adv. Now chiefly U.S.
1. The phrase for ever (see EVER 5 b), written as one word.
1670. Eachard, Cont. Clergy, Preface. Reader, I am not, as you will easily see, any contriver of an uncorruptible and pure Crystalline Church; or any expecter of a Reign of nothing but Saints and Worthies: But only an honest and hearty wisher, that the best of our Clergy might forever continue as they are, rich, and learned; and that the rest might be very useful, and well esteemed of in their Profession.
1696. Tate & Brady, Ps. cxliv. 1.
| Forever blest be God the Lord, | |
| Who does his needful Aid impart, | |
| At once both Strength and Skill afford | |
| To wield my Arms with warlike Art. |
1768–74. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1852), II. 250. The only true estate forever we can purchase by our care and diligence, lies in the sentiments of the heart, for the virtues as well as all other desires depend upon our persuasions.
1793. S. Hopkins, System of Doctrines, II. iv. 239. The Redeemer … makes the sins of those who are saved, the occasion of their greater holiness and happiness forever.
1825. J. Neal, Brother Jonathan, III. 322. I will speak of them, forever, to my last breath, in sorrow, for the wrong—for the cruel mischief, that I have done to them; especially in your heart.
1839. Carlyle, Chartism, iii. (1858), 14. We define the harsh New Poor-Law to be withal a ‘protection of the thrifty labourer against the thriftless and dissolute;’ a thing inexpressibly important; a half-result, detestable, if you will, when looked upon as the whole result; yet without which the whole result is forever unattainable.
1875. T. Hill, True Order Studies, xii. 91. The children of Norfolk county, Massachusetts are forever questioning concerning the great lumps of pudding stone scattered over the ground.
2. quasi-sb. Eternity, perpetuity.
1858. Kingsley, Farewell, 5.
| Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever; | |
| Do noble things, not dream them, all day long: | |
| And so make life, death, and that vast forever | |
| One grand, sweet song. |
1881. E. Coxon, Basil Pl., II. 232. Her life was with his and in his for evermore; this short for-ever of earth.
So Forevermore adv.: see EVERMORE 1 b.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., III. IV. viii. (1871), 170. Farewell forevermore, ye Girondins. Te-Deum Fauchet has become silent; Valazé’s dead head is lopped: the sickle of the Guillotine has reaped the Girodins all away.
1872. Longf., Christus, Introitus, 46.
| Forevermore, forevermore, | |
| It shall be as it hath been heretofore. |
