What does the word e'er mean in shakespearean?

Answer 1

In Shakespearean language, the word "e'er" is a contraction of the word "ever." It is used to mean "always" or "at any time." Shakespeare often used contractions like "e'er" to fit the meter of his verse and to add a poetic or archaic flair to his language.

Answer 2

There is no such word in Shakespeare anywhere. He does use the word "never", sometimes neglecting to pronounce the letter "v". In this case the word "never" is spelled "ne'er" to inform us of this pronounciation (It's still the word "never" no matter which way it is spelled.) The apostrophe is essential to the spelling, just as in the case of the word "can't" which is a totally different word if you leave the apostrophe out.

Answer 3

Whenever you see an apostrophe in a word, apart from possessives, you know that some letter or letters have been left out. You know that "don't" is "do not" with the o left out. You know that "we'll" is "we will" with the wi left out. These are called contractions. Shakespeare used plenty of contractions just as we do now, but sometimes he used contractions that are a little unfamiliar. You are probably aware of "it's", a contraction of "it is", a contraction leaving out the second "i' but Shakespeare would make a contraction out of the same two words by leaving out the first "i' instead, so you get "'tis". One of the letters he left out was a v in the middle of a word, so "ever" became "e'er" and "even" became "e'en". So I could have started this answer, "Whene'er you see an apostrophe . . ."

Answer 4

It is an abbreviation of the word "never", in which the "v" is replaced by an apostrophe.

Answer 5

'Ne'er' is a poetic name for the word 'never.' The apostrophy is used for the missing letter.

Answer 6

It means ever.