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from the states, but I guess my thoughts landed on phrases like "ever more", which makes me wonder if that's actually two words... nope it's a single word: ever
by jxramos 9y ago
from the states, but I guess my thoughts landed on phrases like "ever more", which makes me wonder if that's actually two words... nope it's a single word: evermore. Looks like I was interpreting the word in its first definition, but it was meant in the 2a definition
Definition of ever
1 :always; eg * ever striving to improve * the ever-increasing population
2a :at any time * more than ever before
2b :in any way * how can I ever thank you
3 —used as an intensive * looks ever so angry * am I ever happy to see you
- thaumasiotes 9y agoHmmm... I don't like definition 2b. I think senses (1) and (2a) as given here are both related to the core "ever" concept "encompassing all of time", and "how can I ever thank you" rhetorically emphasizes that no matter how long you spend trying, you'll never be able to thank the person properly.
- jxramos 9y agoIf one cannot exhaustively find a sufficient reply to give in thanks after so much time than I'd say that's logically identical to being unable to reply "in any way". the emphasis of the former is on the search and it's ultimate futility, the emphasis of the latter for the existence lacking in the first place which precludes any successful search.
- thaumasiotes 9y ago> If one cannot exhaustively find a sufficient reply to give in thanks after so much time than I'd say that's logically identical to being unable to reply "in any way". That is true, but that's not evidence that "ever" can mean "in any way". "You can count on me" and "I won't let you down" are precisely equivalent at the full-sentence level, but there are no equivalences between the individual words (barring "you"/"you" and "I"/"me").