Forms: 1 ǽfen, ǽfan, Mercian éfen, Northumbr. éfern, 2–3 æfen, 2 afen, 3 Orm. efenn, 3–6 eaven, (3 æven, aven, 5 evon, ȝeven, -yn), 4–6 evin, -yn, ewin, -yn, 6 (heven), eeven, (9 dial. eem), 3– even. Also contracted 7 eevn, ev’n, 9 dial. e’en. See also EVE. [OE. ǽfen, éfen, éfern, neut. and masc., cogn. with OFris. âvond, êwnd, OS. âƀand (Du. avond), OHG. âband (MHG. âbent, mod.G. abend) masc.; perh. also with the synonymous ON. aptann, aftann (Sw. afton, Da. aften), though this may be of different origin, cogn. with AFTER. The OE. forms appear to agree only in the root (OAryan ēp or ēbh) with the other Teut. forms: the OTeut. type of the OHG., OS., OFris. forms would be *ǣƀando-, that of the OE. ǽfen, éfen would be *ǣƀinjo- or *ǣƀunjo-. The ONorthumb. éfern is app. an alteration of éfen(n; cf. ONorthumb. wœstern, festern (= WS. wésten, fæsten), and OFris. forms like epernia to open.
One hypothesis as to the relation of the forms is that *ǣƀando- represents a pre-Teut. *ēpont-, a pr. pple. act., and that derivatives of a corresponding passive pple. occur in ON. aptann (:—*ēptono-) and OE. ǣfen (:—ǣƀunjo- :—*ēptṇyo- or *ēpṇyo-). The etymological sense is unknown; a not inappropriate meaning for the act. and pass. formations is suggested by Gr. ἤπιος, mild, gentle (sometimes used with reference to temperature) which may possibly belong to the same root.]
1. The latter part or close of the day; evening. Also in phrases, Even and (nor) morn; at even and at prime, at all times of the day; good even, a salutation (see further GOOD, GOODEN): yestereven (Sc. yestreen), yesterday evening (see YESTER). Obs. exc. poet. and dial.
Beowulf, 1235. Æfen cwom and him Hroþgar ʓewat.
a. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., Mark vi. 47. Miððy efern woere wæs scip in middum sæes.
a. 1000. Guthlac, 1216 (Gr.). Engel ufancundne, se mec efna ʓehwam … ʓesohte.
c. 1040. Rule St. Benet (ed. Logeman), 82. Þæt þæt eis towyrcanne hi wyrcan oððe æfan.
a. 1123. O. E. Chron., an. 1106. On æfen ætywde an … steorra.
c. 1200. Ormin, 1105. He wass all daȝȝ Unnclene anan till efenn.
c. 1205. Lay., 19570. Þa hit wes eauen.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 1675. Iacob wurð drunken, and euen cam.
c. 1340. Cursor M., 6385 (Fairf.). Fra heyuen þen come þaire fode … euen & morne hit con falle.
c. 1430. Lydg., Bochas, II. xxii. (1554), 58 a. Socrates … wisest named at euen and at prime.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., Oblacio Mag., 125. We shalle not rest, even nor morne.
1535. Coverdale, Ezek. xii. 4. Thou thy self shalt go forth also at euen in their sight.
1538. Bale, Thre Lawes, 178. God geue ye good euen.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., V. ii. 42. She did intend confession At Patricks cell this even. Ibid. (1600), A. Y. L., II. iv. 69. Peace I say: good euen to your friend.
1628. May, Virg. Georg., I. 23 (J.). His [the Sun’s] Orbe both even and morne is bright.
1660. Howell, Dict., s.v., Good even (or by contraction Goodeen).
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., I. 68/620 (J.).
| Th’ unerring Sun by certain Signs declares, | |
| What the late Ev’n, or early Morn prepares. |
1759. Johnson, Rasselas, ii. From the dawn of morning to the close of even.
1816. J. Wilson, City of Plague, II. ii. 228. A plaintive tune … sung at fall of even.
1816. Scott, Old Mort., x. ‘My cousin winna stay ony langer, Mr. Halliday; sae, if ye please, gude-e’en t’ye.’
1826. Disraeli, Viv. Grey, I. II. vi. 131. Good even to you.
1843. Bethune, Scott. Peasant’s Fire-side, 279. Daylight, done at four o’clock, Yields to the lang dark e’en.
2. The EVE of a holy day or church festival. Rarely in wider sense: The evening or the day before (a certain day or event). Fastryn even (Sc.: now Fastryn’s e’en) = SHROVE-TUESDAY; The Kings’ even = TWELFTH-NIGHT. Obs. exc. dial.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 171. Þe euen of þe Trinite vnder Acres R. gan aryue.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, X. 440. As apon fastryn even is The custom.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., IX. xxxi. (1495), 368. To Ester perteyneth the euyn therof that … is callyd … the holy Saterday.
c. 1420. Chron. Vilod., 1020. Þe whiche in Mydwyntrus ȝevyn to þ’chirche dude gonne.
1463. Bury Wills (Camd. Soc.), 17. On the evyn [of the funeral] myn solempne dirige shalbe kept.
1483. Caxton, G. de la Tour, D ij. Upon the vygyl or euen of our lady.
a. 1536. Tindale, Prol. to Jonas, Wks. I. 450. The saints … torment the souls in hell, if their evens be not fasted.
1549. Cranmer, in Strype, Life, App. xl. (1812), II. 819. Vigils, otherwise called Watchings, remain in the Calendars upon certain Saints Evens.
a. 1572. Knox, Hist. Ref., Wks. 1846, I. 230. Upoun the Kinges Evin, when French men commonlie use to drynk liberallie.
1587. Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 1286/1. He died on Maie eeuen.
1623. Minsheu, s.v., An holy daies Euen.
1764. Burn, Poor Laws, 13. No labourer … shall take any hire … for the evens of feasts.
1855. Robinson, Whitby Gloss., E’en, Kessenmas e’en…. Cannelmas e’en.
Mod. dial. (Sheffield), Christmas eem.
3. attrib. and Comb. (= ‘evening’), as even-bell, -blush, -light, -prayer, -rising, -time; also even-close, the closing in of the evening; even-fall, the ‘fall’ or commencement of the evening; even-fire, evening gun; evenglome (arch.; revival of OE. ǽfenglóm), gloaming, twilight; even-mete, arch. (OE. ǽfen-mete), evening-meal, supper; † even-while, eventide, eventime. Also EVENSONG, EVEN-STAR, EVENTIDE.
a. 1450. Le Morte Arth., 2236. By the tyme of *euyn belle.
1835. Browning, Paracelsus, Wks. I. 5. From *even-blush to midnight.
1845. Hirst, Poems, 23. Came *even-close And darkness; yet they turned not back.
1814. Southey, Paraguay, Ded. One thrush was heard from morn to *even-fall.
1859. W. H. Gregory, Egypt, II. 200. Flamingoes … winging their rosy flight at evenfall across the bay.
a. 1879. Hunter-Duvar, D’Anville’s Fleet, in Poems of Places, Brit. Amer., 34. At *even-fire the bells were rung.
a. 1000. Guthlac, 1265 (Gr.). From *æfenglome oðþæt eastan cwom … dægredwoma.
1871. M. Collins, Inn of Strange Meetings, 25.
| The robins singing in the evenglome, | |
| Make the first music that I hear at home. |
Beowulf, 5014. Siððan *æfen-leoht under heofenes hador beholen weorþeð.
a. 1400. MS. Cantab. Ff. i. 6. f. 66 (Halliw.). Sche … sey it is ferr in the nyght, And I swere it is evenlight.
a. 1440. Sir Degrev., 1601. Syre Degrivaunt at evene-lyȝth Armede hym and hys knyȝth.
c. 975. Rushw. Gosp., Matt. xxvi. 26. Æt þæm *æfen-mete.
1848. Lytton, Harold, XI. vii. The even-mete will summon thee soon.
1660. Howell, Dict., s.v., Evensong, or *Even Prayer.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 13. The planet Mercurie seldome hath his *euen rising in Pisces.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Mark xi. 11. Þa *æfen tima [c. 1160 Hatton afen time] wæs he ferde to bethaniam.
c. 1205. Lay., 17860. A þan auen time.
1870. Rossetti, Dante at Verona, xxxiv. Flushed in the limpid eventime.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 1747. To heiȝ vs hastily henne … euenly þis *euen while.
