Ever

[ev-er] /ˈɛv ər/

adverb
1.
at all times; always:
an ever-present danger; He is ever ready to find fault.
2.
continuously:
ever since then.
3.
at any time:
Have you ever seen anything like it?
4.
in any possible case; by any chance; at all (often used to intensify or emphasize a phrase or an emotional reaction as surprise or impatience):
How did you ever manage to do it? If the band ever plays again, we will dance.
adjective
5.
South Midland and Southern U.S. every:
She rises early ever morning.
Idioms
6.
ever and again, now and then; from time to time.
Also, Literary, ever and anon.
7.
ever so, to a great extent or degree; exceedingly:
They were ever so kind to me.
/ˈɛvə/
adverb
1.
at any time: have you ever seen it?
2.
by any chance; in any case: how did you ever find out?
3.
at all times; always: ever busy
4.
in any possible way or manner: come as fast as ever you can
5.
(informal, mainly Brit) (intensifier, in the phrases ever so, ever such, and ever such a): ever so good, ever such bad luck, ever such a waste
6.
(archaic) ever and again, ever and anon, now and then; from time to time
7.
(US & Canadian, slang) is he ever!, he displays the quality concerned in abundance
adv.

Old English æfre “ever, at any time, always;” no cognates in any other Germanic language; perhaps a contraction of a in feore, literally “ever in life” (the expression a to fore is common in Old English writings).

First element is almost certainly related to Old English a “always, ever,” from Proto-Germanic *aiwo, from PIE *aiw- “vital force, life, long life, eternity.” (see eon). Liberman suggests second element is comparative adjectival suffix -re.

adverb

Really; truly; certainly •Used postpositively for emphasis: Boy, has it ever!/ Clinton’s generation has already had its chance to make its tastes the country’s tastes. Has it ever/ Did we win? Did we ever!
In addition to the idiom beginning with
ever