# never

Pronunciation: US say "NEV-ur" /ˈnɛv.ɚ/; UK say "NEV-uh" /ˈnɛv.ə(ɹ)/

## Adverb

1. At no time, on no occasion, or not ever up to now.
   - Simple: Not at any time, not even once.
   - _She never raises her voice, even when she is angry._
   - _The store never opens before nine in the morning._
2. Used colloquially as a negative particle to deny a specific past action, equivalent to 'did not.' *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: Used in everyday speech to mean 'did not' about one past action.
   - _She never broke the vase; the cat knocked it off the shelf._
   - _We never heard the alarm go off last night._

## Interjection

3. An emphatic refusal expressing defiance; an absolute and resolute 'no.'
   - Simple: Said with force to show you will absolutely not do something.
   - _Surrender the castle? Never!_
   - _"You will obey me." "Never," she said, lifting her chin._
4. A reply to news or a statement that voices amazement or disbelief that it could actually be so. *(colloquial, British)*
   - Simple: Said when you hear some news and are surprised or find it hard to believe.
   - _"The corner shop's closing after forty years." "Never! Where will we get our milk?"_
   - _"The couple next door won the lottery at the weekend." "Never! You're having me on."_

## Origin

The word goes back to Old English nǣfre ("never"), made by joining ne ("not") and ǣfre ("ever"), and it reached modern English through Middle English nevere.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/never (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).