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Even

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even¹

  • /ˈiːvən/
  • [ˈɪi̯vən] ~ [ˈɪi̯vn̩]

Rhymes with -iːvən

Where it comes from

From Middle English even, from Old English efn (“flat; level, even, equal”), from Proto-West Germanic *ebn, from Proto-Germanic *ebnaz, from Proto-Indo-European *(h₁)em-no- (“equal, straight; flat, level, even”).

Cognate with Saterland Frisian íeuwen (“even, flat”), West Frisian even (“even”), Alemannic German ëben (“even”), Cimbrian ébane (“even”), Dutch even (“even, equal, same”), effen (“leveled”), German eben (“even, flat, level”), Danish jævn (“even, flat, smooth”), Icelandic jafn (“even”), Norwegian Bokmål jevn (“even, smooth”), Norwegian Nynorsk jamn (“even, smooth”), Swedish jämn (“even, level, smooth”), Gothic 𐌹𐌱𐌽𐍃 (ibns, “even”), Old Cornish eun (“equal, right”) (attested in Vocabularium Cornicum eun-hinsic (“iustus, i. e., just”)), Old Breton eun (“equal, right”) (attested in Eutychius Glossary eunt (“aequus, i. e., equal”)), Middle Breton effn, Breton eeun, Sanskrit अम्नस् (amnás, “(adverb) just, just now; at once”).

The verb descends from Middle English evenen, from Old English efnan; the adverb from Middle English evene, from Old English efne.

The traditional proposal connecting the Germanic adjective with the root Proto-Indo-European *h₂eym- (Latin imāgō (“picture, image, likeness, copy”), Latin aemulus (“competitor, rival”), Sanskrit यम (yamá, “pair, twin”)) is problematic from a phonological point of view.

For the meaning development compare with Latin aequus (“equal, level, even, flat, horizontal”), Russian ро́вный (róvnyj, “even, level, flat, smooth”), ра́вный (rávnyj, “equal”), по́ровну (pórovnu, “in equal parts”).

adjective evener · more even · evenest · most even · eben · e'en

  1. Flat and level. Clear out those rocks. The surface must be even.
  2. Without great variation. Despite her fear, she spoke in an even voice.
  3. Equal in proportion, quantity, size, etc. The distribution of food must be even.
  4. not comparable Of an integer, divisible by two. Four, fourteen and forty are even numbers.
  5. informal Of a number, convenient for rounding other numbers to; for example, ending in a zero. Coles. How many shares have you bought, Mr. Garfinkle? Garfinkle. One hundred and ninety-six thousand.[…] Jorgenson. […] How'd you figure out to buy such an odd amount? Why not two hundred thousand — nice even number. Thought you liked nice even numbers.
  6. On equal monetary terms; neither owing nor being owed.
  7. 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.
  8. Parallel; on a level; reaching the same limit. And shall lay thee even with the ground.
  9. obsolete Without an irregularity, flaw, or blemish; pure. I know my life so even.
  10. obsolete Associate; fellow; of the same condition. His even servant.

Similar: level, uniform, monotone, level, on par, quits, square

verb evens · evening · evened · eben · e'en

  1. transitive To make flat and level. We need to even this playing field; the west goal is too low.
  2. obsolete, transitive To equal or equate; to make the same. The Engliſh Earl [William Longespée the Younger], though he ſtood on the lower ground in point of birth, yet conceived himſelf to even him [Robert I, Count of Artois] in valour and martiall knowledge.
  3. intransitive, obsolete To be equal. Thrice nine evens twenty seven.
  4. obsolete, transitive 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.
  5. obsolete, transitive To set right; to complete.
  6. obsolete, transitive To act up to; to keep pace with. Prithee away, There's more to be considered: but we'll even All that good time will give us.

Similar: match

adverb eben · e'en

  1. archaic, not comparable Exactly; just; fully. I fulfilled my instructions even as I had promised.
  2. not comparable In reality (used to imply an extreme example in the case mentioned). Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn sometimes.
  3. not comparable Used to emphasise a comparative. I was strong before, but now I am even stronger.
  4. not comparable Used to indicate a further degree of comparison. Bob is taller than Alice, but Cameron is even taller than Bob.
  5. not comparable Rather; that is (used to signal a correction of a previous utterance). My favorite actor is Jack Nicklaus. Jack Nicholson, even.

Similar: precisely

noun evens · eben · e'en

  1. diminutive An even number. So let's see. There are two evens here and three odds.

even²

  • /ˈiːvən/
  • [ˈɪi̯vən] ~ [ˈɪi̯vn̩]

Rhymes with -iːvən

Where it comes from

From Middle English even, from Old English ǣfen, from Proto-West Germanic *ābanþ, from Proto-Germanic *ēbanþs (“evening”).

Cognate with Saterland Frisian Äivend, Äiwend, Eeuwend (“evening”), West Frisian jûn (“evening”), Dutch avond (“evening”), Low German Avend (“evening”), German Abend (“evening”), Danish aften (“evening”). See also the related terms eve and evening.

noun evens · eben · e'en

  1. archaic, poetic Evening. We'll meet at even, when the sun is set.

Even³

  • /əˈvɛn/

Rhymes with -ɛn

Where it comes from

Borrowed from Russian эве́н (evén), from Even эвэн (əwən). Compare Evenki.

proper noun

  1. A Tungusic language spoken by the Evens in Siberia and the Russian Far East.

noun Evens

  1. A member of an indigenous people living in Siberia and the Russian Far East.

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