ever since

E

ever since (adverbial phrase)
/ˌevə(r) ˈsɪns/

Synopsis

The phrase “ever since” means from a past time until now, showing continuous action or state. For example, “He’s been happy ever since he met her.” Originating in England from ever (“always”) and since (“from that time”), it first appeared in the late 1500s.

Meanings

• From a past time until now.
• From that event onward, with emphasis on continuity.
• At every time after a particular point in the past.
• Used with perfect tenses to show a past start leading to a present result.

Synonyms: since then; from then on; thereafter; ever after; continually since.

Example Sentences

1. She moved to the city in 2018, and ever since she has worked in digital marketing.
2. He won the scholarship in school, and ever since he has aimed for academic excellence.
3. They opened the café last winter, and ever since it has been busy every weekend.
4. He slipped on ice last year, and ever since he has been very cautious.

Origin and History

The phrase “ever since” functions as a temporal adverbial that marks an unbroken period from a specific past point to the present. It emphasizes continuity or persistence, as in “She moved to Boston and has lived there ever since.”

Structure and Formation

Composed of ever (Old English ǣfre, meaning “always”) and since (Old English siððan, meaning “from a past time”), the phrase naturally expresses lasting duration. The two elements combine to intensify the idea of continuous time.

Development of Sense

From its earliest uses, “ever since” has carried two shades of meaning: one marking steady continuation, and another emphasizing habitual or repeated action from the past until now. Both stem directly from its literal structure.

Early Printed Example

The earliest recorded use appears in early modern English, around the late sixteenth century. A well-known instance is in The Two Gentlemen of Verona:

“I have lov’d her ever since I saw her.”

The phrase here already conveys its modern sense of enduring continuity.

Country of Origin

“Ever since” originated in England as a natural development within English itself, not as a borrowing. Its consistent appearance in early English literature confirms its native evolution from Old and Middle English roots.

Origin Summary

In essence, “ever since” is a straightforward, transparent English phrase expressing ongoing time from a past moment to the present—a linguistic link between what was and what remains.

Variants

• since
• ever since then
• since then
• ever since that day

Time