never

nev|er

W1S1 [ˈnevə US -ər] adv

[: Old English; Origin: nAfre, from ne- 'not' + Afre 'ever']

1.) not at any time, or not once

▪ He's never been to Australia.

▪ I'm never going back there again, not as long as I live.

▪ It is never too late to give up smoking.

Never had/did/was etc

▪ Never had she been so confused.

never ever

(=used to emphasize what you are saying)

▪ I'll never ever forgive him for leaving me.

▪ Never again (=never after a particular time) would he return to Naples.

never in all my life

(=used to emphasize how bad something was)

▪ Never in all my life have I felt so humiliated.

never for one moment

(=used to emphasize that you never thought something)

▪ She had never for one moment imagined that it could happen to her.

sb/sth has never been known to do sth

(=used to say that something is strange because it has never happened before)

▪ Max had never been known to leave home without telling anyone.

2.) you never know

spoken used to say that something which seems unlikely may happen

▪ Try it! You never know, you might be lucky.

3.) I never knew (that)

spoken used to mean that you did not know something until now

▪ I never knew you played the guitar!

4.) never so much as

used to emphasize that someone did not do something, especially when this seems surprising

▪ I do everything for him, and he's never so much as made me a cup of coffee.

5.) that would/will never do

spoken used to say that you would not want something to happen

▪ Someone might discover our secret and that would never do.

6.) never!

BrE spoken used when you are very surprised by something

▪ 'They're getting married next month.' 'Never!'

▪ He's never going to cycle all the way to Manchester!

▪ Well I never! I wouldn't have thought she was that old!

7.) (no) I never!

BrE spoken used to say that you did not do something bad that someone has said you did. Many teachers think this is not correct English

▪ 'You cheated, didn't you?' 'No, I never.'

8.) never say never informal

used to say that you should not say that you will never do something, because there is always a small possibility that you might do it

9.) never say die

used to encourage someone not to give up

10.) never fear

spoken old-fashioned used to tell someone not to worry

▪ She'll be back, never fear.

→never the twain shall meet at ↑twain

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HINT sense 1

Do not use another negative word (e.g. 'not') with never. Use ever with not: I've never seen her. |I haven't ever seen her.

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