Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - always

~ S1 W1 adv 1 all the time, at all times, on every occassion  (Always lock your bicycle to something secure. | Tea is always served at 5 o'clock. | She had always assumed that Gabriel was a girl's name. | Anne had always been pretty. | He wasn't always a butler. (=he had other jobs at other times in his life)) 2 for as long as you can remember or for a very long time  (I've always wanted to go to Paris.) 3 if you say that you will ~ do something, you mean that you will do it forever  (I'll always remember that day. | He said he would love me always.) 4 if someone is ~ doing something, or if something ~ happens, it happens often, especially in an annoying way  (That wretched car is always breaking down! | She's always flirting with him.) 5 you could ~.../there is ~... spoken used to make a polite suggestion  (You could always try ringing her again. | If you can't get it locally, there's always mail order.)  ( USAGE NOTE: ALWAYS GRAMMAR ^~ usually comes after the first auxiliary or modal verb and before the main verb He always wanted/had a room of his own (NOT He had/wanted always a room of his own).| He had always lived there (had is auxiliary here).| You should always be careful walking alone at night (NOT usually should be always careful). ^~ usually follows the verb to be where it is used alone as a main verb I am always hungry (NOT I always am hungry). SPELLING Remember it is ~ (NOT allways or all ways). )