either

[Ei·ther]

Precedes two, or more, coordinate words or phrases, and is introductory to an alternative. It is correlative to or.

...

One of two; the one or the other; -- properly used of two things, but sometimes of a larger number, for any one.

Adverb
after a negative statement used as an intensive meaning something like `likewise'' or `also''; "he isn''t stupid, but he isn''t exactly a genius either"; "I don''t know either"; "if you don''t order dessert I won''t either"


a. & pron.
One of two; the one or the other; -- properly used of two things, but sometimes of a larger number, for any one.

a. & pron.
Each of two; the one and the other; both; -- formerly, also, each of any number.

conj. Either
precedes two, or more, coordinate words or phrases, and is introductory to an alternative. It is correlative to or.


Either

Ei"ther (?; 277), a. & pron. [OE. either, aither, AS. ger, ghw'91er (akin to OHG. ogiwedar, MHG. iegeweder); 'be + ge + hw'91er whether. See Each, and Whether, and cf. Or, conj.] 1. One of two; the one or the other; -- properly used of two things, but sometimes of a larger number, for any one.
Lepidus flatters both, Of both is flattered; but he neither loves, Nor either cares for him.
Scarce a palm of ground could be gotten by either of the three.
There have been three talkers in Great British, either of whom would illustrate what I say about dogmatists.
2. Each of two; the one and the other; both; -- formerly, also, each of any number.
His flowing hair In curls on either cheek played.
On either side . . . was there the tree of life.
The extreme right and left of either army never engaged.

Either

Ei"ther, conj. Either precedes two, or more, co'94rdinate words or phrases, and is introductory to an alternative. It is correlative to or.
Either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth.
Few writers hesitate to use either in what is called a triple alternative; such as, We must either stay where we are, proceed, or recede.
&hand; Either was formerly sometimes used without any correlation, and where we should now use or.
Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs??

One of two; the one or the other; -- properly used of two things, but sometimes of a larger number, for any one.

precedes two, or more, co'94rdinate words or phrases, and is introductory to an alternative. It is correlative to or.

...

Usage Examples

Age shouldn't affect you. It's just like the size of your shoes - they don't determine how you live your life! You're either marvellous or you're boring, regardless of your age.

America doesn't reward people of my age, either in day-to-day life or for their performances.

After a few months in my parents' basement, I took an apartment near the state university, where I discovered both crystal methamphetamine and conceptual art. Either one of these things are dangerous, but in combination they have the potential to destroy entire civilizations.

A few years ago I lost 30 pounds, and people still wanted to criticize. And honestly, I'm happy with myself if I'm a little heavier. I realized: 'Why am I trying to conform to someone else's idea of beauty?' I think I'm beautiful either way.

After all, C++ isn't a perfect match for Java's design aims either.

All books are either dreams or swords, you can cut, or you can drug, with words.

And to get real work experience, you need a job, and most jobs will require you to have had either real work experience or a graduate degree.

All of us grow up in particular realities - a home, family, a clan, a small town, a neighborhood. Depending upon how we're brought up, we are either deeply aware of the particular reading of reality into which we are born, or we are peripherally aware of it.

A fly cannot go in unless it stops somewhere therefore weapons, fuel, food, money will not go to Afghanistan unless the neighbors of Afghanistan are working, are cooperating, either being themselves the origin or the transit.

Misspelled Form

either, weither, 3either, 4either, reither, seither, deither, wither, 3ither, 4ither, rither, sither, dither, ewither, e3ither, e4ither, erither, esither, edither, euither, e8ither, e9ither, eoither, ejither, ekither, euther, e8ther, e9ther, eother, ejther, ekther, eiuther, ei8ther, ei9ther, eiother, eijther, eikther, eirther, ei5ther, ei6ther, eiyther, eigther, eirher, ei5her, ei6her, eiyher, eigher, eitrher, eit5her, eit6her, eityher, eitgher, eitgher, eityher, eituher, eitjher, eitnher, eitger, eityer, eituer, eitjer, eitner, eithger, eithyer, eithuer, eithjer, eithner, eithwer, eith3er, eith4er, eithrer, eithser, eithder, eithwr, eith3r, eith4r, eithrr, eithsr, eithdr, eithewr, eithe3r, eithe4r, eitherr, eithesr, eithedr, eitheer, eithe4r, eithe5r, eithetr, eithefr, eithee, eithe4, eithe5, eithet, eithef, eithere, either4, either5, eithert, eitherf.

Other Usage Examples

A passion for politics stems usually from an insatiable need, either for power, or for friendship and adulation, or a combination of both.

And time itself? Time was a never-ending medium that stretched into the future and the past - except there was no future and no past, but an infinite number of brackets, extending either way, each bracket enclosing its single phase of the Universe.

A person cannot love a plant after he has pruned it, then he has either done a poor job or is devoid of emotion.

A great wind is blowing, and that gives you either imagination or a headache.

A life is either all spiritual or not spiritual at all. No man can serve two masters. Your life is shaped by the end you live for. You are made in the image of what you desire.

All science is either physics or stamp collecting.

A society deadened by a smothering network of laws while finding release in moral chaos is not likely to be either happy or stable.

A world technology means either a world government or world suicide.

All women's issues are to some degree men's issues and all men's issues are to some degree women's issues because when either sex wins unilaterally both sexes lose.

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