˜yÐÄvlog

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View synonyms for

either

[ ee-ther, ahy-ther ]

adjective

  1. one or the other of two:

    You may sit at either end of the table.

  2. each of two; the one and the other:

    There are trees on either side of the river.



pronoun

  1. one or the other:

    There are two roads into the town, and you can take either. Either will do.

conjunction

  1. (a coordinating conjunction that, when preceding a word or statement followed by the disjunctive or, serves to emphasize the possibility of choice):

    Either come or write.

adverb

  1. also; too; as well; to the same degree (used after negative clauses coordinated by and, or, or nor, or after negative subordinate clauses):

    He's not fond of parties, and I'm not either. If you don't come, she won't come either.

either

/ ˈaɪðə; ˈiËðə /

determiner

    1. one or the other (of two)

      either coat will do

    2. ( as pronoun )

      either is acceptable

  1. both one and the other

    there were ladies at either end of the table

  2. coordinating used preceding two or more possibilities joined by "or"

    you may have either cheese or a sweet

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

  1. used with a negative used to indicate that the clause immediately preceding is a partial reiteration of a previous clause

    John isn't a liar, but he isn't exactly honest either

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Usage

Either is followed by a singular verb in good usage: either is good; either of these books is useful. Care should be taken to avoid ambiguity when using either to mean both or each, as in the following sentence: a ship could be moored on either side of the channel. Agreement between the verb and its subject in ±ð¾±³Ù³ó±ð°ù…o°ù… constructions follows the pattern given for ²Ô±ð¾±³Ù³ó±ð°ù…n´Ç°ù…
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Grammar Note

When the pronoun either is the subject and comes immediately before the verb, the verb is singular: Either is good enough. Either grows well in this soil. When either is followed by a prepositional phrase with a plural object, there is a tendency to use a plural verb, but a singular verb is more common: Either of them is (or are) good enough. Either of the shrubs grows (or grow) well in this soil. As an adjective either refers only to two of anything: either side of the river; using either hand. As a pronoun either sometimes occurs in reference to more than two ( either of the three children ), but any is more common in this construction ( any of the three children ). As a conjunction, either often introduces a series of more than two: The houses were finished with either cedar siding or stucco or brick. The pizza is topped with either anchovies, green peppers, or mushrooms. Usage guides say that the verb used with subjects joined by the correlative conjunctions either … or (or neither … nor ) is singular or plural depending on the number of the noun or pronoun nearer the verb: Either the parents or the school determines the program. Either the school or the parents determine the program. Practice in this matter varies, however, and often the presence of one plural, no matter what its position, results in a plural verb: Either the parents or the school determine the program. In carefully edited writing, these correlative conjunctions are usually placed so that what follows the first correlative is parallel to what follows the second: The damage was done by either the wind or vandals or either by the wind or by vandals (not done either by the wind or vandals). neither.
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Pronunciation Note

The pronunciations [ee, -, th, er] and [nee, -, th, er], with the vowel [ee] of see, are the usual ones in American English for the words either and neither. The pronunciations [ahy, -, th, er] and [nahy, -, th, er], with the [ahy] vowel of bite, occur occasionally for these words, chiefly in the speech of the educated and in the network standard English of radio and television. Both the [ee] and [ahy] pronunciations existed in British English, and in the 19th century the [ahy] came to predominate in standard British speech. In American English, therefore, it reflects a recent borrowing from British speech rather than a survival from the time of early settlement, influenced as well by the ei spelling, which is pronounced as [ahy] in such words as height and stein.
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˜yÐÄvlog History and Origins

Origin of either1

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English Ç£²µ³Ù³ó±ð°ù, contraction of Ç£²µ³ó·Éæ³Ù³ó±ð°ù “each of two, bothâ€; ay 1, whether
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˜yÐÄvlog History and Origins

Origin of either1

Old English Ç£²µ³Ù³ó±ð°ù, short for Ç£²µ³ó·Éæ³Ù³ó±ð°ù each of two; related to Old Frisian ŧ¾±»å±ð°ù, Old High German ŧ´Ç²µ¾±³ó·É±ð»å±ð°ù; see each , whether
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Many Republican politicians aren't true believers, either, but cynical operators whose "loyalty" to Trump only lasts as far as their perceived self-interest.

From

Public health officials, however, continue to caution that people should avoid fire debris found either in the water or on land.

From

Putting data centres in space – either in orbit around Earth, or on the Moon - the theory goes, means they can't do quite so much harm.

From

Older adults were generally considered a “burden on the local taxes,†and many were either sent to poorhouses or auctioned off as farm labor.

From

"It is difficult to see either side backing down in the next few days," he said.

From

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