in C. L. Kingsford (1919) II. 72 Payd for a cope for the caponys on candelmas yenne, vj. d. a1536 W. Tyndale Prol. Jonah in (1848) I. 450 The saints..torment the souls in hell, if their evens be not fasted. a1556 T. Cranmer in J. Strype (1694) App. 100 Vigils, otherwise called Watchings, remain in the Calendars upon certain Saints Evens. 1587 A. Fleming et al. (new ed.) III. Contin. 1286/1 Thomas Audleie..died on Maie eeuen. 1623 J. Minsheu (at cited word) An holy daies Euen. a1648 Ld. Herbert (1649) 164 It was the even of Saint Mathias in February. 1764 R. Burn 13 No labourer..shall take any hire..for the evens of feasts. 1828 W. Scott Fair Maid of Perth vii, in 2nd Ser. II. 193 They quarrelled..on the St Valentine's Even. 1855 F. K. Robinson 52 E'en, Kessenmas e'en..Cannelmas e'en. 1952 S. Godman tr. M. Buber iii. 98 In the afternoon—it is the even of the New Year—they go into the plunge-bath and afterwards into the house of prayer. PhraseseOE (Mercian) (1965) liv. 16 (18) Uespere mane et meridie : on efenne on marne & on midne deg. OE Homily (Corpus Cambr. 162) in (1901) 361 Wa eow þe fram morgen oð æfen & fram æfen oð morgen mid missenlicra gliwa oferfiligað & druncennysse neosiað. OE liv. 18 Vespere et mane et meridie narrabo et adnuntiabo : on æfen & on mergen & on midne dæg ic cyþe & ic bodige. a1400 (a1325) (Fairf. 14) l. 6385 Fra heyuen þen come þaire fode..euen & morne hit con falle. a1450 (Vesp.) (1902) 593 (MED) We sal not swer on euyn ne morn, For fardnes for to be for-sworn. a1500 (a1460) (1994) I. xiv. 166 We shall not rest, euen nor morne. a1525 (c1448) R. Holland Bk. Howlat l. 195 in W. A. Craigie (1925) II. 101 At ewyn and at morn. 1628 T. May tr. Virgil i. 23 When his [sc. the sun's] Orbe both even and morne is bright. 1757 J. Hervey 21 The kind munificence which heaven has shower'd On man each blissful day to even from morn. a1864 J. Clare (1984) 689 I courted her both even and morn. 1927 A. Werth tr. A. Pushkin in 5 671 If of my wits I were deprived, I would Trouble your sleep beneath your balcony With serenades from even till morn. 1992 B. Yu tr. Y. Han in ii. 68 Even when you do not come, I keep waiting for you from even to morn—in the wind, rain, and snow. a1439 J. Lydgate (Bodl. 263) ii. l. 3058 Socrates..wisest named, at evyn and at pryme. Compounds a1500 (?a1400) (1903) l. 2236 By the tyme of euyn belle. 1886 J. R. Rodd 36 Far away the even bell was ringing. 1835 R. Browning i. 6 From even-blush to midnight. 1857 C. Mackay (ed. 2) 110 I die of noises all day long, From Morn till Even-blush. the world > time > day and night > day or daytime > evening > [noun] > twilight, dusk, or nightfall 1781 J. Pinkerton 112 Oft I trod when Morn arose, And oft at dusky even-close. 1845 H. B. Hirst 23 Came even-close And darkness; yet they turned not back. 1872 A. Domett xx. iii. 363 Thus did they shout, from morn to even close. the world > time > day and night > day or daytime > evening > [noun] > twilight, dusk, or nightfall 1825 R. Southey 5 One thrush was heard from morn till even-fall. 1859 W. H. Gregory II. 200 Flamingoes..winging their rosy flight at evenfall across the bay. 1996 14 Oct. 34/1 One can easily imagine what she might look like at evenfall in a white surplice. 1876 J. Hunter-Duvar D'Anville's Fleet in Oct. 298/2 At even-fire the bells were rung. the world > matter > light > naturally occurring light > [noun] > sunlight or sunshine > twilight the world > time > day and night > day or daytime > evening > [noun] > twilight, dusk, or nightfall OE 1291 Wæs se leohta glæm ymb þæt halge hus, heofonlic condel, from æfenglome oþþæt eastan cwom ofer deop gelad dægredwoma. OE Ælfric (Cambr. Gg.3.28) (2009) iii. 80 Seo niht hæfð seofon dælas... An ðæra dæla is Crepusculum, þæt is æfengloma. 1841 R. T. Hampson II. 51 The night, says Ælfric, has seven parts between sunset and sunrise—one is the even gloam or twilight. 1870 J. Payne 90 So seven long days he rode Along green pass and road, From morning-glitter to the even-glome. 1883 G. Stables x. 91 Sail was taken in, but the ship kept her course, and just in the even-glome Rory ran into the Bay of Reikjavik. a1916 J. Payne (1920) 9 To the tired traveller, in the evenglome, The long way wended, welcome is the inn. 1992 M. J. Brooks 47 Ah like to set on the porch at evengloam; it's a kind o' sad but nice time o' day. OE (2008) 413 Siððan æfenleoht under heofenes hador [perhaps read haðor] beholen weorþeð. a1500 in J. O. Halliwell (1852) 341 Sche..sey it is ferr in the nyght, And I swere it is evenlight. a1500 (Cambr.) (1949) l. 1617 Syre Degriuaunt at euene-lyȝth Armede hym [and] hys knyȝth. 1883 J. R. Rodd 27 Oh, heart, what ails thee in the evenlight? the world > food and drink > food > meal > [noun] > evening meal or supper OE (Mercian) xxvi. 26 Coennantibus autem eis accipit iesus panem : þende hiæ þa æt þæm efenmete werun genom se hælend hlaf. OE tr. Chrodegang of Metz (Corpus Cambr. 191) lvi. 289 Ac sy eaðelic æfenmete [L. uespertinus cibus], hlaf mid wyrtum and mid ofæte, and amang þam gif ma fisc hæbbe, healde þæt for healicne est. 1848 E. Bulwer-Lytton III. xi. vii. 196 The even-mete will summon thee soon. ?1533 W. Tyndale (vi) f. lxij But what workes rebuketh he? Verelye soche as God in the scripture commaundeth, and without which no man can be a Christen man: euen prayer, fastynge and almose deade. 1660 J. Howell Dict. Evensong, or Even Prayer. 1930 35 626 The girls..go to even-prayer in apron and cap. 1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny I. ii. xvii. 13 The planet Mercurie seldome hath his euen rising [L. exortus vespertinos] in Pisces. the world > time > day and night > day or daytime > evening > [noun] OE (Corpus Cambr.) xi. 11 Þa æfentima [c1200 Hatton afentime] wæs he ferde to Bethaniam. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon (Calig.) (1978) l. 8912 A þan auen-time [c1300 Otho euetime]. 1697 S. Patrick (viii. 21) 139 From whence the Even time [in Hebrew] is called Ereb. 1870 D. G. Rossetti (ed. 2) 94 Flushed in the limpid eventime. 1993 3 Apr. (Weekend Suppl.) 32/4 Ten inches of lovely, calming powder fell furiously during the day and ended at eventime. the world > time > day and night > day or daytime > evening > [noun] a1375 (c1350) (1867) l. 1747 To heiȝ vs hastily henne..euenly þis euen while. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2018; most recently modified version published online March 2022). † evenn.3Origin: A borrowing from early Scandinavian. Etymology: < early Scandinavian (compare Old Icelandic efni material, matter, subject, (in plural) means, wealth, ability (Icelandic efni), Norwegian emne subject, Old Swedish ämne stuff, material (Swedish ämne), Old Danish æffne material, assets (Danish evne ability)); further etymology uncertain.Perhaps compare Old English -efen , -efne in andefen measure, capacity, amount, landefne resources of the land. It has been suggested that the second element in these compounds also represents a borrowing of the Scandinavian word, but this is unlikely in view of the early attestation of andefen ; it has alternatively been suggested that these formations may reflect an Old English cognate. See further S. M. Pons-Sanz Lexical Effects Anglo-Scand. Ling. Contact on Old Eng. (2013) 93. In sense 2 sometimes difficult to distinguish from even n.2 2. Obsolete. the mind > mental capacity > perception or cognition > faculty of ideation > topic, subject-matter > [noun] OE (Northumbrian) Liturgical Texts (Durham Ritual) in A. H. Thompson & U. Lindelöf (1927) 116 Conuertere digneris materiam istam ceruise in suauitatem et hilaritatem seruis tuis : giwoende gimeoduma ðu aefne ðiss alðes on suoetnisse & bliðnisse esnum ðinum. a1400 (a1325) (Vesp.) l. 335 Of himself he toke his euen þat he of wroght bath erth and heuen. c1485 ( G. Hay (2005) 251 Ffor thai suld nocht admytt ilke foule caus yat vnknawand men wald for lytill evin allege for fede or despyte, enuye or for mede or othir caus of lycht evyn. c1500 (?a1437) (1939) clxxxii Quhat nedis me, apoun so litill evyn, To writt all this? the mind > mental capacity > disposition or character > [noun] a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris (1873) 2nd Ser. 137 Þe heuenliche þremnesse was mid him þo he fulcnede ure helende... Þe fader on stefne, þe sunne on mannes efene, þe holi gost on culures hewe. c1225 (?c1200) (Bodl.) (1940) l. 320 Þe flurs þe beoð idrahe þron..ne [read te] tellen of hare euene, Nis na monnes speche. c1225 (?c1200) (Bodl.) (1940) l. 644 A charbuche is betere þen a iacinct, i þe euene of hare cunde. a1350 in R. H. Robbins (1959) 26 Somenours..mys-motinde men alle by here euene. the world > action or operation > ability > [noun] c1225 (?c1200) (Bodl.) (1981) l. 20 Euchan bi his euene..wurdgede his maumez. a1250 Ureisun ure Louerde (Lamb.) in R. Morris (1868) 1st Ser. 187 He mot scottin efne after his euene. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2018; most recently modified version published online September 2021). Evenn.4adj.2 Inflections: Plural unchanged, Eveni, Evens. Origin: A borrowing from Russian. Etymon: Russian Èven. Etymology: < Russian Èven (plural Èveny) < Even Èvèn , self-designation. Compare Lamut n. Compare also Evenk n., the name of a related people living chiefly to the west of the Evens.In plural form Eveni after the Russian plural form. Pronunciation with stress on the second syllable reflects the position of stress in Russian. A. n.4 the world > people > ethnicities > peoples of Siberia > [noun] > other peoples of Siberia > person 1898 5 209 The Tungus call themselves Even and Evenki. 1946 48 390 The Evens..decorate their dresses with numerous beads. 1954 W. Kolarz iii. 70 A sparsely populated territory on the Kolyma River and around the Okhotsk Sea..had been the home only of Eveni. 1992 J. Forsyth iii. 53 The Ewen preserved the traditional Tungus costume with its..deerskin coat. 2004 A. Bloch & L. Kendall iii. 59 Khalkachan is an Even, a descendant of the reindeer-herding ‘Tungus’ and ‘Lamut’. 1951 W. K. Matthews iv. 54 His own [classification of languages] takes the following form:..Gamut, or Even. 1978 A. Siikala 113 The Tundra Yukagirs..spoke Even. 1993 2 133 Ewen occupies quite a peculiar position in Tungusic. 2003 W. J. Frawley (ed. 2) I. 408/1 Reindeer herdsmen and some other families can speak Even. B. adj.2the world > people > ethnicities > peoples of Siberia > [adjective] > other peoples of Siberia 1941 14 214 Nikolai Tarabukni, an Even..poet, closes his poem thus. 1965 7 70 A cyrillic script was designed for the Even language by Russian missionaries. 1993 2 133 A well-attested Ewen word may go back to PMT [= Proto-Manchu-Tungus]. 2004 A. Bloch & L. Kendall vii. 166 Kuril intends to commission a new Even headband. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2018; most recently modified version published online March 2022). evenadj.1n.2 Origin: A word inherited from Germanic. Etymology: Cognate with Old Frisian even , evin level, equal, Old Saxon evan- equal (in compounds; Middle Low German ēven equal, similar, straight), Middle Dutch ēven , effen smooth, level, straight, similar (Dutch even , effen ), Old High German eban , epan equal, straight (German eben ), Old Icelandic jafn , jamn , Old Swedish iamn , iampn , iämn , iämpn (Swedish jämn ), Old Danish iafn , iæfn , iæm , iæmfn (Danish jævn ), Gothic ibns level, ibna equal, similar (also in compounds and derivatives); further etymology uncertain. Compare even adv. and prep., even v.1Further etymology. Connections have been proposed with several words in other Indo-European languages (as e.g. Sanskrit yama twin (see Yama n.1), or the Celtic base of Welsh iawn (noun) rightness, equity, (adverb) very); however, none of these suggestions is phonologically convincing. Specific forms. Forms such as Old English emn show partial assimilation of the voiced fricative (originally bilabial; in Old English usually spelt f ) to following n ; compare forms of raven n.1 and the Scandinavian parallels cited above. The Scots forms een, ein show contraction (after loss of intervocalic v ); compare similar contracted forms at even adv. Specific senses. With use in sense A. 2 compare early use of the related verb (see even v.1 1). Old English efenniht equinox (see sense A. 15) is perhaps an early calque on classical Latin aequinoctium equinox n.; compare Old Frisian evennacht , Middle Dutch ēvennacht , Middle Low German ēvennacht- (in ēvennachtlīk equinoctial), Middle High German ebennaht , Old Icelandic jafnætti . Early currency in sense A. 15 is also implied by use of the corresponding sense of the noun (sense B. 1). In Old English the word occurs frequently in compounds. As the first element in compounds it is not always easy to distinguish from compounds of the adverb. A frequent and distinct type of compound shows the sense ‘fellow ——’ (compare Compounds 2); this type is also well attested in other Germanic languages (compare e.g. the Germanic parallels cited at even-Christian n.). English compounds of this type frequently translate Latin formations in com- , con- , co- (see com- prefix, con- prefix, co- prefix), which often serve as their models (for examples see etymological notes on individual compounds at Compounds 2). Some uses of even n.3 in sense 2 could alternatively be taken as showing even n.2 (compare sense B. 2 and also sense A. 6b of the adjective). A. adj.1 I. Level, smooth, uniform. 1. the world > space > shape > flatness or levelness > [adjective] the world > the earth > land > landscape > level land > [adjective] eOE tr. Orosius (BL Add.) (1980) ii. iv. 43 Seo burg wæs getimbred an fildum lande & on swiþe emnum [L. campi planitie undique conspicua]. lOE (1917) 90 On þan seofeðen dæige wurðeð geemnode denen & dunen, swa þæt eall eorðe byð smeðe & emne. a1350 Body & Soul (Harl. 2253) l. 67 in A. S. M. Clark (Ph.D. diss., Univ. of Michigan) (1972) 133 Þe furþe day shal blowe a wynd..þe hulles makeþ euene, smethe wyþ þe dales. a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xix. cxxix. 1382 Tramites beþ bypaþes in feldes, and haueþ þat name for þey ledeþ to þe euene way. a1425 (c1395) (Royal) (1850) Isa. xxviii. 25 Whether he that erith, schal..purge his londe? Whether whanne he hath maad euene the face therof, schal he not sowe gith? tr. Palladius (Duke Humfrey) (1896) i. 93 (MED) An euen feeld do chese. c1540 (?a1400) (2002) f. 34v He þat set is full sad on a soile euyn. 1584 H. Llwyd & D. Powel 19 The Welshmen..left the plaine and euen countrie by Seauerne side. 1605 R. Verstegan iv. 100 They are euen and plain without any hilles or hilly grownds. 1608 W. Shakespeare xx. 3 Glost. Me thinks the ground is euen. Edg. Horrible steepe. View more context for this quotation 1692 R. Bentley 12 The Eye..would be terminated..in the largest and evenest Plain by the very Convexity of the Earth. 1705 J. Addison 301 The present Face of Rome is much more Even and Level than it was formerly. 1755 L. Evans 5 The Mountains are almost so many Ridges with even Tops. 1859 Ld. Tennyson Enid in 13 At last they..climb'd upon a fair and even ridge. 1875 H. Calver in (44th Congr., 1st Sess.: U.S. House of Representatives Executive Doc. No. 1, Pt. 2) IV. 433 The country became more even, and in some instances quite level. 1904 10 Sept. 237 (caption) Beyond the city there is an even expanse of undulating plain. 1990 P. P. Kamat in T. R. de Souza (1999) II. i. 26 The soils of Zaimolo, Rivona and Uge have been formed on a gently sloping or an almost even terrain. 2006 J. Carman & P. Carman iv. 147 At Tewkesbury and Stoke the armies advanced against each other across relatively even ground. the world > space > relative position > horizontal position or condition > [adjective] 1340 (1866) 151 Efterward he deþ al be reule, þet makeþ þane wal emne. c1400 ( G. Chaucer (Cambr. Dd.3.53) (1872) ii. §29. 39 Lat thyn Astrelabie kowch adown euene vp-on a smothe grond. 1489 (a1380) J. Barbour (Adv.) iii. 136 He laid hym ewyn him beforn. 1590 J. Hammon tr. B. Aneau xxii. 151 Vpon that was laid euen and leuell a fayre, great and large table of artificiall emerauld. a1639 J. Stoughton (1640) v. 88 As it is in water spilt upon an even table, it is very docible to go which way soever the finger will lead it. 1679 tr. 21 When it [sc. the Picture] totter'd the second time, Jetzer..puts a hand to support it,..thrusting it a little to set it even and fixt. ?1729 82 Sometimes she found one Scale too heavy, and sometimes the other, but she never rested till she brought the Beam exactly even. 1884 ‘C. Temple’ xiv. 216 The colossal hull was resting now entirely upon its ‘cradle’, a marvellous arrangement of loose blocks of wood..which was bearing her enormous weight, and keeping her perfectly even. 1892 11 Apr. 4/5 No arrangement will ever be completely effective in keeping the keel even, and maintaining the perfect level of the decks in stormy weather. 1911 Jan. 203/1 He spoke learnedly of the ‘trim of the ship’, which meant that he must keep her keel fairly even. 1965 21 Mar. v. 21/2 When the vessel begins to roll, water will rush to tanks on the opposite side to hold the keel even. the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > vertical extent > [adjective] > of uniform height a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xvii. xcvii. 987 Flex groweþ in euene stalkis and bereth ȝelow floures or blewe. a1400 tr. Lanfranc (Ashm.) (1894) 179 (MED) If þou wolt kepe þe eendis of þe heeris fro fretynge, kutte hem alle euene. 1597 W. Shakespeare iii. iv. 37 Cut off the heads of two fast growing spraies, That looke too loftie in our common-weath, All must be euen in our gouernement. View more context for this quotation 1602 B. Jonson iv. ix. sig. I3 Both waies, I am too high; and thou, too lowe. Our Mindes are euen, yet. View more context for this quotation 1612 J. Davies 219 When he did set his foot in the middle of the Hide, all the other parts lay flat and euen. 1669 J. Worlidge viii. 133 On this Bed..lay your Hops by basket-fulls..then lay them even, with [printed wich] a Rake or Stick, that they may not lie thicker in one place than in another. 1808 D. Macdonald 453 Carefully fork up your roots, shaking them out of the earth, separating them from each other, and laying their heads even. 1900 42 The tall and beautifully even stalks were the picture of a healthy and well grown crop. 1906 3 Nov. 691/1 One is shown jars of roses and carnations; the tops are all even and the ends of the stems no less so. 1988 (Nexis) 28 Feb. 18 Cut the yarn into 48 lengths... Lay the yarn lengths out, making sure the ends are even. 2005 F. Cox 75/2 Calculate levels by knocking pegs in across the site, until the tops are even when checked with a spirit level. 2. the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > a straight course > [adjective] society > travel > means of travel > route or way > way, path, or track > [adjective] > of roads or directions: straight, direct c1175 (Burchfield transcript) l. 9214 Þær shulenn beon..effne & smeþe weȝȝess. a1400 (c1300) Northern Homily: Serm. on Gospels (Coll. Phys.) in at Even I bid you mac the gates euin To crist. ?c1400 in J. O. Halliwell (1839) 60 (MED) Go ferre or nerre þat thyng whos heght you sekes, and þat by an evene lyne. ?c1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac (Paris) (1971) 36 Some [bones] ben right or euen, and some beeth croked. c1450 tr. G. Deguileville (Cambr.) (1869) 128 I hate bothe euene stafes and crokede. 1593 R. Hooker i. viii. 62 As the straight way is most acceptable to him that trauaileth..so in action, that which doth lye the euenest betweene vs and the end we desire. a1600 (?c1535) tr. H. Boece (Mar Lodge) (1946) I. ii. 78 Ferichare..ressauit princelie ornamentis, quhilkis war ane nakit swerde with twa eggeis, ane evin wand (now callit ane scepture) with ane crowne of gold. 1631 E. Reynolds ii. 302 A deceitfull Bow, which though it seeme to direct the arrow in an even line upon the marke, yet the unfaithfulnesse thereof carries it at last into a crooked and contrarie way. 1676 R. Barclay Pref. 1 So averse is he from walking in the Straight and even Path of Truth, that at every turn he is inclinable to lean either to the Right Hand or the Left. 1746 S. Mihles 209 Taking off the Skin from the Edges of the Fissure in an even Direction with a Pair of fine Scissars. 1768 W. Robertson tr. P. A. Alletz ii. 210 A gentle stream, not always flowing in an even course, but constantly meandring. 1853 E. C. Grey xxx. 114/1 She would, as far as her power extended, resist all efforts to turn her from the even path of conscious right. 1913 Sept. 54/3 Atlantic City..is just fifty-six miles distant both in crow flight and in the even path of the railroads. 1942 17 168 In form the psalter was straight on all sides and thus allegorized the even way to God. 1950 21 Oct. 53/2 Their even course to the east was checked... Gwynn turned south. the world > space > relative position > front > [adjective] > that lies or is placed in front > directly 1543 ( (1812) 99 Constantyne..sawe a crosse, in whiche was enclude This reason good, ‘In hoc vinco’, full euine. society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > plainness > [adjective] > straightforward or direct a1573 W. Lauder (1870) 592 Paule dois pronunce in wourdis plane & euin, That couatus men sall nocht inherit Heuin. 1600 W. Shakespeare iv. viii. 109 In euen shock of battle. 1604 W. Shakespeare ii. ii. 289 Bee euen and direct with me whether you were sent for or no. View more context for this quotation ?c1225 (?a1200) (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 1 Þe an [riwle] riwleð þe heorte & makeð efne & smeðe wið vte cnoste & dolke of þoncg inwið. c1300 Childhood Jesus (Laud) l. 1382 in C. Horstmann (1875) 1st Ser. 46 Þis treo mot beo..At eiþur ende euene and quarre. ?c1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac (Paris) (1971) 243 Soche a wounde..oþer it haþ spirles or noght, but is playne and euene. 1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart I. f. c/2 Varlettes wt matockes and axes to make euyn the wayes for the caryage to passe. 1574 J. Baret E 307 To make euen with the rule. Exæquare ad regulam. 1664 J. Evelyn Kalendarium Hortense 70 in Cut close and even. 1693 J. Dryden tr. Persius vi. 78 To see a Beggar's Brat in Riches flow, Adds not a Wrinckle to my even Brow. 1712 J. James tr. A.-J. Dézallier d'Argenville 34 Parterres..should be flat, eaven, and disengaged. a1727 I. Newton (1730) ii. ii. 214 The Superficies of such Plates are not even, but have many Cavities and Swellings. 1781 W. Cowper 47 Smooth and even as an iv'ry ball. 1825 P. Weber (new ed.) 54 With a very soft brush lay it [sc. the mixture] even and smooth on the parts intended to look dull. 1849 T. B. Macaulay II. 486 The water in the bay was as even as glass. 1858 N. Hawthorne I. 213 Hedges..as even as a brick-wall at the top and sides. 1913 June 38/2 After rolling, the surface is smooth and even for the subsequent treatment. 1966 (U.S. Dept. Agric.) Use the marker to pin an even line all the way around. 2015 (Nexis) 18 Nov. 23 The best way to counteract this is to apply a primer before your foundation so it provides an even surface for make-up to cling to. 4. the world > relative properties > relationship > uniformity > [adjective] ?c1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac (Paris) (1971) 397 And when it [sc. the ointment] is sette fro þe fyre, medle it til it be made even. 1525 sig. G.iiv Citrinus vryne that is..thynne & euen throughout in substaunce & clere betokeneth as the falow colour. 1629 J. Parkinson 100 All the whole flower is of one euen colour. ?1740 R. G. ii. 171 Go over them with a Pencil of Red or Black Lead.., to render an evener Impression. 1821 W. M. Craig vii. 406 Nor can it..produce a light even tint of any extent. 1846 Trotter in J. Baxter (ed. 4) II. 347 These last [sc. turnips] are..the evenest and best crop..The whole field is an even piece, not having suffered from the fly. 1883 F. M. Crawford viii. 124 The sky was of an even lead colour. 1927 Jan. 37/3 (caption) Two lights flanking the mirror insure an even job in shaving. 1987 F. Thompson & T. Thompson 109 Differently coloured fibres can be blended together by carding. If they are teased out and very well carded, the result will be a softly coloured, even mixture. 2014 R. L. Beranbaum 322 Use the outside of the plastic wrap to knead together the dough until it is completely even. 1597 W. Burton tr. Achilles Tatius v. 94 We went to walke vnder a most pleasant thicket of trees, so artificially planted, that on what side soeuer you did looke, they stood all of euen rowes. 1658 J. Evelyn tr. N. de Bonnefons 39 In like manner set the stones in even files about 4 Inches asunder. 1746 W. Ellis II. Aug. iii. 12 The Stalks and Ears of the Barley are laid in Swarths more even and regular, than the Sithe can possibly do it. 1831 185 His knives and spoons are ranged in even rows. 1870 Jan. 6/1 A plain square building of dark-red brick, pierced with many windows symmetrically arranged in even rows. 1917 J. Fales x. 454 Braiding..is generally used to form a border, by a few parallel rows of even stitches. 1980 3 Oct. c12/6 The layout is simple above 114th Street: there is an even row of buildings facing the drive, and on the other side is Riverside Park. 2007 L. Beardslee xxx. 219 The grassy stretches..separated the rows upon rows of even trees. 1626 F. Bacon §303 For the Euen Distribution of the Spirits; It is wrought By Gentle Heat; And By Agitation or Motion. 1693 R. Bentley 24 An even distribution of the Yearly Heat would never have brought those Fruits to maturity. 1836 T. Hodgkin I. 94 Dr. Baillie noticed the tolerably even diffusion of the coagulum over the surface of the heart. 1888 7 182 Stars..should, on the supposition of tolerably even scattering, be nearly four times as numerous as those one magnitude brighter. 1909 R. S. Tarr in 3 85 The material in the ablation moraines does not have an even distribution over the ice surface. 1963 R. R. A. Higham 229 Where an even spread of coating is required, the air-knife can hardly be equalled. 1989 Mar. 145/1 The proper pattern is an even dispersal of fuel in a fine, steady mist. 2016 (Nexis) 23 Jan. Balanced funds—those that have a more even allocation across the different sectors—returned 12.5%. II. Free from perturbation. 5. the mind > emotion > calmness > [adjective] eOE King Ælfred tr. Gregory (Hatton) (1871) xlii. 306 Ðæs wisan monnes mod bið suiðe emn. lOE Ælfric Old Test. Summary: Judith (Corpus Cambr.) in B. Assmann (1889) 108 Mine gebroðra, beoð eow geðyldige and mid emnum mode andbidiað gyt anum fif dagas ures drihtnes willan. c1225 (?c1200) (Royal) (1938) 40 (MED) Þole wið efne heorte þe dom of rihtwisnesse. c1384 (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Baruch iv. 5 Thou peple of God, be of euener inwitt. c1405 (c1395) G. Chaucer (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 811 With euene herte I rede yow tendure The strook of Fortune or of auenture. 1561 T. Norton tr. J. Calvin i. To Rdr. sig. A.iiv That I may with euen sufferance continue in the course of his holy calling. 1685 J. Norris in F. Digby & J. Norris tr. Xenophon viii. 162 You could not bear labours and dangers with an even and patient Spirit. 1710 J. Addison No. 192. ⁋5 Persons of even Tempers and uniform Dispositions. 1819 Apr. 212/2 Its permanent tendency is..to preserve the mind even and unruffled amidst dangers. 1894 M. E. Ryan ix. 181 Delogne would marvel sometimes at his even patience. 1913 C. S. Churchill Let. 7 Feb. in W. S. Churchill & C. S. Churchill (1999) iv. 71 You have shewn throughout such wonderful calm & even temper. 1949 5 June (Mag.) 48/2 Some women keep an even disposition, feel their best, look their prettiest right through pregnancy. 2016 (Nexis) 24 Dec. 25 He was noted for his even temper, quiet good humour and loyalty. the world > relative properties > relationship > uniformity > [adjective] > uniform or free from fluctuation a1325 (?c1300) (Cambr. Gg.1.1) l. 947 (MED) Iesu answerd in euene wei To alle þat Pilate couthe sei. c1425 (c1300) (Harl.) 193 Þer come in tuelf olde men myd euene pas þere. 1499 (Pynson) sig. fii/2 Euen in menynge [read meuynge] or clothinge. 1562 P. Whitehorne tr. N. Machiavelli v. f. lxxiiij The heddes muste be placed in suche wise, that they may maintaine the pace euen, causing to goe softe those that goe to fast, and to haste forward the other that goe to sloe. 1623 W. Shakespeare & J. Fletcher iii. i. 37 I know my life so euen . View more context for this quotation 1682 T. Watson 55 An even Pulse shows Health: an even walking shows Grace. 1770 J. Langhorne & W. Langhorne tr. Plutarch II. 6 Pericles acquired..a firm and even tone of voice. 1791 J. Boswell anno 1766 I. 274 Johnson: Pope's [horses] go at a steady even trot. 1850 Ld. Tennyson lxxxiii. 118 My blood an even tenor kept. View more context for this quotation 1870 T. H. Huxley xiv. 334 The even rhythm of the breathing of every one of us. 1944 ‘N. Shute’ iv. 114 The engines still ran, steady and even on the starboard side. 1952 25 Apr. His tone was even. ‘You'll have to think this through.’ 1969 27 May 20/6 The changes in weather and scenery have dispelled any idea that this was going to be an even ride across broad smooth areas of sunlit snow. 2007 25 Oct. g1/1 Your goal is to keep an even pace or, even better, to speed up at the end. III. Matching, coincident, in agreement, congruent, exact. †6. the world > relative properties > order > agreement, harmony, or congruity > [adjective] > corresponding or matching OE (Northumbrian) xi. 16 Similis est pueris sedentibus in foro qui clamantes coaequalibus : gelic is cnæhtum sittendum in sprec ða ðe uel seðe gecliopadon uel cliopende efnum aldum uel heafodlinges. OE (Northumbrian) (headings to readings) xxxiii Exemplum dedisse se dicens ut ipsi conseruis faciant quod omnium dominum fecisse probarunt : bisene gesalde hine cuæð þætte hia efnum ðegnum [altered from efne ðegnum] doað ðætte allra drihten þæt geworhte soðadon. 1483 (BL Add. 89074) (1881) 118 Even, equus, co-, equalis.] OE Wærferð tr. Gregory (Corpus Cambr.) (1900) iii. xvii. 218 Hit awriten is þæt ilce, þæt he lifde in lichaman, hit wære efen þan þe he eallinga butan þam lichaman eall wære. a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. i. iii. 46 Þe soþnesse of þe essencia and of þe godhede is liche and euen in þe sone and holy gost and in þe fadir. c1449 R. Pecock (1860) 326 (MED) In lijk and euen maner. 7. the world > space > relative position > quality or fact of being in a line (with) > [adjective] c1300 Childhood Jesus (Laud) l. 1425 in C. Horstmann (1875) 1st Ser. 48 Josep swiþe glad was þo Þat euene weren þe endes two. a1400 tr. Lanfranc (Ashm.) (1894) 313 Make his nose euene til þe boon be brouȝt in his propre place þat is to-broke. 1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach ii. f. 73v Good grafters thinke it best to holde the graffe euen with both handes. 1586 A. Day To Rdr. sig. **2 I haue applyed such Figvres, Schemes and Tropes in the margent of euerie Epistle, euen with the places where they are vsed. 1639 R. Ward i. iv. xlvii. 115 Take the quadrant, and place one side thereof even with the Rod. 1663 B. Gerbier 22 The Chimney to be made even with the upright of the wall. 1700 37 Lay the streight edge even upon the line AE. 1712 F. Tanner 11 Write the Consonant in an even line with the foregoing Consonant. 1726 G. Leoni tr. L. B. Alberti I. 72 You may..make a..foundation for every particular Peer..lying directly even with the current of the water. 1748 B. Robins & R. Walter ii. ii. 127 A ship to leeward, with her courses even with the horizon. 1842 Oct. 54/1 The bone which commonly protrudes from the middle of the fleshy side should be cut off even with the flesh. ?1873 C. E. Treadwin 67 The cross lines every way will show precisely how to keep the piece exactly even and in its place. 1981 22 Jan. c4/3 Line them up so that the outside corner of each brace is even with the edge of the plywood. 2014 N. Zieman 249/2 Trim all edges even with the tablecloth top. the world > space > relative position > horizontal position or condition > [adjective] > lying in same horizontal plane a1400 (a1325) (Gött.) l. 11688 Quen þe tre it boued doune..þe crope was euen wid þe rote. 1420 in F. J. Furnivall (1882) 52 A flate ston off marbill, ewyn with the grounde. 1578 J. Lyly f. 54 When Demetrius, wonne the Citie and made it euen to the grounde. 1626 S. Purchas (ed. 4) iv. xvii. 434 The nether part of the Sunne seeming iust and euen with it. 1653 H. Cogan tr. F. M. Pinto xxxvi. 142 On the out-side about eight and thirty foot high above the water, and on the in-side even with the ground. 1698 tr. F. Froger 33 Waiting till the Fish swim even with the Surface of the Water. 1732 P. Miller (new ed.) at Melon Dig up the Ground on each Side..laying therein some old rotten Horse-dung, covering it with the Earth, so as to raise it even to the Top of the Ridges. 1790 E. Riou Jrnl. 3 Feb. in (1990) 95 Water even with the orlop deck beams. 1861 Jan. 9/2 The tops of the posts stand just even with the surface of the ground. 1945 23 Mar. 1/5 The addition will be on the third floor, which at the rear of the building is even with the level of Mt. Vernon street. 2008 J. McMahan xxxiii. 282 Virginia could see their boots through the rectangular slit window that was even with the ground. 1592 sig. C2 Roberto and Lucanio vnder her windowe kept euen pace with euery stop of her instrument. 1597 T. Morley 89 The third is a driuing waie in two crotchets and a minime, but odded by a rest, so that it neuer commeth euen till the close. 1601 R. Vennard sig. Gv [His] true loyaltie to her Maiestie..may keepe euen wing with the rest of that Honorable societie. 1622 J. Mabbe tr. M. Alemán iii. 207 I must keepe an euen pace with him, neither be too farre behinde him, nor too much before him. 1716 tr. R. Thorius 2 Silenus' trusty ass, Now lame with age, can scarce keep even pace. 1760 8 The rents of land, and the price of labour, &c. have kept a pretty even pace with the increase of silver, &c. in England. 1835 24 Jan. 274/2 She was enabled to keep even pace with the Lightning, whenever the revolutions of her engines reached 23. 1908 W. C. Mitchell 264 In 1863 the premium and prices appear to have kept even pace. 1920 C. Langdon in tr. Dante II. xxix. 339 She..Moved counter to the stream's course..and I at even pace, Matching her little steps with steps as small. 2001 J. Cannan ix. 89 Both the division's brigades found their ability to keep an even pace with one another impeded by uneven heights on either side of the ravine. 1825 T. C. Hansard ii. i. 413 If it [sc. the matter to be abstracted] be more considerable, he may be obliged to over-run many lines before he can..make even. 1841 W. Savage 188 The page must be had in view and kept right.., but never to make even lines too suddenly so as to cause the spacing to be unsightly. 1860 G. Ruse & C. Straker i. § 2. 129 The compositors have each to ‘begin even’ and ‘end even’. 1901 Sept. 236/2 It will be easy to so space the following lines to make even. 1912 A. A. Stewart 64 End Even, to finish copy even at the end of a line of type, without blank, or regard to paragraph. A practice formerly common in newspaper offices. 1940 Sept. 103/1 Mr. Norman W. Forgue, designer of the present volume, uses condensed type on the wrapper—and letter-spaces it to make even lines, to boot. 1983 A. Campbell ix. 156/2 End even, instruction to a typesetter to end a section of copy with a full line. 8. the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > freedom from error, correctness > exactness, accuracy, precision > [adjective] > of calculated result a1400 (a1325) (Coll. Phys.) l. 20835 Qua wel can caste sal finde it euin. 1530 tr. Caesar xiii. 18 Fewe or none of them [sc. ships] came to the even port. 1551 R. Record ii. xliv It maketh iust xxix, the euen halfe of fifty and eight. a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) v. iii. 327 To make the euen truth in pleasure flow. View more context for this quotation 1654 R. Lloyd 41 The fulnesse of every stroak in all the smaller letters, should be a just third part of the length of meane letters, and their length an even halfe length of the over, or under-line letters. society > trade and finance > money > sum of money > [adjective] > round or divisible by integers, tens, or scores 1594 T. Blundeville i. ii. f. 2v If the Somme be an euen Article or Articles: then set downe a Cypher, keeping the number of Article or Articles in your minde, be it, one, two, or three, to be added to the next rancke. 1638 J. Penkethman sig. C2v Every page containing 20 severall prices of the Quarter of Wheat, beginning with an odde 6 d. and ending with even shillings. 1720 No. 5877/3 That..no Stock be allowed but in even 5l. 1822 J. L. Newell 61 37..is an excess of 7 over an even number of tens. 1923 Feb. 45/1 There was just $999.90 on the table when Zell McIntosh blew in with two Buffalo nickels and made it an even thousand. 1984 C. C. Alexander (1985) vii. 120 He had driven in just fifty-seven runs and stolen twenty-two bases,..an even fifty less than league leader Fritz Maisel of New York. 2012 (Nexis) 4 June (Sport section) 59 Carrigan scored an even hundred against the Englishmen. the world > relative properties > relationship > correlation > [adjective] > mutual or reciprocal a1425 (?a1400) G. Chaucer (Hunterian) (1891) l. 5818 We ben atone Bi euene accorde of euerichone. IV. Balanced, equitable. 10. society > morality > rightness or justice > [adjective] > fair or equitable OE Homily (Corpus Cambr. 421) in A. S. Napier (1883) 254 Dem, la drihten, dem rihte domas and emne domas. 1387–8 Petition London Mercers in R. W. Chambers & M. Daunt (1931) 35 The which thyng lyke to yowre worthy lordship by an euen Juge to be proued or disproued. a1400 (c1303) R. Mannyng (Harl.) l. 9425 (MED) Tyl ryȝt be-demeþ with evyn hand. c1450 (Harl. 6580) (1933) 236 (MED) Euyn dome [L. equum iudicium] is where that persones be not considrede and fauorede, bot the dedes truly discussyd. a1500 (c1425) Andrew of Wyntoun (Nero) v. l. 3743 I ken hym sa ewyn a man Þat al þar wit na mende hym can. 1567 T. Stapleton f. 290v Wil ye nowe see the wise and euen dealinge of these protestant prelats? 1585 Abp. E. Sandys x. 167 If in iudgement they doe not..deale in deciding matters of controuersie betweene man and man with an euen hand..surely they doe not serue God in reighteousnesse and iustice. 1637 W. Alexander Doomes-day (new ed.) vi. lxiv. 132 in Yet were their aimes and ends in th'end not eaven. 1695 P. Brunskell sig. A2v To do even Justice to all without delay. 1719 W. Wood (ed. 2) 17 The wisdom of the legislative Power consists in keeping an even hand to promote all. 1775 S. Johnson 33 Though power has been diffused with the most even hand. 1870 405/1 The State should secure the even and impartial execution of her laws throughout her jurisdiction. 1898 F. H. Matthews ii. 58 I am severest upon..my favourites at school, however much I try to keep an even hand. 1908 III. 22/2 Stringent measures were taken to ensure the even administration of justice. 1973 3 Nov. 15/1 He has demonstrated a willingness to handle difficult municipal problems with a fair and even approach. 2010 (Nexis) 23 Aug. 24 He liked the idea of being able to help people by dispensing justice with an even hand. the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > freedom from error, correctness > exactness, accuracy, precision > [adjective] > of measures, quantities OE (Claud.) xix. 36 Habbað rihtne anmittan, & emne [L. aequa] wæga & emne gemetu & sestras. a1382 (Bodl. 959) (1961) Lev. xix. 36 Riȝt balaunce & euene ben þe wiȝtes, riȝt buschel & euyn sextarie. 1572 E. Cradock ii. iii. 137 God..so measureth al things with iust reckening and euen waightes, that those things also whiche were no sinnes..may be so iudged and ordered, that they trouble not natures vniuersall course. 1600 R. Churche tr. M. Fumée iii. 91 One..who hath the charge..to make euen measures, waights, and to moderate their prices. 1650 J. Mennes sig. X7 For she [sc. Libra] implies even weights, but doe not look To find this signe in every Grocers-book. 1700 F. Manning i. 5 Custom, alas! doth partial prove, Nor gives us even measure. the world > relative properties > relationship > equality or equivalence > condition of being mean or average > [adjective] c1300 St. James Great (Laud) l. 138 in C. Horstmann (1887) 38 Ne scholde no man so euene a þrovȝ in lengþe and i[n] [a1325 Corpus Cambr. ne in] brede [make] To him ase þat ston bi-cam. a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. iii. xxiii. 124 On hatte a greet puls... Also som puls is litil... And som hatte mene, euen, and temperat. c1405 (c1387–95) G. Chaucer (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 83 Of his stature he was of euene lengthe. 1488 (c1478) Hary (Adv.) (1968–9) vi. l. 70 Be ewyn tyme off hyr age A squier Schaw..hyr gat in mariage. 1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach ii. f. 80v There must be an euen temperature amongst these extreamities. 1653 T. Urquhart tr. F. Rabelais xxxiv. 155 The rest of his traine came after him by even journeys [Fr. a justes journées] at a slower pace. 1788 J. Towers tr. K. L. von Pöllnitz in I. i. 10 All the soldiers are young, of an even stature, and the cleverest fellows. 1874 Feb. 70/2 For a burning volcano like Agha to keep himself down to an even temperature, that was great. the world > relative properties > relationship > equality or equivalence > [adjective] > of or relating to equilibrium > balanced c1390 MS Vernon Homilies in (1877) 57 313 (MED) Þis lof ful sone in scale was leid, And þe synnes al vp breid, ffor þat euene weiȝte was seene. a1400 (c1303) R. Mannyng (Harl.) l. 5668 (MED) Þe fende had leyd yn balaunce..lofe aȝens hys dedys..þe lofe made even peys. 1512 Act 4 Henry VIII c. 7 Preamble in (1963) III. 52 [They] have deceyveable and untrue beames and scales, that oon of them woll stond evyn with xij łi. weight at the oon end ayenste a quarter of a pound at the other end. 1579 S. Gosson f. 21v Bearing her swoord so euen, that neither the poore are trode vnder foote, nor the rich suffred to looke to hye. a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) iv. vii. 37 He was A Noble seruant to them, but he could not Carry his Honors eeuen . View more context for this quotation a1618 W. Raleigh (1628) 64 Justice is described with a ballance in her hand, holding it even. 1656 T. Stanley II. v. 75 Its proper place,..by reason of its even weight is the Centre. 1667 J. Milton i. 349 In even ballance down they light. View more context for this quotation 1678 J. Moxon I. iv. 65 The Hand must be carried along the whole length..exactly even. 1745 E. Young 58 An Eye impartial, and an even Scale. 1824 J. Bentham & P. Bingham IV. iii. 250 The balance is now restored. The two scales hang even. 1863 W. Phillips vii. 155 He holds the scales of justice most exactly even. 1866 J. Martineau 1st Ser. 67 The balance cannot be expected to hang..even. 1907 19 Oct. 504/2 God alone can pronounce regarding the completed lives of most men by the just weights on the even scales, whether they ‘did that which was good’, or did that which was evil, during their period of probation. 1981 13 June 1040/2 When the scales were even, the judge had to decide in favour of the underdog. 2008 (Nexis) 21 June Maintain an even balance between work and play. 13. c1390 in C. Brown (1924) 128 For heer but ȝif we make vs euene, Þer may no miht ne ȝiftes ȝeyne. ?c1412 T. Hoccleve in E. P. Hammond (1927) 67 (MED) So me werreyeth coynes scarsetee..Tho men..Fayn wolden þat they and I euene were. a1475 in A. Clark (1905) i. 5 Fader!..as ofte as we make any trangression, The werkes of mercy late helpe us seuen In oure a-countes þat we stande euen. 1511 in T. Stapleton (1839) p. cxviii Memor. That Sir Robert Plompton..is even for every thing to this present day of August. 1619 E. M. Bolton tr. Florus iv. ix. 460 By the slaughter of Pacôrus, wee were euen for Crassus ouerthrow. 1637 S. Rutherford (1863) I. cxiii. 283 I know that Christ and I shall never be Even: I shall die in His debt. 1662 P. Gunning 6 The time will come..when the Bridegroom shall be even for the debts of his Spouse. 1711 J. Swift 20 Jan. (1948) I. 171 Now we are even, quoth Stephen, when he gave his wife six blows for one. 1780 S. Johnson 21 June (1992) III. 279 I wish I had been with you to see the Isle of Wight, but I shall perhaps go some time without You, and then we shall be even. 1865 Jan. 321/2 The widow took it [sc. a bank-bill]..and..handed it over to a lawyer who sat next her, saying, ‘That will make us even; wont it, Mr. P—?’ 1912 S. King xx. 191 He told [him] that he was mistaken in his estimate of losses. ‘I am nearly even.’ 1941 15 Oct. They are even now for the game in Galveston last year. 2013 J. Verday 264 Here you go, Lenny. Now we're even. the world > relative properties > relationship > equality or equivalence > [adjective] > equal or even with someone or something > even (of accounts, affairs, etc.) 1546 J. Heywood ii. iv. sig. G ivv Euen recknyng maketh long freends. 1551 T. Wilson sig. Bij Arithmetique by number can make Reconinges to be eauen. 1593 A. Munday tr. C. Estienne ix. 79 We take no care for beeing called to councell; nor whether the officers of the Cittie doe their dutie, or keepe their accounts euen. 1656 Manasseh ben Israel vi. 35 According to this, pay us for our labour, and make the accounts even, and you shall see you are yet much in our debt. 1712 J. Arbuthnot x. 18 How is it possible for a Man of Business to keep his Affairs even in the World at this rate? 1783 5 Aug. 132/2 If the Public are indebted to them, they should be paid; if their accounts are even, they ought to be quieted. 1846 24 Sept. 344/2 Those who do not receive a bill will understand that their accounts are even. 1891 8 Apr. xxviii. 24/1 Perhaps I can save his life. If I do will not that make it all even? 1974 Fall 7/1 I felt accounts were even, and I thanked nobody but Nature herself. 1990 G. Richmond 177 One or the other of us constantly felt like he needed to make things even. I always felt it wasn't even unless I got him better than he got me. 2016 (Nexis) 18 May 20 Last year the ledger was even as both sides got a victory over each other during the season. V. Equal. society > society and the community > social class > [adjective] > co-equal or of the same measure or standing the world > relative properties > relationship > equality or equivalence > make equal [verb (transitive)] > be equal to or match eOE King Ælfred tr. Gregory (Hatton) (1871) xvii. 113 Wel hine [sc. anweald] recð se ðe conn wel stræc bion & ahæfen wið ða unryhtwisan & wið ða scyldgan & wel emn wið oðre men [L. scit cum illa ceteris aequalitate componi]. c1175 (Burchfield transcript) l. 1840 Niss nani þing þatt muȝhe ben Wiþþ godd off efenn mahhte. a1250 Lofsong Louerde in R. Morris (1868) 1st Ser. 209 (MED) Þe oli goste þet is efne wið þe and wið þin eadi feder. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon (Calig.) (1978) l. 11441 At þine borde..scal þe hehȝe beon æfne [c1300 Otho efne] þan loȝe. J. Gaytryge (York Min.) (1901) l. 92 (MED) The hali gast, That samenly comes of bothe the fadir and the son, Is sothefastly god, and euen til tham bothe. 1372 in C. Brown (1924) 79 His fader is king of heuene..To wam þat child is euene. a1425 (?c1384) J. Wyclif (1871) III. 341 Sum men seien, þat he [sc. the pope] is even wiþ the manheed of Crist. c1475 (?c1400) (1842) 85 We awe not to arett..þingis formid of mannis craft, heyar nor euen to man in kynd. 1493 (c1410) (Pynson) i. xxxii. sig. ei/1 He [sc. the feende] hatith god that is souerayn treuthe, & for he mighte nat be euyn with god in soueraynte of treuthe..therfore his likyng and his trauayl is to be souerayne falshede & souereynly false. 1530 (Fawkes) (1873) ii. 103 These thre persones [sc. of the Trinity]..were alyke euen in all thynges. 1565 J. Jewel tr. St. John Chrysostom in xii. 448 The Figure may not be farre of from the Truethe: otherwise it were no Figure: Neither maye it be eauen, and one with the Truethe. 1593 T. Nashe 86 You wil..imbrace anie religion which will be euen with the profession that fauors not you. 1631 Earl of Manchester 17 For all this, man is euen with Death. 1674 N. Fairfax 117 Nevertheless, we may hold such a body to be even with another. 1707 P. A. Motteux iii. 43 Mar. When we Town Sparks are tir'd with a Fashion, such Chapman as You are welcome to carry it down into the Country for a new thing. Lub. Why, then we are even with ye..for, when we've had enough of a good thing there, We send our trash to you Londoners. 1734 H. Fielding i. v. 11 I am not the first Gentleman..who has been even with his Master. 1753 S. Richardson I. xxxix. 297 Does he lay every-body that knows him under obligation? Is there no way to be even with him in any one thing? 1832 15 Jan. 21/3 The archiepiscopal member for Oxfordshire..will gladly accept a peerage to be even in rank with his lady-wife. 1842 11 Dec. 6/4 ‘I have a brother who is a poet.’ ‘Then we are even..for I have a brother who is a fool.’ 1903 1 Apr. 9/2 She thinks my preaching now is better than my practicing. And I say that her practicing is better than her preaching. So, we're even. 1986 June Notes 7/1 He..talks about having dinner with Adolph A. Berle... I am even with him in that respect, for Berle visited Charleston in 1940..just across the street from my apartment. 2014 K. McCafferty (2015) iv. 28 ‘For the life of me, I can't see what Sean sees in you.’ ‘And I can't see what he sees in you. That makes us even.’ the world > relative properties > relationship > equality or equivalence > [adjective] OE Byrhtferð (Ashm.) (1995) ii. i. 80 Feower timan beoð [on twelf monðum] and feower ylda and twegen sunstedas and twa emniht. lOE Glosses to Distichs of Cato (Rawl. G.57) in (1906) 117 25 Equa [diligito caros pietate parentes] : emne. c1250 in (1935) 70 243 (MED) Ate feste of seint benedist þenne is þe dai euene wid þe nist. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon (Calig.) (1978) l. 15391 For his æfne wiht of golde. c1330 (?c1300) (Auch.) l. 484 (MED) Euen dole may it nouȝt be. a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden (St. John's Cambr.) (1865) I. 325 Whan þe day and þe nyȝt beeþ euen. tr. Palladius (Duke Humfrey) (1896) i. l. 1121 Hard picche and wex tak euen wight. ?c1450 (1891) l. 931 (MED) With childre of his euen elde. 1495 (Electronic ed.) Parl. Oct. 1495 §13. m. 9 The seid Edmond to pay yerely...cccc.li. at the same festis, by evyn porcions. 1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach iii. f. 115 The legges & the thyes..ought to be euen [L. æqualia], straight, and sound. 1660 tr. H. Blum (new ed.) sig. A2 That from the top of the Capitall to the highest part of Trabeatio is three even parts. 1728 Will of Francis Bancroft in 4 Apr. I give..to their Children..five Pounds per Annum each..to be paid half-yearly by even Portions. 1815 W. Scott iii. xviii. 105 Were my Monarch's order given, Two shafts should make our number even. 1834 T. Medwin I. 85 It is wax and caoutchouck even quantities, melted together. 1897 17 Mar. 3/6 The men fought at an even weight of 154 pounds. 1969 40 65/1 The usual practice is..to place an even quantity [of cream] in each can or container. 2007 D. E. Bookhart 19 I make rows [of M&M's] of each color, and eat them one at a time until there is an even amount in each row. 16. 1591 R. Greene sig. A3v Certaine olde sokers, which are lookers on, and listen for bets, either euen or odde. 1627 M. Drayton Miseries Queene Margarite in 93 For a long while it was an euen bet..Whether proud Warwick, or the Queene should win. 1638 W. Chillingworth i. iv. §57. 224 It will be an even wager, nay..a hundred to one, that every Consecration and Absolution of yours is void. 1703 P. Motteux et al. tr. M. de Cervantes III. vii. 63 I'll lay an even wager now, said the squire..meerly to knock your fine words out a joint. 1787 Apr. 306/1 It is an even bet, that those who seem to be amazed at such grumblers, are as dissatisfied themselves. 1807 E. White i. 5 I have frequently seen him place two balls in the middle of the table..and venture an even bet that he would make either the winning or the losing hazard, in any one of the six pockets. 1831 R. P. Smith I. vi. 59 Such is her liking to that spot, that I would wager an even bet that she is there at this moment. 1910 July 429/2 I am ready to lay you an even fiver that you'll never get one glimpse of Mannington's treasures. 1916 Dec. 51/2 ‘Will you lay an even bet?’ asked Thorpe. ‘Fifty guineas that you wed within a year.’ 2001 O. Newman & R. de Zoysa ii. 39 Whether such an approach..will be sufficient in the United Kingdom..is an even bet. 1674 J. Dryden et al. (rev. ed.) 94 In a Duel they have an even chance for their lives. 1700 J. Adams xiii. 251 A Man may have..been in many Battles and Seiges, and yet..rarely have been upon such Service, where 'twas an even chance whether he came off or no. 1816 J. Austen II. viii. 149 It was an even chance that Mrs. Churchill were not in health or spirits for going. View more context for this quotation 1921 36 415 We have seen that there is at least an even likelihood that the babe was a boy. 1989 18 Mar. (Weekend FT section) p. viii/4 Most expatriate employees have a better than even probability of getting their hands on the steering wheel of a company car. 2016 C. Carr iii. i. 416 There's at least an even chance that Curtis will never come out of those woods alive. VI. Uses relating to division by two. 17. the world > relative properties > number > mathematical number or quantity > [adjective] > describing particular qualities > even a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xix. cxxvi. 1366 If þou delest seuene on þre and foure, þe oon party is euene and þe oþer is odde. c1450 (1905) II. 482 (MED) He cuthe nott tell no maner of nowmer, nor tell whilk was od whilk was evyn. 1557 R. Record sig. Aiii Euen nombers are those, whiche maie be diuided into equalle halfes. 1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach iii. f. 138v He woulde your number should rather be odde then euen. 1650 Bp. J. Taylor ii. §5 121 Let him tell me whether the number of the stars be even or odde. 1664 J. Playford (ed. 4) i. 91 An even number of Quavers or Semiquavers, as 2, 4, 6, or 8. 1759 S. Johnson II. xlvii. 158 The same number cannot be even and odd. 1780 (Royal Soc.) 70 388 Other odd terms are composed of products having an even number of factors. 1841 xiv. 80 There are many such facts not worth writing, but serviceable in quickening the perceptions of children: such as that two even numbers added, always make an even one. 1875 B. Jowett in tr. Plato (ed. 2) I. 407 Three is an odd number and four is an even number. 1949 June 127/1 The nucleus is less spherical when the number of neutrons is odd than when it is even. 2008 28 Jan. a2/1 There have to be an even number of oars in a boat or it would tend to go around in circles. a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. ix. iv. 521 An euene mone answeriþ to an odde moneþ and an odde mone to an euene moneþ. 1589 G. Puttenham ii. iii. 58 Euery meeter may be aswel in the odde as in the euen sillable. 1646 Sir T. Browne iv. v. 193 The laterall division of man by even and odde, ascribing the odde unto the right side, and even unto the left. View more context for this quotation 1688 R. Holme iii. iii. 121/1 The second, fourth, sixth, or any other even numbered Page, is called an Even Page. 1748 28 Take the even Leap-Years next this Side of the odd Years. 1795 L. Murray 157 The accents are to be placed on even syllables. 1862 S. Casey II. 203 The captains of the even companies of the right, and the odd companies of the left wing, will caution their companies to stand fast. 1893 2 Dec. 426/1 The blank space on the even pages is used..to continue the indexing. 1935 46 46 These poems..are uniformly composed.., the even lines of each poem rhyming throughout. 1962 J. Norbury 12/2 In the first repeat the odd rows are knitted and the even rows purled. 2005 J. M. Treadway i. 19 The spring primary was held on the second Saturday in April, in even years. 1579 E. Spenser Apr. sig. Dv Wants not not [sic] a fourth grace, to make the daunce euen? 1809 T. Leybourn tr. A.-M. Legendre in II. iii. 8 We shall also suppose that P is an even function of x [Fr. une fonction paire de x]. 1879 A. Cayley X. 499 θ0, θ1, θ2,..are even functions. 1912 13 452 We begin by developing the even function |cosx|..in a Fourier series. 1972 M. Kline xxviii. 676 Any function can be represented as the sum of an odd function..and an even function. 2011 19 22/2 Derivatives of odd functions are even. 1881 S. Newcomb x. i. 284 By the change, every even permutation will be changed to odd, and every odd one to even. 1904 5 146 E is an even permutation of ξ1, ξ2, ξ3, ξ4. 1946 A. 185 282 Σ denotes summation over all permutations..and the positive or the negative sign is to be taken according as the permutation is even or odd. 2016 123 548 All possible arrangements that we can form correspond to even permutations. †B. n.2OE (Northumbrian) vi. 34 Nam et peccatores peccatoribus fęnerantur ut recipiant aequalia : forðon & synnfullo synnfullum biðon gearwyrðed þætte onfoað efne. c1450 Art Nombryng in R. Steele (1922) 36 (MED) The lasse of the more, or even of even, may be withdraw; The more fro the lesse may neuer be. the world > relative properties > relationship > equality or equivalence > [noun] > equal, counterpart, or equivalent > person a1393 J. Gower (Fairf.) v. l. 3386 Of beaute sawh he nevere hir evene. a1450 in C. Brown (1939) 31 (MED) In women wate I none þin ewen..Lady of erthe, qwene of hevene. 1534 (?a1500) Shearmen & Taylors' Pageant l. 108 in H. Craig (1931) 4 (MED) Here was nothur man nor mans eyvin, But only the sond of owre Lorde God in heyvin. society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > figure of speech > figures of structure or thought > [noun] > parallelism > with balance 1589 G. Puttenham iii. xix. 178 Ye haue another figure which we may call the figure of euen, because it goeth by clauses of egall quantitie. [Side note] Parison, or the Figure of euen. the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > [noun] > the plain truth a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) ii. i. 117 The King hath run bad humors on the Knight, that's the euen of it. View more context for this quotation Phrasesc1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon (Calig.) (1963) l. 3262 He hine huld an hæfne. c1325 (c1300) (Calig.) l. 9567 (MED) King steuene Vor lute poer & feblesse huld him al an euene. c1350 (a1333) William of Shoreham (1902) 72 Ȝyf boþe beþ of god wylle, And of assent at emne. a1393 J. Gower (Fairf.) v. l. 1702 (MED) Whan Lucifer was best in hevene And oghte moste have stonde in evene, Towardes god he tok debat. †P2. to make even. the world > relative properties > relationship > equality or equivalence > be or become equal [verb (intransitive)] > be, get, or declare oneself even c1390 in C. Brown (1924) 128 For heer but ȝif we make vs euene, Þer may no miht ne ȝiftes ȝeyne. 1578 A. Golding tr. Seneca vi. v. f. 85v This dout..when the same man that hath doon mee a good turne dooth mee afterward a displeasure, whither ought I both too requyte his good turne, and yet neuerthelesse too bee reuenged of him, and so to make euen with him seuerally, as in seuerall respects: or else [etc.]. 1599 T. Nashe Ep. Ded. sig. A2v By that time his Tobacco marchant is made euen with..his purse is on the heild. 1622 S. Ward (1627) 36 When he had distributed all he had to the poore, and made euen with his reuenues, etc. 1661 S. Pepys 25 June (1970) II. 126 I made even with my father and the two drapers for the cloths I sent to sea lately. 1745 Iberian Novels i. 38 in He had no great Matter left, when he had made even with all the Creditors. 1598 R. Haydocke in tr. G. P. Lomazzo To Rdr. sig. ¶iiijv I haue bettered mine [auctour], or at the least made even for such other imperfections, as can hardly escape the best Translators. 1617 A. Cooke sig. B I would know how your Pope comes to know..that the doing of this, or that, will suffice to make eauen for the remainder of their punishment. 1664 G. Havers tr. T. Renaudot et al. xliii. 260 To make even for this, they [sc. the Jews] have every where practis'd..excessive Usury towards all other Nations. 1727 IV. 199/1 There should be one [sc. a death] to make even for Dr. Fisher Bishop of Rochester's Sufferings. ?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng (Petyt) (1996) ii. l. 3292 Þan wer boþe þe kynges brouht alle tille euen. P4. In various phrases combining even (chiefly in sense A. 17) with odd (see odd adj. 2). See also odd adj. 2c. the world > existence and causation > existence > non-existence > [phrase] > nothing, no one, not any the world > relative properties > wholeness > completeness > completely [phrase] > in full or to fullest extent > fully or without exceptions or qualifications c1425 (c1400) l. 5666 (MED) Thei swore..Thei schal neuere [fle] for euene ne for od. c1475 (Brogyntyn) (1911) 25 (MED) Loke þou lete, for oode ne for ewyne. c1480 (a1400) St. Matthew 382 in W. M. Metcalfe (1896) I. 201 How dar þu þane for hod or ewyn fra þi lorde tak hyre to þe? 1603 (Charteris) (1920) 43 I sweir the be the Heuin, I sal hir neuer displeis for od nor euin. ?c1450 (1891) l. 4957 All ȝone oste, bathe euen and od. a1475 (Laud) (1998) I. l. 507 He shulde..foryeven hym even and odde That he hadde doone. 1570 in J. Cranstoun (1891) I. xx. 120 Tratours kene That ithandly hes streuin For to deface the nobill race Of Stewarts, od and euin. a1500 (a1460) (1994) I. xix. 224 I haue sene the lamb of God..And towchid hym, for euen or od. society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > games of chance > other games of chance > [noun] society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > games of chance > play games of chance [verb (intransitive)] 1538 T. Elyot Par impar, a game that children vsed, called euen or odde. c1555 sig. Av The names of Dyce...A bale of long dyce for euen and odde. 1598 J. Florio Pari dispari, euen and odde, a kinde of play so called. 1658 J. Goodwin xvi. 220 I dare not play at even and odd with him in the dark. 1681 W. Robertson (1693) 551 To play at even or odd. 1710 5–7 Apr. A...Challenges B. to go even or odd with him for a..Sum of Money. 1740 C. Cibber i. 13 Socrates cou'd take pleasure in playing at Even or Odd with his Children. 1742 H. Fielding & W. Young tr. Aristophanes iv. i. 79 We Servants now play at Even and Odd with Golden Staters. 1801 J. Strutt iv. iv. 289 Even or Odd is another childish game of chance well known to the ancients. 1833 12 July It was a quite common thing for them to toss up for a score of dollars, or to play ‘evens or odds’ for a handful or a pocketful at a time. 1843 E. A. Poe Purloined Let. in (1850) I. 271 I knew one [schoolboy]..whose success at guessing in the game of ‘even and odd’ attracted universal admiration. 1907 Baroness Orczy i. i. 13 There were the trestles where one could play at ball and knucklebone, or chance and mumchance; another, where evens and odds and backgammon proved tempting. 1965 28 Nov. 95/2 The ‘quiet Tommy Dodd’ that Jack won't join in is Cockney rhyming slang for a coin-spinning gambling game called ‘even and odd’. 1985 B. Barclay i. 22 Ernst the gambler looks for a game of even and odd. 2010 22 July 4 b Play evens and odds with your fingers. a1470 T. Malory (Winch. Coll. 13) (1990) I. 318 He dud a grete batayle wyth sir Launcelot, and there they departed on evyn hondis. a1470 T. Malory (Winch. Coll. 13) (1990) II. 461 There they fought longe..and they were so wery that they lefft that batayle on evyn honde [1485 Caxton they lefte that bataille euen hand]. 1546 J. Heywood ii. iv. sig. Giv Sens tyt for tat..on euen hand is set, Set the hares head agaynst the goose ieblet. 1564 A. Golding tr. Justinus iii. f. 23v Long time the victory hong in doubtful balance, sometime the one winninge and sometime the other. At the last they departed of euen hande. 1571 T. Fortescue tr. P. Mexia ii. v. f. 63v All those that were of indifferent beautie..were neither bought, nor solde, but at euen hande deliuered. 1602 T. North tr. S. Goulart 10 Now the signe to fight being giuen, the Lacedæmonians marched of euen hand with the two hornes of their battel, ordred in forme of a Cressant. 1625 F. Bacon (new ed.) 41 Who so is out of Hope to attaine to anothers Vertue, will seeke to come at euen hand, by Depressing an others Fortune. a1689 A. Behn (1698) 9 Her Mother..was..well pleased..; and especially, when she understood the Exchange was to be made on even Hands. 1705 G. Farquhar (new ed.) Ep. Ded. sig. A2v Mens Minds will either feed upon their own Good, or upon others Evil, and who wanteth one will..strive to come at even Hand, by depressing it with black mouth'd Obloquy. 1752 vi. 89 I was at even hands with her, when she had left the world. the world > action or operation > behaviour > reciprocal treatment or return of an action > revenge > execute (vengeance) [verb (transitive)] > take vengeance on > be revenged upon a1500 Merchant & Son l. 210 in W. C. Hazlitt (1864) I. 147 My fadur ys evyn wyth all the worlde. 1545 J. Bale f. 19v The prestes not contented wt so spyghtfull an iniurye, thought they wolde be euen with saynt Donstane for it, as they were in dede. 1626 in S. R. Gardiner (1889) 63 The Ambassadors man..made a great complaint of theyr il usidge in England, wheare uppon hee vowed to bee even with our Inglish. 1655 T. Stanley I. iii. 86 I will even be with you for this scorn. 1713 J. Addison in 3 July The Publick is always Even with an Author who has not a just Deference for them. 1794 A. Radcliffe III. ii. 33 I was determined to be even with Barnardine for refusing to tell me the secret. 1833 E. Bulwer-Lytton I. iv. 35 Come out, and I'll be even with you, pretty one. 1875 B. Jowett tr. Plato (ed. 2) III. 264 Verily I would be even with thee, if I had the power. 1910 18 July 416 I will be even with her yet. She is a black devil of the deepest dye. 1974 T. McHale xxvi. 259 Then I'll be even with that wog for sayin' Marilyn ain't holy 'n' can't perform a miracle. 1557 R. Record sig. Aiiiv Euen nombers euenly, are such nombers as maie bee parted continually into euen halfes, till you come to an vnitie. As for example, 32.] 1570 H. Billingsley tr. Euclid vii. f. 184v A number euenly euen..is that number, which an euen number measureth by an euen number. 1679 J. Moxon 53 32 is said to be a Number Evenly even. 1796 C. Hutton (new ed.) I. 450/1 Evenly Even Number, is that which an even number measures by an even number; as 16, which the number 8 measures by the even number 2. 1836 A. De Morgan vii. 123 When n is evenly even, (of the form 4m,) the sign of the whole is contrary to that which exists when n is oddly even. 1999 T. J. Mathiesen v. 364 Among the even numbers, he defines the evenly-even numbers as those that are the product of even numbers and have entirely even parts. 1570 H. Billingsley in tr. Euclid vii. f. 185 A number oddly euen..is that which an odde number measureth by an euen number. 1676 tr. H. C. Agrippa xii Arithmetic treats of Numbers..which is evenly odde, and which odly even. 1730 A. Malcolm v. i. 327 All Composite Numbers are divided into evenly even, oddly even, and oddly odd. 1877 E. Brooks xiii. 461 The Even Numbers are divided into the oddly even numbers..and the evenly even numbers. 2013 G. E. Andrews in I. S. Kotsireas & E. V. Zima 73 Oddly even numbers are numbers congruent to 2 modulo 4. the world > time > relative time > simultaneity or contemporaneousness > [adverb] > of the same date 1639 E. Nicholas 14 Mar. (P.R.O.: SP 16/292) f. 50 This new deputation to beare even date wth the said Mr. Harris his present deputation now in being. 1656 8 We have by Our Letters of Privy Seal, bearing even date with these presents, given full Warrant. 1681 10 Mar. Reciting an Indenture of even date therewith. 1751 27 Feb. By Letters which have been received at Vienna of even Date with the above..it is assured that [etc.]. 1766 Ld. Kames 162 Robert Tudhope delivered the L. 29 to Robert Taylor, and took his bill for it, of even date with the other bill. 1845 6 Dec. A certain promissory note..having even date with said mortgage. 1885 142/1 By deed of even date he covenanted to pay all calls in respect of the shares. 1899 14 Oct. 468/1 Ludwig succeeded to the Bavarian throne in 1864, and his speaking portrait of even date is that of a young man of quite extraordinary beauty. 1907 ‘M. Twain’ in 5 July 474 They had a pile of Mexican dollars on the table; twelve of them were of even date. 1927 5 July 8 (caption) Dear Mr. Chancellor, In reply to your Finance Bill of even date, I object to paying twice over. 1946 11 Feb. 34 c/1 As stated in the Form of Bid accompanying the Request for Bids, bearing even date herewith. 1984 C. Reid i. xx. 71 Davison developed his theme with even keener edge in the Musical World of even date. 2006 Balance Sheet 20 May in 21 Oct. 4453/2 As per our Report of even date. P10. the world > action or operation > behaviour > reciprocal treatment or return of an action > revenge > execute (vengeance) [verb (transitive)] > take vengeance on > be revenged upon a1712 T. Halyburton (1721) i. 99 Were not you vexed, thinking how to get even with them? 1784 J. Malchair Let. 6 July in C. Harrison (1998) 17/2 Something must be done to gett even with the world, for..I find myself getting behind hand, for nobody pays now. 1818 14 May Let us..pay off our national debt, get even with the world, and be new in our practice as we are in theory. 1846 20 Oct. [He] took advantage of a slight lull in the discussion to get even with his colleague from Dane, by treating his constituents in the gallery with a lengthened and elaborate discourse, showing how [etc.]. 1877 5 Nov. His looks told that he had got even with Ferry at last. The tables are turned. Ferry owes him ‘one’. 1910 11 June 9 I feel that I can never get quite even with him again. 1997 T. Petsinis (1998) xlii. 392 I am determined to get even with those who thwarted me. 2012 J. Robinson xxv. 157 He dumped me bad..and I got even with him by posting a few inappropriate photos of him on the Net. 1845 2 May You must not give it [sc. playing poker] up so..to-morrow you'll get even. 1855 Dec. 355/2 You stocked [i.e. stacked] the cards on me, and to get even I had to stock the bullets on you. 1880 ‘M. Twain’ xxv. 257 One should always ‘get even’ in some way, else the sore place will go on hurting. 1923 L. J. Vance 40 Crooks..blow the works to get even. 1987 J. M. Dillard 195 There was time to get even. And revenge is a dish best served cold. 2004 C. R. Forsberg Introd. 18 Teaming up with another blackballed applicant,..he no doubt hoped to get even. 1933 L. G. D. Acland in 23 Sept. 13/7 Cadet, a young man working on a station to learn sheep-farming..often worked ‘on even terms’ but is now usually paid a low wage. 1941 S. J. Baker 27 Even Terms, working for one's food. 1955 B. J. Cameron Coll. (typescript) in (1997) 247 Even terms, working for food and keep merely. The expression has little application in these prosperous days. Compounds C1. In compounds. ?c1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac (Paris) (1971) 383 (MED) If þai haue forsoþe many even-voycede [L. equiuoca] tokenes and many vnuoycede tokenes, þai schal be wiþdrawen fro þe peple. tr. Palladius (Duke Humfrey) (1896) iv. l. 713 (MED) [In yoking oxen] this is forto se That euen strengthed thou to gidre dresse, The feebeller lest that the stronge oppresse. 1552 R. Huloet Euen handed, æquimanus. 1611 J. Sylvester tr. G. de S. Du Bartas (new ed.) i. iii. 54 Th'even-slated Roofs reflect with glistring blew. 1649 T. Brooks 6 Upright hearts in their constant course are even carriag'd hearts. 1670 J. Narborough in (1711) 64 These People..are smooth and even toothed and close set and very white. 1682 N. Grew Idea Philos. Hist. Plants 3 in Leaves, which are Long or Round, Even-edg'd or Escallop'd. 1752 W. Dodd I. 242 (heading) On Flattery, and an even-minded Man. 1784 Mar. 95/2 Never shall the nimble allegro be succeeded by the even-paced andante! a1825 R. Forby (1830) (at cited word) An even-flavoured day of rain. 1834 W. N. Glascock 2nd Ser. I. 235 I'm an even-minded man..that's providin' I wasn't provok'd. 1843 C. Holtzapffel I. 173 The leads of even-pointed pencils. 1890 S. O. Jewett 227 Even-grained white pine would have saved strength and patience. 1921 L. Cockayne ii. iv. 73 A fairly even-topped low wall of sand..rises from the upper strand beyond reach of an ordinary tide. 1974 R. J. Mills & E. Butler ii. 23 A racket should be kept in an even-pressured press at all times when not in use. 2006 Nov. 67/2 Mix together with hands and shape into even-sized patties. b. 1610 E. Bolton xxxii. 182 What other euen numbers, or euen numbred things do admit the like? 1849 J. F. W. Johnston 120 To the..even-numbered portions, nothing was applied. 1932 26 96 The states engage more actively in the business of amending their constitutions in the even-numbered years. 2009 1 Oct. a8/1 The even-numbered houses will be on the north side. 1683 ii. ii. 12 Methinks your Sabines much excel our Men, Solid, Majestical, of such a look As speaks 'em truly just, and even tempered. 1779 28 Sept. He is, in general, very even-tempered. 1868 F. W. Farrar iii. i. 267 Self-controlled, modest, faithful, and even-tempered. 1952 T. Armstrong xiii. 439 The usually even-tempered Mrs. Iveson snorted. 2001 16 Dec. ii. 33/2 Fortunately, Mr. Nava seems to be an optimistic, even-tempered man. 1845 251 These characters..are met with only in the calcanea of the even-toed Pachyderms, as the Hippopotamus, the Hog-tribe, and the Ruminantia. 1904 F. Lonnkvist vii. 105 They [sc. tapirs] form, therefore, a kind of link between the Odd-toed and Even-toed orders. 2016 C. Stuart & T. Stuart 42 Pigs are even-toed non-ruminants that have similar hoofs to antelopes. 1794 U. Price ii. iii. 281 The true proser..distinctly uttering his common-place nothings, with the same even-toned voice. 1983 19 Dec. c13/1 The soloists for the Bach..sang in an even-toned, vibratoless style. 2006 (U.K. ed.) Apr. 35 (advt.) Skin that's brighter, more even-toned, exceptionally luminous. a1644 F. Quarles (1645) v. 84 This unlevells Thy even-way'd Peace, with indigested evills. 1903 16 Apr. 61/1 The British company, conservative and even-wayed, as usual to Britishers. C2. eOE tr. Bede (Tanner) i. xv. 62 He þa inwordlicor lufode, swa swa hy wæron him efnceasterwaran [L. conciues] þæs heofonlican rices. OE (Northumbrian) xviii. 28 Seruus ille inuenit unum de conseruis suis : ðegn ðe gefand uel gemitte enne of efneðegnum his. OE tr. Vitas Patrum in B. Assmann (1889) 206 And þa sende he uncerne efenþeowa mid unc, þæt he uncet sceolde ut alædan of þam eorðscræfe. c1384 (Royal) (1850) Apoc. xix. 10 I am thin euen seruaunt, and of thi britheren [a1425 L.V. Y am a seruaunt with thee; L. conservus tuus]. c1384 (Douce 369(2)) (1850) John xi. 16 Thomas..seide to euen disciplis [L. condiscipulos], And go we. c1384 (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Philipp. ii. 25 Epaphrodite, my brother and euene worchere [L. cooperatorem]. a1425 (a1400) (1916) Phil. iv. 3 (MED) Myn euyn helpare..þe whiche han trauelyd with me. 1483 tr. Adam of Eynsham lii He..schalle be an euyn heyre with me eternaly. b. c1384 (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Philipp. ii. 25 Epaphrodite, my brother and euene worchere, and myn euene knyȝt [L. commilitonem]. society > society and the community > social relations > association, fellowship, or companionship > a companion or associate > [noun] a1225 (?OE) MS Lamb. in R. Morris (1868) 1st Ser. 13 Uwil [emended in ed. to uwilc] mon scal his euenexta beodan alswa he walde þet me him bude. c1384 (Douce 369(2)) (1850) 2 Macc. ix. 29 Philip, his euen souker [a1425 L.V. euene soukere; L. conlactaneus], transferride the body. C3. the world > plants > by growth or development > defined by habit > tree or woody plant > wood or assemblage of trees or shrubs > [adjective] > containing trees of same or different age or species 1889 W. Schlich I. 145 The cover overhead protects the soil and adjoining layers of air against sun and wind; in even aged woods more against sun, and in uneven aged woods more against wind. 1895 14 127 Advanced silviculture grows most crops on the even-aged principle. 1962 1 Jan. 6/4 Trees in even-aged woods had gone down in swathes. 2003 B. D. Harvey et al. in P. J. Burton et al. xi. 423 Each even-aged management zone..should be harvested over a period of 5–10 years while uneven-aged management zones could be actively managed over much longer time periods. 1832 W. Hone 1175 The even ash-leaf in my hand, The first I meet shall be my man. 1879 W. Henderson (rev. ed.) iv. 110 Equally auspicious..is a four-leaved clover or an even ash-leaf. 1919 I. N. McFee ii. ix. 189 This is called the even ash, and to find one is every whit as lucky as to find a four-leafed clover. 2010 (Electronic ed.) 22 July 62 Even ash I do thee pluck, Hoping thus to meet good luck. c1384 (Douce 369(2)) (1850) 2 Macc. viii. 11 Euyn byinge [a1425 L.V. euenbiyng; L. coemptionem] of boonde men of Jewis. 1940 58 104/1 States with higher angular momenta of the core alone (an even-even nucleus) are known in many cases to be very close to the normal state. 1975 A. 342 54 For even-even nuclei, the value of N − Z is equal to the number of neutrons not paired with protons. 2014 D. Page et al. in II. xxi. 507 A nucleon in even-even nuclei, whether neutron or proton, clearly requires a minimum energy for excitation. 1955 (U.N. Secretariat Dept. Conf. Services Terminol. Unit) 82 Even-odd nucleus. 1966 C. S. G. Phillips & R. J. P. Williams II. xxxv. 627 Sixty-nine [beta-stable nuclides] are even-odd, i.e. contain an even number of protons and an odd number of neutrons. 2006 B. R. Martin (2007) ii. 61 Neutron capture in 238U [sc. Uranium 238] changes it from an even-even nucleus to an even-odd nucleus. ?c1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac (Paris) (1971) 383 (MED) If þai haue forsoþe many even-voycede [L. equiuoca] tokenes and many vnuoycede tokenes, þai schal be wiþdrawen fro þe peple. 1860 10 Mar. 156/1 In spite of..the even-voiced and constantly improving Giuglini..he still remains the greatest tenor of the day. 2013 R. Hurst p. xi As the horse and rider approach, give an even-voiced greeting to the rider. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2018; most recently modified version published online June 2022). evenv.1Origin: A word inherited from Germanic. Etymology: Cognate with or formed similarly to Old Frisian evenia , ivenia , Middle Dutch ēvenen (Dutch evenen ), Middle Low German ēvenen , Old High German ebanōn (Middle High German ebenen , German ebnen ), Old Icelandic jafna , Norwegian (Nynorsk) jamne , (Bokmål) jevne , Old Swedish iämna , iämpna (Swedish jämna ), Danish jævne , and further (with prefix: compare y- prefix) with Old High German giebanōn (Middle High German geebenen ), Gothic gaibnjan < the Germanic base of even adj.1 In later use perhaps also partly aphetic < Old English geefnian (see below).In Old English, alongside weak Class II forms, some forms apparently showing weak Class I are attested in Northumbrian (compare e.g. 2nd singular present indicative efnes and especially prefixed 2nd singular past indicative giefendes ). The verb is usually regarded as showing the reflex of an original weak Class II verb in West Germanic and North Germanic, but perhaps compare Gothic gaibnjan (weak Class I). In Old English the prefixed form geefnian (Northumbrian geefna ) is also attested (compare y- prefix), but no prefixed finite forms survive in Middle English. It is unclear whether Old English prefixed past participle forms such as geefnod , geefned (compare the earliest quots. at senses 1a, 2a, 5a, 7a) represent the prefixed or the unprefixed verb, as formally they may belong to either and finite forms are rare. It is possible that in Middle English the word partly represents aphetic forms of the Old English prefixed verb. With the semantic development compare even adj.1 The following attestation of efne was formerly taken to show the verb in sense ‘to throw (a person) down’ (compare sense 3); however, it is now rather taken to show even adv. (if it is not emended to esne in sense ‘young man’):OE Riddle 27 8 Nu ic eom bindere ond swingere, sona weorpere efne [perhaps read weorpe esne] to eorðan hwilum ealdne ceorl. I. To make smooth or level. †1. the world > space > shape > straightness > make straight [verb (transitive)] OE Ælfric (Royal) (1997) xxv. 386 Ðwyrnyssa beoð gerihte þonne ðwyrlicra manna heortan þe beoð þurh unrihtwisnysse hocum awegde, eft þurh regolsticcan þære soþan rihtwisnysse beoð geemnode [L. diriguntur]. c1175 (Burchfield transcript) l. 9208 All þatt ohht iss wrang & crumb Shall effnedd beon. & rihhtedd. ?a1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac (N.Y. Acad. Med.) f. 100v (MED) If þe..tailebone be broken, put in þe thomb of þe riȝt hand into þe towel & euen þe broken bone wiþ þe toþer. 1667 in J. R. N. Macphail (1916) II. 10 That himself and Gillereoch satt on ane hill evening ther arrowes. the world > space > relative position > quality or fact of being in a line (with) > be or become in a line (with something) [verb (intransitive)] 1663 S. Pepys 22 June (1971) IV. 191 To Westminster, where all along I find the shops evening with the sides of the houses. 2. the world > space > shape > flatness or levelness > make flat or level [verb (transitive)] lOE (1917) 90 On þan seofeðen dæige wurðeð geemnode denen & dunen, swa þæt eall eorðe byð smeðe & emne. a1382 (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Isa. xxviii. 25 Whether al day shal..forth kutten, and purge his erthe? Whether not, whan he shal euenen therto his [sc. the field's] face [L. adaequaverit faciem eius], he shal sowe the sed gith? a1400 tr. Lanfranc (Ashm.) (1894) 127 Whanne þou hast remeued of þe boon þat schal be remoued euene þe brynkis with schauynge. tr. Palladius (Duke Humfrey) (1896) vi. l. 39 And euen therthe aboue. a1522 G. Douglas tr. Virgil (1960) xii. iii. 8 Quhen that the Troianys and Rutilianys The grund myssouris, evynnys, dichtis, and planys. 1610 W. Leigh i. 70 In the 9 day, all the earth shall be euened, mountaines and hills shal turne to dust. 1686 W. Aglionby (new ed.) i. 28 Upon a dry Wall, having first Evened it. 1712 J. James tr. A.-J. Dézallier d'Argenville 118 The Line and Rake for eavening and smoothing the Ground. 1750 tr. C. Leonardus 145 When the face of it is evened, it reflects images like a looking-glass. 1848 Apr. 106/2 Next, a small quantity of fine earth..may be sprinkled over the seed, and finally evened with a coarse-toothed rake. 1864 E. Burritt 318 The tailor's shears, the mason's trowel, and the carpenter's edge, tools are evening everything in Christendom to one dead level of uniformity. 1918 C. S. Cobb xix. 163 They evened the ground by cutting down the hills or ridges and by filling up the valleys and hollows. 1987 (Nexis) 24 Sept. The decision by U.S. banks..to build heavy reserves for loan losses has evened the playing field among international banks. 2009 N. Baggett 8 Sweep across its top with a long-bladed spatula or straight-edged knife to even the surface. society > occupation and work > industry > earth-moving, etc. > [verb (transitive)] > repair earthwork, etc. a1382 (Bodl. 959) (1963) 3 Kings xi. 27 Salamon bijldede Mello & euenede [L. coaequavit] þe swolwȝ of þe cite of dauiþ. 1584 in J. D. Marwick (1882) IV. 317 To evin and fill vp the graives as thai sall happin to sattill and fall down. 1664 J. Evelyn (1995) 390 Beat, roll, and mow carpet-walks..for now the ground is supple, and it will even all inequalities. 1849 Lady Wilde tr. W. Meinhold II. 290 The Prussian government..desired the foundation to be evened, for it had sank in various places. 1463 in E. W. W. Veale (1938) 66 (MED) That all maner of cloths that schold passe in Sherman..be evenyd In breed. 1635 W. Barriffe lxxvii. 215 Face the whole Body to one of the flankes; and march them untill they have evened their rankes. 1688 J. S. 6 Even your Ranks, straiten your Files. ?1768–9 (1771) I. 70/2 Some time in May, the rows [of wheat] must be evened. 1771 P. Luckombe 489 As he is Knocking up the lower edge of the Book, he at the same time evens the two ends by thrusting the bows of his thumbs and fingers against the end of the Book. 1894 30 June 6/1 Neatness was a mania with Pepys, and the volumes were evened on all the shelves; in one instance some short volumes have been raised to the required height by help of wooden stilts. 1907 3/1 In a broom corn harvester, a primary cutter for severing the heads of the [corn] stalks,..a longitudinally movable vibratory jogger adapted to act on the heads of the severed stalks to even the same. 1958 S. Babb xxi. 224 Des slid one card under the others, scooping them into a pile. He evened and fitted them into their case. 2006 K. Sandler iii. 51 Picking up the stack of flyers, she evened their edges and secured the bundle with a rubber band. the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > downward motion > causing to come or go down > cause to come or go down [verb (transitive)] > bring to the ground/lay low the world > space > shape > flatness or levelness > make flat or level [verb (transitive)] > to or with the ground a1382 (Bodl. 959) (1963) Judges vii. 13 It smot it [sc. þe tabernacle]..& al-down to þe erþe euenede [L. coæquavit]. a1382 (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Jer. l. 12 Confoundid is ȝoure moder ful myche, and euened to pouder [a1425 L.V. is maad euene to dust]. 1563 T. Sackville in W. Baldwin et al. (new ed.) Induct. lxii Walls and towers flat evened with the soyle. 1591 W. Raleigh sig. B3v Her vpper worke [was]..rased, and..euened shee was with the water. 1632 T. Heywood sig. F2v Sees..The stately walls he reard, leuel'd and euen'd. 1654 T. Fuller 116 Groveling Cottages may be evened to the Earth, and none observe them; but every Traveller takes notice of the fall of a Steeple. 1672 V. Mullineaux tr. Ammianus Marcellinus in tr. J. E. Nieremberg ii. vii. 191 What Cities or Buildings they encountred were violently overthrown and evened with the ground. 1892 É. L. Lathrop tr. S. Jezewski xiv. 258 From day to day one quarter of the city after another sank and was evened to the ground. the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disrepute > damage to reputation > detract from [verb (transitive)] > bring discredit on or bring into disrepute 1625 R. Bolton 268 Now it is extreme weakenesse, to euen thy wit (as they say) with a Bedlam. 1636 S. Rutherford (1863) I. lxx. 183 He wd not even you to a gift of dirt and clay. 1650 H. Brooke To Rdr. sig. A4v Evened my words to the meanest capacity. 1740 S. Richardson I. xxvi*. 84 You do well, Sir, said I, to even your Wit to such a poor Maiden as me. 1823 J. Galt I. ii. 12 ‘Saxpence, gudeman!’ exclaimed the Provost's lady, ‘ye'll ne'er even your han' wi' a saxpence to the like of Kittlestonheugh.’ 1861 Apr. 208 No Ghost hath raced thy horse to-night; Nor evened his wit with thine. 1880 W. H. Patterson (at cited word) I wouldn't even my wit to you. c1902 A. E. M. 28 I would na even ye my lass, To my auld farrant ways. 1962 B. Moore 173 Would you want me to even my wit to a child? 1996 C. I. Macafee 117/1 Even your wit to, lower yourself to bandy words with, condescend to argue with. II. To match, to make equal, to equal. 5. the world > relative properties > relationship > equality or equivalence > make equal [verb (transitive)] OE tr. Bede (Corpus Cambr.) iv. xxx. 372 Herebriht wæs..swenced..þætte swa hwæt swa he læsse..hæfde geearnunge fram þam eadegan Cuðbrihte þæt þæt gefylde & geclænsode þæt sar þære langan untrumnesse þæt he swa geefnad [eOE Tanner geefenlicad; L. aequatus] wære mid þære gyfe his þingeres. ?c1225 (?a1200) (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 139 Sechnesse þet god sent..efneð to martir þe þolemode. a1400 (Pepys) (1976) 80 Þe mede is mychel þat liþ to þe þolemode Man oiþer womman, for he is euened to Martir. c1450 (?c1400) tr. Honorius Augustodunensis (1909) 18 (MED) Goddes sone..to alle þat were firste predestinate to heuene, he openyde heuene & euenede hem to aungels. 1556 N. Grimald tr. Cicero i. f. 2 Yt diligentlie you reade not onelie my orations, but these bookes also of philosophie, which now welnie to those haue euened themselues in quantitie. 1659 H. Hammond (xviii. 33 Annot.) 102/2 Evening or fitting [Hebrew meshavvēh] my feet he makes them nimble. 1890 C. Newton-Robinson 56 I mused an hour..Till dusk had sealed the eyes of day, And evened with the gloom below The western window's ruby glow. 1872 3 June Mathews got his first by Holdsworth's error, and got in his run, evening the score. 1886 24 June In the next two innings the Mets failed to score, but the C. P. R's. evened the score in the fourth. 1901 22 Sept. 9/3 Egan evened the match by taking the hole 5 to 6. 1926 21 Nov. 2 s/1 Benny Oosterbaan scooped up a fumble..and ran 55 yards to even the score. 1972 22 79 Would a fifth stroke have evened the match? 2012 2 July 4 Antrim evened the scores courtesy of early second-half points from Conal Kelly, Tomás McCann and Conor Murray. 6. the mind > attention and judgement > discovery > comparison > compare [verb (transitive)] > equate in value OE (Northumbrian) xx. 12 Hi nouissimi una hora fecerunt et pares illos nobis fecisti : ðas hlætmesto an tid uel huil dydon uel worohton & ðu efnes uel gelic ða us ðu dydest. c1175 (Burchfield transcript) l. 1396 Enngless..wolldenn effnenn hemm Ȝæn godd. 1340 (1866) 16 Liȝtbere..wolde by aboue þe oþre angeles, and him wolde emni to god. a1382 (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Isa. xlvi. 5 To whom licneden ȝee me, and eueneden [L. adaequastis], and comparisounden me? a1425 Benjamin Minor (Harl. 1022) in C. Horstmann (1895) I. 166 (MED) Oure lorde has euend me with my sistere Lya. a1500 St. Jerome (Lamb.) in (1880) 3 340 (MED) Ne wene no-mane to do wrong to seint Johne and to the apostellis, evenyng Jerome vnto theme. 1646 N. Homes 38 Mr T. in his 1 Section proclaimes the Latitude of the New Testament above the Old divers times: but here he evens them again. 1719 19 It becometh no Country Minister, nor their Wives, to even themselves to any Place but next unto them as our Precedency is now with England. 1815 W. Scott I. xi. 173 [They] never thought..of evening themselves till the Ellangowans. 1824 W. Scott I. xii. 289 ‘Me and Miss Lilias even'd thegither! Na, na, lad—od, she is..four or five years younger.’ 1830 J. Galt II. vi. i. 243 The idea of me evening myself in sincerity to their mother. 1881 No. 1323. 301 We disclaim the slightest idea of evening the two poets, which would be simply absurd. 1919 G. Saintsbury II. x. 386 He is altogether on a lower level than Flaubert or Maupassant; and one could not think of evening him with Hugo in one way, with Balzac in another, [etc.]. 1938 A. de Blacam (1943) x. 230 He hated to be evened with common folk. 1996 C. I. Macafee 117/1 Even someone to someone else,..put someone on the same level as someone else. ?1750 D. Graham i. 5 Ye thief-like widdifu', said she, are ye evening me to be sib to the foul thief. 1827 W. Scott 1st Ser. I. iv. 78 He would hae shot onybody wi' his pistols and his guns, that had evened him to be a liar. 1895 ‘S. Tytler’ xiii. 203 Well, that is droll, me evening you to be nae better than the lave. ?1771 i. 4 Ay, but mither is ay angry at ony body that evens themselves to me. 1789 A. Steel (ed. 2) 9 I think it sets ye ill To even me wi' your daft servin' Will. 1823 J. G. Lockhart III. vii. ii. 119 Would ony Christian body even yon bit object to a bonny, sonsy, weel-faured young woman like Miss Catline? 1875 G. MacDonald I. i. 6 To even..my bonny Grizel to sic a lang kyte-clung chiel as yon! 1893 ‘L. Keith’ xvi. 146 We'll not even her to a Standring; but we'll find a man for her when Effie's off our hands. 1996 C. I. Macafee 117/1 Even someone to someone else,..hint that someone is going to marry someone else. a1779 D. Graham (1883) II. 18 I bid you had your tongue, and no even your bystarts to my bairn. 1792 H. H. Brackenridge IV. viii. 72 Is it any affront to have it evened to your man Traddle, to gae to the senate, and to get a post i' the government, and no be knotting threads here? 1837 Sept. 408/1 But to shift that way against what the whole world knows to be as true as gospel! It's myself that couldn't even it to you, at all, at all. 1845 A. M. Hall I. iv. 58 Oh, blessed Father!—one or two well-cropped fields!—it's long since I heard such a thing as that evened to a poor man. 1853 C. Reade 261 ‘How daur ye even to me, that I'm seeking a lad?’ 1880 W. H. Patterson (at cited word) Would you even the like of that to me. 1884 2 Feb. 114/3 I'd have knocked any one down that had evened Such a thing to you in my hearing. 1936 L. McInnes 19 I wadna even the like tae him, i.e. accuse him of it. 1996 C. I. Macafee 117/1 Even something to someone, impute something to someone, accuse someone of something. 2015 G. McKay tr. W. Auld 124 He suid tak tent That ye arnae aye lichtin on the chiel..Tae wham it is evened. 7. the mind > attention and judgement > discovery > comparison > compare [verb (transitive)] OE (Northumbrian) vii. 24 Omnis..assimilabitur uiro sapienti qui ædificauit domum suam supra petram : eghuelc..geefned bið uel geliced bið uel geteled bið wer snotre seðe getimbres hus his ofer uel on carr uel stan. c1175 (Burchfield transcript) l. 1206 Forr þi sinndenn alle þa..Effnedd wiþþ gæt, & nemmnedd gæt. ?c1225 (?a1200) (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 105 Þe treowe ancres ȝete þet god efnið to briddes. c1300 St. Francis (Laud) l. 298 in C. Horstmann (1887) 62 For ore louerd euenede him-sulf to a lomb. c1390 Charter Abbey Holy Ghost (Laud) in C. Horstmann (1895) I. 348 To whom may I licken þe..þou douȝter of Ierusalem?..to whom may I euen þe? c1440 (Thornton) (1913) 48 (MED) Þe multitude of þe percienes..may noȝte be euend to þe multitude of þe greckes. For sewrly we are ma þan þay. 1590 in J. D. Marwick (1876) I. 151 The wrangus complent..allegeand that the said James suld haif ewinit thame to hangingis in the Brvmelaw. c1600 A. Montgomerie (2000) I. 131 I think it scorne..To euin an Ape with aufull Alexander. 1777 16 Oct. 63 Upon the field he shaw'd sae meikle skill, The lave were coofs when even'd to my Will. 1860 C. Reade IV. 258 Would ye even a beast to a man? 1863 J. C. Atkinson Even, to compare, to liken. 1891 58 I wad ill like tae even her wi' Jean. 1919 ‘A. Pryde’ (1920) xvii. 259 Aubrey, I am a meek man, but I will not stand being evened to March. 1928 A. E. Pease 38/1 An ye eyven yon wi this yan, ye'll seean coom at which on 'em's t'langist. 1996 C. I. Macafee 117/1 Even someone to someone else,..compare. the mind > attention and judgement > judgement or decision > evaluation, estimation, appraisal > appraise, estimate [verb (transitive)] > place value on 1571 in R. Renwick (1893) 56 The balleis accuset David Blakie for mispersoning of Thome Gray, ballie, evingand him na better nor ane stra. c1580 ( tr. (1921) II. ii. 2918 Of this Gretians noblenes Micht nae man euin the riches. †8. the world > relative properties > relationship > equality or equivalence > be or become equal [verb (intransitive)] OE xxxvi. 7 Noli emulari in eo qui prosperatur in uia sua, in homine faciente iniustitias : nelle þu efnian [eOE Vespasian Psalter ne elnende ðu sie, OE Lambeth Psalter nelle þu geeuenlæcan] on him se biþ gesundfullod on wege his on men donde unrihtwisnesse. c1225 (?c1200) (Bodl.) (1938) 10 (MED) Helle is..ful of brune uneuenlich, for ne mei nan eorðlich fur euenin þer towart. c1225 (?c1200) (Bodl.) (1940) l. 256 Hare weden ne mahen euenin to hare. c1400 (?c1380) l. 1073 What schulde þe mone þer compas clym..to euen wyth þat worþly lyȝt? the world > relative properties > order > agreement, harmony, or congruity > agree, harmonize, or be congruous with [verb (transitive)] 1602 R. Carew ii. f. 129v A redoubled numbering, neuer eueneth with the first. 1880 E. FitzGerald i. 39 Whether or not the man we have so long Been looking after, one at least whose age Evens with his whose story we have heard. the world > space > place > placing or fact of being placed in (a) position > insertion or putting in > insert or put in [verb (transitive)] > by way of filling > fit together 1530 J. Palsgrave f. ccxxixv/1 I euyn I make a thyng euen or fytte to an other, Ie adiouste... Euen this lynyng to my gowne: Adioustez, or faictez propice ceste doubleure a ma robbe. 10. the world > relative properties > relationship > equality or equivalence > make equal [verb (transitive)] > be equal to or match 1582 R. Stanyhurst tr. Virgil ii. 34 A toure..that in altitud euened Thee stars. 1608 E. Topsell 78 In bignesse he [sc. the drone] eueneth, yea, surpasseth the King himselfe. 1639 T. Fuller iv. xiv. 192 The English Earl..conceived himself to even him in valour and martiall knowledge. 1841 18 Dec. 411/2 Few were in the castle save untrained lacqueys and rude grooms, sorry protectors, even had their numbers evened those of their assailants. 1885 R. F. Burton tr. I. xx. 200 A daughter who eveneth thee in beauty. 1928 A. MacLeish xiii. 41 Griefs so vast That only mountains evened them. 2015 bamastatesports.com 11 May (Internet Archive Wayback Machine 17 Oct. 2015) Williams['] time of 53.23 evened her best time and Wedderburn finished with a 54.91 which was just off her best of 54.65. the world > action or operation > prosperity > advancement or progress > [verb (transitive)] > advance at equal rate with a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) iii. iv. 182 Wee'l euen All that good time will giue vs. View more context for this quotation a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) ii. i. 298 Nothing can, or shall content my Soule Till I am eeuen'd [1622 euen] with him, wife, for wife [printed wift]. a1673 T. Horton (1679) xvi. 117/1 For those that contemn him, he will contemn them again, and he evens with them for their contemnings. 1899 1 June 6/2 I'll even with him if I have to stay awake in church to study up something. 1900 C. L. Moore iii. 133 I'll even with her plot for plot, And have the jewels—blood or not. 1920 25 Mar. 176/3 Granny nodded. ‘Bud Fossett and Giles Rolfe. I'll even with 'em both, come my time.’ 1996 ‘C. Hardy’ (1997) xxvii. 214 She had got the better of him in a way he couldn't immediately understand, but he would not allow her to get away before he had evened with her. III. To balance or reconcile. †12. the world > relative properties > relationship > equality or equivalence > make equal [verb (transitive)] > even or be even with 1494 in W. Fraser (1874) II. 152 [They] sal syt down..and cheis certane freyndis to evyn all the said debatis. 1508 (Chepman & Myllar) sig. c We sal evin that is od or end in the pane. c1540 J. Bellenden tr. H. Boece ix. iii. f. 112/2 Foure prudent men wer chosyn on ylk syde to euyn all debatis betuix yame. 1727 D. Defoe II. i. ix. 214 He has evened all Differences. 1856 E. B. Browning viii. 349 To sorrow for mankind And even their odds. society > society and the community > dissent > absence of dissension or peace > bringing about concord or peace > bring to peace (strife or discord) [verb (transitive)] > reconcile (people) society > society and the community > dissent > absence of dissension or peace > bringing about concord or peace > bring to peace (strife or discord) [verb (transitive)] > settle (a dispute) 1620 142 To euen and compound them [sc. factions] in mutuall amity and agreement. the world > relative properties > relationship > equality or equivalence > make equal [verb (transitive)] > balance a1618 W. Raleigh (1628) Ep. Ded. sig. A3v The point of honour well weighed hath nothing in it to euen the ballance. 1638 W. Chillingworth iii. §86 Even the ballance, and hold it even. 1684 W. Penn in (1826) I. 421 Prudence and proportion will more than even the scale. 1861 F. Browne II. xvi. 246 Cast the good works which she can spare into your father's scale, they will even the balance. a1961 H. D. (1974) 97 Does it even the Balance If a wife repeats a husband's folly? 2004 (Nexis) 14 June 12 How do you even the scales between rich and poor in education? 14. society > trade and finance > payment > pay money or things [verb (transitive)] > pay (a claim, dues, or charge) society > trade and finance > management of money > keeping accounts > keep accounts [verb (transitive)] > add up and ascertain differences > balance or reconcile 1619 Sir R. Boyle in (1886) I. 215 By my payment Mr. Dalton and I have evened all accompts. 1664 S. Pepys 15 July (1971) IV. 206 He hath now evened his reckonings at the Wardrobe till Michaelmas last. 1719 W. Wood (ed. 2) 90 The goods we send to that Country are by no means sufficient to even the account between us. 1756 iii. 40 Worldly Affairs he'd even'd long before. 1866 H. Bushnell 26 The way Christ will get hold of transgressors to regenerate their nature, after he has evened their account with God. 1887 27 Mar. 6/7 He has left his companion feeling small and insignificant; he feels that he has evened the score. 1893 Jan. 14/1 I realize fully the opportunity I here have for evening old scores with my early teachers. 1947 T. Maynard xiii. 158 He now had a wonderful chance to even old scores. 1963 L. Casson in tr. Plautus p. xviii If he owes a debt to his Greek predecessors, later playwrights of the highest stature have evened the account by being indebted to him. 2008 D. Rollins xvii. 137 One day I'm going to even the score with that bitch. 1664 S. Pepys 12 Oct. (1971) V. 295 After dinner, I out to Mr. Bridges the linen-draper and evened with [him] for 100 pieces of Callico. 1699 S. Tomlyns 129 Tho' we have not evened with God, and discharg'd our Debt, yet God begins a new Account. Phrasal verbs With adverbs in specialized senses. to even out the world > space > shape > flatness or levelness > make flat or level [verb (transitive)] 1613 J. May v. 27 The mill leaues them [sc. rough clothes]..narrower in some places than other, which they by colour to euen out, doe often strain beyond the limitation allowed for drest cloths. 1674 N. Fairfax 2 Those things that right reason..had evened out into ranks and kindreds by themselves, have been unhappily hudled and broken. 1854 M. Oliphant I. v. 71 A brow that knits and evens out its folds with a constant change of expression. 1889 112 It is better so to plan one's operation as to even out the supplies of farm goods so that we may have a regular supply of fresh butter, eggs and pork in winter as well as summer. 1931 18 July 127/2 Company practice may rightly go beyond the mere creation of secret reserves, and cover their employment to ‘even out’ fluctuations in earning power. 1967 H. Seton-Watson i. 22 The poll-tax also had an important effect in evening out the differences between groups of peasants who were not serfs. 2015 4 Aug. 21/3 Applied with a brush, this light foundation gives a lovely glow and evens out blemishes. 1906 Dec. 51/2 Even though the ice freezes at first in corrugations on the pipe coil plate, my experience this summer in a large plant shows that it all evens out in the end. 1950 A. L. Rowse v. 158 Things were beginning to even out a little. a1994 C. Bukowski (1999) 193 He's 24 Looks 38 But it all evens out finally: He's aged a good many other people. 2002 F. Close et al. x. 194 After a time the temperature evens out. the world > relative properties > relationship > equality or equivalence > make equal [verb (transitive)] > balance 1863 4/2 Conveying the bristles to the feeding-belts for the assorting devices, preparatory to their being carded and evened up. 1866 H. Bushnell Introd. 15 They take..what he [sc. Anselm] says of justice as if he [sc. Christ] were engaged to even up the score of penalty. 1898 1 Nov. 9/1 When they return to-morrow it is quite possible that those who sold yesterday in order to even up their books may be again purchasers. 1908 9 Mar. 3/3 But all things are evened up in every age. 1921 C. E. Mulford vii. 87 Fisher evened up and raised again, watching his worried opponent. 1953 P. Adler vii. 238 So far as I was concerned this kind deed evened things up and canceled out all the unpleasantness. 2010 K. R. Crippen vi. 74 Buffalo took advantage of a Cleveland fumble to even up the score. the world > action or operation > behaviour > reciprocal treatment or return of an action > treat one as he has been treated [verb (transitive)] > requite or pay back (a person) 1879 14 May 1/5 The operators cut each other on the contracts, and then try to even up on the miners. 1892 A. C. Gunter (1893) 88 ‘You and the Cap has done me a good turn’ he says. ‘Some day I'll even up on you.’ 1933 Mar. 147/2 He may even seem to be evening up on you for the bowing he has had to do in retaining the favor of some of his guild members. 2012 W. W. Johnstone & J. A. Johnstone viii. 123 Waco Brindle's making noises about evening up on you two. Derivatives society > morality > rightness or justice > [adjective] > impartial 1578 J. Polemon 34 His Horsemen..susteyned the Calabrian Horsemen with euened slaughter. 1794 15 Thus will the old accompt stand evened, and the totals of both the Dr. and Cr. sides justly appear on the new one opened. 1861 H. Bushnell ii. iii. 260 In the moulds of a perfectly evened judgement. 2002 S. Turow xiv. 135 The ramparts of papers—prosecution packages, internal memos, legal mail—sat with evened edges, equidistant from one another. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2018; most recently modified version published online June 2022). † evenv.2Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: even n.1 Etymology: < even n.1 Compare evening n.1In Old English a weak verb of Class II. Compare Old High German ābandēn to become evening (weak verb Class III; Middle High German ābenden ; German abenden ; now chiefly regional). In Old English the prefixed form geǣfnian is also attested (compare y- prefix; early Middle English (rare) iæfne). Obsolete. OE Ælfric (Cambr. Gg.3.28) (2009) vi. 88 Seo sunne bið þonne swa feorr norð agan, þæt heo hwonlice undergæð þære eorðan geendunge swilce hit æfnige, & þærrihte eft upgæð. OE (Julius) (1994) 40 Mid þi þe hit æfnian wolde and seo sunne sah to setle. OE Wærferð tr. Gregory (Corpus Cambr.) (1900) i. x. 75 Se awyrgda þa þa se dæg æfnode [L. uesperescente iam die] geseah, þæt seo tid wæs mannum dyglu. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2018; most recently modified version published online December 2020). evenadv.prep.Origin: A word inherited from Germanic. Etymology: Cognate with Old Frisian ivin , iven , evene , efne equally, Middle Dutch ēvene in equal measure, to the same extent, just, exactly (Dutch even exactly, for a little, just, within a short time), Old Saxon efno equally (Middle Low German ēvene , ēven ), Old High German ebano uniformly, in an orderly fashion, equally, in the same way, calmly (Middle High German ebene , eben uniformly, appropriately, comfortably, exactly, carefully, German eben precisely, just, for a moment) < the Germanic base of even adj.1 Compare evenly adv., even adj.1Form history. In Old English the form efne (with -e suffix forming adverbs from adjectives) is attested beside efen , which represents adverbial use of the neuter accusative singular of even adj.1 or its base. The suffixed form is significantly more frequent in use as simplex, but in compounds the form efen- is the commoner, although efne- occurs in a large number of compound verbs. For discussion of the assimilation seen in Old English emne , etc., see even adj.1 In literary use forms reflecting loss of medial v (see δ. forms) now occur only in verse, as e'en (/iːn/). Specific senses. For possible earlier instances of the adverb in sense A. 5a in the phrase even like as , see discussion at evenly adv. With the development of sense A. 7 compare Old English efne used as an introductory particle in sense ‘behold, lo’, shading into ‘truly, indeed’. However, this use should probably be interpreted as an interjection, and the later development of a generalized intensive use of the adverb (sense A. 7b) appears to be independent of it. With even to (or unto) at sense A. 6 compare classical Latin usque ad. A. adv. I. In senses closely related to even adj.1 Cf. evenly adv. 1. the world > relative properties > relationship > uniformity > [adverb] OE (1932) cxviii. 77 Me is metegung on modsefan, hu ic æ þine efnast healde. c1230 (?a1200) (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 58 Ȝef ha setteð hire wordes swa efne þet ha ne þunche ouersturet..ah inwardliche..in a softe steuene. a1275 St. Margaret (Trin. Cambr.) l. 19 in A. S. M. Clark (Ph.D. diss., Univ. of Michigan) (1972) 10 Tales ho ani tolde, ful feire ant ful euene. c1275 (?c1250) (Calig.) (1935) l. 313 Ich singe efne Mid fulle dreme and lude stefne. c1300 St. Michael (Laud) l. 695 in C. Horstmann (1887) 319 Ake ȝif þov nimst riȝt puyr hot watur and dost cold þar-to, þov miȝt it makien euene wlach and entempri it so. c1325 (c1300) (Calig.) l. 1003 (MED) So euene hot þat lond ys þat men durre selde Hor orf in house a winter bringe out of þe welde. c1480 (a1400) Prol. 47 in W. M. Metcalfe (1896) I. 2 Demaynand hire in althing ewine. ?a1500 (?1458) in J. H. Parker (1859) III. ii. 44 Now God geve us grace to folowe treuthe even. c1540 (?a1400) (2002) f. 8v Mony proud rynges Euyn setto þe sight. 1665 E. Waterhouse xliii. 450 He..could regulate his steps so even, that none should perceive him tripping. 1728 T. Sheridan tr. Persius i. 17 That Poet of ours makes his Verses run as even as a Carpenter can draw his Line. 1784 G. Hadley 144 You jolt the palanqueen, go even. 1813 J. Austen I. x. 47 How can you contrive to write so even? 1895 VI. 92/1 This iron must be run very even, and must be commenced at the joint..and run around the toe [of the boot]. 2009 (Nexis) 4 May b1 I wanted to run 6-minute miles and I think I was under that. I ran very even, totally ideal. the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > a straight course > [adverb] c1300 St. Kenelm (Laud) l. 188 in C. Horstmann (1887) 350 A coluere..riȝt euene..was i-seiȝe into heouene fleo. a1375 (c1350) (1867) l. 3444 Þe swerd swiftili swenged þurth þe bode even. a1400 (a1325) (Vesp.) l. 3105 It brend, þe reke raght vp euen. c1425 J. Lydgate (Augustus A.iv) ii. l. 7709 (MED) Gretly expert, specialy to schete Wiþ dart & spere..For þei cast euen as any lyne. a1500 (?a1400) (1887) l. 2181 In to a lond both riche and good, Ffull evyn he toke the way. 1573 in J. Cranstoun (1891) I. xxxix. 101 The bumbard stanis derectlie fell sa euin. 1613 M. Ridley iv. 16 As a ship vpon the water is directed euen forward by the sterne and ruther. 1721 J. Kelly 339 There's a time to Glye, and a time to look even. 1736 19 He..did hear the Pannel call out to the Soldiers, Damn them for Rogues, why did they not fire even foreward, and clean the Street? 1818 J. Hogg I. i. 13 The settin moon shone even in their faces. 1935 D. Rorie 29 Jist keep the Deid Knowe weel on your richt han', Syne even forrit till ye see a cairn. the world > space > direction > [adverb] > straight or due c1300 (Harl.) (1844) 24 Hi wende evene south. a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. xi. iii. 573 Þe euen est wynd is temporat in hete. c1400 (?a1387) W. Langland (Huntington HM 137) (1873) ii. l. 122 (MED) Helle is þer he [sc. the fiend] ys..Euene contrarie sitteþ criste. ?a1425 (a1400) (Corpus Cambr.) 326 Þe wynd was euen contrarye to hem. 1483 (BL Add. 89074) (1881) 118 Evyn agayn, e contra. 1483 W. Caxton in tr. J. de Voragine f. ccclxxxxviijv Saynt brandon entryd in to his shyppe and sayled xl dayes euyn southe in ful grete tempeste. a1525 in W. A. Craigie (1923) I. 169 A ryvere þat..endis ye mediterane ewyne south west fra Ierusalem. a1586 (a1500) Freiris Berwik 344 in W. A. Craigie (1919) I. 142 In the eist he turnit him ewin his face. 1641 in (2007) 1641/8/412 Fra the said Glascarnacreiche northwest to ane weell or fontane callit Toberdoniche, and evine west the brae Brayrinchaltoun to ane know callit Knokenagade at the southwest. society > society and the community > kinship or relationship > lineage or descent > [adverb] > in direct line 1489 (a1380) J. Barbour (Adv.) i. 61 Ony male How yat in lyne ewyn descendand. a1500 (c1425) Andrew of Wyntoun (Nero) ii. l. 1670 Off þis Antenor coyme syne, Descendande ewyn down be lyne, Francus. 1684 G. Mackenzie i. vii. 66 It defends only where the Heritage descended even from the Father. 2. Equally. the world > relative properties > relationship > equality or equivalence > [adverb] OE tr. Chrodegang of Metz (Corpus Cambr. 191) v. 181 On þisum þincgum we nellað nane twislunge habban nanes hades, ac sy gelic eallum seald æt and drinc efne ætsamne. lOE King Ælfred tr. Boethius (Bodl.) (2009) I. xxxix. 369 Sio sunne and se mona habbað todæled betwuht him þone dæg and þa niht swiðe emne. c1325 (c1300) (Calig.) l. 730 (MED) Euene a tuo he [sc. Lear] delede is kinedom, & ȝef is tueie doȝtren half, & half him sulf nom. a1393 J. Gower (Fairf.) iv. l. 1317 Copes riche..Departed evene of whyt and blew. ?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng (Petyt) (1996) ii. l. 1236 Þe barons portiond þe lond euen þam bituene. c1475 (a1400) Sir Amadace (Taylor) in J. Robson (1842) 51 (MED) Take and dele hit euun in toe. 1538 D. Lindsay sig. F.ijv Depart her euen amonge vs Take you one halfe and reke to me another. 1654 J. Harwoord 34 They are three and three..: here are petitions as even divided, as Canaan was to Israel. 1795 S. Martin iii. 48 Cut it [sc. the pig] even in two down the back. 1879 17 July The latter [is estimated] at about $60,000,000, divided nearly even between the exports and imports. 1907 B. Tarkington iv. 61 I'll put it up against that tin automobile of yours, divide chips even and play you freeze-out for it. 1934 23 Nov. 22/2 Forecasters of this section probably will be divided fairly even. 2006 (Nexis) 9 Nov. d1 The region is split fairly even between Democrats and Republicans. the world > relative properties > relationship > equality or equivalence > [adverb] OE 300 Þu sunu dryhtnes þurh clæne gebyrd cennan sceolde..ond þe, Maria, forð efne unwemme a ge healden [read gehealdan]. c1175 ( Homily (Bodl. 343) in S. Irvine (1993) 112 Efne swa þe steorræ oferscineð oðerne on brihtnesse... Swylc bið þe mon ærest on domes dæȝe swa mucele wundorlycor. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon (Calig.) (1978) l. 9331 Ygærne him wes swa leof æfne alse his aȝen lif. a1325 (c1250) (1968) l. 331 Ge..sulen..ben so wise alle euene So ðo ðe wunen a-buuen in heuone. ?c1450 (1891) l. 4066 Edylwald was a man expert, Euen gyuen to god with cuthbert. c1475 (a1400) J. Wyclif (1880) 310 (MED) Wheþer alle þise ordris ben euene goode. ?1537 T. Elyot ii. ix. f. 26 Nauews do not nourishe so moche as rapes, but they be euen as wyndy. 1542 sig. bvv With these marchaundize, I mighte couple furres of greate prices, and very fine clothe, for these are euen so superfluouse as the other. 1621 R. Crakanthorpe i. xii. 276 This which he tels..is euen as true as that which in the same place hee tels also. 1696 J. Cockburn ii. iii. 409 A Dumb Priest is even as good as one whom the People doth not understand. eOE tr. Orosius (BL Add.) (1980) iii. i. 54 Ne wene ic, cwæð Orosius, ðæt ænige twegen latteowas emnar gefuhten. c1405 (c1385) G. Chaucer (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 1735 Ther was noon so wys þt koude seye That any hadde of oother auantage Of worthynesse, ne of estaat ne age, So euene were they chosen. c1475 (c1450) P. Idley (Cambr.) (1935) ii. B. l. 150 Whenne thow art grettest in honour And most may doo vndre maistershyppe and dominacion, Then bere the evenest with thy neighboure. 1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach iii. f. 128v Be well assured that you bye them [sc. draught oxen] euen matched. 1642 T. Fuller i. xiv. 44 When twinnes have been even match'd, one hath gained the gole but by his length. 1727 R. Bradley xviii. 357 When we first put a young horse to draw, take care that he be even matched. 1891 R. Kipling 97 Nine roun's they were even matched, an' at the tenth—. 1966 J. Barry ix. 159 ‘How many?’ ‘Five, six. We be even matched.’ 1989 12 109/1 The contestants in battles like the current confrontation..are now more even matched. the world > relative properties > order > agreement, harmony, or congruity > suitability or appropriateness > [adverb] > in a proportionate manner/with due proportion a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris (1873) 2nd Ser. 67 (MED) Ete nu leinte mete, and enes o dai and euene fille. a1250 Ureisun ure Louerde (Lamb.) in R. Morris (1868) 1st Ser. 187 He mot scottin efne after his euene. c1300 (?c1225) (Cambr.) (1901) l. 94 (MED) Þu art gret & strong, fair & euene long. a1450 in T. Austin (1888) 14 (MED) Take þe sylf brothe..Make it euen Salt. 1633 S. Bradwell vii. 44 Let it be..bound on, and kept there, till it be even cold. 1674 tr. R. Minderer v. 62 Make a Potion of it, and give of it even cold to thy Patient. society > society and the community > dissent > absence of dissension or peace > [adverb] ?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng (Petyt) (1996) ii. l. 3097 Henry & he euen acorded or þei went. c1425 J. Lydgate (Augustus A.iv) ii. l. 4142 (MED) To heren þe heuenly armonye..So euen in on & iustly þei acorde, It wold an hert rauische in-to Ioye. 1645 T. Fuller iii. iii. 135 Both are for the Priviledges of Parliament; Can they come closer? Both are for the Liberty of the Subject; Can they meet Evener? II. In weakened use as an intensive or emphatic particle. (In later use many uses of senses in this branch show some suggestion of sense A. 8.) 5. Exactly, precisely, just. In later use generally somewhat archaic. the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > freedom from error, correctness > exactness, accuracy, precision > [adverb] the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > freedom from error, correctness > exactness, accuracy, precision > [adverb] > exactly so, just OE 330 Þu eart þæt wealldor, þurh þe waldend frea æne on þas eorðan ut siðade, ond efne swa þec gemette, meahtum gehrodene, clæne ond gecorene, Crist ælmihtig. OE (2008) 1571 Lixte se leoma..efne swa of hefene hadre scineð rodores candel. c1300 11000 Virgins (Laud) l. 167 in C. Horstmann (1887) 91 Huy..heuen up þe þrouwes lid and founden hire ligge þer Faire and euene ase heo dude er. c1450 (?a1400) (BL Add. 31042) l. 367 For als þay demden to doo thay deden ful euen. a1460 (Pembr. Cambr. 243) l. 371 (MED) With myghti knyghtly poort, eue as Seynt George, Lepe o thi foo. 1489 W. Caxton tr. C. de Pisan ii. viii. sig. Gvi He..comaunded them that on the morowe they shulde come agayne..makynge a grete noyse..And hyt happed euen thus. c1540 (?a1400) (2002) f. 27v Priam by purpos a pales gert make..And euyn at his etlyng Ylion was cald. 1559 T. Mowntayne in B. Cusack (1998) 260 I truste ther wylbe shortyly a refformasyon for these herytykes & god hathe presaruyd yor honorable lordshyp euen for yt same porpoose. 1578 T. Tymme tr. J. Calvin 97 Even as if a Man should give a sword and buckler into the hands of another. 1605 F. Bacon i. sig. Cv The Gouernements of Princes in minority..haue neuerthelesse excelled the gouernement of Princes of mature age, euen for that reason, which they seek to traduce. a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) iv. ii. 81 His life is paralel'd Euen with the stroke and line of his great Iustice. 1646 W. Bridges 17 If either Custome commend, or Authority command things that are such [sc. comely and orderly] indeed, wise, godly, and peaceable men should hold themselves (even therefore) the more bound unto them. 1721 J. Strype I. i. xxiii. 171 One said,..when one asked him, how he liked Latimer's Sermon before King Edward; Even as I liked him always. 1771 44 We learn..how hypocrites can conduct themselves to answer their own designs; even thus, they give alms. 1809 R. K. Porter I. i. 6 It was even as Saxo Grammaticus relates. 1888 20 197 Even as machines are easily deranged so sheep are ‘kittle cattle’; no more delicate animal breathes. 1915 Oct. 575 Even thus is natural man transfigured..by the grace of God. 1946 J. A. Rogers I. 228 Even as they did the best with what tools nature had given them, so did Bambaata. b. the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > freedom from error, correctness > exactness, accuracy, precision > [adverb] > exactly so, just > of time OE Ælfric (Claud.) xiv. 4 Ælc cwæð to oðrum: Vton us gesettan efne nu heretogan & uton gecyrran to Egypta lande. c1175 ( Ælfric Homily (Bodl. 343) in S. Irvine (1993) 37 Ða eode þe ðeȝen ut, and he efne þa imette sumne oðerne mon of his aȝenum iferum. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon (Calig.) (1978) l. 12946 Efne [c1300 Otho eafne] þissen worden þa þat wif seide. Beduer heo gon hirten. c1325 (c1300) (Calig.) l. 11071 Euene as the ssire sat, [Sir Maci] to the toune's ende him drou. c1390 in C. Brown (1924) 142 Amende þe, Mon, euene forþ-mide. ?a1425 MS Hunterian 95 f. 176 in at Slekkenen Þe lye schal be, euen as it cummeþ oute of þe fourneis, sleckend wiþ colde water. 1483 ( tr. G. Deguileville (Caxton) (1859) v. xiv. 81 And euen with this word this Angel flewe his weye vp in to heuene. a1500 Merchant & Son l. 231 in W. C. Hazlitt (1864) I. 148 Ryght evyn abowte mydnyght. 1531 tr. E. Fox et al. iii. f. 44 If ther be any man..whiche euen while his wyfe is alyue wold haue her sister to his wyfe, he shall not lacke wherby he may proue that he maye laufully do it. 1544 A. Cope f. 98 Anniball..so dilygently applyed him selfe: that euen as his menne were fyghtynge, he put many of theym in araye. 1609 W. Shakespeare lxxi. sig. E3v Let your loue euen with my life decay. View more context for this quotation 1612 R. Sheldon 48 Our most gratious Soueraigne being almost euen with the breaking vp of her [sc. Queen Elizabeth's] ghost most ioyfully in this city proclaimed. a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) iii. vi. 16 Euen before, I was At point to sinke, for Food. View more context for this quotation 1628 R. Sanderson ii. 96 His heart euen then hankered after the wages of unrighteousnesse. 1681 J. Dryden To Rdr. p. i There's a sweetness in good Verse, which Tickles even while it Hurts. 1744 P. Skelton i. 5 With..wonderful Agility of Mind, I can vary the Objects of my Contemplation, even while I remain fixed in the same Place. 1796 R. Southey iii. 117 Even as she spake, A pale blue flame rose from the trophied tomb. 1847 G. Lippard ii. vi. 115 Even as she stood there, gazing out of the southern window,..there, not ten paces from her side, were seven loaded rifles and a keg of powder. 1883 H. M. Kennedy tr. B. ten Brink 188 A history of those who first had possession of England ‘after the flood’ or as a Norman would, perhaps, even then have called it, a Brut. 1932 G. Greene i. i. 5 Her body..even while stumbling..retained its self-consciousness. 1981 M. Angelou ii. 38 The pages seemed to be multiplying even as I was trying to reduce them. 2007 J. Linkner Introd. p. viii It's all changing even as we speak. OE Ælfric (Julius) (1881) I. 346 Wyrcað dædbote eowra misdæda, forðan þe heofonan rice efne genealæchð. c1540 (?a1400) (2002) f. 33 He..Shoke euyn into ship & the shalke leuyt. OE (Julius) (1994) 47 On þam frummynetslæge wæron twa and sixtig penega gewihte seolfres on anum penege, and on þæm æftran em sixtig. c1300 Childhood Jesus (Laud) l. 1383 in C. Horstmann (1875) 1st Ser. 46 Þis treo mot beo..euene of þis mesure. a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden (St. John's Cambr.) (1869) II. 101 (MED) Ella..bygan to reigne þe ȝere after þe comynge of Angles euen þritty. a1400 (c1303) R. Mannyng (Harl.) l. 64 (MED) Syxe myle be-syde Sympryngham euene. ?c1425 Crafte Nombrynge in R. Steele (1922) 11 (MED) Þe hier nomber most be more þen þe neþer, or els euen as mych; but he may not be lasse. c1475 (a1400) Sir Amadace (Taylor) in J. Robson (1842) 29 (MED) He lafte no more in his cofurs to spende, But euyn xl powunde. 1533 N. Glossope Let. June in B. Cusack (1998) 199 Sur I be seke yow..that yow woll hellpe me iiij nobles more of my masters the taylers..or elles ij nobles more In a yere to make evene xls. the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > freedom from error, correctness > exactness, accuracy, precision > [adverb] > exactly so, just > of place c1300 St. Michael (Laud) l. 403 in C. Horstmann (1887) 311 Þe sonne..is euene a-boue þin heued riȝt atþe nones stounde. a1375 (c1350) (1867) l. 755 (MED) Euen vnder a windowe of þat worþeis chaumber. c1384 (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Mark xv. 39 Centurio..the which stood euene aȝenst..seith, Verrili, this man was Goddis sone. c1400 (?a1387) W. Langland (Huntington HM 137) (1873) C. xx. l. 152 Ho so is hurt in þe hand, euene in þe myddes, He may [etc.]. ?a1475 (1922) 146 I saw a grett lyght..It comyth ryght ouer all þis rem Evyn above bedleem I saw it brenne thryes. 1490 W. Caxton tr. (1885) iii. 73 Of the other side it [sc. the castell] had euyn at hande a grete wood. c1510 H. Watson tr. sig. a.vv The syege of dame Isengryne was prepared..and myn was euen besyde her. 1578 G. Whetstone ii. ii. sig. H.iijv Ap. Where dwels Lady Lamia? Ros. Euen by Syr. 1660 A. Moore 848 The Turks Fleet was even at hand. the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > freedom from error, correctness > exactness, accuracy, precision > [adverb] > exactly so, just > of shape ?c1400 in J. O. Halliwell (1839) 65 When..you wolde mesure þe heght..make a quadrat..þat es to say a table even foure square of wode or brasse. ?a1425 (Egerton) (1889) 43 Þare was a table of gold, euen sqware. c1540 (?a1400) (2002) f. 27v A clene wall crustrit with towres Euyn round as a ryng richely wroght. 1598 W. Phillip tr. J. H. van Linschoten iii. xx. 340 A small Iland, hauing an euen round tree in the middle. 1684 84 If they [sc. your Horses stones] be close knit and drawn near to his body, even round, and well couched, then he is in good and perfect health. eOE King Ælfred tr. Gregory (Hatton) (1871) xli. 301 Crisð ure aliesend hiene selfne geeaðmedde emne oð ðone deað. c1225 (?c1200) (Bodl.) (1934) 26 (MED) Þe feond, þe wende to fordo me, tofeol efne atwa. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon (Calig.) (1963) l. 6948 He heom wes leof æfne al-swa heore lif. ?1316 (Royal) (2002) l. 939 He reignede her Euene fiue & þritti ȝer. c1440 in C. Horstmann (1895) I. 314 (MED) What vessale sa it be þat es euyne full. a1500 (?a1450) (Harl. 7333) (1879) 248 (MED) The lion..Ranne to the false Emperes and Ravid hir evin to the bone. 1526 Luke ii. f. lxxv The shepherds sayd won to another: let vs go even vnto Bethleem, and se this thynge thatt is hapened. 1546 sig. A.ii In greate sufferaunce of persecusyon euen to the death. 1611 Exod. xxvii. 5 That the net may bee euen to the midst of the Altar. View more context for this quotation 1646 F. Hawkins tr. (ed. 4) 5 Nor is it beseeming to stoope so low as even to crouching. 1653 H. Cogan tr. F. M. Pinto xlvi. 180 Carried at the mercy of the Sea even until Sun-set. 1667 J. Milton iii. 586 His Magnetic beam..Shoots invisible vertue even to the deep. 1709 R. Steele & J. Swift No. 70 A large French Mongrel..when he grapples, bites even to the Marrow. 1829 S. J. Hale 273 I felt chilled even to the heart. 1853 ‘Seraiah the Scribe’ xiv. 30/2 [He] hath been of the tribe of Mississippi, and from the provinces of the East, from his youth [even] until this time. 1888 C. M. Doughty I. ii. 30 The strutting tail flowed down even to the ground. 1918 E. S. Eells ix. 151 The prince was praised throughout the kingdom and there is talk of him even unto this very day. 1997 J. Walsh 4 Martyrdom..means bearing witness even unto death. 7. the world > relative properties > kind or sort > individual character or quality > quality of being special or extraordinary > [adverb] > even OE 973 He fyrngewyrht fyllan sceolde þurh deaðes cyme, domes hleotan, efne þæs ilcan þe ussa yldran fyrn frecne onfengon. OE 215 Swa hwæt swa ge cwædon þæt ge hwelcum earmum men to gode gedoð for minum naman efne þæt ge me sylfum doð. c1400 (?c1390) (1940) l. 2464 (MED) Ho is euen þyn aunt, Arþurez half-suster. 1490 W. Caxton tr. (1885) xii. 306 I shall smyte of your hede, evyn anone. 1535 2 Chron. vii. 22 Euen because they haue forsaken the Lorde God of their fathers. 1593 R. Hooker Pref. 15 They imagined..they euen beheld as it were with their eyes. 1600 W. Shakespeare v. i. 242 I sweare to thee, euen by thine owne faire eyes. View more context for this quotation 1611 Zech. xi. 10 I took my staff, euen Beauty, and cut it asunder. View more context for this quotation 1611 John viii. 25 Euen the same that I said vnto you from the beginning. View more context for this quotation a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) ii. i. 42 Speed. Shee that you gaze on so... Val. Hast thou obseru'd that? even she I meane. View more context for this quotation a1653 Z. Boyd (1989) i. 4 The first word of this epistle is the name of the speaker, viz God, euen God the Father. 1686 P. Henry (1882) 353 I can buy them here for 2s. 10d., which is e'en cheap enough. 1701 T. Beverley 51 Might he not..Disannul Sin, and bring it even to nothing? ?1775 S. Foote i. 13 Rack. What, he that enjoys..half the farms in the country? Sir Ch. He, even he! 1820 J. Keats Eve of St. Agnes in 91 I will, even in a moment's space, Awake..my foemen's ears. 1887 W. Morris tr. Homer I. xi. 212 For I, e'en I, the bondsman of a worser man was made. 1954 J. R. R. Tolkien ii. viii. 394 Maybe thou shalt find Valimar. Maybe even thou shalt find it. b. As a generalized intensive: truly, certainly, to be sure, indeed. a1450 (c1400) in D. M. Grisdale (1939) 73 (MED) Mannes resun..schuld evin be preferrid be-for sensualite & ner cum after. a1556 N. Udall (?1566) iii. iv. sig. E.iijv If she despise you een despise ye hir againe. 1654 A. Brome iii. 36 By my counsell let us even go to bed like loving bedfellows. 1655 T. Fuller ii. 96 The beastly Monk..had e'ne learned as far as Virgil's Æneids, whence he fetched the Platform of this pretty Conceit. 1719 D. Defoe 172 I e'en let him out. 1740 S. Richardson I. xxxi. 178 E'en send to him to come down. 1790 A. Wheeler i. 28 Ann. Cum the Way wie me, leakstea... Stranger. Ise ean gang wie yee. a1849 T. L. Beddoes (1850) i. ii. 23 Thou hast even subdued her to thy arms, Against her will and reason. 1870 W. Morris 196 The black folk E'en saved my life from that ill stroke. 1927 J. Buchan xvii. 288 The ministers of Kirk Aller and Bold..will e'en hae to content themselves at home. 1954 A. Gray tr. 72 Afore you set fire to a' that we hae, You may e'en tak your lass, but furth you maun gae. 1650 N. Rust 22 Truely we would have healed Babylon but she would not be healed, even let us give her over as incurable. 1681 T. Otway Ded. sig. A2v When it is once brought into the World, E'en let the Brat shift for it self, I say. 1802 J. Bentham Let. 16 Apr. in (1843) X. 384 As to the intrigue about the Institute, since it is begun, e'en let it take its course. 1857 R. H. Stoddard 195 Therefore let me speak, my darling! even let my soul complain. 1893 R. Kipling p. vii Through wantonness if men profess They weary of Thy parts, E'en let them die at blasphemy And perish with their arts. 8. a. Used to convey that what is being referred to is an extreme case in comparison with a weaker or more general one which is stated or implied in the adjacent context. Prefixed to the particular word, phrase, or clause in which the extremeness of the case is expressed. Now the prevailing use of the word in English.The use is not attested in other Germanic languages. It is rare in regional use, and (though a natural development of A. 7) seems not to have arisen before the 16th cent., and took time to become fully established. Cotgrave 1611 does not give even among the equivalents of French mesme.The phrase not even (corresponding to Latin ne..quidem) appears to be relatively uncommon in early use (though cf. quots. 1529, 1534 at sense A. 8a(b)); T. Cooper Thesaurus 1565 translates ne in publicis quidem by ‘no, not in commone affaires’ (though for ne nunc quidem he has ‘no not euen now’: see A. 5b); W. Walker Treat. Eng. Particles 1663 translates ne..quidem only by ‘no, not so much as’; the earliest Latin dictionary that gives ‘no, not even’ is apparently R. Ainsworth Thesaurus Linguae Latinae 1736.1528 W. Tyndale f. lxxxvj All secretes knowe they, even the very thoughtes of mennes hertes. 1532 T. More i. p. xxii They synfully studye to fynde out fals gloses,..contrary to all doctryne of all the olde holy doctours, and agaynst all holy scripture, euyn the very gospell it selfe. 1574 A. Golding tr. J. Calvin (new ed.) ix. 45 I may yeeld nother to my wyfe,..no nor euen to him whome I trust best. a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) i. i. 83 Make Sacred euen his styrrop. View more context for this quotation 1641 J. Jackson iii. 209 In Warre, even the Conqueror is commonly a loser. 1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics iii, in tr. Virgil 108 Ev'n the fearful Stag dares for his Hind engage. View more context for this quotation 1728 R. Morris 17 Such as these never arise even to the universal Knowledge of Order. 1747 J. Wesley 114 This quickly heals even cut Veins, and Sinews. 1769 W. Blackstone IV. viii. 104 The Jesuits, so lately triumphant over Christendom, but now universally abandoned by even the Roman catholic powers. 1801 M. Edgeworth Forester in I. 100 Even this stupid gardener..is as useful to society as I am. 1820 J. Keats Lamia i, in 5 Jealousies Of the Wood-Gods, and even the very trees. 1854 J. Doran 176 He was in debt to no man, not even to his tailor. 1921 55 440 This color reaction is brought about by even faintly acid solutions. 1943 8 103/2 There flourished a cult of rakery so extremist in character as to make even modern libertines blush. 1990 D. Attenborough 67 With straightforward muscle power it [sc. a hawfinch] can crack a cherry stone or even an olive pit. 2007 18 Jan. 24/3 Even the newest New Yorker knows that the furthest eastern border of Greenwich Village is Fourth Avenue. 1529 T. More iii. xii. f. lxxxivv Fewe men durst presume to take vppon them the hyghe offyce of a preste, not euen whan they were chosen. 1534 G. Joye tr. xii. f. xxiii Thou woldst not beleue them euen whan they tolde the for the best. 1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach i. f. 36 The leafe..turneth with the Sunne, whereby it sheweth to the husbande, euen in cloudie weather, what time of the day it is. 1611 E. Grimeston tr. (new ed.) 257 Fortune is a secret operation of the wisdome of God, alwaies iust, euen when it is most vnknown to vs. 1670 J. Ogilby 447 They stink even at a distance. 1689 G. Rule iii. iv. 180 There was an ordinary governing Power in the Church even in the Apostles times. 1736 Bp. J. Butler i. i. 15 A Method of providential Conduct, the like to which, has been already exercised even with regard to Ourselves. 1782 E. Gibbon (1828) I. xiii. 491 Even on that memorable occasion his stay did not exceed two months. 1818 H. Hallam II. ix. 501 Even in Italy..the domestic architecture of the middle ages did not attain any perfection. 1860 J. Tyndall i. xxvii. 217 A motion which seems not to be suspended even in the depth of winter. 1891 Oct. 492/1 He..ever afterward wore, even when sitting in the Senate, the dress of a religieux. 1927 25 Sept. ii. 1/1 Over the entire country, and even in other countries, crowds..were eagerly awaiting. 1983 C. Ozick (1984) 40 He never so much as yawned through the Times, not even on Sundays. 2014 C. Seife iv. 70 Fringe ideas can catch on even in the absence of the internet. 1533 tr. Erasmus viii. sig. F.iiiv The flesshe troubleth ye affection so moche, yt euen though we knowe what is best, yet loue we ye contrary. 1559 P. Morwyng tr. C. Gesner 47 Theese repetycions moue irckesomenesse to the reader, yea euen if it be but meanly learned. 1610 J. Healey tr. J. L. Vives in tr. St. Augustine vi. v. 244 Hee loued..the reading of Fabular History, euen were it ridiculous and foolish. 1646 S. Rutherford Dispute touching Scandall 91 in Ezechiah had no warrant not to Abolish the Brazen Serpent,..even suppose the People should, upon the exhortation of the Priests, have desisted from burning Incense to it. 1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics iii, in tr. Virgil 114 Ev'n though a snowy Ram thou shalt behold, Prefer him not in haste, for Husband to thy Fold. View more context for this quotation a1714 G. Lockhart in (1817) I. 212 Such a proposal had actually been made; and even supposing it were otherwise, it was not the first time they had [etc.]. 1733 T. Stackhouse I. 462/2 There was no imaginable Way more proper for him to express himself in..even had it been a Matter of his own Study. 1754 J. Edwards ii. x. 95 If it were..possible..that every free Act of Choice were the Produce or the Effect of a free Act of Choice; yet even then..no one Act of Choice would be free, but every one necessary. 1799 R. B. Sheridan iii. iii. 46 Even though that moment lost you Elvira for ever. 1823 W. Scott III. ii. 19 For such evil bruits Mr Touchwood cared not, even if he happened to hear of them. 1861 July 205/2 When they [sc. hens] have abundant range, they gather insects of various kinds; but even then, and especially when cut off by confinement, or by cold weather, from this source of animal food, it is well to give them waste offal from the kitchen, bits of fresh meat, etc. 1865 J. Lubbock x. 323 Even if the embankments had remained intact to this day. 1882 M. Grant in 22 221/2 Even let one be clotheless and foodless, it is yet something to have a room of one's own in which one may starve..in an independent sort of way. 1907 Dec. 55/1 It is doubtful if she has knowledge of what is said, and even were it so, she would hold her peace. 1928 D. H. Lawrence xiv. 243 ‘So when you did get a woman who wanted you..you got a bit too much of a good thing.’ ‘Ay! Seems so! Yet even then I'd rather have her than the never-never ones.’ 1957 F. Kohner i. 10 The sun was out and all that, even though it was near the end of November. 2005 D. Yarri vi. 143 It is wrong to specifically target civilians, even if it means a quicker end to war. the mind > language > statement > insistence or persistence > [adverb] > strengthening or emphasizing comparative 1533 tr. Erasmus xxix. sig. Q.iiij Who soeuer thynketh not on this, nor hath it in remembraunce, is euen madder than madnesse it selfe. 1534 tr. L. Valla sig. K.ivv If in the olde tyme, the deuylls had so great power ouer hethen men: they shulde nowe haue euen more power amonge them. 1618 W. P. tr. P. de la Primaudaye IV. 633 It is able, not onely to raunge through heauen and earth, and throughout this whole visible world, but euen higher and further. 1655 C. Barksdale tr. H. Grotius ii. lvii. 265 Words are to be taken, even more strictly, than propriety suffers, if it be necessary for the avoiding of iniquity or absurdity. 1729 Bp. J. Butler (ed. 2) xi. 227 So far 'twill even more strongly be taken for granted, in the Way already explained, that [etc.]. 1766 O. Goldsmith I. i. 6 The vanity and the satisfaction of my wife were even greater than mine. 1854 A. Jameson i. 30 This advice is even more applicable to the painter. 1899 R. C. Temple 24 The ‘savage’ nature of the languages comes out even more clearly if we apply the theory in another way. 1902 G. S. Boulger ii. 237 Honduras mahogany..yields logs 25–40 ft. long and 12–24 in. square, or even larger. 1960 J. Gillespie iv. 50 The Wahabists were even more strict in their attempts to purify Islam. 2002 B. Norman 211 Diana took against him at once—and a day later was to take against him even more violently. 2016 27 May 31/1 The evening became soporifically hot as an unseasonal sirocco made the third-class wooden railway coaches even stuffier. 1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus I. Luke xv. f. cxxviii This manne..dooeth in so muche not flee ne abhorre to haue them come and bee with hym in coumpanye, that he euen eateth also with theim. 1560 J. Daus tr. J. Sleidane f. xviiiv What maner of counsel yt was, it is wel knowen, & euen laughed at of the Romanes them selues. 1627 T. Gataker 31 Others..expound them either nothing agreeably or euen directly contrary to the intent of Gods spirit. 1699 J. Flamsteed Let. in (1997) II. 800 Should he endeavor by the persuasion of his servants to suppress or even discorage it. 1748 J. Hervey (ed. 2) II. 57 Others..act the Part of their own Tormentors. They even picquet themselves, and call it Amusement. 1779 F. Hervey et al. II. 335 These [conditions] the parliament disliked and even signified a disinclination to ratify. 1841 C. Dickens ii. xlii. 25 He..maintained a strict reserve, and even shunned her presence. 1849 T. B. Macaulay II. 111 Nor had they ever..found England an agreeable, or even a safe, residence. 1901 A. M. Earle vii. 176 You can go over the borders with scythe and spade and hoe, and even with manicure-scissors, but roots of the Plume Poppy will still hide and send up vigorous growth. 1941 H. Smith 266 There was nothing to do but I must go along with them. I even went into SRO with them. 1972 Sept. 140/3 Futurists predict that a ‘fax’ terminal in the home or business office may someday supplement or even replace the mail carrier. 2014 (Nexis) 28 Mar. 8 The governor of New Jersey can still run for President and maybe even win. 1580 J. Stockwood tr. T. de Bèze sig. B3v God..hath certaine instruments of his iudgementes, more fearefull euen then those which are perceiued by our senses. 1609 P. Holland tr. Ammianus Marcellinus xxi. xv. 187 In punishing some, he went about to lengthen out the time of their death, if nature would permit, as one in such points of judiciall trials, more cruel even than Gallienus. 1774 O. Goldsmith III. 335 It is more noisy in its pursuits even than the dog. 1830 Mar. 178 The term infidel contains not a tithe of the infamy which ought to attach to them; no, not then even, when used by the tongue of the fanatic and bigot. 1833 Apr. 492 More than this even has been accomplished by the Prophet. 1854 J. T. Trowbridge xx. 292 He scarcely ever looked at him, even. 1864 Children's Employm. Comm. (1862): 3rd Rep. 74/2 in XXII. 319 Robert Edward Mottnam, age 10... Was never at school, not on Sunday even. 1884 Nov. 38/1 You have a brother and sister, yea, a father, even. 1919 J. Gregory xxv. 319 The mad woman..stood in silence,..a giant of a woman, bigger than Trevors even. 1946 M. Fitt (1950) ii. vii. 113 I'm sure I never let fall the slightest hint, even. 1987 W. McPherson (1988) i. 21 He admired her ability..not to walk away from the past..but to move on from it, with enthusiasm, even. 2012 K. Cole xxxiv. 302 Jackson, you haven't been getting any rest for days. Weeks, even. 1987 VT100 (V2.6 DBW 860227) feature/bug ?? in comp.sys.amiga (Usenet newsgroup) 4 Mar. I have to move the mouse over and click on the Done box. Is there any way to prevent this from happening? It is rather annoying. What even is it's [sic] purpose? 1997 Re: #asar2, safety and mike duvos in alt.sexual.abuse.recovery (Usenet newsgroup) 24 Apr. How were you offended? How is this even about you? 2013 @Spongebobharry 18 July in twitter.com (O.E.D. Archive) I want to see Calum's chewbacca. Wait is that how it's even spelt? 2014 G. Triana 73 What even is TV Guide? 1966 B. Dylan She's your Lover Now (transcribed from song) in (2015) (Collector's ed.) CD 11, track 3 I can't... I can't even... It's not that way at all.] 2001 alt.support.depression (Usenet newsgroup) 18 Dec. (title of posting) I am so hung over I can't even. 2003 P. Ribon xxi. 93 Really, just... I can't even. 2013 @louualmighty 3 Dec. in twitter.com (O.E.D. Archive) *tyler oakley's voice* i can't even, i cannot fucking even, like i'm unable to even. 2017 @CoryGuinn 25 Aug. in twitter.com (O.E.D. Archive) Isabella's video game music is..ugh don't even. †B. prep.c1380 (1879) l. 2946 Þat ech of ous..do al þat a may, To helpe ys felawe euene him-selue among our fon to day. 1568 ( D. Lindsay Satyre (Bannatyne) l. 1097 in (1931) II. 200 Be him that beure the crewall croun of thorne, I cair not to be hangit evin the morne. Phrases P1. even so. OE 330 Þu eart þæt wealldor, þurh þe waldend frea æne on þas eorðan ut siðade, ond efne swa þec gemette, meahtum gehrodene, clæne ond gecorene, Crist ælmihtig. OE 592 Him se eadga wer ondswarode, Guðlac..: Doð efne swa. c1450 (c1415) in W. O. Ross (1940) 255 (MED) For lik as oure princes and lordes spoyleth and robbeþ þer suggettus..euen so God suffreþ þe ethen princes to robb and spoile oure lordes. a1475 ( S. Scrope tr. (Bodl. 943) (1999) 286 As that the bountee of wisemen euer gothe in a-mendement, euen so the malices of fooles gothe daily in a-peirement. 1526 W. Bonde i. sig. Aiiii Like as the byrde in a cage..can nat be contented or quyet..Euen so, man in the cage of this worlde..his naturall inclinacion and appetite can neuer be saciat, contented and quieted in this worlde. 1611 John xvii. 18 Euen so haue I also sent them into the world. View more context for this quotation 1700 W. Congreve v. 87 Fain. What's here? Damnation! [Reads] A deed of Conveyance... Confusion! Mir. Even so Sir. 1744 G. Berkeley 243 Light and sight..are not the Sun: even so truth and knowledge are not the Good it self, although they approach thereunto. 1828 J. Neal 117 You would allow the guilty every possible chance of escape. Even so, judge! every possible chance of escape. 1846 M. Fuller i. 76 Like as a fever rages in the blood before we are aware, even so creeps upon the soul this disease. 1892 20 Aug. 331/2 Mediæval Monk. And thou lovest him, maiden? Mediæval Maiden. Even so, good father. 1918 A. Hayes ii. v. 68 Even so last month those white-browed hills..quaked with some strange seizure. a1973 J. R. R. Tolkien (1977) xxi. 222 And Níniel sat and shuddered beside the falling water... Even so Brandir found her. 1561 T. Norton tr. J. Calvin ii. f. 32v For though it were easy to mocke it out with saying, that here is spoken not of the easinesse and redinesse of obseruation, but of knowledge: yet euen so, peraduenture it would also leaue some doubte. 1637 J. Buck vi. 123 I am sicke in bed, but even so, seeing that pleaseth God, what should I say else, but that I am well. 1703 P. Motteux et al. tr. M. de Cervantes IV. lxxiv. 228 Even so said Sampson, honest Sancho has the right Notion of the matter. 1741 J. Wilford 649 At last he was free'd from it [sc. employment].., but even so, much Time was spent before he could be settled in it. 1837 M. Edgeworth XX. 26 There can be nothing, however, but nonsense, Cecilia says; yet even so, love-letters he must know they are. 1860 Mar. 143 Even so, I cannot see what these dogmas all signify to you and me. 1944 G. Myrdal II. xxix. 615 Even so, the very existence of the privilege is a sign of change. 1998 F. Rutledge 111 I had only been through town a few times, but even so, I was affected. 2012 6 Mar. 20/4 Unemployment, which hit a 16-year-high of 2.67 million last month, is heading for the three million mark. Even so, talk of a double-dip recession is receding. P2. even now. Also in various Scottish forms, as evenoo, eenoo, etc. In later use chiefly Scottish or (in sense Phrases 2b) somewhat archaic. OE Ælfric (Claud.) xiv. 4 Vton us gesettan efne nu heretogan & uton gecyrran to Egypta lande. a1492 W. Caxton tr. (1495) i. xcvi. f. cxxixv/1 By cause that yu hast axed the medfulnesse of god mekely. thou shalt haue it euyn now. 1586 C. Fetherston tr. F. Hotman 186 The Lord Peter said, This our brother desireth to be healed, and..S. Paul answered, He shall be healed euen now. 1824 Mar. 309 A wee gliff o' a bit passing squall that wull be ower ye'vennow. 1898 20 Aug. I'll be in eenoo. 1909 D. Houston 6 'E fleed 'll be doon on's ae noo. 1509 H. Watson tr. S. Brant (de Worde) xcv. sig. Aa.iiiiv Euen nowe I apperceyue it. 1678 J. Moxon I. ii. 28 These shanks are to be rivetted (as you were taught even now). 1773 R. Fergusson (1925) 65 There's einow on the earth a set o' men, Wha, if they get their private pouches lin'd, Gie na a winnelstrae for a' mankind. 1790 A. Shirrefs 339 I mauna say you mair e'en-now, As our acquaintance is sae new. 1818 S. E. Ferrier II. xi. 133 They're dong cheap i' the market enoo, so its nae great compliment. 1859 A. Walker 39 Our days o' sport when we were weans thegither..are a' risin' up in my mind e'enoo. 1913 15 Mar. 286/2 Hundreds of managers who are even now waiting to see whether a lighting campaign will pay. 1936 P. G. Wodehouse xvii. 187 No doubt this fiend in butler's shape was even now on his way east with the stuff in his jeans. 1958 B. Pym iii. 38 He was even now preparing them a delicious sole véronique. 1992 31 Oct. ‘Ye get on fine ivnoo,’ said Sandy. ‘Aye, bit we're nae merried ivnoo.’ the world > time > relative time > the future or time to come > newness or novelty > recency > [adverb] 1511 H. Watson tr. St. Bernardino sig. D.viii There is foure murderers yt euen nowe hathe cut the throte of a marchaunt or twayne. a1515 A. Williamson in G. Douglas tr. Virgil (1874) I. p. xxiii Ewyn now wils I vas vrittyng this copy..ther come a post. 1601 R. Dolman tr. P. de la Primaudaye III. 71 As we said euen now. 1678 J. Moxon I. ii. 28 These shanks are to be rivetted (as you were taught even now). 1820 J. Keats Eve of St. Agnes in 100 But even now Thy voice was at sweet tremble in mine ear. 1823 W. Scott I. ix. 210 Was it indeed yourself whom I saw even now? 1898 25 June We wis sair needin' a skeely body like you eenoo. 1992 J. J. Graham xviii. 101 I was oot eenoo for a kishie o paets an as I cam oot benort da hoose I was awaar o [etc.]. P3. even up. 1552 Abp. J. Hamilton i. i. f. 5 Ane biggare can nocht make ane euin vp wal without direction of his lyne. 1844 10 Sept. 3/1 I am always open for a bet of $5,000, even up, upon the general result. 1895 21 Mar. 18/2 ‘And you bet him?’ ‘Oh yes. Bet him $20 even up.’ 1913 F. W. Becker vii. 90 What d'ye say, I'll bet you two dollars even up on ‘Shellbark’. 1979 14 Sept. 13/2 We've got a guy in our backshop willing to bet even-up for Iowa when they take on Oklahoma at Norman Saturday. 2003 S. C. Fedewa & M. H. Fedewa xxvii. 207 Emil had wanted to bet ‘even up’ and put $100 on the table, but Steve wasn't as confident of his team's ability to win outright. the world > relative properties > order > agreement, harmony, or congruity > agree/be in harmony/be congruous [verb (intransitive)] 1607 J. Day et al. sig. A2v Nothing I feare so much, Least that the merrit you haue layd on mee Should not go euen with your report. a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) i. iv. 43 I..rather shun'd to go euen with what I heard. View more context for this quotation a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) v. i. 237 As the rest goes euen . View more context for this quotation 1657 J. H. 60 His Glass and he are in a deep consultation, how to set his face that it may go even with the times. 1831 M. Edgeworth ?18 May (1971) 543 I read it [sc. the history of the election] even on and understood it perfectly. 1864 W. D. Latto iv. 38 When it [sc. the baby] lay still, it did naething but mourn even on. 1897 P. H. Hunter xvii. 187 On the road hame he begoud to haver, puir lad, an' he's havered even on since syne. 1932 Apr. 60 Ye canna expec' machinery to serve ye even-on if ye dinna respec' it eneuch to pey attention till't. 1988 A. Stewart in R. Leitch iv. 55 We done casual fermwork—no steady even on, but sometimes if the fermer needit us. 1996 C. I. Macafee 117/1 Even on, (of rain) heavily, continuously. P6. West African and Caribbean colloquial. even self. Cf. Brit.  /ˌiːvn ˈsɛlf/ , U.S. /ˌiv(ə)n ˈsɛlf/ , West African English /ˌivɔn ˈsɛlf/ , Caribbean English /ˌiːvan ˈsɛlf/ self adv.1940 ‘The Growler’ Women Diplomacy in (2006) (CD lyrics booklet) 279 If you're sick, they don't care how you feel You have to bring the money even self you have to steal. 1990 M. Collins 139 All I will ask you is to drop me on the airport please. And even self you don't want to do that, I sure I could find me way. 2014 C. Kato 15 Even self you fit send am message home, e go bring you reply. 1980 F. Osofisan iii. 40 Even self, if we elect Lady President one day, no white man go fit to fuck am. 1986 T. A. Onwueme Cattle Egret versus Nama in 141 Even self, people dey hask me say whether na de baby wey get belle conceive wan born pickin or whether na my woman. 2012 M.-S. I. Dumletam (e-book, accessed 7 Aug. 2017) I no dey know broder, i no dey sabi sista Even self, papa andi mama no concern nam. 1981 L. Valls (at cited word) E ain' even-self tell me. 2000 N. Hopkinson 42 You ain't even self know if Antonio going to challenge you. 2010 @MZ_AKEILA 30 Dec. in twitter.com (O.E.D. Archive) They can't even self get in de blasted yard. Compounds C1. eOE tr. Bede (Tanner) v. xi. 416 Ðonne ðæt fyht..geenddad wæs, þonne weran hie eft efnrice, wæran ealdormenn. OE Devil's Account of Next World (Tiber.) in (1972) 73 367 Hine awearp Drihten of heofonum for his ofermettum..forþon he dede hine efenheahne Gode and get hegran wolde don. c1175 (Burchfield transcript) l. 11868 Teȝȝ shulenn wurrþenn þær Wiþþ enngless efenn rike. c1175 (Burchfield transcript) l. 15720 Crist iss godess sune..& wiþþ hiss faderr efenn heh. c1175 (Burchfield transcript) l. 18571 Efenn mahhtiȝ godd wiþþ himm [sc. þe faderr]. c1350 (a1333) William of Shoreham (1902) 106 (MED) Ase þere in bataylle O kyng bereþ þe beeȝ, Soe hyt were a gret faylle Ȝef þe host were em-heȝ. c1449 R. Pecock (1860) 313 He ouȝte not folewe Crist in the same euen miche pouerte..more than now eny preest ouȝte folewe in euen likenes the crucifiyng of Crist. 1622 T. Scott 81 The only glory is to be gay, and the greatest shame to be under-clad or euen-clad to our callings. b. OE Cynewulf 465 Þær him tacna fela tires brytta onwrah, wuldres helm, wordgerynum, ær þon up stige ancenned sunu, efenece bearn, agnum fæder. OE Ælfric Prayer (Cambr. Gg.3.28) in B. Thorpe (1846) II. 598 Eala ðu ælmihtiga God, þu ðe þurh ðinum euenecum wisdome mannan gesceope. c1175 (Burchfield transcript) l. 18582 He naffde nohht ben aȝȝ. Hiss faderr efenn eche. c1300 Holy Cross (Laud) l. 180 in C. Horstmann (1887) 6 A grene wei þov schalt wiende, Þat gez euene riȝt puyr est, and to parays gez þat on ende. a1382 (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Wisd. v. 22 The sendingus out of leitis shul gon euene riȝt [L. directe]. a1450 (c1410) H. Lovelich xiii. l. 317 The Roche..Into the Ryht side it last Evene ryht Down to the water of Orkauz. a1500 ( Bounds (Sawyer 1546b) in W. de G. Birch (1893) III. 670 Fram þe paþ ewnryght [OE sceaftrihte] south wardys ouerto lypan. OE Wulfstan (Corpus Cambr.) (1972) l. 12 We lærað þæt preostas on ciricþenungum ealle an dreogan, and beon efenweorðe [OE Junius efenforðe] on geares fæce on eallum ciricþenungum. c1384 (Douce 369(2)) (1850) 2 Macc. iv. 38 He comaundith Andronyke..for to be..priued of lijf; the Lord ȝeuynge to hym euen worth peyne [L. dignam poenam]. a1425 (c1395) (Royal) (1850) Job xxviii. 19 Topasie and [read of] Ethiope schal not be maad euene worth [L. adaequabitur] to wisdom. c1443 R. Pecock (1927) 153 (MED) We mowe not make even worþ satisfaccioun to god for þe seid synne. a1382 (Bodl. 959) (1965) Tobit ix. 2 If myself I take to þee a seruaunt I shal not ben euene worþi [L. condignus] to þi prouydence. c1384 (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Rom. viii. 18 The passions of this tyme ben not euene worthi [L. condignae] to the glorie to comynge. ?a1425 tr. Catherine of Siena (Harl.) (1966) 21 Alle þe peynes þat men suffren, or ony creature may suffre in þis world, ben not worþi at þe fulle, ne euene worþi penaunce, ne sufficient to ponesche þe leest synne. 1483 tr. Adam of Eynsham xviii Y..dyd not for my synnys euynworthy [printed euyuworthy] penans. 1594 T. Nashe sig. O Referre all your oppressions afflictions and iniuries to the euen ballanced eye of the Almightie. a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) v. ii. 42 Her [sc. France's] Hedges euen pleach'd..Put forth disorder'd Twigs. a1644 F. Quarles (1645) vi. 75 If the even-spun Twine should be extended. 1647 H. More 32 A lower rank on either side we saw Of lesser shrubs even-set with artifice. 1829 3 July Such prejudices..do not exist; these persons will receive even-balanced justice at your hands. 1879 7 38 The sodium vapour..has seized, absorbed and held as its prey that one order of waves whose roll is even-timed with its own. 1901 R. Ellis tr. 4 These..kilns the Cyclops used, when bending..to their even-timed strokes, they shook the dreadful thunder-bolt with the beat of their ponderous hammers. 1915 Dec. 76/2 By following these directions you will have an even trimmed and shapely chop. 1954 10 Mar. 8/5 Her even-set pearly teeth [were] given her to glorify her smile. 2008 T. A. Joseph v. 49 Aesha gasped, stared at the even-cut strands. C3. 1555 H. Braham sig. Mii He whyche is the rycher manne dothe seme to doo wronge vnto the other, although euen dede he haue the wronge doone vnto hym. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2018; most recently modified version published online June 2022). <  n.1eOE n.3OE n.4adj.21898 adj.1n.2eOEv.1OEv.2OEadv.prep.eOE |
