always

adv
/ˈɔːl.weɪz/UK/ˈaː.wɪz//ˈɔː(ɫ)we(ɪ)z/CA

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.? Proto-Indo-European *h₂elnós Proto-Germanic *allaz Proto-West Germanic *all Old English eall Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ-der. Proto-Germanic *wegaz Proto-West Germanic *weg Old English weġ Old English ealneġ Middle English alwey Proto-Germanic *-as Proto-West Germanic *-as Old English -es Middle English -es Middle English alweyes English always From Middle English alweyes, alwayes, alweys, a variant of Middle English alwey, alway (“always”), from Old English ealneġ, ealne weġ (“always, perpetually”, literally “all the way, all the while, continuously”), from ealne + weġ (accusative case), equivalent to alway + -s. Cognate with Scots always (“always”), Low German allerwegens (“very often”, literally “all ways'”). More at all, way.

  1. derived from ealneġ
  2. derived from alwey
  3. inherited from alweyes

Definitions

  1. At all times

    At all times; throughout all time; since the beginning.

    • God is always the same.
    • Green has always been my favorite color. I’ve loved it for as long as I can remember.
    • Airplanes did not always exist as a form of transportation.
  2. Constantly during a certain period, or regularly at stated intervals (opposed to…

    Constantly during a certain period, or regularly at stated intervals (opposed to sometimes or occasionally).

    • In this street, the shops always close during lunchtime.
    • His liveries are black,—his carriage is black,—he always rides a black galloway,—and, faith, if he ever marry again, I think he will show his respect to the sainted Maria by marrying a black woman.
  3. if necessary, or if there is no better option

    if necessary, or if there is no better option; in any event.

    • I thought I could always go back to work.

The neighborhood

Derived

alwaysness

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for always. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA