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I Wondered People Adverb Bre ˈɒfn ˈɔːfn Happened

Word often
WordType (adverb)
Phonetic BrE / ˈɒfn / NAmE / ˈɔːfn /
Example
  • we often go there.
  • i've often wondered what happened to him.
  • how often do you go to the theatre?
  • i see her quite often.
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Content

often

(adverb)BrE / ˈɒfn / NAmE / ˈɔːfn /
  1. many times
    • synonym frequently
      https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/frequently
    • We often go there.
    • I've often wondered what happened to him.
    • How often do you go to the theatre?
    • I see her quite often.
    • Try to exercise as often as possible.
    • We should meet for lunch more often.
    • It is not often that you get such an opportunity.
  2. in many cases
    • synonym commonly
      https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/commonly
    • Old houses are often damp.
    • People are often afraid of things they don't understand.
    • All too often the animals die through neglect.
    • His success depended, as so often happens, on things entirely outside his control.
  3. usually; in a way that is typical of somebody/something
    • As often as not, he's late for work.
  4. occasionally; sometimes
    • Every so often I heard a strange noise outside.
  5. used to say that somebody has done something wrong or stupid again, and this time they will suffer because of it
    • You've tried that trick once too often.

    Extra Examples

    • How often does it happen?
    • I’ve often wondered what he looked like.
    • It’s not often that I receive fan letters.
    • People often find it difficult to say goodbye.
    • She likes to get out of the city as often as possible.
    • She’s mean. Rich people very often are.
    • The dog often went missing for days.
    • Traffic has increased and the roads are all too often inadequate.
    • You should come and see us more often.

    Word Origin

    • Middle English: extended form of oft, probably influenced by selden ‘seldom’. Early examples appear to be northern English; the word became general in the 16th cent.
Copyright This card's content is collected from the following dictionaries: Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

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