Word Study
neither
CIDE DICTIONARY
neither, a. [OE. neither, nother, nouther, AS. nāw, nāhwæ; nā never, not + hwæ whether. The word has followed the form of either. See No, and Whether, and cf. Neuter, Nor.].
Not either; not the one or the other. [1913 Webster]
"Which of them shall I take?
Both? one? or neither? Neither can be enjoyed,
If both remain alive." [1913 Webster]
Both? one? or neither? Neither can be enjoyed,
If both remain alive." [1913 Webster]
"He neither loves,
Nor either cares for him." [1913 Webster]
Nor either cares for him." [1913 Webster]
neither, conj.
Not either; generally used to introduce the first of two or more coördinate clauses of which those that follow begin with nor. [1913 Webster]
" Neither was formerly often used where we now use nor. “For neither circumcision, neither uncircumcision is anything at all.” Tyndale. “Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it.” Gen. iii. 3. Neither is sometimes used colloquially at the end of a clause to enforce a foregoing negative (nor, not, no). “He is very tall, but not too tall neither.” Addison. ” ‘I care not for his thrust' ‘No, nor I neither.'” Shak. " [1913 Webster]
"Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king." [1913 Webster]
"Hadst thou been firm and fixed in thy dissent,
Neither had I transgressed, nor thou with me." [1913 Webster]
Neither had I transgressed, nor thou with me." [1913 Webster]
"When she put it on, she made me vow
That I should neither sell, nor give, nor lose it." [1913 Webster]
That I should neither sell, nor give, nor lose it." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
neither, adj., pron., adv., & conj.
--adj. & pron. (foll. by sing. verb)
1 not the one nor the other (of two things); not either (neither of the accusations is true; neither of them knows; neither wish was granted; neither went to the fair).
2 disp. none of any number of specified things.
--adv.
1 not either; not on the one hand (foll. by nor; introducing the first of two or more things in the negative: neither knowing nor caring; would neither come in nor go out; neither the teachers nor the parents nor the children).
2 not either; also not (if you do not, neither shall I).
3 (with neg.) disp. either (I don't know that neither).
--conj. archaic nor yet; nor (I know not, neither can I guess).
--adj. & pron. (foll. by sing. verb)
1 not the one nor the other (of two things); not either (neither of the accusations is true; neither of them knows; neither wish was granted; neither went to the fair).
2 disp. none of any number of specified things.
--adv.
1 not either; not on the one hand (foll. by nor; introducing the first of two or more things in the negative: neither knowing nor caring; would neither come in nor go out; neither the teachers nor the parents nor the children).
2 not either; also not (if you do not, neither shall I).
3 (with neg.) disp. either (I don't know that neither).
--conj. archaic nor yet; nor (I know not, neither can I guess).
Etymology
ME naither, neither f. OE nowther contr. of nohw{aelig}ther (as NO(2), WHETHER): assim. to EITHER
ROGET THESAURUS
neither
Rejection
N rejection, repudiation, exclusion, refusal, declination, rejected, reject, rejectaneous, rejectious, not chosen, to be thought of, out of the question, neither, neither the one nor the other, no, non haec in faedera.For further exploring for "neither" in Webster Dictionary Online
