> as lemmas

1559 J. Heywood tr. Seneca Troas v. sig. F.ii^v Astonied much the people were, and all, they her commende. And nowe much more then euer earst, they praysde her, at her ende.

1581 A. Hall tr. Homer 10 Bks. Iliades x. 186 Now more than euer must you striue, and put your force in vre, Sallet on head, and sword in hand, for nought must not be sure.

1595 R. Parry Moderatus vii. 80 No disquietnesse may be compared to the griefe of minde, wherewith he was continually vexed, and nowe much more then euer before, supposing that Floridas sudden departure was a Kalender of his ensuing calamities.

1620 tr. G. Boccaccio Decameron I. iii. x Rustico's desire was more than ever inflamed at the sight of her beauty.

1650 J. Howell tr. A. Giraffi Exact Hist. Late Revol. Naples i. 24 Masaniello..began more then ever by sound of Drum to suscitat the peeple.

1705 G. Lockhart Let. to Duke Athole 15 Oct. in 12th Rep. Royal Comm. Hist. MSS (1890) App. viii. 62 Her Majesty having now, more than ever before, devoted herself and interest to the Whigs, the Torys have no hopes of being succesfull in allmost anything..during this parliament.

1749 J. Cleland Mem. Woman of Pleasure II. 224 I felt more than ever how dear he was to me.

a1781 R. Watson Hist. Reign Philip III (1783) iii. 172 The affairs of the Portuguese in India were more than ever neglected by the government at home.

1820 W. Irving Sketch Bk. vi. 117 The bridge became more than ever an object of superstitious awe.

a1864 J. Clare Later Poems (1984) 50 When farewell upon my lips did quiver & all seemed lost—I loved her more then ever.

1895 T. Hardy Jude i. ii. 15 Jude went out,..feeling more than ever his existence to be an undemanded one.

1902 W. S. Maugham Mrs. Craddock xiv. 137 In his top-boots he looked more than ever the fox-hunting country squire.

1923 R. Kipling Irish Guards in Great War I. 97 Annequin..had become more than ever a shell-trap.

1957 Economist 5 Oct. 31 To-day, more than ever before, exporters must plan globally, especially in view of the growing economic importance of the world's new markets.

1995 Guardian 14 Nov. ii. 7/1 They..note all the terrible contradictions that beset teenage girls, who now, more than ever before, are waylaid by forces that suggest they become everything except themselves.