'For ever' definitions:
Definition of 'For ever'
From: GCIDE
- Ever \Ev"er\adv. [OE. ever, [ae]fre, AS. [ae]fre; perh. akin to AS. [=a] always. Cf. Aye, Age,Evry, Never.] [Sometimes contracted into e'er.]
- 1. At any time; at any period or point of time. [1913 Webster]
- No man ever yet hated his own flesh. --Eph. v. 29. [1913 Webster]
- 2. At all times; through all time; always; forever. [1913 Webster]
- He shall ever love, and always be The subject of by scorn and cruelty. --Dryder. [1913 Webster]
- 3. Without cessation; continually. [1913 Webster]
- Note: Ever is sometimes used as an intensive or a word of enforcement. "His the old man e'er a son?" --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- To produce as much as ever they can. --M. Arnold. [1913 Webster]
- Ever and anon, now and then; often. See under Anon.
- Ever is one, continually; constantly. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
- Ever so, in whatever degree; to whatever extent; -- used to intensify indefinitely the meaning of the associated adjective or adverb. See Never so, under Never. "Let him be ever so rich." --Emerson. [1913 Webster]
- And all the question (wrangle e'er so long), Is only this, if God has placed him wrong. --Pope. [1913 Webster]
- You spend ever so much money in entertaining your equals and betters. --Thackeray.
- For ever, eternally. See Forever.
- For ever and a day, emphatically forever. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- She [Fortune] soon wheeled away, with scornful laughter, out of sight for ever and day. --Prof. Wilson.
- Or ever (for or ere), before. See Or, ere. [Archaic] [1913 Webster]
- Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven Or ever I had seen that day, Horatio! --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- Note: Ever is sometimes joined to its adjective by a hyphen, but in most cases the hyphen is needless; as, ever memorable, ever watchful, ever burning. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'For ever'
From: GCIDE
- For \For\, prep. [AS. for, fore; akin to OS. for, fora, furi, D. voor, OHG. fora, G. vor, OHG. furi, G. f["u]r, Icel. fyrir, Sw. f["o]r, Dan. for, adv. f["o]r, Goth. fa['u]r, fa['u]ra, L. pro, Gr. ?, Skr. pra-. [root] 202. Cf. Fore, First, Foremost, Forth, Pro-.] In the most general sense, indicating that in consideration of, in view of, or with reference to, which anything is done or takes place. [1913 Webster]
- 1. Indicating the antecedent cause or occasion of an action; the motive or inducement accompanying and prompting to an act or state; the reason of anything; that on account of which a thing is or is done. [1913 Webster]
- With fiery eyes sparkling for very wrath. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- How to choose dogs for scent or speed. --Waller. [1913 Webster]
- Now, for so many glorious actions done, For peace at home, and for the public wealth, I mean to crown a bowl for C[ae]sar's health. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
- That which we, for our unworthiness, are afraid to crave, our prayer is, that God, for the worthiness of his Son, would, notwithstanding, vouchsafe to grant. --Hooker. [1913 Webster]
- 2. Indicating the remoter and indirect object of an act; the end or final cause with reference to which anything is, acts, serves, or is done. [1913 Webster]
- The oak for nothing ill, The osier good for twigs, the poplar for the mill. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]
- It was young counsel for the persons, and violent counsel for the matters. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]
- Shall I think the worls was made for one, And men are born for kings, as beasts for men, Not for protection, but to be devoured? --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
- For he writes not for money, nor for praise. --Denham. [1913 Webster]
- 3. Indicating that in favor of which, or in promoting which, anything is, or is done; hence, in behalf of; in favor of; on the side of; -- opposed to against. [1913 Webster]
- We can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. --2 Cor. xiii. 8. [1913 Webster]
- It is for the general good of human society, and consequently of particular persons, to be true and just; and it is for men's health to be temperate. --Tillotson. [1913 Webster]
- Aristotle is for poetical justice. --Dennis. [1913 Webster]
- 4. Indicating that toward which the action of anything is directed, or the point toward which motion is made; ?ntending to go to. [1913 Webster]
- We sailed from Peru for China and Japan. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]
- 5. Indicating that on place of or instead of which anything acts or serves, or that to which a substitute, an equivalent, a compensation, or the like, is offered or made; instead of, or place of. [1913 Webster]
- And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. --Ex. xxi. 23, 24. [1913 Webster]
- 6. Indicating that in the character of or as being which anything is regarded or treated; to be, or as being. [1913 Webster]
- We take a falling meteor for a star. --Cowley. [1913 Webster]
- If a man can be fully assured of anything for a truth, without having examined, what is there that he may not embrace for tru?? --Locke. [1913 Webster]
- Most of our ingenious young men take up some cried-up English poet for their model. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
- But let her go for an ungrateful woman. --Philips. [1913 Webster]
- 7. Indicating that instead of which something else controls in the performing of an action, or that in spite of which anything is done, occurs, or is; hence, equivalent to notwithstanding, in spite of; -- generally followed by all, aught, anything, etc. [1913 Webster]
- The writer will do what she please for all me. --Spectator. [1913 Webster]
- God's desertion shall, for aught he knows, the next minute supervene. --Dr. H. More. [1913 Webster]
- For anything that legally appears to the contrary, it may be a contrivance to fright us. --Swift. [1913 Webster]
- 8. Indicating the space or time through which an action or state extends; hence, during; in or through the space or time of. [1913 Webster]
- For many miles about There 's scarce a bush. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- Since, hired for life, thy servile muse sing. --prior. [1913 Webster]
- To guide the sun's bright chariot for a day. --Garth. [1913 Webster]
- 9. Indicating that in prevention of which, or through fear of which, anything is done. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
- We 'll have a bib, for spoiling of thy doublet. --Beau. & Fl. [1913 Webster]
- For, or As for, so far as concerns; as regards; with reference to; -- used parenthetically or independently. See under As. [1913 Webster]
- As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. --Josh. xxiv. 15. [1913 Webster]
- For me, my stormy voyage at an end, I to the port of death securely tend. --Dryden.
- For all that, notwithstanding; in spite of.
- For all the world, wholly; exactly. "Whose posy was, for all the world, like cutlers' poetry." --Shak.
- For as much as, or Forasmuch as, in consideration that; seeing that; since.
- For by. See Forby, adv.
- For ever, eternally; at all times. See Forever.
- For me, or For all me, as far as regards me.
- For my life, or For the life of me, if my life depended on it. [Colloq.] --T. Hook.
- For that, For the reason that, because; since. [Obs.] "For that I love your daughter." --Shak.
- For thy, or Forthy [AS. for[eth][=y].], for this; on this account. [Obs.] "Thomalin, have no care for thy." --Spenser.
- For to, as sign of infinitive, in order to; to the end of. [Obs., except as sometimes heard in illiterate speech.] -- "What went ye out for to see?" --Luke vii. 25. See To, prep., 4.
- O for, would that I had; may there be granted; -- elliptically expressing desire or prayer. "O for a muse of fire." --Shak.
- Were it not for, or If it were not for, leaving out of account; but for the presence or action of. "Moral consideration can no way move the sensible appetite, were it not for the will." --Sir M. Hale. [1913 Webster]