however
♦♦♦ how|ever /haʊ'evər/
1 [ADV] ADV with cl
You use however when you are adding a comment which is surprising or which contrasts with what has just been said.
This was not an easy decision. It is, however, a decision that we feel is dictated by our duty...
Some of the food crops failed. However, the cotton did quite well...
2 [ADV] ADV adj/adv, ADV many/much
You use however before an adjective or adverb to emphasize that the degree or extent of something cannot change a situation.
You should always strive to achieve more, however well you have done before...
However hard she tried, nothing seemed to work...
3 [CONJ]
You use however when you want to say that it makes no difference how something is done.
However we adopt healthcare reform, it isn't going to save major amounts of money...
Wear your hair however you want.
4 [ADV] ADV many/much, ADV adv
You use however in expressions such as or however long it takes and or however many there were to indicate that the figure you have just mentioned may not be accurate.
Wait 30 to 60 minutes or however long it takes.
5 [QUEST]
You can use however to ask in an emphatic way how something has happened which you are very surprised about. Some speakers of English think that this form is incorrect and prefer to use `how ever'.
However did you find this place in such weather?
= how
1 [ADV] ADV with cl
You use however when you are adding a comment which is surprising or which contrasts with what has just been said.
This was not an easy decision. It is, however, a decision that we feel is dictated by our duty...
Some of the food crops failed. However, the cotton did quite well...
2 [ADV] ADV adj/adv, ADV many/much
You use however before an adjective or adverb to emphasize that the degree or extent of something cannot change a situation.
You should always strive to achieve more, however well you have done before...
However hard she tried, nothing seemed to work...
3 [CONJ]
You use however when you want to say that it makes no difference how something is done.
However we adopt healthcare reform, it isn't going to save major amounts of money...
Wear your hair however you want.
4 [ADV] ADV many/much, ADV adv
You use however in expressions such as or however long it takes and or however many there were to indicate that the figure you have just mentioned may not be accurate.
Wait 30 to 60 minutes or however long it takes.
5 [QUEST]
You can use however to ask in an emphatic way how something has happened which you are very surprised about. Some speakers of English think that this form is incorrect and prefer to use `how ever'.
However did you find this place in such weather?
= how