All 29 Uses
however
in
Inkheart
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- A dog barked somewhere in the darkness, and however often she tossed and turned Meggie couldn't get to sleep.
*however = regardless of how
- She could always tell when Mo was lying, however hard he tried to hide it from her.
- Never once, not a single word, however often she put books on his lap.
- Mo, however, only laughed.†
however = a word used to connect contrasting ideas as when using though, in spite of that, in contrast, nevertheless, etc.
- She even looked for him in Elinor's bedroom, but however many doors in the huge house she opened there was no sign of him.
however = regardless of how
- However hard Meggie strained her ears, she couldn't make out what the pair was saying.
- You had bad dreams, however much I tried to keep them away with my stories.
- And however often I ask no one brings me any more, or if they do the books are useless.
- Yet however often they stopped and listened, all they could hear was their own breathing.
- The dog wouldn't let go, however hard she pulled.
- Before that, however, she had disappeared into the ladies' room of the first cafe they came to.†
however = a word used to connect contrasting ideas as when using though, in spite of that, in contrast, nevertheless, etc.
- Farid, however, looked much the same as the boys who lounged around on the beach nudging one another when girls passed by.†
*
- Fenoglio, however, turned back to Mo.†
- Now, however, he dreaded something else even more.†
- He had made this his habit from the first, and however often Dustfinger moved away the boy was always close beside him when he woke up.
however = regardless of how
- Fenoglio, however, looked as if he were enjoying himself hugely.†
however = a word used to connect contrasting ideas as when using though, in spite of that, in contrast, nevertheless, etc.
- She doesn't even sprinkle any fairy dust, however hard you shake her.
however = regardless of how
- In the end, however, forty-three blue-skinned fairies with dragonfly wings fluttered into the buses and settled on the backs of the gray-patterned seats.†
however = a word used to connect contrasting ideas as when using though, in spite of that, in contrast, nevertheless, etc.
- But Meggie couldn't keep her hands off any animal, however sharp its teeth.†
- However, Mo just laughed.†
- However, only on the condition that you keep at least three paces away from the shelves.†
- However, Elinor was looking not at Meggie but at Dustfinger, who was playing with a box of matches.†
- However, Dustfinger put the second bottle to his lips, filling his mouth until his scarred cheeks were bulging.†
- However, Meggie gave a warning cry, and the lizard darted away so fast that the tip of the blade struck the stones.†
- One more word and I'll cut it out, however precious it may be.†
- However, Mo shook his head.†
- However, the boy was probably right.†
- However, Capricorn raised his hand to quell the murmur that had arisen.†
- However, the Shadow just stood there motionless, as if he would never move again.†
Definitions:
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(1)
(however as in: However, complications may...) though (or another expression that connects contrasting ideas)Based on idea 1 we might not expect idea 2, but this is a way of saying that even though idea 1 exists, we still have idea 2. Synonyms include in spite of that, despite that, nevertheless, nonetheless, on the other hand, in contrast and but.
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(2)
(however as in: However much she tried...) to whatever degree (regardless of how much; or whatever unspecified amount)
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(3)
(however as in: However you do it, get it done!) in whatever way
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(4)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) Much more rarely (and arguably incorrectly), however can be used to intensify the word how, as when one says "However did you find her?" Grammarians would suggest using two words for that usage: "How ever did you find her?"