adv. Forms: 3 alles weis, 4 alleweyes, 5–7 alwayes, 6 alwaise, allweyz, 6–7 alwaies, allwaies, 6– always. [genitive case of all way, prob. conveying the distributive sense ‘at every time.’ Cf. once = at one time, the Ger. eines Morgens, and Eng. ‘of a morning, of a Sunday’; and compare sometimes, of separate occasions, with some time, of duration. But eventually this distinction between alway and always was lost, and the latter is now used in both senses.]
1. At every time, on every occasion, at all times, on all occasions. Opposed to sometimes, occasionally.
a. 1230. Ancr. R., 4. Ye schullen alles weis, mid alle mihte … wel witen þe inre, & þe uttre vor hire sake.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, II. 92. James off dowglas, that ay-quhar All-wayis befor the byschop schar.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 919. A bachelere, That he made alleweyes with hym be.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VII. vi. 10. In justice lawchful he wes allwayis.
1584. Powel, Lloyd’s Cambr., 91. And alwaise returned with great spoils.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., IV. iii. 45. Edward will alwayes beare himselfe as King.
1600. Thynne, Epigr., in Animadv., Pref. 57. Thy wife allwaies is but a needfull ill, And beste is bad.
1611. Bible, Rom. i. 9. I make mention of you, alwayes in my prayers.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 7, ¶ 4. She is always seeing Apparitions.
1732. Pope, Ess. Man, I. 92. Man never is, but always to be blest.
1751. Johnson, Rambl., No. 165, ¶ 6. He that indulges hope will always be disappointed.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., II. § 24. 355. Water always holds a quantity of air in solution.
2. = ALWAY; all along; through all time, without any interruption; ever, continually, perpetually. Opposed to for a time.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, VII. 60. He ran on fut alwayis hym by, Till he in-till the wod wes gane.
1513. More, Edw. V., Ded. Laudable custome that hath alwaies been observed.
1667. Milton, P. L., III. 704. Pleasant to know, and worthiest to be all Had in remembrance always with delight.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 2, ¶ 5. Having always had a very easy fortune, Time has made but little Impression.
1862. Trench, Mirac., 50. They were done once, that they might be believed always.
† 3. Still, nevertheless, however; at any rate, in any case, any way. Chiefly northern. (Cf. ALGATE, and Fr. toujours.) Obs. or dial.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, xxi. 76. How be it that he had grete pyte and compassyon of her … alwayes he determyned hymself and went his way.
1533. Bellenden, Livy, I. 81. Alwayis he had ane brothir, eldare of yeris than he.
1649. H. Guthry, Mem. (1702), 57. Always having done that Business he came for, his Grace return’d next day to Court.
1663. Blair, Autobiogr., v. (1848), 74. Always we thanked God for what was done.
[It is told in the north of a modern representative of the ancient Σχελαστικός, that being dismissed from his employment in the depth of winter, he said, ‘I don’t care, I can always shear’ (= reap).].
