e'er

See also: eer and -eer

English

Etymology

Contraction of ever, similar to o'er from over.

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ɛə/, /ˈɛʔə/
  • (General American) IPA(key): /ɛɚ/, /ˈɛʔɚ/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛə(ɹ)
  • Homophones: air, Ayr, ere, eyre, heir, are (unit of measurement); err (one pronunciation)

Adverb

e'er (not comparable)

  1. (dialectal or poetic, otherwise archaic) Contraction of ever.
    • 1913, Robert Barr, chapter 4, in Lord Stranleigh Abroad[1]:
      “… No rogue e’er felt the halter draw, with a good opinion of the law, and perhaps my own detestation of the law arises from my having frequently broken it. […]”

See also

Anagrams

Yola

Adverb

e'er

  1. alternative form of eyver
    • 1867, “THE WEDDEEN O BALLYMORE”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 3, page 94:
      Maade a nicest coolecannan that e'er ye did zee.
      Made the nicest coolecannan that ever you did see.
    • 1867, “ABOUT AN OLD SOW GOING TO BE KILLED”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 2, page 106:
      Vear'd nodhing mot Portheare. Na skeine e'er ee-waare.
      I feared nothing but Porter. No skein I ever wore.

References

  • Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828) William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867, page 94