even
even - English
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA: /ˈiːvən/
- (US) IPA: /ˈivən/, /ˈivn̩/
- Hyphenation: e‧ven
Adjective
even (comparative more even, superlative most even)
- Flat and level.
- Clear out those rocks. The surface must be even.
- Without great variation.
- Despite her fear, she spoke in an even voice.
- Equal in proportion, quantity, size, etc.
- The distribution of food must be even.
- Call it even.
- (not comparable, of an integer) Divisible by two.
- Four, fourteen and forty are even numbers.
- (of a number) Convenient for rounding other numbers to; for example, ending in a zero.
- On equal monetary terms; neither owing nor being owed.
- (colloquial) 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.
- Parallel; on a level; reaching the same limit.
- (obsolete) Without an irregularity, flaw, or blemish; pure.
- (obsolete) Associate; fellow; of the same condition.
Usage notes
- Because of confusion with the "divisible by two" sense, use of even to mean "convenient for rounding" is rare; the synonym round is more common for this sense.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Derived terms
- an even chance
- break-even point
- break even
- call it even
- doubly even
- draw even
- even-down
- even-even
- even-interval
- even-minded
- even-odd
- even-pinnate
- even-steven, even-stevens
- even-tempered
- even-toed
- even-weave
- even function
- even hand at the tiller
- even hand on the tiller
- evenhood
- evenhood
- even keel
- evenly
- even money
- even number, even-numbered
- even odds
- even permutation
- get even
- getting even
- odd-even
- of even date
- of even date
- singly even
- uneven
Translations
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Verb
even (third-person singular simple present evens, present participle evening, simple past and past participle evened)
- (transitive) To make flat and level.
- We need to even this playing field; the west goal is too low.
- (transitive, obsolete) To equal or equate; to make the same.
- (intransitive, obsolete) To be equal.
- Thrice nine evens twenty seven.
- 1609, Richard Carew, The Survey of Cornwall. […], new edition, London: […] B. Law, […]; Penzance, Cornwall: J. Hewett, published 1769, →OCLC:
- (transitive, obsolete) To 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.
- (transitive, obsolete) To set right; to complete.
- (transitive, obsolete) To act up to; to keep pace with.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations
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Adverb
even (not comparable)
- (archaic) Exactly, 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.
- In reality; implying an extreme example in the case mentioned, as compared to the implied reality.
- Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn sometimes.
- Did you even make it through the front door?
- That was before I was even born.
- Emphasizing a comparative.
- I was strong before, but now I am even stronger.
- Signalling a correction of one's previous utterance; rather, that is.
- My favorite actor is Jack Nicklaus. Jack Nicholson, even.
Synonyms
- (exactly, just, fully): definitely, precisely; see also exactly
- (implying extreme example): so much as
- (correction to previous utterance): See in other words
Derived terms
- can't even
- don't even think about it
- even a blind pig can find an acorn
- even a blind pig can find an acorn once in a while
- even a blind squirrel can find a nut once in a while
- even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every now and then
- even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every once in a while
- even as
- even as we speak
- even a worm will turn
- even Homer nods
- even if
- even Jove nods
- even more
- even so
- even still
- even though
- I can't even
- it is not even funny
- it isn't even funny
- it's not even funny
- not even (adverb)
- not even once
- not even one
- not even wrong
- what is this I don't even
Translations
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Noun
even (plural evens)
- (mathematics, diminutive) An even number.
- So let's see. There are two evens here and three odds.
Translations
Noun
even (plural evens)
Synonyms
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
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Anagrams
even - Chinese
Pronunciation
- Cantonese (Jyutping): i1 fan4
- Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Jyutping: i1 fan4
- Yale: ī fàhn
- Cantonese Pinyin: i1 fan4
- Guangdong Romanization: i1 fen4
- Sinological IPA : /iː⁵⁵ fɐn²¹/
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
Conjunction
even
- (Hong Kong Cantonese) even if
Synonyms
even - Dutch
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
- IPA: /ˈeː.və(n)/
- Hyphenation: even
Adverb
even
- shortly, briefly
- Ik zal even voor u kijken.
- I shall have a look for you shortly.
- for a short period, for a while
- In de tweede helft van de 19e eeuw bloeide Vollenhove weer even op.
- In the second half of the 19th century, Vollenhove flourished again for a while.
- for a moment; modal particle indicating that the speaker expects that something will require little time or effort.
- Zou je even de deur voor me dicht willen doen?
- Could you please close the door for me (for a moment)?
- just as, to the same degree (used with an adjective)
- In het midden van de vloer stond een tafel van wel vier meter hoog en een even grote stoel er bij.
- In the middle of the floor there stood a four-metre tall table and a chair just as large beside it.
- (Netherlands) quite, rather
- Die is even kwaad!
- He's rather angry!
Synonyms
- eventjes
- effentjes
Descendants
Adjective
even (not comparable)
Inflection
Inflection of even | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
uninflected | even | |||
inflected | even | |||
comparative | — | |||
positive | ||||
predicative/adverbial | even | |||
indefinite | m./f. sing. | even | ||
n. sing. | even | |||
plural | even | |||
definite | even | |||
partitive | evens |
Antonyms
Derived terms
Anagrams
even - Middle Dutch
Adjective
ēven
Inflection
This adjective needs an inflection-table template.
Descendants
- Dutch: even
- Limburgish: aeve
Adverb
ēven
- just as, equally
Descendants
- Dutch: even
even - Middle English
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
- IPA: /ˈɛːvən/
Adverb
even
Descendants
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
- IPA: /ˈɛːvə(n)/
Noun
even (plural evenes)
Descendants
Noun
even
- Alternative form of hevene
even - Norwegian Nynorsk
Noun
even m
- definite singular of eve