ev'ry

See also: evry

English

Etymology

Every used to be a trisyllabic word, and it was therefore at times necessary to replace the second e with an apostrophe to pronounce the word as two syllables for poetic reasons.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ɛvɹi/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ɛvɹi/
  • Rhymes: -ɛvɹi

Adverb

ev'ry (not comparable)

  1. Every.
    • The Complete Lyrics of Cole Porter (1992) p. 345:
      There’s a boy snail for ev’ry girl snail, There’s a boy quail for ev’ry girl quail/ There’s a boy mouse for ev’ry girl mouse, There’s a boy grouse for ev’ry girl grouse
    • Alan Aldridge, The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics (1991) p. 185:
      Ev’ry night when ev’rybody has fun, here am I sitting all on my own.
    • The Library of Congress, America the Beautiful (July 4th, 1895):
      America! America! God mend thine ev’ry flaw; Confirm thy soul in self control, thy liberty in law!

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