Even | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

Ēve or Ē'ven, n.

noun

(ē'vn, 58), n. [A-S. efen, īfen, O. Sax. āband, ārand, āvond, O. Fries. avond, aiond, iond, iond, O. D. avont, N. D. avond, O. H. Ger. âbant, âbunt, âpand, M. H. Ger. âbent, âbunt, N. H. Ger. abend, Icel. aftan, Sw. afton, Dan. aften, allied to even, level, and Goth. af, O. H. Ger. apa, N. H. Ger. ab, of, off, from, down, so that it originally signifies, decline of the day.] 1. The latter part or close of the day; the beginning of the night; the period of time near sunset; evening. They, like so many Alexanders, Have in these parts from morn till even fought. Shak. Winter, oft, at eve resumes the breeze. Thomson. 2. The evening preceding some particular day, as, Christmas eve is the evening before Christmas; also, the period just preceding some important event; as, the eve of an engagement.

Ē'ven, a.

adjective

(ē'vn), a. [A-S. even, efen, emn, D. even, N. H. Ger. eben, O. H. Ger. eban, epun, O. Fries. ivin, Goth. ibns, O. Sax. ebhan, efno, Icel. jafn, Dan. jævn, Sw. jämn.]

Sense 1. Level, smooth, or equal in surface; not rough; free from irregularities; horizontal; uniform in rate of motion or mode of action; as, an even tract of land; an even country; an even speed; an even course of conduct.

Sense 2. Equable; not easily ruffled or disturbed; calm; uniformly self-possessed; as, an even temper.

Sense 3. Parallel; on a level; reaching the same limit.

And shall lay thee even with the ground. Luke xix. 44.

Sense 4. Equally balanced; adjusted; fair; equitable; just to both sides; owing nothing on either side; — said of accounts, bargains, or persons indebted; as, our accounts are even; an even bargain.

Sense 5. Not odd; capable of division by 2; — said of numbers; as, 4 and 10 are even numbers.

Let him tell me whether the number of the stars is even or odd. Bp. Taylor.

On even ground, with equal advantage. — Even hand, equality. — To come at even hand by depressing another's quality. Bacon.

Ē'ven, v. t.

verbtransitive

(ē'vn), v. t. [imp. & p. p. EVENED; p. pr. & vb. n. EVENING.] 1. To make even or level; to level; to lay smooth; to balance; to perfect. This temple Xerxes evened with the soil. Raleigh. This will even all inequalities. Evelyn. 2. To place in an equal state, as to obligation, or in a state in which nothing is due on either side; to balance, as accounts.

E'ven, v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. To be equal. [Obs.] Carew.

E'ven, adv.

adverb

(ē'vn), adv. [A-S. efne, eofne, emne, efnes, emnes. See supra.]

Sense 1. In an equal or precisely similar manner; just as many or as much; precisely the same; exactly; likewise; equally.

Even so did these Gauls possess the coast. Spencer.

Sense 2. At the very time; in the very case.

I knew they were bad enough to please, even when I wrote them. Dryden.

Sense 3. So much as; as, we are not even sensible of the change.

Sense 4. As was not to be expected; as, the common people are addicted to vice, and even the great are not free from it.

Here all their rage, and even their murmurs, cease. Pope.