even
[adjective]
Synonyms:
- level, flat, horizontal, parallel, smooth, steady, straight, true, uniform
- regular, constant, smooth, steady, unbroken, uniform, uninterrupted, unvarying, unwavering
- equal, comparable, fifty-fifty (informal), identical, level, like, matching, neck and neck, on a par, similar, tied
- calm, composed, cool, even-tempered, imperturbable, placid, unruffled, well-balanced
- get even with: pay back, get one's own back, give tit for tat, reciprocate, repay, requite

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Antonyms: uneven
Contrasted words: bent, crooked, curved, twisted, inequitable, unequal, unfair, disproportionate, unbalanced, approximate, imprecise, inaccurate, rough, roughen, unbalance, unequalize, upset, derange, disarrange
Related Idioms: even so much as
Related Words: equal, identical, same, consistent, continual, continuous, undeviating, unvaried, balanced, fair and square, square, honest, straightforward, unprejudiced, comparable, proportionate, absolutely, positively, quite, really, grade, roll, align, symmetrize, uniform, pancake, balance

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English Thesaurus: amount, quantity, volume, level, proportion, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. e‧ven¹ S1 W1 /ˈiːvən/ adverb
[Language: Old English; Origin: efne, from efen; ⇒ even²]

1. used to emphasize something that is unexpected or surprising in what you are saying:
Most companies have suffered a drop in their profits, even very large companies.
It was quite difficult to see, even with the light on.
He became quite successful and even appeared on a television show once.
She did not even bother to phone us.
He never even acknowledged my letter.

2. even bigger/better/brighter etc used to emphasize that someone or something is bigger, better etc:
This will make our job even more difficult.
The news was even worse than we expected.
The new version is even better than the old one.

3. used to add a stronger, more exact word to what you are saying:
Some patients become depressed, even suicidal.

4. even so spoken used to introduce something that is true although it is different from something that you have just said:
I know he’s only a child, but even so he should have known that what he was doing was wrong.

5. even if used to emphasize that something will still be true if another thing happens:
She’s going to have problems finding a job even if she gets her A levels.

6. even though used to emphasize that something is true although something else has happened or is true:
Even though he’s 24 now, he’s still like a little child.
I can still remember, even though it was so long ago.

7. even now/then in spite of what has happened:
Even now I find it hard to believe that he lied.
They invested in new machinery and equipment, but even then the business was still losing money.

8. even as used to emphasize that something happens at the same moment as something else:
He realized, even as he spoke, that no one would ever believe him.


GRAMMAR
Even usually goes before the word or phrase that you want to emphasize because it is surprising:
Even young students were aware of how things had changed.
There is wildlife even in the centre of town.
With a verb, even goes after the first auxiliary, if there is one:
I have even offered to pay for everything.
He can’t even spell his own name.
Even is not used to introduce another clause. Use even if, even though, or even when:
Even if it’s raining (NOT Even it’s raining), we go for a walk every day.
They feel anxious even when things are going well.
► You can use still in a main clause after a clause beginning with one of these expressions, but do not use 'but' or 'yet':
Even though we’re completely different, we’re still great friends (NOT but/yet we’re great friends).

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. even² adjective
[Language: Old English; Origin: efen]

1. LEVEL flat and level, with no parts that are higher than other parts Antonym : uneven:
The floor must be completely even before we lay the tiles.
You need a flat, even surface to work on.
He had lovely white, even teeth.

2. NOT CHANGING an even rate, speed, or temperature is steady and does not change:
The room is kept at an even temperature.
Wood burns at a fairly even rate.

3. DIVIDED EQUALLY divided equally, so that there is the same amount of something in each place, for each person etc:
Divide the dough into three even amounts.
an even distribution of wealth

4. NUMBER an even number can be divided exactly by two Antonym : odd:
2, 4, 6 and 8 are even numbers.

5. COMPETITION having teams or competitors that are equally good so that everyone has a chance of winning:
The first half was very even, and neither side scored.
an even contest

6. SCORES if the score in a game is even, two teams or players have the same number of points:
At the end of the first half the score is even.

7. be even informal to no longer owe someone something, especially money:
If you give me $5, we’ll be even.

8. CALM calm and controlled, and not extreme:
He read most of the speech in an even tone.

9. an even chance a situation in which it is just as likely that something will happen as not happen:
I think we have an even chance of winning.
We knew there was an even chance that the operation would fail.

10. get even (with somebody) informal to do something unpleasant to someone to punish them for something that they did to you Synonym : get revenge (on somebody):
I’ll get even with him one day.

11. break even to neither make a profit nor lose money:
We’re hoping that we’ll at least break even, and perhaps make a small profit. ⇒ even-tempered
—evenness noun [uncountable]

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

III. even³ verb
even out phrasal verb
if things even out, or if you even them out, the differences between them become smaller Synonym : level out:
The differences in their income should even out over time.
even something ↔ out
Use a brush to even out the variations in colour.
even something ↔ up phrasal verb
to make a situation or competition more equal:
We put on a couple of more experienced players to even things up a bit.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

even
adj.
I. level/smooth
VERBS be, look The floor isn't completely even.
ADV. very | absolutely, completely

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

even
II. same size/level
VERBS be | become | keep sth Try to keep your stitches absolutely even.
ADV. very | absolutely, completely | fairly Try to keep the room at a fairly even temperature.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

even
III. equal
VERBS be, seem | remain
ADV. very | fairly, more or less The scores remained more or less even throughout the competition.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

even
adverb
1.
BAD: Even I go to bed early, I'm still tired in the morning.
GOOD: Even when I go to bed early, I'm still tired in the morning.

Usage Note:
To introduce a subordinate clause, use even if, even though or even when (NOT even on its own): 'You'll have to accept the invitation, even though you don't want to.' 'Even when my father is angry, he never raises his voice.'

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2.
BAD: Even though I paid her for the room, but I knew she would prefer to live alone.
GOOD: Even though I paid her for the room, I knew she would prefer to live alone.

Usage Note:
See note at BUT (but)

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3.
DUBIOUS: Many people think that it even snows in Norway in the summer.
GOOD: Many people think that it snows in Norway even in the summer.

Usage Note:
When there is a danger of confusion, put even immediately before the word or phrase that you want to emphasize (the 'surprising' part of the sentence).

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4.
BAD: In the future it even might be possible to work only thirty-five hours a week.
GOOD: In the future it might even be possible to work only thirty-five hours a week.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

amount how much of something there is:
Try to reduce the amount of fat in your diet.
a tiny amount of poison
quantity a particular amount of food, liquid, or another substance that can be measured – used especially in written descriptions and instructions:
Make sure that you add the right quantity of milk.
They buy the wood in large quantities.
volume the amount of something such as business activity or traffic, especially when this is large or increasing:
The volume of traffic on our roads has risen sharply.
the huge volume of trade with China
level the exact amount of something at one time, which can go up or down at other times:
They measured the level of alcohol in his blood.
There is a high level of unemployment.
proportion the amount of something, compared with the whole amount that exists:
the proportion of road accidents caused by drunk drivers
A high proportion of the students were from poor families.
quota a maximum amount of something that can be produced, sold, brought into a country etc:
import quotas on Japanese cars
yield /jiːld/ the amount of something that is produced, especially crops:
this year’s cotton yield
flat on one level, without any holes or raised areas, and not sloping or curving:
a flat roof
a flat screen
Before you lay the tiles, make sure that the ground is completely flat.
smooth without any holes or raised areas – used especially when saying how something feels when you touch it:
her lovely smooth skin
I ran my hand across the animal’s smooth fur.
even without any holes or raised areas:
Apply the paint to an even surface.
Be careful – the path is not very even here.
horizontal going straight across and not sloping:
a horizontal line
Raise both arms to a horizontal position.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

flat on one level, without any holes or raised areas, and not sloping or curving:
a flat roof
a flat screen
Before you lay the tiles, make sure that the ground is completely flat.
level not sloping in any direction, so that every part is at the same height:
Is the top of this picture level?
After four hours coming down the mountain, I was glad to be back on level ground.
smooth without any holes or raised areas – used especially when saying how something feels when you touch it:
her lovely smooth skin
I ran my hand across the animal’s smooth fur.
even without any holes or raised areas:
Apply the paint to an even surface.
Be careful – the path is not very even here.
horizontal going straight across and not sloping:
a horizontal line
Raise both arms to a horizontal position.
small
The flat was too small for the three of them.
big/spacious
It was a big flat with eight or nine rooms.
cramped/poky (=too small and not comfortable)
She spends most days shut up in a poky flat looking after her disabled Mum.
a one-bedroom/two-bedroom etc flat
She lived in a one-bedroom flat in Clapham.
a one-room/two-room etc flat
Their home is a humble two-room flat.
a ground-floor/first-floor/second-floor etc flat
We’re moving into a first-floor flat.
a basement flat (=a flat that is below ground level)
They lived in a basement flat in South London.
a studio flat (=with one main room)
I might just be able to afford a tiny studio flat.
high-rise flats (=flats in a very tall building)
Many high-rise flats were built in the 1970s.
a rented flat
He returned to his rented flat in Cheltenham.
a luxury flat
Laura shares a luxury flat with her sister Chloe.
a self-contained flat (=a flat with its own kitchen and bathroom)
We rented a self-contained flat in the city centre.
a furnished/unfurnished flat (=a rented flat that does or does not have furniture)
She found a job and a furnished flat.
a holiday flat
The building has been converted into three holiday flats.
a block of flats (=a large building divided into separate flats)
At the time, I lived in a block of flats in St John’s Wood.
live in a flat
Terry lived in a flat on the second floor.
buy a flat
I had planned to buy a flat with Geraldine.
rent a flat
Renting a flat can be very expensive in this part of town.
move into a flat
They move into their new flat next week.
own a flat
The couple own their own flat in Peebles.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

even
̈ɪˈi:vən
See: break even , get even , on an even keel

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲