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eve⋅ry
[ev-ree] 
ri
–adjective
—Idioms| 1. | being one of a group or series taken collectively; each: We go there every day. |
| 2. | all possible; the greatest possible degree of: every prospect of success. |
| 3. | every bit, in every respect; completely: This is every bit as good as she says it is. |
| 4. | every now and then, on occasion; from time to time: She bakes her own bread every now and then. Also, every once in a while, every so often. |
| 5. | every other, every second; every alternate: milk deliveries every other day. |
| 6. | every which way, in all directions; in disorganized fashion: I brushed against the table, and the cards fell every which way. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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|
Link To Every
| eve·ry (ěv'rē) adj.
[Middle English everi, everich, from Old English ǣfre ǣlc : ǣfre, ever; see aiw- in Indo-European roots + ǣlc, each; see līk- in Indo-European roots.] Usage Note: Every is representative of a large class of English words and expressions that are singular in form but felt to be plural in sense. The class includes, for example, noun phrases introduced by every, any, and certain uses of some. These expressions invariably take a singular verb; we say Every car has (not have) been tested. Anyone is (not are) liable to fall ill. But when a sentence contains a pronoun that refers to a previous noun phrase introduced by every, grammar and sense pull in different directions. The grammar of these expressions requires a singular pronoun, as in Every car must have its brakes tested, but the meaning often leads people to use the plural pronoun, as in Every car must have their brakes tested. The use of plural pronouns in such cases is common in speech, but it is still widely regarded as incorrect in writing. · The effort to adhere to the grammatical rule causes complications, however. The first is grammatical. When a pronoun refers to a phrase containing every or any that falls within a different independent clause, the pronoun cannot be singular. Thus it is not idiomatic to say Every man left; he took his raincoat with him. Nor can one say No one could be seen, could he? Writers unwilling to use plural forms in these examples must find another way of expressing their meaning, either by rephrasing the sentence so as to get the pronoun into the same clause (as in Every man left, taking his raincoat with him) or by substituting another word for every or any (as in All the men left; they took their raincoats with them). · The second complication is political. When a phrase introduced by every or any refers to a group containing both men and women, what should the gender of the singular pronoun be? This matter is discussed in the Usage Notes at he and they. See Usage Notes at all, any, each, either, he1, neither, none, they. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Every
Ev"er*y\, a. & a. pron. [OE. everich, everilk; AS. ?fre ever + [ae]lc each. See Ever, each.]1. All the parts which compose a whole collection or aggregate number, considered in their individuality, all taken separately one by one, out of an indefinite bumber. Every man at his best state is altogether vanity. --Ps. xxxix. 5. Every door and window was adorned with wreaths of flowers. --Macaulay. 2. Every one. Cf. Each. [Obs.] "Every of your wishes." --Shak. Daily occasions given to every of us. --Hooker. Every each, every one. [Obs.] "Every each of them hath some vices." --Burton.. Every now and then, at short intervals; occasionally; repeatedly; frequently. [Colloq.] Note: Every may, by way of emphasis, precede the article the with a superlative adjective; as, every, the least variation. --Locke. Syn: Every, Each, Any. Usage: Any denotes one, or some, taken indifferently from the individuals which compose a class. Every differs from each in giving less promonence to the selection of the individual. Each relates to two or more individuals of a class. It refers definitely to every one of them, denoting that they are considered separately, one by one, all being included; as, each soldier was receiving a dollar per day. Every relates to more than two and brings into greater prominence the notion that not one of all considered is excepted; as, every soldier was on service, except the cavalry, that is, all the soldiers, etc. In each division there were four pentecosties, in every pentecosty four enomoties, and of each enomoty there fought in the front rank four [soldiers]. --Jowett (Thucyd. ). If society is to be kept together and the children of Adam to be saved from setting up each for himself with every one else his foe. --J. H. Newman.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : Every
Spanish:
cada, todo,
German:
jede (-r, -s),
Japanese:
すべての
every
O.E. æfre ælc "each of a group," lit. "ever each" (Chaucer's everich) with ever added for emphasis, as the word is still felt to need emphasis (Mod.Eng. every last ..., every single ..., etc.). Everybody is from c.1530, everyone is in M.E., everything is c.1385, everywhere is O.E. æfre gehwær. The word everywhen is attested from 1843, but never caught on; neither did everyhow (1837). Everyday (adj.) is attested from 1632 in the sense of "worn on ordinary days," as opposed to Sundays or high days; extended sense of "to be met with every day, common" is from 1763. Everyman was the name of the leading character in a 15c. morality play. Slang phrase every Tom, Dick, and Harry dates from at least 1734, from common Eng. given names.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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every
In addition to the idioms beginning with every, also see at every turn; each and every; finger in the (every) pie; living soul, every; nook and cranny, every.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 2009, Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
