Something I know using word never. For an example:
I never do this thing.
but I don't know what is the meaning of ever. Can you describe me both never and ever?
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2Have you looked the word "ever" up in a dictionary? What did it say?– Michael RybkinCommented Mar 8, 2018 at 9:56
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1 Answer
Never X is equivalent to not ever X with some shifting around of words.
I never was there = I was not ever there.
I never do this thing = I do not ever do this thing.
It's archaic to use ever without some negating word, so ever X is not really a commonly used "opposite" of never X.
Nothing was ever in the box (fine because of nothing)
Something was ever in the box (doesn't work)
No one ever answered the door (fine because of no one)
John ever answered the door (nope)
Using a negative word and never is a double negative and frowned upon, but you will hear it in live speech occasionally, often for emphasis.
No one never came by!
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2In questions we can use either word, but we prefer 'ever.' For example we could say "Do you ever oversleep?" (without negation); and for some sort of emphasis we could say "Do you never oversleep?"– ChaimCommented Mar 8, 2018 at 14:06
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Also, depending on how it is used, 'ever' can mean either 'at any time' or 'at all times'. For example, "We must remain ever vigilant" would mean "We must be vigilant at all times", whereas "Have you ever been late to work?" would ask "Have you been late to work at any time?"– PMVCommented Mar 10, 2018 at 4:28