See Also:

every (iou)



every adjective (in mod. usage also classed as a determiner) & pronoun.

A. adjective.
Used before a sing. noun to give the same sense in relation to individuals as does all before the pl. noun in relation to the aggregate of them (almost = EACH adjective, but with a stronger connotation of generality or universality). Also, each of a merely notional aggregate. (Preceding the noun & all adjectives exc. possess. prons. Formerly also foll. by a(n) interposed before the noun; and preceding the + superl. adjective (now replaced by even).) OE.
at every turn: see TURN noun. every bit as: see BIT noun2. every inch every bit (of); entirely, in every respect. every last slang absolutely every. every man jack: see JACK noun1. every now and again, every now and then from time to time. every ONCE in a while. every penny all one's money; all the money. every so often = every now and again above. every time colloq. on all occasions, without fail or exception, certainly (freq. as an affirmative exclam.). every way in every way, in every respect. every which way (chiefly N. Amer.) in every direction; from every direction. See also EVERYBODY, EVERYDAY, EVERYONE, etc.
Southey To see every person in his class at least once a week. Oxford English Dictionary 'Each theory is open to objection' relates to an understood enumeration of theories, but 'Every theory is open to objection' refers to all theories that may exist. T. Hardy Every spare minute of the following days he hovered round the house. J. C. Powys They hide every sign of water. J. Steinbeck Every bit of electric wire had been requisitioned. S. J. Perelman The inescapable conviction that my every move is somehow being observed.
b. Used before a number or numeral adjective, or a period of time, to denote continued repetition or recurrence at the stated intervals. LME.
every FEW. every other every second , every alternate .
G. B. Shaw You shock me..every second time you open your mouth. G. Greene At each station on the Outer Circle a train stopped every two minutes.
c. Each (of two). obsolete exc. dial. L16.
With noun pl. All severally. (Usu. with defining wd interposed.) M16-L17.
Shakespeare Tempest I'll resolve you..of every These happen'd accidents.
With noun sing. Any. M16-M18.
Goldsmith The weakness of the wall which every earthquake might overturn.
With noun sing. All possible s; the utmost degree of. L19.
F. Weldon I..showed her every kindness. Guardian Every effort should be made to sow the seed thinly.
b. pronoun.
Everybody. ME-E16.
Distributed to each member of an aggregate; = EACH pronoun 2. ME-L15.
Each, or every one, of several persons or things. (Formerly often treated as pl.). Now obsolete exc. dial., poet., & in all and every s.v. ALL pronoun & noun 4. LME.
C. K. Stead These words / spaced out between wave- / break in every of its modes.
Defoe Every of the said chirurgeons is to have twelvepence a body.
Phrases: every other each other.
? The form ever each (orig. evereche, everych) was corrupted into every each and has occas. been used arch. in this form.