▪ I. even, n.
(ˈiːv(ə)n)
Forms: 1 ǽfen, ǽfan, Mercian éfen, Northumbr. éfern, 2–3 æfen, 2 afen, 3 Orm. efenn, 3–6 eaven, (3 æven, aven, 5 evon, ȝeven, -yn), 4–6 evin, -yn, ewin, -yn, 6 (heven), eeven, (9 dial. eem), 3– even. Also contracted 7 eevn, ev'n, 9 dial. e'en. See also eve.
[OE. ǽfen, éfen, éfern, neut. and masc., cogn. with OFris. âvond, êwnd, OS. âƀand (Du. avond), OHG. âband (MHG. âbent, mod.G. abend) masc.; perh. also with the synonymous ON. aptann, aftann (Sw. afton, Da. aften), though this may be of different origin, cogn. with after. The OE. forms appear to agree only in the root (OAryan ēp or ēbh) with the other Teut. forms: the OTeut. type of the OHG., OS., OFris. forms would be *æ̂ƀando-, that of the OE. ǽfen, éfen would be *æ̂ƀinjo- or *æ̂ƀunjo-. The ONorthumb. éfern is app. an alteration of éfen(n; cf. ONorthumb. wœ́stern, festern (= WS. wésten, fæsten), and OFris. forms like epernia to open.
One hypothesis as to the relation of the forms is that *æ̂ƀando- represents a pre-Teut. *ēpont-, a pr. pple. act., and that derivatives of a corresponding passive pple. occur in ON. aptann:— *ēptono-) and OE. ǽfen (:— *æ̂ƀunjo-:— *ēpt{ncircbl}yo- or *ēp{ncircbl}yo-. The etymological sense is unknown; a not inappropriate meaning for the act. and pass. formations is suggested by Gr. ἤπιος, mild, gentle (sometimes used with reference to temperature) which may possibly belong to the same root.]
1. The latter part or close of the day; evening. Also in phrases even and (nor) morn; at even and at prime, at all times of the day; good even, a salutation (see further good, good even); yestereven (Sc. yestreen), yesterday evening (see yester). Obs. exc. poet. and dial.
| Beowulf 1235 æfen cwom and him Hroþgar ᵹewat. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Mark vi. 47 Miððy efern woere wæs scip in middum sæes. a 1000 Guthlac 1216 (Gr.), Engel ufancundne, se mec efna ᵹehwam..ᵹesohte. c 1040 Rule St. Benet (ed. Logeman) 82 Þæt þæt eis towyrcanne hi wyrcan oððe æfan. a 1123 O.E. Chron. an. 1106 On æfen ætywde an..steorra. c 1200 Ormin 1105 He wass all daȝȝ Unnclene anan till efenn. c 1205 Lay. 19570 Þa hit wes eauen. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1675 Iacob wurð drunken, and euen cam. c 1340 Cursor M. 6385 (Fairf.), Fra heyuen þen come þaire fode..euen & morne hit con falle. c 1430 Lydg. Bochas ii. xxii. (1554) 58 a, Socrates..wisest named at euen and at prime. c 1460 Towneley Myst., Oblacio Mag. 125 We shalle not rest, even nor morne. 1535 Coverdale Ezek. xii. 4 Thou thy self shalt go forth also at euen in their sight. 1538 Bale Thre Lawes 178 God geue ye good euen. 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. v. ii. 42 She did intend confession At Patricks cell this even. 1600 ― A.Y.L. ii. iv. 69 Peace I say; good euen to your friend. 1622 May Virgil (J.), The sun's orb both even and morn is bright. 1660 Howell Dict. s.v., Good even (or by contraction Goodeen). 1697 Dryden Virg. (J.), Th' unerring sun..declares, What the late ev'n or early morn prepares. 1759 Johnson Rasselas ii, From the dawn of morning to the close of even. 1816 J. Wilson City of Plague ii. ii. 228 A plaintive tune..sung at fall of even. 1816 Scott Old Mort. x, ‘My cousin winna stay ony langer, Mr. Halliday; sae, if ye please, gude-e'en t'ye.’ 1826 Disraeli Viv. Grey ii. vi, Good even to you. 1843 A. Bethune Sc. Fireside Stor. 279 Daylight, done at four o'clock, Yields to the lang dark e'en. |
2. The eve of a holy day or church festival. Rarely in wider sense: The evening or the day before (a certain day or event). fastryn even (Sc.: now fastryn's e'en) = Shrove Tuesday; the Kings' even = Twelfth-night. Obs. exc. dial.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 171 Þe euen of þe Trinite vnder Acres R. gan aryue. 1375 Barbour Bruce x. 440 As apon fastryn even is The custom. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. ix. xxxi. (1495) 368 To Ester perteyneth the euyn therof that..is callyd..the holy Saterday. c 1420 Chron. Vilod. 1020 Þe whiche in Mydwyntrus ȝevyn to þ'chirche dude gonne. 1463 Bury Wills (Camd. Soc.) 17 On the evyn [of the funeral] myn solempne dirige shalbe kept. 1483 Caxton G. de la Tour D ij, Upon the vygyl or euen of our lady. a 1536 Tindale Prol. to Jonas Wks. I. 450 The saints..torment the souls in hell, if their evens be not fasted. 1549 Cranmer in Strype Life App. xl, Vigils, otherwise called Watchings, remain in the Calendars upon certain Saints' Evens. a 1572 Knox Hist. Ref. Wks. 1846 I. 230 Upoun the Kinges Evin, when French men commonlie use to drynk liberallie. 1587 Fleming Contn. Holinshed III. 1286/1 He died on Maie eeuen. 1623 Minsheu s.v., An holy daies Euen. 1764 Burn Poor Laws 13 No labourer..shall take any hire..for the evens of feasts. 1855 Robinson Whitby Gloss., E'en, Kessenmas e'en..Cannelmas e'en. a 1891 Mod. dial. (Sheffield), Christmas eem. |
3. attrib. and Comb. (= ‘evening’), as even-bell, even-blush, even-light, even-prayer, even-rising, even-time; also even-close, the closing in of the evening; even-fall, the ‘fall’ or commencement of the evening; even-fire, evening gun; evenglome (arch.; revival of OE. ǽfenglóm), gloaming, twilight; even-mete, arch. (OE. ǽfen-mete), evening-meal, supper; † even-while, eventide, eventime. Also evensong, even-star, eventide.
| a 1450 Le Morte Arth. 2236 By the tyme of *euyn belle. |
| 1835 Browning Paracelsus Wks. I. 5 From *even-blush to midnight. |
| 1845 Hirst Poems 23 Came *even-close And darkness; yet they turned not back. |
| 1814 Southey Paraguay Ded., One thrush was heard from morn to *even⁓fall. 1859 W. H. Gregory Egypt II. 200 Flamingoes..winging their rosy flight at evenfall across the bay. |
| 1879 H. Duvar D'Anville's Fleet in Poems of Places, Brit. Amer. 34 At *even-fire the bells were rung. |
| a 1000 Guthlac 1265 (Gr.), From *æfenglome oðþæt eastan cwom..dægredwoma. 1871 M. Collins Inn of Strange Meetings 25 The robins singing in the evenglome. |
| Beowulf 5014 Siððan *æfen-leoht under heofenes hador beholen weorþeð. a 1400 MS. Cantab. Ff. i. 6. f. 66 (Halliw.), Sche..sey it is ferr in the nyght, And I swere it is evenlight. a 1440 Sir Degrev. 1601 Syre Degrivaunt at evene-lyȝth Armede hym and hys knyȝth. |
| c 975 Rushw. Gosp. Matt. xxvi. 26 æt þæm *æfen-mete. 1848 Lytton Harold xi. vii, The even-mete will summon thee soon. |
| 1660 Howell Dict. s.v., Evensong, or *Even Prayer. |
| 1601 Holland Pliny I. 13 The planet Mercurie seldome hath his *euen rising in Pisces. |
| c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Mark xi. 11 Þa *æfen tima [c 1160 Hatton afen time] wæs he ferde to bethaniam. c 1205 Lay. 17860 A þan auen time. 1870 Rossetti Dante at Verona xxxiv, Flushed in the limpid eventime. |
| c 1350 Will. Palerne 1747 To heiȝ vs hastily henne..euenly þis *euen while. |
▪ II. even, a.
(ˈiːv(ə)n)
Forms: 1 ebn, efen, æfen, efn, emn, in comb. em-, 2–3 efn(e, æfne, Orm. efenn, effen, emne, 3–4 evene, 4–6 evin(e, -yn, ewyn(e, (5 evan, heven, 6 evne), 6–7 ea-, eeven, 4– even.
[Common Teutonic: OE. efen, efn, by assimilation emn = OFris. even, evin, OS. eban (Du. even, effen), OHG. eban, epan (Ger. eben), ON. iafn, iamn (Da. jevn, Sw. jemn), Goth. ibns:—OTeut. *eƀno-.
The word has not yet been satisfactorily connected with any other Teut. or Aryan word; hence it is uncertain whether the primary sense was ‘level’ or ‘equal, like’.]
1. a. Of a piece of ground, a country, etc.: Flat, plain, level, not hilly or sloping.
| c 893 K. ælfred Oros. i. ii. §4 Seo burg wæs ᵹetimbred an fildum lande & on swiþe emnum. c 1400 Destr. Troy 2078 Set full sad on a soile euyn. 1605 Shakes. Lear iv. vi. 3 Glo. Me thinkes the ground is eeuen. Edg. Horrible steepe. 1605 Verstegan Dec. Intell. iv. (1628) 100 They are euen and plaine without any hilles or hilly grounds. 1692 Bentley Boyle Lect. 78 Our sight..would be terminated..in the largest and evenest plain by the very convexity of the earth. 1705 Addison Italy (1733) 175 The present Face of Rome is much more Even and Level than it was formerly. 1859 Tennyson Geraint & Enid 239 At last they..climb'd upon a fair and even ridge. |
b. Of uniform height.
| 1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §70 Beastes alone..wyll not eate a pasture euen, but leaue many tuftes and hygh grasse in dyuers places. 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, iii. iv. 36 All must be euen, in our Gouernment. 1601 B. Jonson Poetaster iv. ix, Both waies, I am too high; and thou, too lowe, Our Mindes are euen, yet. a 1626 Davies (J.), When he did set his foot in the middle, all the other parts lay flat and even. |
c. In a level position; horizontal. Obs. exc. Naut. in phrase, (on) an even keel.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce iii. 136 He laid hym ewyn him beforn. c 1391 Chaucer Astrol. ii. §29 Lat thyn Astrelabie kowch adown evene upon a smothe grond. 1836 Marryat Midsh. Easy xxvi, The frigate was on an even keel. c 1850 Rudim. Navig. (Weale) 117 A ship is said to swim on an even keel when she draws the same quantity of water abaft as forwards. 1853 Kane Grinnell Exp. xxvi. (1856) 213, I wish it would give us an even keel. |
2. Of surfaces or lines: Uniform, without inequality; smooth.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 2 Þe on [riwle] riwleð þe heorte, þe makeð hire efne & smeðe, wiðute knotte & dolke of woh inwit. 1340 Ayenb. 151 Efterward he deþ al be reule, þet makeþ þane wal emne. a 1350 Childh. Jesus 1382 Þis treo mot beo..At eithur ende euene and quarre. 1535 Coverdale 1 Chron. xiii. 15 The valleys were eauen both [Luther dass alle Grunde eben waren] towarde the East and towarde the West. 1552 Abp. Hamilton Catech. (1884) 28 Ane biggare can nocht make ane evin up wal without direction of his lyne. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. iii. (1586) 141 b, Looke..that..the grounde bee made fayre and even, some thing hanging. 1580 Baret Alv. E 364 To make eeuen with the rule, exæquare ad regulam. 1664 Evelyn Kal. Hort. (1729) 202 Cut close and even. 1693 Dryden tr. Persius vi, To see a beggar's brat in riches flow, Adds not a wrinkle to my even brow. 1697 ― Virg. Georg. iv. 213 He knew to rank his Elms in even Rows. 1704 Newton Optics (J.), The superficies of such plates are not even, but have many cavities and swellings. 1712 J. James tr. Le Blond's Gardening 34 Parterres..should be flat, eaven, and disengaged. c 1720 Prior Poems, Charity, Charity..Lays the rough paths of peevish nature even. 1781 Cowper Anti-Thelyp. 47 Smooth and even as an iv'ry ball. 1848 Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. 486 The water in the bay was as even as glass. 1858 Hawthorne Fr. & It. Jrnls. I. 213 Hedges..as even as a brick-wall at the top and sides. |
3. Uniform alike throughout (in colour, texture, consistency, quality, etc.).
| 1821 Craig Lect. Drawing vii. 406 Nor can it..produce a light even tint of any extent. 1846 Trotter in Baxter's Lib. Pract. Agric. (ed. 4) II. 347 These last [turnips] are..the evenest and best crop..The whole field is an even piece, not having suffered from the fly. 1883 F. M. Crawford Dr. Claudius viii, The sky was of an even lead colour. |
† 4. Of a path: Straight, direct. Of movements or speech: Direct, straightforward. Of a visible object: Directly in front. Obs.
| c 1200 Ormin 9214 Þær shulenn beon..effne & smeþe weȝȝess. c 1325 Metr. Hom. 48, I bid you mac the gates euin To Crist. c 1470 Harding Chron. lxii. v, Constantyne sawe a crosse..full euine. 1594 Hooker Eccl. Pol. i. viii. (1611) 17 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. 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, iv. viii. 114 In plaine shock, and euen play of Battaile. 1602 ― Ham. ii. ii. 298 Be euen and direct with me, whether you were sent for or no. |
5. a. Level with († to); neither higher or lower. arch.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 11688 Þe tre it boued doune..Þe crope was euen wid þe rote. 1420 E.E. Wills (1882) 52 A flate ston off marbill, ewyn with the grounde. 1579 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 135 When Demetrius wonne the Citie, and made it euen to the ground. 1611 Bible Luke xix. 44 And shall lay thee euen with the ground. 1626 Purchas Pilgr. (ed. 4) 434 The nether part of the Sunne seeming iust and euen with it. 1653 H. Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. 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 Froger Voy. 33 Waiting till the Fish swim even with the Surface of the Water. |
b. In the same plane or line (with). Also (of a course, etc.) parallel; (of the two ends of an object) in line with the centre.
| a 1350 Childh. Jesus 1425 Josep swiþe glad was þo Þat euene weren þe endes two. 1586 A. Day Eng. Secretary (1625) A iiij, I have applied a number of Figures..and Tropes in the margent of every Epistle, even with the places where they are used. 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. iv. ii. 83 His life is paralel'd Euen with the stroke and line of his great Iustice. 1663 Gerbier Counsel 22 The Chimney to be made even with the upright of the wall. 1712 F. T. Shorthand 11 Write the Consonant in an even line with the foregoing Consonant. 1726 Leoni tr. Alberti's Archit. I. 72 b, You may..make a..foundation for every particular Peer..lying directly even with the current of the water. 1748 Anson's Voy ii. ii. 127 A ship to leeward, with her courses even with the horizon. |
6. Accurately coincident or accordant; exactly adjusted; spec. in type-setting, to make even, make even lines, or end even: to space out the last few lines of copy, so as to make the last a full line.
| c 1400 Rom. Rose 5821 We been at one, By even accord of everichone. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. ii. (1586) 73 b, Good Grafters, thinke it best to hold the Graffe even with both hands. 1597 Morley Introd. Mus. 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. 1703 Moxon Mech. Exerc. 277 Lay the streight edge even upon the line AE. |
† 7. Of computed results, statements, etc.: Exact, precise. Also, ‘(The) exact’ (place etc.).
| c 1300 Cursor M. 20834 (Edinb.) Qua wel can caste sal finde it euin. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xxiii. 270 Hevene haueþ evene numbre, and helle is with-oute numbre. a 1470 Tiptoft Caesar xiii. (1530) 18 Fewe or none of them [ships] came to the even port. 1551 Recorde Pathw. Knowl. ii. xliv, It maketh iust xxix, the euen halfe of fifty and eight. 1601 Shakes. All's Well v. iii. 326 To make the euen truth in pleasure flow. |
8. Of actions, movements, processes, continuous states: Uniform, free from fluctuations. Of the mind, temper, etc.: Free from variations, ‘equal’, equable, unruffled.
| c 897 K. ælfred Gregory's Past. xlii. 306 Ðæs wisan monnes mod bið suiðe emn. a 1240 Sawles Warde in Cott. Hom. 265 Þole wið efne heorte þe dom of rihtwisnesse. 1297 R. Glouc. (1724) 193 Þer come in tuelf olde men myd euene pas þere. 1382 Wyclif Baruch iv. 5 Thou peple of God, be of euener inwitt. c 1386 Chaucer Clerk's T. 811 With euene herte I rede yow tendure This strook of ffortune or of auenture. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 143 Euen in meuynge [printed menynge] or clothynge. 1561 T. Norton Calvin's Inst. i. To Rdr., That I may with euen sufferance continue in the course of his holy calling. 1613 Shakes. Hen. VIII, iii. i. 37, I know my life so euen. 1710 Addison Tatler No. 192 ¶5 Persons of even Tempers and uniform Dispositions. 1766 Johnson in Boswell Feb., Pope's [horses] go at a steady even trot. 1770 Langhorne Plutarch (1879) I. 177/2 Pericles acquired..a firm and even tone of voice. 1850 Tennyson In Mem. lxxxv, My blood an even tenour kept. 1870 Huxley Lay Serm. xiv. 334 The even rhythm of the breathing of every one of us. |
9. Equally balanced; in a state of equilibrium; ‘not inclining to either side’ (J.).
| 1579 Gosson Sch. Abuse (Arb.) 39 Bearing her sword so euen, that neither the poore are trod vnder foote, nor the rich suffred to loke too hye. 1607 Shakes. Cor. iv. vii. 37 He has A Noble seruant to them; but he could not Carry his honors eeuen. 1655–60 Stanley Hist. Philos. (1701) 188/1 Its proper place..by reason of its even weight is the Centre. 1667 Milton P.L. i. 349 In even ballance down they light. 1703 Moxon Mech. Exerc. 69 The Hand must be carried along the whole length..exactly even. 1742 Young Nt. Th. viii. 1180 An Eye impartial, and an even Scale. c 1819 Bentham Wks. (1843) II. 446 The balance is now restored. The two scales hang even. 1863 W. Phillips Speeches vii. 155 He holds the scales of justice most exactly even. 1866 J. Martineau Ess. I. 67 The balance cannot be expected to hang..even. |
10. a. Of accounts, affairs, a reckoning: Having no balance or debt on either side; ‘square.’
| 1551 T. Wilson Logike (1567) 2 b, Arithmetik by nomber can make Reckenynges to be euen. 1596 Harington Metam. Ajax Pref. (1814) 14 For a man to make even his reckonings. 1605 Bp. Hall Medit. & Vows B. 2 §4 It hath beene an olde and true Proverbe, Oft and even reckoninges make long friends. 1712 Arbuthnot John Bull (1755) 14 How is it possible for a man of business to keep his affairs even in the world at this rate? a 1716 South (J.), Even reckoning makes lasting friends. |
b. to be even: to be square or quits; to have settled accounts. † to make even: to square accounts. † to make even for: to compensate for.
| 1511 Plumpton Corr. p. cxviii, Memor. That Sir Robert Plompton..is even for every thing to this present day of August. 1594 R. Haydocke tr. Lomazzo To Rdr., I haue bettered mine, or at the least made even for such other imperfections, as can hardly escape the best translators. 1618 Bolton Florus iv. ix. (1636) 308 By the slaughter of Pacorus, wee were even for Crassus overthrow. 1622 S. Ward Christ All in All (1627) 36 When he had distributed all he had to the poore, and made euen with his reuenues, etc. 1637 Rutherford Lett. No. 113 (1862) i. 283, I know that Christ and I shall never be Even: I shall die in His debt. 1661 Pepys Diary 25 June, I made even with my father and the two drapers for the cloths I sent to sea lately. 1780 Johnson Let. to Mrs. Thrale 21 June, 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. |
c. to be even († evens) with: to be quits with; to have one's revenge upon.
| 14.. Merch. & Son in Halliw. Nugæ Poet. 32 My fadur ys evyn wyth all the worlde. 1589 Hay any Work A ij b, Ile be euen with them to. 1626 Buck. Imp. (1889) 63 Wherre uppon hee vowed to bee even with our Inglish. 1655–60 Stanley Hist. Philos. (1701) 111/1, I will be even with you for this scorn. a 1719 Addison (J.), The publick is always even with an author who has not a just deference for them. 1752 A. Breck Stewart in Scots Mag. July (1753) 339/1 He would be evens with him. 1794 Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho xxvii, I was determined to be even with Barnardine for refusing to tell me the secret. 1831 Lytton Godolph. 9 Come out, and I'll be even with you, pretty one. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) III. 264 Verily I would be even with thee, if I had the power. |
d. to get even (with): to take one's revenge (on), to retaliate (against). orig. U.S.
| 1846 S. F. Smith Theatr. Apprent. 148, I took my seat with the hope of getting even. 1880 ‘Mark Twain’ Tramp Abroad I. xxv. 250 One should always ‘get even’ in some way, else the sore place will go on hurting. 1889 Barrère & Leland Dict. Slang I. 402/2 Those who think this country [sc. America] fails to get even with France for her unjust discrimination against American pork. 1906 F. H. Burnett Shuttle xxxiii. 330 There exists for people of a certain type a pleasure full-fed by the mere sense of having ‘got even’ with an opponent. Through⁓out his life he had made a point of ‘getting even’ with those who had irritatingly crossed his path. 1910 Granta 11 June 9, I feel that I can never get quite even with him again. 1923 L. J. Vance Baroque 40 Crooks..blow the works to get even. |
e. (on) even terms (see quots.). Austral. and N.Z.
| 1933 L. G. D. Acland in Press (Christchurch) 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 Baker Dict. Austral. Slang 27 Even Terms, working for one's food. |
11. That is a just mean between extremes; of proper magnitude or degree.
| c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 83 Of his stature he was of evene lengthe. c 1470 Henry Wallace vi. 70 Be ewyn tyme off hyr age, A squier Schaw..hyr gat in mariage. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. ii. (1586) 80 b, There must be an even temperature amongest these extreamities. 1653 Urquhart Rabelais i. xxxiv, The rest of his traine came after him by even journeys [Fr. a justes journées] at a slower pace. |
12. Of conduct, laws, and their administration: Equal towards all, just, impartial. † Also of weights and measures: Just, true.
| c 1000 ælfric Lev. xix. 36 Habbaþ..emne wæᵹa and emne ᵹemetu and sestras. 1382 Wyclif Lev. xix. 46 Riȝt balaunce, and euen ben the weiȝtis, ryȝt bushel, and euen sextarye. 1637 Earl Stirling Doomsday, 6th Hour, Yet were their aimes and ends in th'end not eaven. 1719 W. Wood Surv. Trade 17 The wisdom of the legislative Power consists in keeping an even hand to promote all. 1775 Johnson Tax no Tyr. 33 Though power has been diffused with the most even hand. |
† 13. a. Equal in rank, dignity, or power; in earlier use with dat. or with til, to; also absol. Obs.
| c 1205 Lay. 22928 At þine borde..scal þe hehȝe beon æfne [c 1275 efne] þan loȝe. a 1240 Lofsong in Cott. Hom. 209 Þe oli goste · þet is efne wið þe and wið þin eadi feder. a 1340 Hampole Psalter ii. 7 Þe son is of his fadire..euen til hym in godhed. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 341 Sum men seien þat he [the pope] is even wiþ the manheed of Crist. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 85 We awe not to arett..þingis formid of mannis craft, heyar nor euen to man in kynd. a 1450–1530 Myrr. our Ladye 103 These thre persones . were alyke euen in all thynges. 1565 Jewel Repl. Harding (1611) 333 The Figure may not be far off from the Truth: otherwise it were no Figure: Neither may it be euen, and one with the Truth. 1674 N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. 117 Nevertheless, we may hold such a body to be even with another. 1720 Prior For my Tombstone, To me 'twas given to die: To thee 'tis given to live: alas one moment sets us even. 1754 Richardson Grandison I. xxxix. 297 Is there no way to be even with him in any one thing? |
b. to be even with: to be on a par, on equal terms with.
| 1593 Nashe Four Lett. Confut. 86 You wil..imbrace anie religion which will be euen with the profession that fauors not you. 1633 Earl of Manchester Al Mondo (1636) 24 For all this, man is even with Death. 1682 N. O. Boileau's Lutrin i. 250 We may with both in time be even. 1733 Fielding Intrig. Chamberm. i. v, I am not the first gentleman..who has been even with his master. |
¶ c. The Combs. of even- are sometimes resolved, so that the adj. in apparent syntactical concord expresses the sense of L. co-, Eng. fellow-, joint-.
| a 1000 Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 214 Coheres, efn yrfeweard. 1382 Wyclif Ezek. vii. 16 Thei shulen be in mounteyns as culueres of euyn valeys [Vulg. convallium]. 1482 Monk of Evesham (Arb.) 103 He..schalle be an euyn heyre with me eternaly. 1483 Cath. Angl. 118 Euen, equus, co-, equalis. |
14. a. Equal in magnitude, number, quantity, etc. even break: see break n.1 18; even chance: an equal chance that something will or will not happen; even money: odds in betting that offer the gambler the chance of winning as much as he has staked; also n. pl. evens.
| c 1205 Lay. 29103 He hafde genge efne wið Gurmunde. Ibid. 30835 For his æfne wiht of golde. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 325 Whan þe day and þe nyȝt beeþ euen. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. i. 1121 Hardde pitche, and wex, take even weight. c 1449 Pecock Repr. iii. i. 280 The north schal be eendid by euen terme. c 1450 Castle Hd. Life St. Cuthb. (Surtees) 931 With' childre of his euen elde. 1495 Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 39 The seid Edmond to pay yerely..CCCCli. at the same festis by evyn porcions. 1577 B. Googe Heresback's Husb. iii. (1586) 115 The legges and the thies..ought to be even [L. æqualia], straight, and sound. 1660 H. Bloome Archit. A c, Three even parts. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones xii. v, Partridge..kept even pace with Jones. 1814 Scott Ld. of Isles iii. xviii, Were my Monarch's order given, Two shafts should make our number even. 1816 Jane Austen Emma II. viii. 149 It was an even chance that Mrs. Churchill were not in health or spirits for going. 1834 T. Medwin Angler in Wales I. 85 It is wax and caoutchouck even quantities, melted together. 1891 N. Gould Double Event xxvii, The book⁓makers were roaring themselves hoarse. ‘Even money Perfection, 3 to 1 Captain Cook.’ 1907 Westm. Gaz. 25 June 10/2 Two even-money chances—Troutbeck and the White Knight—won. 1964 A. Wykes Gambling ix. 223 The Biarritz system is more for players who find the even-chance systems too slow and too tame. Ibid. 225 The noir is an even-money bet. |
b. of even date: of the same date. (Common in U.S.; in England chiefly in legal language.)
| 1681 Indenture 10 Mar., Reciting an Indenture of even date therewith. 1885 Weekly Notes 142/1 By deed of even date he covenanted to pay all calls in respect of the shares. |
c. absol. (See quot.)
| 1589 Puttenham Eng. Poesie iii. xix. (Arb.) 222 Ye haue another figure [marg. Parison] which we may call the figure of euen, because it goeth by clauses of egall quantitie. |
d. even Stephen (or Steven): a colloq. rhyming phrase used as an intensive for ‘even’ in various senses; spec. = fifty-fifty adv. and a.
| [1711 Swift Jrnl. to Stella 20 Jan. (1948) I. xiv. 171 Now we are even, quoth Stephen, when he gave his wife six blows for one.] 1866 C. H. Smith Bill Arp 64 Dick says you allowed the members to exchange two hundred dollars for two hundred dollars of State money, even steven. 1925 Wodehouse Sam the Sudden xiii. 96 Do you mean to say..that if Soapy was sitting in with the Archbishop of Canterbury on a plan for skinning a sucker the archbish wouldn't split Even Stephen? 1939 C. Morley Kitty Foyle xxxi. 320 Some of his stories were a bit corny, but a few of Parry Berwyn's old Racquet Club favorites were even-Steven with his. 1955 R. Bradbury October Country (1956) 80 It's a fifty-fifty fight. Even Stephen. 1963 A. Prior Z Cars Again (1964) xi. 95 It's even-Steven we'll catch him at it. 1970 A. Draper Swansong for Rare Bird i. 10 It's even stevens I'll con my way out of it with no more than a big helping of porridge. Ibid. v. 32 He used to break even stephen though by helping himself from her purse. |
15. a. Of numbers: Divisible integrally into two equal parts; opposed to odd. Of a dance: Performed by an equal number of persons.
| 1557 Recorde Whetst. A iij, Euen nombers are those, whiche maie be diuided into equalle halfes. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. iii. (1586) 138 b, He woulde your number should rather be odde then even. 1586 W. Webbe Eng. Poetrie (Arb.) 84 Then the daunce wyll be eune. 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. iii. i. 41 Death we feare That makes these oddes, all euen. 1650 Jer. Taylor Holy Living (J.), Let him tell me whether the number of the stars be even or odd. 1674 Playford Skill Mus. ii. 103 An even number of Quavers or Semiquavers, as 2, 4, 6, or 8. 1759 Johnson Rasselas xlvii, The same number cannot be even and odd. 1801 Strutt Sports & Past. (1876) 414 The army that presents a front of even numbers is called even hoste. a 1839 Praed Poems (1864) II. 171 Death looks down with nods and smiles, And make the odds all even. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 407 Three is an odd number and four is an even number. |
b. Of objects in a series: Having a place marked by an even number. even page: the left-hand page of a printed book.
| 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. iv. v. 193 The laterall division of man by even and odde, ascribing the odde unto the right side, and even unto the left. 1684 Earl of Roscommon Ess. Verse (1709) 229 Accents regularly plac'd On even Syllables. 1824 L. Murray Eng. Gram. (ed. 5) I. 374 The accents are to be placed on even syllables. |
c. † even and odd: all included, without exception. † for even or odd: for good and all. † for odd nor for even: on no account whatever. evenly even, oddly even (see quots.).
| c 1440 Boctus in Laud MS. 559. 10 b, He shulde..foryeven hym even and odde That he hadde doone. c 1450 Castle Hd. Life St. Cuthb. (Surtees) 4957 All' ȝone oste, bathe euen and od. c 1460 Towneley Myst. 170, I have sene the lamb of God..And towchid hym for even or od. c 1485 E. Eng. Misc. (Warton Club) 42 Loke thou lete, for oode ne for ewyne. 1557 Recorde Whetst. A iij b, Euen nombers euenly, are such nombers as maie bee parted continually into euen halfes, till you come to an vnitie. As for example, 32. 1676 tr. Agrippa's Van. Arts xii, Arithmetic treats of Numbers..which is evenly odde, and which odly even. 1796 Hutton Math. Dict. 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. |
† d. even and (or) odd: a game of chance; = odd or even (see odd). Hence to go even or odd. Obs.
| 1580 Hollyband Treas. Fr. Tong, Per ou nom per..a play called euen or odde. 1598 Florio, Pari dispari, euen and odde, a kinde of play so called. 1681 W. Robertson Phraseol. Gen. (1693) 551 To play at even or odd. 1710 Brit. Apollo III. No. 5. 2/2 A...Challenges B. to go even or odd with him for a..Sum of Money. 1739 Cibber Apol. (1756) I. 16 Socrates cou'd take pleasure..in playing at Even or odd with his children. |
16. Of sums of money, numbers, etc.: ‘Round’, expressible in integers, or in tens, scores, etc.; containing no fractions or ‘odd’ money.
| 1638 Penkethman Artach. C ij b, Beginning with an odde 6d. and ending with an even shillings. 1720 Lond. Gaz. No. 5877/3 That..no Stock be allowed but in even 5l. Mod. Of the price of bread, etc. Down again to even money. |
17. † a. absol. in adverbial phrases: OE. on efn, on emn (see anent); ME. an emne, an evene, equally, quietly. to bring til even: to reconcile. Obs.
| Beowulf 5798 Him on efn liᵹeþ ealdor-ᵹewinna. a 1000 Byrhtnoth 184 (Gr.), Þa on emn hyra frean feorh ᵹesealdon. c 1000 ælfric Gen. xvi. 12 He ᵹewislice arærð æfre his ᵹeteld on emne his ᵹebroþra. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 9567 King steuene Vor lute poer & feblesse huld him al an euene. c 1315 Shoreham 75 Ȝyf bothe beth of god wylle, And of assent an emne. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 134 Þan wer boþe þe kynges brouht alle tille euen. |
b. quasi-n. in various uses. † Of a person: One's like or equal. † the even of it: the plain truth, ‘the long and short of it’. Sporting, something expressed in integers; in evens: of a hundred-yard run, done in ten seconds.
| 1393 Gower Conf. II. 240 Of beaute sigh he never her even. 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, ii. i. 128 The King hath run bad humours on the Knight, that's the euen of it. 1889 Boy's Own Paper 14 Sept. 794/2 All the amateur records are ‘evens.’ 1920 Baily's Mag. May 238 He ran the hundred in ‘evens’ in 1904. 1955 Times 23 July 2/7 The Mill Hill schoolboy..rarely, if ever, fails to do the 100 yards in evens. |
18. Combined in phrases with hand. † at (of) even hand: on equal terms; also, without either gain or loss. † to go even hand: to go ‘in equipace’ with. to be even hands with: (Sc.) = ‘to be even with’: see 10.
| 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 363 The Muses..never flit, but followe thee, or rather, goe even hande with thee, and treade foote by foote? 1625 Bacon Ess., Envy (Arb.) 512 Who so is out of Hope to attaine to anothers Vertue, will seeke to come at euen hand, by Depressing an others Fortune. 1650 R. Gentilis Consid. Alcibiades 33 He contents not himselfe to come out of trouble at even hand, by onely remaining comforted. 1756 W. Toldervy Two Orphans I. 38 Certainly, if a man will keep but of even hand, his ordinary expences ought to be but to the half of his receipts. 1822 Hogg Perils Man I. 325 (Jam.), I's be even hands wi' them an' mair. |
▪ III. even, adv.
(ˈiːv(ə)n)
Forms: 1–2 efne, emne, 3–5 evene, 4–7 evin, -yn(e, 4–5 eeven, (4 ewyn, 5 evon, -un, ewene, eyven, hevene), 4– even. Also contracted 6–7 ene, 6–9 een, e'en, ev'n.
[OE. efne, by assimilation emne, efen, = OFris. efne, ivin, OS. efno (Du. even), OHG. ebano (MHG. ebene, Ger. eben):—OTeut. *eƀnô, f. *eƀno- even a. (In literary use the contracted form e'en (iːn) now occurs only in verse, and in colloq. use it is rare exc. north. dial.)
The mod.Teut. langs. (exc. Scandinavian) have developed senses similar to those in branch II.]
I. In senses closely related to the adj. (Chiefly admitting of degrees of comparison.)
† 1. Evenly, in an even manner; regularly, steadily, uniformly. Obs.
| a 1000 ælfric Ps cxviii. [cxix.] 77 (Gr.) Ic æ þine efnast healde. a 1250 Owl & Night. 313 Ich singe efne Mid fulle dreme and lude stefne. 1297 R. Glouc. (1724) 43 So euene hot þat lond ys, þat men durre selde Here orf in howse awynter brynge out of the felde. a 1310 in Wright Lyric P. ix. 35 Hire teht aren white ase bon of whal, Evene set ant atled al. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints Prol. 47 Demaying hire in althing ewine. c 1400 Destr. Troy 436 Mony proude rynges, Euyn set to þe sight. 1458 MS. Christ's Hosp. Abingdon in Turner Dom. Archit. III. 44 Now God geve us grace to folowe treuthe even. 1728 T. Sheridan Persius i. (1739) 17 That Poet of ours makes his Verses run as even as a Carpenter can draw his Line. |
† 2. In exact agreement. to go even (= Fr. marcher d'accord): to agree (with). Obs.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 126 Henry and he euen acorded or þei went. a 1569 A. Kingsmill Comf. Afflict. (1585) A vij, Behold how good a thing it is..for brethren to dwell even together. 1601 Shakes. Twel. N. v. i. 246 As the rest goes euen. 1611 ― Cymb. i. iv. 47, I..rather shun'd to go euen with what I heard. 1645 Fuller Good Th. in Bad T. (1841) 39 Both are for the privileges of parliament; can they come closer? Both are for the liberty of the subject; can they meet evener? |
† 3. Equally. a. In equal divisions or parts. b. In an equal degree. Also as quasi-prep. with dat.: Equally with. c. On equal terms. Obs.
| a. c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xxxix. §13 Sio sunne and se mona habbaþ todæled butwuht him þone dæᵹ and þa niht swiþe emne. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 51 Þe barons portiond þe lond euen þam bituene. 1393 Gower Conf. II. 46 Copes riche..Departed even of white and blewe. c 1420 Sir Amadace (Camd.) lix, Take and dele hit Euun in toe. |
| b. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 310 Wheþer alle þese ordris ben euene goode. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 2946 Þat ech of ous..do al þat a may, To helpe ys felawe euene him-selue; among our fon to day. c 1449 Pecock Repr. iii. vi. 313 In the same euen miche pouerte..folewe in euen likenes. c 1450 Castle Hd. Life St. Cuthb. (Surtees) 4066 Edylwald was a man expert, Euen gyuen to god with cuthbert. c 1485 E. Eng. Misc. (Warton Club) 85 Alle in ewene warme water. |
| c. 1470–85 Malory Arthur x. xlv, Neuer were there foure knyghtes euener matched. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. iii. (1586) 128 b, Be well assured that you bye them [draught oxen] even matched. |
† 4. In a just or proper degree. Obs.
| c 1430 Two Cookery-bks. 12 Let boyle tylle the Onyonys an þe Brawn ben euyne sothyn, an nowt to moche. Ibid. 14 Take þe sylf brothe..Make it euen Salt. |
† 5. Directly, straight; also of descent: In a direct line. Obs. See also even-down.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 3105 (Cott.) It brend, þe reke raght vp euen. c 1340 Ibid. 3106 (Fairf.) Þe smelle was squete and stode ful eyuen. 1375 Barbour Bruce i. 61 Ony male, [That were in lyne] ewyn descendand. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 334 He lediþ his soule eeuen to heuen by goddis lawe. c 1435 Torr. Portugal 2281 Into a lond bothe riche and good, ffulle evyn he toke the way. 1486 Bk. St. Albans E vij b, Ayen the Water his Way eeuen iff he hent. |
† b. ‘Due’ (east, etc.); directly (contrary, etc.).
| c 1300 St. Brandan 515 Hi wende evene south. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xxxiii. 149 Beȝond þir ilez..to ga euen est, es na land inhabited. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. ccxxxv. 257 The wind was euen contrary vnto him. 1483 Cath. Angl. 118 Evyn agayn. ? a 1550 Freiris of Berwik 344 In the west he turnit him ewin about. |
II. In weakened senses as an intensive or emphatic particle. (With 6–8 cf. similar uses of just.)
6. Exactly, precisely, ‘just’. Now chiefly arch. after Bible use, and suggesting some notion of 9. a. of manner; often followed by as, thus, so.
| Beowulf 1571 Lixte se leoma efne swa of heofene hadre scineð rodores candel. a 1000 Crist 330 (Gr.), And efne swa ðec ᵹemette meahtum ᵹehrodene clæne and ᵹecorene Crist almihtiᵹ. 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 4767 Þe thred day, þe se sal..And stand even in..Als it stode first. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xi. xiii. (1495) 398 Thonder smythth the ayre..euyn soo that it..sownyth..in the manere of rollyng and hurlynge of whelys. c 1400 Destr. Troy 1633 Priam by purpos a pales gert make..And euyn at his etlyng Ylion was cald. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 2 b, Euen so man in the cage of this worlde. 1578 Timme Calvin on Gen. 97 Even as if a Man should give a sword and buckler into the hands of another. 1594 Shakes. Pass. Pilgr. xi, Even thus..the warlike god embraced me. 1611 Bible John xvii. 18 Euen so haue I also sent them into the world. 1808 R. K. Porter Trav. Sk. Russ. & Swed. (1813) i. i. 6 It was even as Saxo Grammaticus relates. 1816 Scott Old Mort. Introd., ‘Even sae—even sae.’ |
b. of time: occas. quasi-prep. = at the same moment with. Often with now (see further under now, and cf. enow). † Formerly also absol. = ‘just now’, ‘just then’ (cf. just and Ger. eben).
| c 1205 Lay. 25939 Efne [c 1275 eafne] þissen worden þa þat wif seide, Beduer heo gon hirten. 1297 R. Glouc. (1724) 535 Euene as the ssire sat, [Sir Maci] to the toune's ende him drou. c 1325 Poem temp. Edw. II (Percy) lxxv, Euen upon the Monday. c 1400 Destr. Troy 1980 He..Shoke euyn into ship, & the shalke leuyt. 1413 Lydg. Pilgr. Sowle v. xiv. (1859) 81 And euen with this word this Angel flewe his weye vp in to heuene. 15.. Merch. & Son 230 in Hazl. E.P.P. I. 148 Ryght evyn abowte mydnyght. c 1600 Shakes. Sonn. lxxi, Let your love even with my life decay. 1611 ― Cymb. iii. vi. 16 Euen before, I was At point to sinke, for Food. 1607 Hieron Wks. I. 399 The high priest will holde a councell, euen the dawning. 1612 R. Sheldon Serm. St. Martin's 48 Our most gratious Soueraigne being almost euen with the breaking vp of her [Q. Elizabeth's] ghost most ioyfully in this city proclaimed. 1703 Moxon Mech. Exerc. 30 These Shanks are to be rivetted (as you were taught even now). 1820 Keats St. Agnes xxxv, But even now Thy voice was at sweet tremble in mine ear. |
† c. of place. Also absol. = close at hand (cf. Ger. n-eben). Obs.
| 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 5179 Even aboven þat vale namly, Whare al men sal se his body. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xx. 152 Ho so is hurt in þe hand, euene in þe myddes, He, etc. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon iii. 73 Of the other side it [the castell] had evyn at hande a grete wood. 1578 Whetstone Promos & Cass. ii. ii. 2 Ap. Where dwels Lady Lamia? Ros. Even by, Syr. |
† d. of shape. Obs.
| c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xi. 43 Þare was a table of gold, euen sqware. c 1400 Destr. Troy 1635 A clene wall clustrit with towres, Euyn round as a ryng richely wroght. |
7. Quite, fully. Formerly often before numerals; now only arch. in even to (= L. usque ad), in which use it suggests some notion of sense 9.
| c 897 K. ælfred Gregory's Past. xli. 300 Crist..hiene selfne ᵹeeaðmedde emne oð ðone deað. a 1000 Cædmon's Gen. 1158 (Gr.) Cainan wintra hæfde efne hund-seofontiᵹ ær him sunu woce. c 1205 Lay. 13924 He heom wes leof æfne al swa heore lif. c 1325 Chron. Eng. 938 in Ritson Metr. Rom. II. 309 He reignede her Evene five ant thritti yer. 1546 Wyclif's Wycket 1, In greate sufferance of persecution euen to the death. 1611 Bible Ex. xxvii. 5 That the net may bee euen to the midst of the Altar. 1646 F. Hawkins Youths Behav. (1663) 4 Nor is it beseeming to stoop so low as even to crowching. 1653 H. Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. xlvi. 180 Carried at the mercy of the Sea even until Sun-set. 1667 Milton P.L. iii. 586 His magnetic beam..Shoots invisible vertue even to the deep. |
8. Prefixed to a subject, object, or predicate, or to the expression of a qualifying circumstance, to emphasize its identity. Obs. exc. arch. Also in 16–17th c. (hence still arch. after Bible use) serving to introduce an epexegesis; = ‘namely’, ‘that is to say’.
| a 1000 Guthlac 946 Domes hleotan, Efne þæs ilcan, þe ussa yldran fyrn Frecne onfengon. a 1000 Met. Boeth. viii. 46 Efne sio ᵹitsung. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xii. 306, I shall smyte of your hede, evyn anone. 1535 Coverdale 2 Chron. vii. 22 Euen because they haue forsaken the Lorde God of their fathers. 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. ii. i. 49 Speed. She that you gaze on so... Val. Even she I meane. 1594 Hooker Eccl. Pol. Pref. iii. §9 They imagined they even beheld as it were with their eyes. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. v. i. 242, I sweare to thee, euen by thine owne faire eyes. 1610 ― Temp. iii. i. 14 These sweet thoughts, doe euen refresh my labours. 1611 Bible Zech. xi. 10, I took my staff, euen Beauty, and cut it asunder. Ibid. John viii. 25 Euen the same that I said vnto you from the beginning. 1820 Keats St. Agnes xvii, I will, even in a moment's space, Awake..my foemen's ears. |
b. (Chiefly in colloq. form e'en.) Prefixed to verbs, with vague force expressible by ‘just’, ‘nothing else but’; in early use sometimes with notion of ‘to be sure’, ‘forsooth’ (L. scilicet). Now arch. and dial.
| a 1553 Udall Royster D. iii. iv. (Arb.) 52 If she despise you een despise ye hir againe. 1653 Walton Angler 125 Come, now bait your hook again..and we wil ev'n retire to the Sycamore tree. 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. ii. iii. §8 The beastly Monk..had e'ne learned as far as Virgil's æneids, whence he fetched the Platform of this pretty Conceit. 1686 P. Henry Diaries & Lett. (1882) 353, I can buy them here for 2s. 10d., which is e'en cheap enough. 1719 De Foe Crusoe (1840) I. x. 172, I e'en let him out. 1741 Richardson Pamela I. 178 E'en send to him to come down. 1802 Bentham Let. Wks. 1843 X. 384 As to the intrigue about the Institute, since it is begun, e'en let it take its course. 1821 Mrs. Wheeler Westmorl. Dial. 26 Ise ean gang with yee. |
9. Intimating that the sentence expresses an extreme case of a more general proposition implied (= Fr. même). Prefixed (in later use often parenthetically postfixed) to the particular word, phrase, or clause, on which the extreme character of the statement or supposition depends.
This use, now the prevailing one in Eng., is foreign to the other Teut. langs. It is rare in purely dialectal speech, and (though a natural development of 8) seems not to have arisen before the 16th c. Cotgrave 1611 does not give even among the equivalents of Fr. mesme. The phrase not even (= L. ne..quidem) is rare in early use; Cooper Lat. Dict. 1572 renders ne in publicis quidem by ‘no, not in common affaires’ (though for ne nunc quidem he has ‘no, not euen now’: see 6 b); Walker Dict. Particles 1673 renders ne..quidem only by ‘no, not so much as’; the earliest Lat. Dict. that gives ‘no, not even’ is app. Ainsworth 1736.
a. Attached to the subj., agent, or object.
| 1607 Shakes. Timon i. i. 82 Make sacred euen his styrrop. 1641 J. Jackson True Evang. T. iii. 209 In Warre, even the Conqueror is commonly a loser. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 418 Ev'n the fearful Stag dares for his Hind engage. 1747 Wesley Prim. Physic (1762) 117 This quickly heals even cut veins and Sinews. 1802 M. Edgeworth Moral T. (1816) I. x. 82 Even this stupid gardener..is as useful to society as I am. 1821 Keats Lamia 34 Jealousies Of the Wood-gods, and even the very trees. 1854 Doran Habits & Men 176 He was in debt to no man, not even to his tailor. 1863 F. A. Kemble Resid. in Georgia 11 The tone of insolent superiority assumed by even the gutter urchins. 1884 W. C. Smith Kildrostan 88 A harp, even, blunts the finger-tips. |
b. Attached to a word or clause expressing time, manner, place, or any attendant circumstance.
| 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. i. (1586) 36 The leafe..turneth with the Sunne, whereby it sheweth to the husbande, even in cloudie weather, what time of the day it is. 1611 E. Grimstone tr. De Serres' Hist. France 257 Fortune is a secret operation of the wisdome of God, alwaies iust, euen when it is most vnknown to vs. 1736 Butler Anal. i. i, A method of providential conduct, the like of which has been exercised even with regard to ourselves. 1782 Gibbon Decl. & F. I. xiii. (1828) 491 Even on that memorable occasion his stay did not exceed two months. 1818 Hallam Middle Ages ix. (1869) 636 Even in Italy..the domestic architecture of the middle ages did not attain any great perfection. 1881 Bible (Revised) Mark xiv. 59 And not even so [1611 But neither so] did their witness agree together. |
c. Attached to a hypothetical clause.
| 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 594 Ev'n though a snowy Ram thou shalt behold, Prefer him not in haste, for Husband to thy Fold. 1791 Sheridan Pizarro iii. iii, Even though that moment lost your Elvira for ever. 1824 Scott St. Ronan's xxviii, For such evil bruits Mr. Touchwood cared not, even if he happened to hear of them. 1848 Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 175 Even if the king had been desirous to fulfil the promises which he had made to the Presbyterians. 1865 Lubbock Preh. Times 323 Even if the embankment had remained intact to this day. 1873 F. Hall Mod. English 36 Even suppose that these solecisms were collected. Mod. Even were there no other evidence, we should still be justified in assuming, etc. |
d. Attached to the predicate (or any of its adjuncts), to emphasize the full extent of the statement (whether affirmative or negative).
| 1728 R. Morris Ess. Anc. Archit. 17 Such as these never arise even to the universal Knowledge of Order. 1779 Hervey Nav. Hist. II. 335 These [conditions] the parliament disliked and even signified a disinclination to ratify. 1841 Dickens Old C. Shop xlii, He maintained a strict reserve, and even shunned her presence. 1848 Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. 111 Nor had they ever..found England an agreeable, or even a safe, residence. |
e. Emphasizing a comparative; ‘still’, ‘yet’.
| 173. Butler Serm. xi, It will even more strongly be taken for granted that, etc. 1766 Goldsm. Vic. W. i, The vanity and the satisfaction of my wife were even greater than mine. 1854 A. Jameson Bk. of Th. (1877) 29 This advice is even more applicable to the painter. |
▪ IV. even, v.
(ˈiːv(ə)n)
Forms: 1 efnan, 2–3 efnen, (3 effnen), 3–4 evene(n, -yn, (4 emni, 6 evin), 6–7 eeven, 8 eaven, 4– even.
[OE. efnan, also ᵹe-efn(i)an, f. efen, even a. Cf. OHG. ebanôn (Ger. ebenen), ON. iafna, Goth. ga-ibnjan.
The OE. ęfnan, æfnan, to accomplish, achieve, corresponding to ON. efna of same meaning, is wholly unconnected.]
I. To make even, level, or straight.
1. trans. a. To level (ground); to level, render plane or smooth (any surface); also fig. † b. To bring up or restore to a level, or to a straight line. c. to even out: to dispose evenly into; also, to make even or level. d. To fit (one thing) to (another).
| a. c 1200 Ormin 9207 All þatt ohht iss wrang & crumb Shall effnedd beon & rihhtedd. 1382 Wyclif Isa. xxviii. 25 Whan he shal euenen therto his [the erthes] face, he shal sowe the sed gith. c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. (MS. A.) 127 Whanne þou hast removed of þe boon þat schal be removed evene þe brynkis with schavynge. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. vi. 39 And even the erthe above. 1581 Sidney Apol. Poetrie (Arb.) 54 Law, whose end is, to euen and right all things. 1662 Merrett tr. Neri's Art of Glass 364 Scissers cut the Glass, and even it. 1686 W. Aglionby Painting Illust. i. 28 Upon a dry Wall, having first Evened it. 1712 J. James tr. Le Blond's Gardening 118 The Line and Rake for eavening and smoothing the Ground. 1750 tr. Leonardus' Mirr. Stones 145 When the face of it is evened, it reflects images like a looking-glass. 1860 Pusey Min. Proph. 309 The Good Shepherd..smoothed for them all rugged places, and evened them by His own steps. 1864 E. Burritt Lond. to John O' Groat's 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. |
| b. 1382 Wyclif 1 Kings xi. 27 Salomon beeldide Mello, and euenede the swelwȝ of the citee of Dauid. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 143 Evenyn, or make evyn. 1688 Capt. J. S. Art of War 6 Even your Ranks, straiten your Files. a 1705 Evelyn (J.), Beat, roll, and mow carpet-walks..for now the ground is supple, and it will even all inequalities. 1849 Sidonia Sorc. II. 290 The Prussian government..desired the foundation to be evened, for it had sank in various places. |
| c. 1674 N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. 2 Those things that right reason..had evened out into ranks and kindreds by themselves, have been unhappily hudled and broken. 1931 Economist 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. 1962 A. Nisbett Technique Sound Studio v. 102 Volumes have to be controlled; they have to be evened out and held back. |
| d. 1530 Palsgr. 540/2 Even this lynyng to my gowne. 1659 Hammond On Ps. xviii. 33 Annot. 102 Evening or fitting [lit. tr. Heb. meshavvēh] my feet he makes them nimble. |
† 2. a. To level to, with (the ground, etc.). In OE. example: To throw (a person) down. Obs.
| a 1000 Riddles xxviii. (Gr.), Ic..efne to eorðan hwilum ealdne ceorl. 1382 Wyclif Jer. i. 12 Confoundid is ȝoure moder ful myche, and euened to pouder. 1559 Sackville Mirr. Mag. Induct. lxii, Walls and towers flat evened with the soyle. 1591 Raleigh Last Fight Rev. (Arb.) 21 Her vpper worke [was] rased, and..euened shee was with the water. 1632 Heywood 2nd Pt. Iron Age iii. Wks. 1874 III. 393 Sees..The stately walls he reard, leuel'd and euen'd. |
† b. To bring down to a specified level. Obs. exc. dial.
| 1636 Rutherford Lett. No. 70 (1862) I. 183 He w{supd} not even you to a gift of dirt and clay. 1650 H. Brooke Conserv. Health H v, Evened my words to the meanest capacity. 1741 Richardson Pamela I. 84 You do well, Sir, said I, to even your Wit to such a poor Maiden as me. 1880 Antrim & Down Gloss. s.v., I wouldn't even my wit to you. |
† 3. To make (a balance) even. Obs.
| a 1618 Raleigh Prerog. Parl. Ep. A iij b, The point of honour well weighed hath nothing in it to euen the ballance. 1638 Chillingw. Relig. Prot. iii. §86 Even the ballance, and hold it even. a 1718 Penn in Pa. Hist. Soc. Mem. I. 421 Prudence and proportion will more than even the scale. |
4. a. To make (accounts, etc.) even; to balance, settle, square; to come to agreement upon (points of difference).
| 1536 Bellenden Cron. Scot. (1821) II. 65 Foure prudent men wer chosin, on ilk side, to evin all debatis betwix thame. 1619 Sir R. Boyle in Lismore Papers (1886) I. 215 By my payment Mr. Dalton and I have evened all accompts. 1664 Pepys Diary (1879) III. 11 He hath now evened his reckonings at the Wardrobe till Michaelmas last. 1719 W. Wood Surv. Trade 90 The goods we send to that Country are by no means sufficient to even the account between us. 1745 De Foe's Eng. Tradesman (1841) II. xlii. 141 He has evened all his differences. 1856 Mrs. Browning Aur. Leigh viii. (1882) 349 To sorrow for mankind And even their odds. 1947 T. Maynard Humanist as Hero xiii. 158 He now had a wonderful chance to even old scores. |
| absol. 1667 Pepys Diary 13 Oct., Evened with W. Hewer for my expenses upon the road. |
b. to even up: to compensate exactly. Also, to make even or equal; to balance.
| 1865 Bushnell Vicar. Sacr. Introd. 16 They take..what he [Anselm] says of justice as if He [Christ] were engaged to even up the score of penalty. 1898 Westm. Gaz. 28 Feb. 7/1 So this morning a big collapse was provided to even things up. Ibid. 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 Daily Chron. 9 Mar. 3/3 But all things are evened up in every age. 1958 R. Williams Culture & Society iii. 307 The result of the new educational provision was in part..an evening-up between the fortunate places and the unfortunate. |
† c. To make (a person) ‘even’ or quits with another. Obs.
| 1604 Shakes. Oth. ii. i. 308 Nothing..shall content my Soule Till I am eeuen'd with him. |
† d. To bring into accord, reconcile. Obs.
| 1620 Horæ Subseciuæ 142 To euen and compound them [factions] in mutuall amity and agreement. |
5. † a. To make equal. Obs. rare.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 182 Sicknesse þet God sent..efneð þene þolemode to martir. 1553 N. Grimalde Cicero's Offices 2 a, That diligently you read not onely my Orations, but these Bookes also of Philosophy, which now well nigh to those have euened themselues in quantitie. |
b. To treat or represent as equal; to put on the same level; refl. to pretend to equality. Const. to, with (in ME. ȝæn). Also absol. rare in mod. use exc. Sc.
| c 1200 Ormin 1396 Enngless..wolldenn effnenn hemm ȝæn Godd. Ibid. 15979 For þatt teȝȝ Haliȝ Gastess mahht Effnenn wiþ þerþlic ahhte. 1340 Ayenb. 16 Liȝtbere..wolde by above þe oþre angeles, and him wolde emni to God. 1382 Wyclif Isa. xlvi. 5 To whom licneden ȝee me, and eueneden and comparisounden me. a 1605 Montgomerie Sonn. lxii, I think it scorne..To euin an ape with aufull Alexander. 1815 Scott Guy M. xi, They never thought..of evening themselves to the Ellangowans. 1824 ― Redgauntlet let. xii, ‘Me and Miss Lilias even'd thegither! Na, na, lad—od, she is..four or five years younger.’ 1830 Galt Laurie T. vi. i. (1849) 254 The idea of me evening myself in sincerity to their mother. 1881 Sat. Rev. No. 1323. 301 We disclaim the slightest idea of evening the two poets, which would be simply absurd. 1887 Saintsbury Eliz. Lit. 201 A touch of pathos, again to be evened only to Shakespere's. |
c. Sc. ‘To talk of one person as a match for another in marriage’ (Jam.).
| 1823 Lockhart Reg. Dalton III. 119 (Jam.), ‘Would ony Christian even yon bit object to a bonny, sonsy, weel-faurd young woman like Miss Catline?’ |
d. dial. To treat as appropriate to (a person's character); chiefly in bad sense, to impute to.
| 1845 A. M. Hall Whiteboy I. iv. 58 It's long since I heard such a thing as that [having a nice cottage and some fields] evened to a poor man. 1853 Reade Chr. Johnstone 261 ‘How daur ye even to me, that I'm seeking a lad?’ 1880 Antrim & Down Gloss. s.v., Would you even the like of that to me. 1884 Illust. Lond. News 2 Feb. 114/3 I'd have knocked any one down that had evened Such a thing to you in my hearing. |
6. To liken, compare. Obs. exc. dial.
| c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. vii. 24 Ȝeefned biþ. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 161 Ðis woreldes biwest is efned to wastene. a 1225 Ancr. R. 132 Auh þe treowe ancren we efneð to briddes. c 1290 Lives Saints (1887) 62 For ore louerd euenede him-sulf to a lomb. 1860 Reade Cloister & H. IV. 258 Would ye even a beast to a man? 1863 C. J. Atkinson Provinc. Danby, Even, to compare, to liken. |
II. To be or become even.
† 7. intr. a. To be equal or comparable. Const. to, with. Obs.
| c 1230 Hali Meid. 19 Hare weden ne mahen euenen to hare. a 1240 Sawles Warde in Cott. Hom. 251 Helle is..ful of brune uneuenlich, for ne mei nan eorðlich fur euenin þer towart. c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. A. 1072 What schulde þe mone þer compas clym..to euen wyth þat worþly lyȝt. |
† b. To tally, agree with; also, to be in line with. Obs.
| 1602 Carew Cornwall (J.), A redoubled numbering never eveneth with the first. 1663 Pepys Diary 22 June, To Westminster, where all along I find the shops evening with the sides of the houses. |
8. a. trans. To come up to, equal. rare.
| 1583 Stanyhurst æneis ii. (Arb.) 58 A toure..that in altitud euened Thee stars. 1607 Topsell Serpents (1653) 647 In bignesse he [the Drone] eveneth, yea, surpasseth the King himself. 1639 Fuller Holy War 192 The English Earl..conceived himself to even him in valour and martiall knowledge. 1886 Burton Arab. Nts. (Abr. ed.) I. 177 A daughter who eveneth thee in beauty. |
† b. To act up to, keep pace with. Obs. rare—1.
| 1611 Shakes. Cymb. iii. iv. 184 Wee'l euen All that good time will giue vs. |
9. to even out: to become even or normal.
| 1950 A. L. Rowse England of Elizabeth v. 158 Things were beginning to even out a little. |
Hence ˈevened ppl. a.
| 1847 Bushnell Chr. Nurt. ii. iii. (1861) 275 In the molds of a perfectly evened judgement. |