foreverとは意味・読み方・使い方

語源

From Middle English for ever, for evere, equivalent to for +‎ ever.

発音

• (Received 発音) IPA^(key): /fəˈɹɛvə(ɹ)/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /fəˈɹɛvɚ/, [fəˈɹɛvɚ], [fɚˈɛvɚ], [fɔɹˈɛvɚ]
• 韻: -ɛvə(ɹ)

副詞

forever (not comparable)

1. (duration) For all time, for all eternity; for a lifetime; for an infinite amount of time.

   I shall love you forever.

   • 1839, Denison Olmsted, A Compendium of Astronomy, page 95:

     Secondly, When a body is once in motion it will continue to move forever, unless something stops it. When a ball is struck on the surface of the earth, the friction of the earth and the resistance of the air soon stop its motion.

2. (duration, colloquial, hyperbolic) For a very long time, a seeming eternity.
   • 1988, Anne Tyler, Breathing Lessons, Chapter 1

     She and Serena had been friends forever. Or nearly forever: forty-two years, beginning with Miss Kimmel's first grade.

   We had to wait forever to get inside.

   That was forever ago.

3. (frequency) Constantly or frequently.

   You are forever nagging me.

   • 1912: Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan of the Apes, Chapter 5

     Early in his boyhood he had learned to form ropes by twisting and tying long grasses together, and with these he was forever tripping Tublat or attempting to hang him from some overhanging branch.

使用する際の注意点

• In the United Kingdom and most of the Commonwealth, the spelling for ever may be used instead of forever for the senses "for all time" and "for a long time". In Canada and the United States, generally only forever is used, regardless of sense.

同意語

• always
• continually
• eternally
• evermore
• for good
• forevermore
• for ever more
• forever and a day
• incessantly
• until Kingdom come
• permanently

派生語

• foreverness
• foreverhood
• forever home

関連する語

• everlasting
• every
• everyday
• never
• nevermore
• whatever
• whenever
• whoever

名詞

forever (複数形 forevers)

1. An extremely long time.

   I haven't seen him in forever!

   It took me forever to make up my mind.

   Don't spend forever on the phone!

   • 2001 September, Michael Knisley, “The Braves' last stand”, in Sporting News, volume 225, number 36, page 12:

     It's been a fortnight of forevers since the Braves could count on a late-game comeback.

   • 2007, Ruth O'Callaghan, "Where acid has etched"

     In the airport, holiday lovers kiss, mouth forevers, the usual argot betrays you. Desire makes love dull.

2. (colloquial) A mythical time in the infinite future that will never come.

   Sure, I'd be happy to meet with you on the 12th of forever.

形容詞

forever (not comparable)

1. Permanent, lasting; constant, perpetual.
   • 2009, Kathy Kadilak, Tommy Finds His Forever Home, page 3:

     We'll take care of you and help you find a Forever Home.

   • 2012, Brad Hicks, For Every Fear a Promise, page 96:

     He is a forever friend.