even
adjectiveverbadverbnounnountop 1 000 in film dialogue
- //ˈiːvən//
- /[ˈɪi̯vən] ~ [ˈɪi̯vn̩]/
Flat and level.
adjective
- 1
Flat and level.
Clear out those rocks. The surface must be even.
- 2
Without great variation.
Despite her fear, she spoke in an even voice.
- 3
Equal in proportion, quantity, size, etc.
The distribution of food must be even.
Call it even.
- 4
Of an integer, divisible by two.
Four, fourteen and forty are even numbers.
- 5
informalOf a number, convenient for rounding other numbers to; for example, ending in a zero.
Coles. How many shares have you bought, Mr. Garfinkle? Garfinkle. One hundred and ninety-six thousand.[…] Jorgenson. […] How'd you figure out to buy such an odd amount? Why not two hundred thousand — nice even number. Thought you liked nice even numbers.
He put me on the scale in my underwear and socks: 82 pounds.[…] I left, humming all day long, remembering that once upon a time my ideal weight had been 84, and now I'd even beaten that. I decided 80 was a better number, a nice even number to be.
- 6
On equal monetary terms; neither owing nor being owed.
- 7
On equal terms of a moral sort; quits.
You biffed me back at the barn, and I biffed you here—so now we're even.
- 8
Parallel; on a level; reaching the same limit.
And shall lay thee even with the ground.
- 9
obsoleteWithout an irregularity, flaw, or blemish; pure.
I know my life so even.
- 10
obsoleteAssociate; fellow; of the same condition.
His even servant.
Etymology
From Middle English even, from Old English efn (“flat; level, even, equal”), from Proto-West Germanic *ebn, from Proto-Germanic *ebnaz, from Proto-Indo-European *(h₁)em-no- (“equal, straight; flat, level, even”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian íeuwen (“even, flat”), West Frisian even (“even”), Alemannic German ëben (“even”), Cimbrian ébane (“even”), Dutch even (“even, equal, same”), effen (“leveled”), German eben (“even, flat, level”), Danish jævn (“even, flat, smooth”), Icelandic jafn (“even”), Norwegian Bokmål jevn (“even, smooth”), Norwegian Nynorsk jamn (“even, smooth”), Swedish jämn (“even, level, smooth”), Gothic 𐌹𐌱𐌽𐍃 (ibns, “even”), Old Cornish eun (“equal, right”) (attested in Vocabularium Cornicum eun-hinsic (“iustus, i. e., just”)), Old Breton eun (“equal, right”) (attested in Eutychius Glossary eunt (“aequus, i. e., equal”)), Middle Breton effn, Breton eeun, Sanskrit अम्नस् (amnás, “(adverb) just, just now; at once”). The verb descends from Middle English evenen, from Old English efnan; the adverb from Middle English evene, from Old English efne. The traditional proposal connecting the Germanic adjective with the root Proto-Indo-European *h₂eym- (Latin imāgō (“picture, image, likeness, copy”), Latin aemulus (“competitor, rival”), Sanskrit यम (yamá, “pair, twin”)) is problematic from a phonological point of view. For the meaning development compare with Latin aequus (“equal, level, even, flat, horizontal”), Russian ро́вный (róvnyj, “even, level, flat, smooth”), ра́вный (rávnyj, “equal”), по́ровну (pórovnu, “in equal parts”).
verb
- 1
To make flat and level.
We need to even this playing field; the west goal is too low.
This temple Xerxes evened with the soil.
[...] It will now be good to Beat, Roll, and Mow Carpet-walks, and Cammomile; for now the ground is ſupple, and it will even all inequalities: [...]
- 2
obsoleteTo equal or equate; to make the same.
The Engliſh Earl [William Longespée the Younger], though he ſtood on the lower ground in point of birth, yet conceived himſelf to even him [Robert I, Count of Artois] in valour and martiall knowledge.
“But aside from that,” I continued, “what have I done that you should even me to dogs by such a supposition? I never yet failed a friend, and it’s not likely I’ll begin with you. There are things between us that I can never forget, even if you can.”
- 3
obsoleteTo be equal.
Thrice nine evens twenty seven.
A redoubled numbering never eveneth with the first.
- 4
obsoleteTo place in an equal state, as to obligation, or in a state in which nothing is due on either side; to balance, as accounts; to make quits.
We need to even the score.
Madam, the care I have had to even your content I wish might be found in the calendar of my past endeavours, for then we wound our modesty, and make foul the clearness of our deservings, when of ourselves we publish them.
- 5
obsoleteTo set right; to complete.
- 6
obsoleteTo act up to; to keep pace with.
Prithee away, There's more to be considered: but we'll even All that good time will give us.
adverb
- 1
archaicExactly; just; fully.
I fulfilled my instructions even as I had promised.
You are leaving tonight? — Even so.
This is my commandment, that ye love one another, even as I have loved you.
But on the occasion in question, those dents looked deeper, even as his nervous step that morning left a deeper mark.
- 2
In reality (used to imply an extreme example in the case mentioned).
Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn sometimes.
Did you even make it through the front door?
That was before I was even born.
He used to drop into my chambers once in a while to smoke, and was first-rate company. When I gave a dinner there was generally a cover laid for him. I liked the man for his own sake, and even had he promised to turn out a celebrity it would have had no weight with me.
- 3
Used to emphasise a comparative.
I was strong before, but now I am even stronger.
- 4
Used to indicate a further degree of comparison.
Bob is taller than Alice, but Cameron is even taller than Bob.
- 5
Rather; that is (used to signal a correction of a previous utterance).
My favorite actor is Jack Nicklaus. Jack Nicholson, even.
noun
- 1
An even number.
So let's see. There are two evens here and three odds.
noun
- 1
archaicEvening.
We'll meet at even, when the sun is set.
Whẽ the evẽ was come they bꝛought vnto hĩ many that were poſſeſſed with devyllꝭ / […]
When ſparkling ſtars twire not thou guil'ſt th' eauen.
And if any mans ſeede of copulation goe out from him, then hee ſhall waſh all his fleſh in water, and bee vncleane vntill the Euen.
Etymology
From Middle English even, from Old English ǣfen, from Proto-West Germanic *ābanþ, from Proto-Germanic *ēbanþs (“evening”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Äivend, Äiwend, Eeuwend (“evening”), West Frisian jûn (“evening”), Dutch avond (“evening”), Low German Avend (“evening”), German Abend (“evening”), Danish aften (“evening”). See also the related terms eve and evening.
Forms
- plural
- evens
- comparative
- evener, more even
- superlative
- evenest, most even
- past tense
- evened
- past participle
- evened
- present participle
- evening
- third person singular
- evens