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Word Study
Either
CIDE DICTIONARY
Either, a. & pron. [OE. either, aither, AS. , (akin to OHG. , MHG. iegeweder); ā + ge + hwæ whether. See Each, and Whether, and cf. Or, conj.].
- One of two; the one or the other; -- properly used of two things, but sometimes of a larger number, for any one. [1913 Webster]"Lepidus flatters both,
Of both is flattered; but he neither loves,
Nor either cares for him." [1913 Webster]"Scarce a palm of ground could be gotten by either of the three." [1913 Webster]"There have been three talkers in Great British, either of whom would illustrate what I say about dogmatists." [1913 Webster] - Each of two; the one and the other; both; -- formerly, also, each of any number. [1913 Webster]"His flowing hair
In curls on either cheek played." [1913 Webster]"On either side . . . was there the tree of life." [1913 Webster]"The extreme right and left of either army never engaged." [1913 Webster]
Either, conj.
Either precedes two, or more, coördinate words or phrases, and is introductory to an alternative. It is correlative to or. [1913 Webster]
" Either was formerly sometimes used without any correlation, and where we should now use or." [1913 Webster]
"Either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth." [1913 Webster]
"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." [1913 Webster]
"Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs?" [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
Either, adj., pron., adv., & conj.
--adj. & pron.
1 one or the other of two (either of you can go; you may have either book).
2 each of two (houses on either side of the road; either will do).
--adv. & conj.
1 as one possibility (is either black or white).
2 as one choice or alternative; which way you will (either come in or go out).
3 (with neg. or interrog.) a any more than the other (I didn't like it either; if you do not go, I shall not either). b moreover (there is no time to lose, either).
--adj. & pron.
1 one or the other of two (either of you can go; you may have either book).
2 each of two (houses on either side of the road; either will do).
--adv. & conj.
1 as one possibility (is either black or white).
2 as one choice or alternative; which way you will (either come in or go out).
3 (with neg. or interrog.) a any more than the other (I didn't like it either; if you do not go, I shall not either). b moreover (there is no time to lose, either).
Idiom
either-or n. an unavoidable choice between alternatives.
--adj. involving such a choice. either way in either case or event.
--adj. involving such a choice. either way in either case or event.
Etymology
OE {aelig}gther f. Gmc
THESAURUS
Either
a certain, a deux, an, any, any one, anybody, anyone, anything, atomic, aught, both, correspondingly, exclusive, for two, identically, in kind, in like manner, in that way, individual, indivisible, integral, irreducible, like, like that, like this, likewise, lone, monadic, monistic, one, similarly, simple, single, singular, so, sole, solid, solitary, tete-a-tete, the two, thus, unanalyzable, undivided, uniform, unique, unitary, wholeROGET THESAURUS
Either
Absence of Choice
N absence of choice, no choice, Hobson's choice, first come first served, random selection, necessity, not a pin to choose, any, the first that comes, that or nothing, neutrality, indifference, indecision, arbitrariness, coercion (compulsion), neutral, neuter, indifferent, uninterested, undecided, either, who cares?, what difference does it make?, There's not a dime's worth of difference between t.Also see definition of "Either" in Bible Study Dictionaries
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