orn.¹

Brit.

/ɔː/, U.S.

/ɔr/

Origin: A borrowing from French. Etymon: French or.

Etymology: < Anglo-Norman and Middle French, French or gold (9th cent. in Old French, earliest in figurative sense ‘wealth, riches’) < classical Latin aurum gold (see auro- comb. form).

†1. Gold (the metallic element). Obsolete. rare.

ΚΠ

1437 Rolls of Parl. IV. 503/2 It be lefull to the Maire and Citezeins of ye Citee of Lincoln..to shipp..lx sakkes of Wolle, withoute any Subsidee of the said v Nobles of or.

2. Heraldry. Gold or yellow in armorial blazoning.One of the two metals (metal n. 3), the other being argent.

ΘΚΠ

society > communication > indication > insignia > heraldic devices collective > heraldic tincture > [noun] > metal > gold or yellow

goldc1460

or?1530

topaz1562

sun1572

sol1610

?1530 T. Tonge Heraldic Visitation Northern Counties (1863) 1 Arms... II. Quarterly, with a surcoat. 1. Barry of six, nebulee, or and gules.

1562 G. Legh Accedens of Armory (1597) 1 b I will begin with the most pretious mettall Golde: Or.

1605 J. Sylvester tr. G. de S. Du Bartas Deuine Weekes & Wks. i. v. 185 Azure they beare three Æaglets Argentine, A Cheuron Ermin 'grailed Or betweene.

a1657 G. Daniel Poem (1878) I. 44 And tell you how they beare Gules, or, vert, azure,—heathen words for Red, Yellow, green, blue.

1766 ‘M. A. Porny’ Elem. Heraldry (1787) 20 Or, which signifies gold, and in colour yellow, is expressed by points, pricks, or dots.

1875 C. D. E. Fortnum Maiolica ix. 79 These arms are paly gules and or, on a fess argent a dog in the act of bounding sable.

1980 Daily Tel. 8 May 18 Two lions, that of the Sovereign and a lion per fesse or and gules, being one of the supporters of the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne.

1991 Antiquaries Jrnl. 70 99 Ashmole has tricked all metals as or, although in a number of identifiable quarters argent should appear.

3. or moulu, or molu: see ormolu n.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

ORn.²

Brit.

/ɔː/, U.S.

/ɔr/

Forms: 1900s– OR, 1900s– or.

Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: or conj.¹

Etymology: < or conj.¹

Computing and Electronics.

A Boolean operator that has the value unity if at least one of the operands is unity, and is otherwise zero; more fully inclusive or (corresponding to Latin vel). Also: a Boolean operator that has the value unity if just one of two operands is unity, not both of them; more fully exclusive or (corresponding to Latin aut). Frequently attributive. Cf. and n.¹ 2, not n. 4.When exclusive or (sometimes written xor) has more than two arguments, it is usual to make the function unity if and only if an odd number of the arguments are 1 (this represents a generalization of the definition given above for two arguments). Then the placing of the brackets in an exclusive or function is immaterial: e.g. the exclusive or of the four arguments a, b, c, d is ((a xor) b xor c) xor d, equivalent to (a xor (b xor c)) xor d and to a xor ((b xor c) xor d).

ΘΚΠ

society > computing and information technology > [noun] > logic > operation > particular operations

and1946

OR1947

negation1949

inversion1955

NOR1957

NAND1958

NOT AND1960

XOR1961

not1969

1938 C. E. Shannon in Trans. Amer. Inst. Electr. Engineers 57 718/1 There are many special types of relays and switches... The operation of all these types may be described with the words ‘or’, ‘and’, ‘if’, ‘operated’, and ‘not operated’.

1940 W. V. Quine Math. Logic i. 12 When ‘or’ is used in the inclusive sense..joint truth of the components verifies the compound. An ‘or’-compound in this sense can be expressed more clearly by adding the words ‘or both’.]

1947 Proc. IRE 35 758/1 The ‘or’ operation is performed by a ‘buffing’ circuit.

1949 E. C. Berkeley Giant Brains ix. 149 The ‘or’..that is defined in the truth table is often called the inclusive ‘or’ and means ‘and/or’... There is another ‘or’ in common use, often called the exclusive ‘or’, meaning ‘or else’.

1970 O. Dopping Computers & Data Processing i. 25 The order in which different operations are taken is important. The normal order is not, and, or in decreasing order of priority.

1971 J. H. Smith Digital Logic iv. 45 or units are not extensively employed because they are usually constructed with components such as diodes, which have no amplification.

2010 C. H. Roth & L. L. Kinney Fund. Logic Design (ed. 6) vii.196 Next, attempt to realize and or or, keeping in mind that not is now available.

Compounds

OR gate n. a gate that implements the or function, i.e. whose output signal is 1 if and only if at least one of the input signals is 1; cf. AND gate n. at and conj.¹, adv., and n.¹ Compounds.

ΘΚΠ

society > computing and information technology > [noun] > logic > operation > logic element > circuit containing

OR gate1953

parametron1956

latch1959

XOR gate1969

1953 Proc. IRE 41 1308/2 Negative inputs to and-gates that are used for inhibition omit the initial or-gate.

1972 IEEE Trans. Computers 21 153/2 When digital computers are synthesized with gates other than and, or, and not gates, it is difficult to design optimal..networks directly from the Boolean expressions.

1987 E. H. J. Pallett Aircraft Electr. Syst. (ed. 3) xi. 190/1 With a.c. power now on the busbar, the input to the or gate changes to logic 0.

2002 N. Dale & J. Lewis Computer Sci. Illuminated iv. 93 Note the difference between the xor gate and the or gate... When both input signals are 1, the or gate produces a 1 and the xor produces a 0.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

ORv.

Brit.

/ɔː/, U.S.

/ɔr/

Forms: 1900s– OR, 1900s– or.

Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: OR n.²

Etymology: < OR n.²

Computing.

transitive. To combine using a Boolean or operator.

ΘΚΠ

society > computing and information technology > programming language > program or code > [verb (transitive)] > use Boolean operator

AND1961

OR1970

1970 IBM Techn. Disclosure Bull. 13 257 The outputs of all the drill sense transistors 12 are Ored together by diode Or's 18 and fed to the base of relay control transistor 20.

1982 Giant Bk. Electronics Projects iii. 135 A precise 100 ms gate..is then ‘or’ed together with the signal.

1989 Electronics & Wireless World Feb. 151/2 The resultant word is modified by exclusively or-ing the result with a 10-bit word.

1996 Database 19 80/1 From a Dialog user's perspective, here's what we needed to do:.. or together the results of each of these searches.

Derivatives

ˈORing n.

ΚΠ

1990 Amiga Computing Dec. 115/1 Real 3d allows a full complement of Boolean functions to be performed. These include anding, oring, xoring and most other combinations you can probably imagine.

This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, June 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

oradv.¹prep.conj.²

Brit.

/ɔː/, U.S.

/ɔr/

Forms:

α. Old English (Northumbrian) Middle English aar, Old English (Northumbrian) Middle English air, Old English (Northumbrian) Middle English ar, Old English (Northumbrian) Middle English are, Old English (Northumbrian) Middle English ayre, 1800s aur (English regional (Devon)); Scottish pre-1700 aire, pre-1700 ar, pre-1700 are, pre-1700 ayr, pre-1700 ayre, pre-1700 hare, pre-1700 1700s– air, 1700s air'.

β. Middle English hoore, Middle English ore, Middle English– or; also Scottish pre-1700 1700s–1800s ore, 1700s 'ore, 1800s ir (Shetland), 1800s oore, 1900s– ur (north-eastern); N.E.D. (1902) also records a form late Middle English oore.

Origin: Apparently a borrowing from early Scandinavian.

Etymology: Apparently < an early Scandinavian positive form (compare Old Icelandic ár ) of the Germanic base of which the comparative is shown by ere adv.¹, although semantically in English all uses except sense A. 1 are essentially comparative (compare occasional use of ere adv.¹ in positive senses in Old English). Compare ere adv.¹In the 13th and 14th centuries α forms are found in the north, but appear soon to have been displaced by β forms, which are still found frequently in northern regional use and also in Scots. It is uncertain whether this represents a northerly spread of the originally southern and midland form. It has alternatively been suggested that the α. forms may (wholly or partly) show a variant of Old English ǣr ere adv.¹ without i-mutation. Occasional more southerly α. forms in the 13th and 14th centuries may in any case have originated in an unstressed form of Old English ǣr.

Now archaic and regional.

†A. adv.¹ Obsolete.

I. As a positive.

1. Early, at an early hour; = ere adv.¹ 1(a). Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > time > day and night > day or daytime > morning > [adverb]

earlyOE

orOE

ereOE

amornOE

amorrowc1275

rathec1275

betimea1300

morningc1325

of (also in, on) morningsc1395

a-morninga1400

a-morningsc1400

betimes1481

morningly1560

in the morning1562

ante meridiem1563

timeous1566

rare1574

in a morning1591

rearly1596

timeouslyc1600

mornly1605

a.m.1651

rear1714

antemeridian1770

bright and early1805

matutinely1833

matutinally1897

ack emma1918

OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Matt. xx. 1 Qui exiit primo mane : seðe foerde ærist uel ar in merne.

OE (Northumbrian) Rushw. Gospels: Luke xxi. 1 Qui mittebant mane munera sua in gazophilacio diuites : ðaðe gesendun ar ðing hiora in gazophilacium weolige.

c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 6242 Beon ar. & late onn ȝunnkerr weorrc.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 19033 Desseli bath late and are.

a1530 (c1425) Andrew of Wyntoun Oryg. Cron. Scotl. (Royal) viii. xxxiii. 145 Come I are, come I late.

1579 (c1501) G. Douglas Palice of Honour (Edinb.) 1029 in Shorter Poems (1967) 69 Quha is content, reioycit air or lait?

a1650 D. Calderwood Hist. Kirk Scotl. (1843) II. 211 Skairse could anie of the nobilitie have accesse to her aire or late.

1725 A. Ramsay Gentle Shepherd i. i. 4 She jears me air and late.

1817 W. Scott Rob Roy II. xiv. 318 [Baillie Nicol Jarvie loq.] ‘Air day or late day, the fox's hide finds the flaying knife.’

II. As comparative.

a. At a former time, on a former occasion; formerly, previously, before; = ere adv.¹ 4. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > time > relative time > the present (time) > [adverb]

noweOE

nowtheOE

nughuOE

todayOE

nowthenc1225

orc1275

in presentc1330

in this presentc1330

now by dawec1330

of present1340

presentc1385

nowadays?1387

adaysa1393

nowadaya1393

now on daysa1393

presently?a1425

now of daysc1425

now-o'-daysc1450

at (the) presenta1500

at this presenta1500

nowdaysa1500

currently1579

on the presenta1616

actually1663

nowanights1672

naow1824

at this (or the) present speaking1835

again1837

contemporarily1837

nowdays1850

any more1859

hic et nunc1935

at this moment in time1936

the world > time > relative time > the past > [adverb]

erea822

fernOE

whileOE

erera1000

whilereOE

onceOE

somewhile1154

whilomc1175

herebeforec1200

somewhilesa1250

yorea1250

orc1275

rather?a1300

erewhilec1305

sometimea1325

sometimec1330

at or in sometime1340

in arrear1340

heretoforea1375

fernyear1377

once upon a timec1380

behinds1382

beforetimea1393

of olda1393

erenow1393

umquhilea1400

erst14..

fornec1400

yore whilec1400

of before1402

late1423

abefore1431

beforetimes1449

whilesc1480

sometime1490

aforrow?a1513

behind1526

quondamc1540

in foretime(s?c1550

erstwhile1569

erstwhiles1569

aleare1581

erewhiles1584

sometimes1597

formerly1599

anciently1624

olim1645

somewhile since1652

quondamly1663

forepassed1664

sometimea1684

backward1691

historically1753

time back1812

had-been1835

when1962

the world > time > relative time > the past > antecedence or being earlier > [adverb]

erea900

beforeeOE

forec1000

toforec1175

therebeforec1200

toforehand1258

forne toc1275

orc1275

andersitha1300

alreadyc1300

rather?1316

beforehandc1330

erstc1330

aforec1350

theretoforea1375

aforehanda1387

forthwitha1400

forwitha1400

or?a1400

ereward14..

toforetimec1400

aforetimes1429

aforetime1433

afore seasons1463

heretoforetime1481

forouth1487

aforrow?a1513

beforrow1568

paravant1590

antecedently1593

formerly1596

precedently1611

preveniently1633

preallably1652

previously1655

precedaneously1657

somewhiles1657

antecedaneously1661

aft1674

prior1675

anteriorly1681

antecedent1690

previous1712

priorly1742

c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 14315 Þa at þan fehte ar weoren.

c1330 (?c1300) Guy of Warwick (Auch.) 425 (MED) As y seyd ore.

c1380 in Speculum (1946) 21 197 Of effauȝ and elami ne coudy neuer are.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 2913 (MED) Loth, ȝee herd me ar of tell.

c1400 (?a1300) Kyng Alisaunder (Laud) (1952) 5023 Hij ben broun of hare, as hij weren aar.

c1450 J. Capgrave Life St. Katherine (Arun. 396) (1893) xii. 410 (MED) If she fayr and bryght were hoore, It is amended an hundird part more.

c1480 (a1400) St. Lawrence 763 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) I. 424 Rycht as þe feynd sad hyme hare.

1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) xviii. 211 Eduard the bruce, as I said air, Wes descumfit.

a1500 (?a1400) Morte Arthur (1903) 2202 He thought on thyngis that had bene ore.

a1600 ( W. Stewart tr. H. Boece Bk. Cron. Scotl. (1858) I. 536 The sone..of Fyndocus as I haif said ȝow air.

b. Before something else, in the first place. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > one > firstness > [adverb] > in the first place

firstlOE

ora1300

imprimis1465

once1523

originally1533

primely1610

in the first instancea1676

for one thing1767

a1300 (c1275) Physiologus (1991) 104 He speweð or al ðe uenim..Drinkeð siðen inoȝ.

c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) 728 But or he hauede michel shame.

a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 88 Fro ðat time we tellen ay Or ðe nigt and after ðe day.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 916 For i most couer þis tinsel are [a1400 Trin. Cambr. furst].

3. At an earlier time; earlier, sooner; = ere adv.¹ 2. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > time > relative time > the past > antecedence or being earlier > [adverb]

erea900

beforeeOE

forec1000

toforec1175

therebeforec1200

toforehand1258

forne toc1275

orc1275

andersitha1300

alreadyc1300

rather?1316

beforehandc1330

erstc1330

aforec1350

theretoforea1375

aforehanda1387

forthwitha1400

forwitha1400

or?a1400

ereward14..

toforetimec1400

aforetimes1429

aforetime1433

afore seasons1463

heretoforetime1481

forouth1487

aforrow?a1513

beforrow1568

paravant1590

antecedently1593

formerly1596

precedently1611

preveniently1633

preallably1652

previously1655

precedaneously1657

somewhiles1657

antecedaneously1661

aft1674

prior1675

anteriorly1681

antecedent1690

previous1712

priorly1742

?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) (1996) i. l. 9991 Cador & his toke þer wey, & to þe hauen wele ore [a1450 Lamb. raþer] cam Ar any Sesson to schip nam.

a1425 (?c1350) Ywain & Gawain (1964) 1061 Bitwene þis and þe thrid night And are if that it are myght be.

B. prep.

a. Before (in time); = ere adv.¹ 1. Now Scottish and Irish English.

ΚΠ

?a1200 (?OE) Peri Didaxeon (1896) 13 Nim webradeleaf ar sunne upgange.

a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 645 Fowerti ger or domes-dai.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 11383 A tuelmoth ar [a1400 Gött. are; a1400 Trin. Cambr. or] þe natiuite.

?a1425 (c1380) G. Chaucer tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. iii. pr. vii. 25 Nat to tellen it the that hast or this tyme assayed it.

1467–8 Rolls of Parl. V. 622/2 Which had been doon or that tyme.

1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) xx. 607 It wes neuir led or his day So weill.

1509 A. Barclay Brant's Shyp of Folys (Pynson) f. clxxviii To dye or theyr day.

1564 E. Grindal Serm. Funeral Prince Ferdinandus 16 So should we have had the Turk, or this day, to have come to our own doors.

a1605 R. Birrel Diarey 19 in J. G. Dalyell Fragm. of Scotish Hist. (1798) Ther came to Striveling, or day light,..the Earle of Huntly.

1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. iv. 141 He came..in the morning ouer to Constantinople; and long or midday turned Turke.

1710 Earls of Cromartie in P. Fraser Treat. Husband & Wife (1876) II. 115 Wee cannot yet be positive for what's fitt, but I hope wee will or Tuesday.

1788 R. Burns Poems & Songs (1968) I. 7 Lang or noon, loud tempests storming.

1819 J. Hogg Wks. Ettrick Shepherd (1874) I. 141 It may be thrapple deep or the morn.

1893 R. L. Stevenson Catriona xii. 137 I'll be there long or that.

a1908 H. C. Hart MS Coll. Ulster Words in M. Traynor Eng. Dial. Donegal (1953) 203 Or, ere. It'll not be long ere we'll be back.

1939 J. M. Caie 'Twixt Hills & Sea 39 I doot it'll rain or nicht.

†b. or ere [perhaps by confusion with or ere] : before. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

1645 J. Milton On Christ's Nativity: Hymn viii, in Poems 5 The Shepherds on the Lawn, Or ere the point of dawn, Sate simply chatting in a rustick row.

1811 W. Wordsworth Epist. to Sir G. H. Beaumont 95 And long or ere the uprising of the Sun O'er dew-damped dust our journey was begun.

†2. With clause introduced by a demonstrative pronoun as object, forming with the pronoun a compound conjunction in sense C. 1. Cf. ere adv.¹ 1(a).Cf. classical Latin priusquam, French avant que.

a. or than. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

a1225 (c1200) Vices & Virtues (1888) 145 (MED) Eft seið goddalmihti him self: Ar ðanne ðu clepiȝe to me.

a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 2435 Or ðan he [sc. Abraham] wiste off werlde faren.

1465 J. Rising in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) II. 309 They were delyuered owt of pryson or than the massenger come a-geyn to theym.

1511 Pylgrymage Richarde Guylforde (Pynson) f. xxviij^v Or than we Rose from the borde, the warden rose.

b. or that. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

a1325 (c1280) Southern Passion (Pepys 2344) (1927) 55 (MED) Al þis was ydo..þer by-ffore, longe ar þat was þis.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Gött.) 4976 Gode men, listines..Ar þat [a1400 Fairf. or] ȝe giue ani dome.

a1450 (?c1421) J. Lydgate Siege Thebes (Arun.) (1911) 2867 (MED) They falle on hym or that he was war.

1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) i. l. 265 Or that thow cess thow will be slayne with-all.

1549 Forme & Maner consecratyng Archebishoppes sig. J.ii^v Christ continued the whole night in praier or euer that [1662 before] he did chose & send foorth his .xii. Apostles.

3. Before an adverb of time functioning as a noun, as long, now, etc., forming an adverbial phrase: cf. erelong adv., erenow adv., etc.; = ere adv.¹ 2. Now rare (Scottish in later use).In quot. c1300, with the adverb aught modifying the time adverb.

ΚΠ

c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) 1789 (MED) We shole at þis dore gonge..or outh longe.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Trin. Cambr.) 2982 (MED) She is clene as she was ar now.

tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) i. 179 (MED) Or longe, yf hit be drie [etc.].

a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1897–1973) 52 (MED) I cam neuer or now where I am.

1559–60 MS Cott. Cal. B. ix The mater had bene lang or now compounded.

1671 in W. Fraser Mem. Maxwells of Pollok (1863) II. 319 Or now.

1786 R. Burns Poems 34 I'll wad my new pleugh-pettle, Ye'll see't or lang.

1822 J. Galt Sir Andrew Wylie II. viii. 78 Some morning or lang ye may rant and ring for your dochter.

1892 J. Lumsden Sheep-Head 263 We'll a' be deid or then.

1903 N.E.D. (at cited word) He'd been there oft or than, Ise warran'. I've seen him lang or now.

4. Scottish. Until (a specified future time). Now rare.

ΚΠ

1827 J. Watt Poems 60 Wait or the morn at een.

1883 R. Cleland Inchbracken ii She'll maybe no live or mornin'.

1928 Scots Mag. May 148 The milkin' wisna or nicht.

2009 R. Adam Rhymes of Weary Roadman 3 The Rubbits can wait or the morn.

C. conj.²

1. Before (in time).

†a. Following an adverb such as before or similar, in redundant use; = ere conj. 1c. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

a1225 (c1200) Vices & Virtues (1888) 83 (MED) Ðe ilche blisse þat ic adde ær, ar ic sineȝede.

c1300 (?c1225) King Horn (Cambr.) (1901) 546 (MED) Mid spere ischal furst ride..Ar ihc þe ginne to woȝe.

a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 1506 Ðe firme sune..sulde auen ðe bliscing Or or ðe fader dede his ending.

1388 in J. Slater Early Scots Texts (Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Edinb.) (1952) No. 12 That so [= she] had befor or we come thair.

a1400 (c1303) R. Mannyng Handlyng Synne (Harl.) 650 Þat he was noght Before, or þe worlde was wroghte.

a1425 (?a1400) G. Chaucer Romaunt Rose (Hunterian) 864 Hir yen..That laugheden ay in hir semblaunt First or the mouth, by covenaunt.

?a1425 (c1400) Mandeville's Trav. (Titus C.xvi) (1919) 54 Before or þei resceyue hem, þei knelen doun.

1485 W. Caxton tr. Paris & Vienne (1957) 25 Tofore or he wente to hys bedde.

c1528 in Bk. Old Edinb. Club XI. 116 To the maser at kepis the dur before or the lordis enter in the consell hous.

1598 Baxter Bk. of St. Andrews (1903) 55 Befoir or it be lesum B [etc.].

†b. or alone, in the same sense. Scottish in later use. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

a1300 (c1275) Physiologus (1991) 65 Or he bicumeð Cristen.

c1330 Owain Miles (1837) 32 Now turn oȝain or to late, Ar we the put in at helle gate.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 5578 Born, or he þis werld wroght [a1400 Fairf. or þis werlde was wroȝt].

1490 W. Caxton tr. Foure Sonnes of Aymon (1885) i. 41 Lete vs ryde hastely towarde Troy or it be take.

1535 Bible (Coverdale) Prov. iv. B Wherin men fall, or they be awarre.

1553 T. Wilson Arte of Rhetorique iii. f. 108 Wil you drink or you go, or wil you go or you drinke.

a1598 D. Fergusson Sc. Prov. (1641) sig. C2 He that fishes afore the net, lang or he fish get.

a1599 R. Rollock Sel. Wks. (1849) I. 324 Or the half-hour be past.

1615 in J. R. N. Macphail Highland Papers (1920) III. 224 I wow to God, or I liwe the contré, I..sall [etc.].

1725 A. Ramsay Gentle Shepherd v. ii. 76 Ye intend to..take your Leave of Patrick or he gang.

c1783 Lady Maisry in F. J. Child Eng. & Sc. Ballads (1857–91) A. 22 An, or the porter was at the gate, The boy was i the ha.

1826 J. Galt Last of Lairds xxxiv. 310 Your client may..mak a playock wi' a whistle in its tail, or he'll either get heft or blade o' my vote.

1870 W. Morris Earthly Paradise: Pt. III 119 Yet or fell the night He rose.

1895 S. R. Crockett Bog-myrtle & Peat i. iii. 49 I should earn my two hundred pounds a year or all were done.

c. or ever (or e'er): before ever, before even, before..at all, before..in any way. Cf. ere conj. 1d. Now rare (British regional and poetic).Ever adds emphasis; cf. ever adv. 6d. But in many early instances or ever does not perceptibly differ from the simple or, ere, or before, whence perhaps the later spelling or ere (see sense C. 1d).

ΚΠ

1389 in J. Slater Early Scots Texts (Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Edinb.) (1952) No. 16 Or euer thai be herd before ony juge.

c1485 ( G. Hay Bk. Law of Armys (2005) 20 Sanct petir was thare sevyn ȝere duelland or euer he duelt jn rome.

c1500 (?a1437) Kingis Quair (1939) v Or ever I stent, my best was more to loke Upon the writings of this nobil man.

1526 Bible (Tyndale) John iv. f. cxxv Syr come awaye or ever that my chylde deye.

1606 G. W. tr. Justinus Hist. iii. 20 They..put forth to sea, or euer the Lacedemonians got knowledge of them.

1752 J. Wesley Wks. (1872) X. 223 Thou accursed Spirit! damned or ever thou wert born!

1785 W. Cowper Task i. 67 Long time elapsed or e'er our rugged sires Complain'd.

1846 J. Keble Lyra Innocentium 129 Stay thee, sad heart, or ere thou breathe thy plaint.

1879 C. Rossetti Seek & Find 246 Or ever He ascended up where he was before.

1919 R. Kipling Years Between 5 O Keepers of the House of old, Or ever we were born.

1928 A. E. Pease Dict. Dial. N. Riding Yorks. 90/1 Naay, he'd getten t'job deean or ivver Ah cam nigh him.

†d. or ere [for or ever (or e'er) at sense C. 1c] : = sense C. 1c. Cf. sense B. 1b. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

1568 U. Fulwell Like wil to Like sig. E.ii Thou shalt haue some what of me or ere I go.

1608 W. Shakespeare King Lear vii. 445 But this heart shall breake, in a 100. thousand flowes Or ere ile weepe.

1674 N. Fairfax Treat. Bulk & Selvedge To Rdr. Forthwith or ere I could well help it, I fell a Roving.

1823 J. G. Lockhart Calaynos in Anc. Spanish Ballads xiii His soul shall dwell with him in hell, or ere yon sun go down!

1851 E. B. Browning Casa Guidi Windows i. iv. 10 That not a letter of the meaning fall, Or ere it touch and teach His world's deep heart.

1865 J. Young Homely Pictures in Verse 166 Or ere my beast was oot the yoke.

2. Until. Now rare (Scottish in later use).

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c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) 655 Nolde he þonne faren ar [c1300 Otho: are] his feo[n]den feie weore.

c1350 (a1333) William of Shoreham Poems (1902) 11 (MED) Ne non ne may icristned be Ar he his boren of moder.

c1390 (a1376) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Vernon) (1867) A. ii. 123 (MED) Cesse schul we neuere or mede be þi weddud wyf.

?a1475 Noble Bk. Cookry in Middle Eng. Dict. at Er Set them on the fyer and let them stonde longe or they sethe.

1489 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (Adv.) i. 297 Bot wonderly hard thing fell Till him or he till state was brocht.

a1525 in W. A. Craigie Asloan MS (1923) I. 215 The Pictis regnit i^m lxj ȝere fra thai began or thai war distroyit.

1597 A. Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae 220 Bot lang mycht I lye luiking so or Cupide come againe.

1761 Session Papers in Sc. National Dict. (1965) VI. (at cited word) Bear up my Wife's Heart as much as possible, or I see and win home.

1839 Wilson's Hist. Tales Borders V. 95 Ye maun juist content yoursel awhile or I get a spade.

1870 R. Chambers Pop. Rhymes Scotl. (new ed.) 104 Jock gaed far and far and farer nor I can tell, or he cam to a king's hoose.

1937 F. Niven Staff at Simson's viii Wait or I get the tickets.

1952 Forfar Dispatch 4 Dec. in Sc. National Dict. (1965) VI. 489/2 She's knipit awa at the knittin or her beens is a' sair.

1992 D. Toulmin Coll. Short Stories 107 Whiles she'd let the milk curdle and make a hangman cheese, hanging it outside on a nail in the wall for nearly a week or it dried and hardened.

3. Scottish and English regional (northern). After a comparative or other: than. Now rare (Scottish in later use).

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a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 1510 And hauen mete ðan at is mel More or ðe gungere twinne del.

c1400 (?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) 1543 (MED) To yow þat..weldez more slyȝt Of þat art..or a hundreth of seche As I am.

a1522 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid (1957) v. viii. 88 Felis thow nocht ȝit, quod he, Othir strenth or mannis force has delt with the?

1567 Compend. Bk. Godly Songs (1897) 135 Rather or thow suld ly in paine.

c1650 J. Row & J. Row Hist. Kirk Scotl. (1842) 500 The Marques of Hunteley obtained more subscriptions..in the toune and shyre of Aberdeen and Bamff or any other.

1880 W. T. Dennison Orcadian Sketch-bk. 3 Better or ony lord i' the land.

1920 J. Firth Reminisc. 157 Better cleanly want or a filty fill.

a. Sooner than, rather than (in expressing preference); = ere adv.¹ 2. Now Scottish.

ΚΠ

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 9816 (MED) His hert aght ar at brest in thrin Ar [v.r. or] fra his comamentes tuin.

c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. xv. 502 (MED) Þe red noble Is reuerenced or [c1400 C text xviii. 201 by-fore] þe Rode.

1567 T. Drant tr. Horace Pistles in tr. Horace Arte of Poetrie sig. Fij^v Or he would weare a suite of silke, The winter should him kil.

1624 Extracts Rec. in W. Chambers Charters Burgh Peebles (1872) 365 The devill be amang the provest and bailyes or I be thair burges.

1814 W. Scott Waverley II. xix. 296 He wad scroll for a plack the sheet, or she kend what it was to want.

1903 N.E.D. (at cited word) I wad sterve or I wad be obleig't to the like o' him.

†b. With comparative adverbs expressing a preference in the principal clause, as better, erer, rather. Obsolete.

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1508 Golagros & Gawane (Chepman & Myllar) sig. bii^*v Or thay be dantit with dreid erar will thai de.

1514 Earl of Worcester in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eng. Hist. (1827) 2nd Ser. I. 244 Never man..better loved his wife than he did, but or he wold have suche a woman abought hur, he hadde lever be without hur.

1622 in R. Pitcairn Criminal Trials Scotl. (1833) III. 525 I rather ȝe and my hussie baith..war brunt or ȝe get my dog!

†5. Scottish. Lest. Obsolete. rare.

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1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) i. l. 272 That gud man dred or Wallace suld be tane, For Suthroun ar full sutaille euerilk man.

a1525 Bk. Sevyne Sagis 1282, in W. A. Craigie Asloan MS (1925) II. 41 For dreid or þat ȝe be miscarijt.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2004; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

oradv.²

Misinterpretation of or conj.¹ as an introductory particle meaning ‘now’: see quot. a1500 at or conj.¹ 4a.

ΚΠ

c1429 Mirour Mans Saluacioune (1986) l. 1177 Or Salomones throne had greces sex, als I saide toforne.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2004; most recently modified version published online December 2019).

orconj.¹

Brit.

/ɔː/, U.S.

/ɔr/

Forms:

α. early Middle English ( Ormulum) 1900s (regional) orr, Middle English ar, Middle English arre, Middle English hor (rare), Middle English o (transmission error), Middle English on (transmission error), Middle English ore (rare), Middle English– or, 1800s 'a (English regional (Suffolk)); U.S. regional 1800s a, 1800s er, 1800s ur, 1900s– aer; also Scottish pre-1700 are, 1900s– ur. c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 10882 Hofenn upp. & hadedd. Till bisscopp. orr till unnderrpreost. ▸ c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) 977 King or cayser forto be.a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 3272 Egipcienes woren in twired wen, Queðer he sulden folgen or flen.a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 5856 Þat i suld oþer here his saand, O[a1400 Gött. Or] lat þe folk vte o mi land.a1500 Sir Degrevant (Cambr.) (1949) 156 He preyd hem to do him ryght Ar[c1440 Thornton Or] tell hym wher-fore.a1500 Ratis Raving (Cambr. Kk.1.5) l. 1552 in R. Girvan Ratis Raving & Other Early Scots Poems (1939) 44 Outhir thai are þaris.1823 E. Moor Suffolk Words 2 ‘Wutha 'a wool 'a nae.’ Whether he will or not.a1824 J. Guild Jrnl. in Proc. Vermont Hist. Soc. (1937) 3 252 I came to a poor house where they wanted a needle atoo [= or two] or a few pins.1867 G. W. Harris Sut Lovingood 158 Hit am es true es sayin yas, when a man axes yu ur me.1894 J. W. Riley Armazindy 157 Fer any boy 'at's little as me, Er any little girl.1939 B. Cheney Lightwood 5 It didn't last more'n seven aer eight year.1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick xxi. 201 A speert fatna game 'is frien likit best, Jinny. Three Caird Loo, Whust, ur Catch 'e Ten.

β. Middle English ouer, Middle English ouir, Middle English our, Middle English 1600s ore (northern); Scottish pre-1700 ore. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Coll. Phys.) 19523 Godis uirtu our [a1400 Vesp. or] grete prophete, Or angel elles þai him let.a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Coll. Phys.) 23425 Wit þi fot to ouircast a fel, Ouer[a1400 Vesp. Or] al þis erþe.a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Coll. Phys.) 19715 Nichte ouir [a1400 Gött. or] dai.c1450 (?a1400) Wars Alexander (Ashm.) 2260 Of were ore of wristilling.c1480 (a1400) St. Paul 737 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) I. 50 How hard panis, ore how sar his modir tholit.

Origin: A variant or alteration of another lexical item. Etymons: other conj., outher conj.

Etymology: Reduced form of other conj., and probably also (in forms in ou- ) of outher conj. Compare er conj.The Middle English forms ar , arre are perhaps transmission errors, although examples from northern and Scots sources (compare quots. a1500¹, a1500² at α. forms) probably show a parallel reduced form of ather , northern and Scots variant of outher conj. The Ormulum has oþerr for the disyllabic form, and, for the monosyllabic and unstressed form, oþþr before a vowel, orr before a consonant; compare:c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 6480 Her iss litell oþerr nohht. I þiss land.c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 16100 Ta þatt sellenn haliȝ gast..Att fullhtninng. oþerr att hannd gang. Oþþr att hadinng forr mede.c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 7728 Þatt lac..Wass tweȝȝenn cullfre briddess..Oþþritt wass tweȝȝenn turrtless.c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 11843 To don ohht orr to spekenn ohht. Or is properly the conjunction, not the associated adverb (see sense 2), which continued to be other , or outher , in modern Standard English either (i.e. either..or); though or..or also occurs: see sense 3.

1. Used to coordinate two (or more) sentence elements between which there is an alternative.Things so coordinated may differ in nature, or quality, or merely in quantity, in which case the one may include the other, as in ‘it will cost a pound or one pound fifty’, ‘two or three minutes’, ‘a word or two’. The second member may also express a correction or modification of the first, which may be strengthened by expanding or to or even, or rather, or at least.

a. In general use, coordinating noun phrases, adjectival phrases, adverbial phrases, verbs, and clauses.Also used where the first alternative is negated by not or some other negative word, where nor might otherwise be used: cf. sense 2c, and nor conj.¹ 3a.or otherwise: see otherwise adv. 5; or so: see or so at so adv. and conj. 33; or something: see something n. 1f; or whatever: see whatever pron. 4b.

ΚΠ

c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 10882 Hofenn upp. & hadedd. Till bisscopp. orr till unnderrpreost.

c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) 573 Leoun or wlf, wluine or bere, Or oþer best, þat wolde him dere.

c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) 2102 (MED) Þan birþe men casten hem in poles Or in a grip or in þe fen.

c1385 G. Chaucer Knight's Tale 1125 Oure appetites..of werre or pees or hate or loue.

?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) ii. 154 If werre or wo had risen.

a1425 Dialogue Reason & Adversity (Cambr.) (1968) 7 (MED) Þou art not so stronge..as an hors or an olifaunt.

1483 Catholicon Anglicum (BL Add. 89074) (1881) 260 Or, aut, vel, sev, que.

1490 W. Caxton tr. Eneydos vi. 24 Bochace..hath transposed or atte leste dyuersifyed the falle and caas of dydo otherwyse than vyrgyle.

a1522 G. Douglas in tr. Virgil Æneid (1959) vi. Prol. 39 Twichand our faith mony clausis he fand, Quhilk bene conforme, or than collaterall.

1548 Hall's Vnion: Edward IV f. ccxxxii^v No man hathe sene a better counterfaytor or player in any Comedie or Tragedie.

1584 R. Scot Discouerie Witchcraft xiv. i. 353 The art or rather the craft of Alcumystrie.

1602 B. Jonson Poetaster ii. i. sig. C2^v As soone as euer your maide, or your man brings you word.

1639 Oath of Free-man (single sheet) And therefore doe here sweare..And further that I will not Plot or practise any evill against it, or consent to any that shall so doe.

1656 tr. T. White Peripateticall Inst. 428 In all the Peregrinations of the Patriarchs, or even the commerces of the Kings with Ægypt.

1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost i. 583 And all who since, Baptiz'd or Infidel Jousted in Aspramont or Montalban.

1766 O. Goldsmith Vicar of Wakefield I. i. 2 The year was spent in moral or rural amusements.

1776 Trial Maha Rajah Nundocomar for Forgery 61/2 Did you send a verbal or a written message?

1804 W. Cruise Digest Laws Eng. Real Prop. III. 555 The possession of the others or other of them.

1813 W. Scott Rokeby ii. 89 Wilfrid, or Bertram raves, or you!

1816 J. Wilson City of Plague i. i. 439 He heeded not Me or my sorrow.

1849 Chambers's Information for People (new ed.) II. 282/1 It is generally flat or but slightly undulating.

1861 M. Pattison in Westm. Rev. Apr. 413 A vine or two.

1920 R. Macaulay Potterism i. i. 9 A periodical called, I believe, the Weekly Comment, with which you may or may not be familiar.

1965 A. Lurie Nowhere City xv. 156 Or he would write letters. Or he would look out of the window. Or he would go to Ceci's.

1989 Which? Jan. 22/1 They might blend in better with antiques or a period interior.

b. spec. With coordinated singular subjects and plural agreement.When singular subjects (noun or pronoun) are coordinated by or, strict logic and the rules laid down by grammarians since the 17th cent. require the verb and following pronouns to be singular (cf., e.g., quot. 1602 at sense 1a); but at all times there has been a tendency to use the plural with two or more singular subjects when their mutual exclusion is not emphasized.When the subjects differ in number or person, the grammarians' rule is that the verb and pronouns should agree with the last or nearest, e.g. ‘I or thou art to blame’, ‘I, or thou, or he is the author of it’ (Lindley Murray); but such constructions tend to seem stiff and pedantic, and are consequently avoided.The question of gender causes further complication, and especially the absence of a 3rd person pronoun of common gender. To say either ‘if he or she has his friends with him’ or ‘if he or she has her friends with her’ may be misleading, while ‘if he or she has his or her friends with him or her’ is clumsy and pedantic, which is avoided by saying ‘have their friends with them’ (cf. their adj. 2); so ‘Your brother or sister will lend their aid.’ These difficulties appear to have been felt at all times, and have been sometimes avoided by making the verb immediately precede or follow the first subject, and agree with it (cf. quot. 1813 at sense 1a).

ΚΠ

c1400 (?a1300) Kyng Alisaunder (Laud) (1952) 75 Whan kyng oiþer erle com hym to a-werre.]

c1400 J. Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1871) III. 479 (MED) Goddis office or servyse ben not to be songun wiþ note.

a1425 (?a1400) G. Chaucer Romaunt Rose (Hunterian) 4862 Whanne fader or moder arn in grave.

1502 tr. Ordynarye of Crysten Men (de Worde) ii. x. sig. lvi^v Whan the one or the other ben of lynage or of ony affynyte.

1621 G. Hakewill King David's Vow 328 A great towne or a great Personages house, if they bee good, do much good to the Countrey.

1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones V. xiii. vi. 51 Among whose Vices Ill-Nature or Hardness of Heart were not numbered.

1849 J. Ruskin Seven Lamps Archit. iv. 126 If Tintoret or Giorgione are at hand.

1879 ‘G. Eliot’ Theophrastus Such xviii. 339 The corpus vile on which rage or wantonness vented themselves with impunity.

1957 C. Muscatine Chaucer & French Trad. 75 His logic or his sympathy lead him to show us this view as involved with the higher ones.

1977 N.Y. Times 14 Aug. e17 If Senator Church or Senator George McGovern think they can learn something in Cuba or anywhere else, his attitude is: let them try.

2. In correlative constructions.

a. With the alternative expressed by or emphasized by prefixing to the first member, or adding after the last, the correlative adverb either (formerly other or outher): e.g. ‘you may have either an apple or a pear’; ‘I could eat an apple or a pear either’. Cf. either adv. 3a, other adv.¹, outher adv.The primary function of either, etc., is to emphasize the indifference of the two (or more) things or courses; e.g. ‘you may take either the medal or its value’ = the medal and its value are equally at your option, you may take either; but a secondary function is to emphasize the mutual exclusiveness, = either of the two, but not both.

ΚΠ

c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) 94 (MED) Oþer he refte him hors or wede, Or made him sone handes sprede.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 5856 Þat i suld oþer here his saand, O [a1400 Gött. Or] lat þe folk vte o mi land.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 9838 (MED) A-noiþer..wanted oiþer fote or [a1400 Gött. eyder..or; a1400 Trin. Cambr. ouþer..or] hand.

c1430 (c1395) G. Chaucer Legend Good Women Prol. 5 That eyther hath in helle or hevene ybe.

?a1475 (a1396) W. Hilton Scale of Perfection (Harl. 6579) i. ii. f. 2^v (MED) Þis lif longeth to alle..whilke eiþer han stat, office, ore cure ouer oþer men.

a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1897–1973) 37 (MED) Bryng..Of mercy som tokynyng, Ayther bi north or southe.

1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles I. cccxxi. 202 a Outher with fayrnesse or foulnesse.

1625 N. Carpenter Geogr. Delineated i. v. 117 The Globe of the Earth may be considered two waies; either Absolutely in it selfe, or Comparatiuely in respect of the heauenly Bodies.

1725 I. Watts Logick i. iv. §4 Names are either common or proper.

1791 J. Learmont Poems Pastoral 172 When fock are outher late or sune Ramjee'd wi' whisky.

1844 W. M. Thackeray in New Monthly Mag. July 418 Eels, salmon, lobsters, either au gratin or in cutlets.

1902 Encycl. Brit. XXXII. 167/2 Adhesion lines..may be either of normal or of narrow gauge.

1974 C. Ryan Bridge too Far i. ii. 15 No one had seen Allied troops—either American or British.

2000 Holiday & Leisure Spring 119/1 The flats..each comfortably sleep either two or four people.

b. With the first alternative introduced by whether (see whether conj.¹ 3, whether conj.¹ 5).Here or (formerly other) took the place of the earlier disjunctive particle, Old English þe (see the conj. 1c).

ΚΠ

a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 3272 Egipcienes woren in twired wen, Queðer he sulden folgen or flen.

a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1959) Gen. xxvii. 21 Wheþer þou be my sonn Esau or none.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 22167 Queþer þat he be crist or nai.

a1500 (?a1425) Ipomedon (Harl.) (1889) 1844 Whethyr will ye come or nay?

1542 H. Brinkelow Lamentacion sig. Avii Yee and yet knowe not you, whether they heare you or not, as the likelyhod is they do not.

1600 J. Pory tr. J. Leo Africanus Geogr. Hist. Afr. 344 Whether the said Amber be the sperma or the excrement therof, they cannot well determine.

1657 R. Tomlinson tr. J. de Renou Physical Inst. v, in Medicinal Dispensatory sig. X4 Any convenient humour, whether bitter, acerb, salty, or oyly.

1707 G. Farquhar Beaux Stratagem i. 9 Let me look you full in the Face, and I'll tell you whether you can affront me or no.

1764 S. Foote Mayor of Garret i. 10 Whether from the fall or the fright, the Major mov'd off in a month.

1801 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 91 239 Whether we consider it mineralogically or chymically, it certainly is an interesting substance.

1873 T. Cooper Paradise of Martyrs iii. 111 Each thing.., whether it will or nill, The eternal purpose..Doth..fulfil.

1903 Westm. Gaz. 12 June 10/1 The false issue you raised was whether or not the uncle was justified in going to the detective to find out the wife's residence.

1957 R. N. C. Hunt Guide to Communist Jargon iii. 6 All those who, whether they possess capital or not, have an interest in preserving the capitalist system.

2000 Red Herring Feb. 72/1 Sellers and buyers—whether businesses or consumers—arrive at a mutually satisfactory price point.

c. With the first alternative negated by neither (also formerly nother), where the normal conjunction is nor. See neither adv. 1c, nother adv.¹ 3a, and cf. nor conj.¹ 1.

ΚΠ

1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles I. xxvi. 37 We fynd nat aunciently, that..Scotlande shulde..be subgiet to the realme of Ingland, nother by homage, or any other wayes.

1597 T. Beard Theatre Gods Iudgements i. xxiv. 127 There is neither scepter, crowne, stay, or strength of man that is able to hinder and turne aside the hand of the Almightie.

1682 Herbert's Life Henry VIII (new ed.) 221 From which they saw neither profit nor honour likely to ensue.

1691 A. Wood Athenæ Oxonienses II. 516 An horse that had neither good eyes or feet.

1713 R. Steele Guardian No. 5. ⁋4 Neither strict piety, diligence in domestick affairs, or any other avocation, have preserved her against love.

1765 T. Mortimer New Hist. Eng. II. viii. 23/2 Neither we, nor our heirs, will ever act contrary to any of them, neither judicially nor extra-judicially, neither directly or indirectly.

1812 S. T. Coleridge in R. Southey Omniana I. clix. 310 Morality can neither be produced or preserved in a people..without true religion.

1882 E. A. Freeman in W. R. W. Stephens Life & Lett. E. A. Freeman (1895) II. 267 Neither Reformers in the sixteenth century or Puritans in the seventeenth century strove in any sense for ‘religious liberty’.

1923 U. L. Silberrad Lett. Jean Armiter ii. 37 She does nothing.., neither looking at her fellow beachers..or playing with the children.

1997 Independent 23 Apr. (Suppl.) 2/2 Some brave transsexuals..have rejected the medicalised script.., insisting that they are neither one thing or the other.

3. As introductory correlative.

a. or..or: either..or. Now poetic.Formerly, sometimes a literalism of translation (cf. Latin aut..aut, French ou..ou), but perhaps sometimes an actual phonetic reduction of other..other, other..or: cf. wher..or for whether..or.

ΚΠ

a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 2045 Or for misdede, or for on-sagen, Ðor woren to ðat prisun dragen On ðat ðe kinges kuppe bed.

c1330 in T. Wright Polit. Songs Eng. (1839) 324 (MED) Or he shal singe si dedero, or al geineth him noht.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 494 (MED) Þan fell þai depe, or lesse or mare.

a1425 J. Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1869) I. 124 Ȝif he heere treuþe or o tyme or oþer.

1474 W. Caxton tr. Game & Playe of Chesse (1883) i. iii. 15 Or thou art a god or a man or nought.

1576 G. Gascoigne Steele Glas sig. F.ij [Epamynond] Would neuer take, or bribe, or rich reward.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Comedy of Errors (1623) i. i. 136 Loth to leaue vnsought Or that, or any place.

1717 A. Pope tr. Homer Iliad III. xii. 396 Or let us Glory gain, or Glory give!

1800 S. T. Coleridge Anc. Mariner (rev. ed.) vi, in W. Wordsworth & S. T. Coleridge Lyrical Ballads (ed. 2) I. 185 Without or wave or wind.

1867 J. Ingelow Story of Doom vii. 266 Learn that to love is the one way to know Or God or man.

1957 D. L. Sayers tr. Song of Roland 128 His eyes are all glazed, Or far or near he can see nothing straight.

†b. or..or: whether..or (in alternative questions, direct or indirect). Obsolete.Or alone in the sense ‘whether’ (as in quot. ?1518) is rare, and probably only represents Latin an.

ΚΠ

a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1965) Ecclus. xlvi. 5 Or [a1425 L.V. whether; L. An] not in wrathefulnesse of hym is lettid þe sunne.

c1410 (c1350) Gamelyn (Harl. 7334) 148 (MED) I..dide it..but for a fondyng, For to loken or þou were strong.

?1518 Virgilius sig. aiiij^v He asked the lordes..or they wolde therfore warre.

1579 E. Spenser Shepheardes Cal. Mar. 29 Or hast thy selfe his slomber broke? Or made preuie to the same?

1600 W. Shakespeare Merchant of Venice iii. ii. 64 Tell me where is fancie bred, Or in the hart, or in the head.

1623 J. Webster Deuils Law-case ii. iii Denied Christian burial! I pray, what does that? Or the dead lazy march in the funeral? Or the flattery in the epitaphs?

1734 A. Pope Ess. Man: Epist. IV 235 Alike, or when or where, they shone or shine, Or on the Rubicon, or on the Rhine.

a. Connecting two words denoting the same thing: = otherwise called, that is (corresponding to Latin vel, sive).

ΚΠ

J. Gaytryge Lay Folks' Catech. (York Min.) (1901) 86 (MED) The sext thing..Is the seuen heued synnes or dedely synnes.

a1425 (a1382) Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Corpus Oxf.) Gen. iii. 19 In the swoot of thi chere, or face, thou shalt ete thi brede.

c1475 ( Surg. Treat. in MS Wellcome 564 f. 48^v (MED) Þe day artificial..lastiþ vn to þe euenynge or þe sunne goynge to þe reste.

a1500 ( Pilgrimage of Soul (Egerton) (1953) iv. xli. f. 75^v This statua or this ymage, signyfied this same kyng Nabugodonosor.

1548 W. Turner Names of Herbes sig. F.vij^v With a sharper toppe or ende of the leafe.

1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball ii. xcvi. 276 The tame or garden Nigella is agayne parted into two sortes.

1608 E. Topsell Hist. Serpents 259 (heading) Of the Tame or Hovse-Spyder.

1672 N. Grew Anat. Veg. iv. 111 These Nerves or Fibres.

1726 in K. Laybourn Brit. Trade Unionism (1991) 14 All contracts..for regulating the said trade or mystery.

1842 Act 5 & 6 Victoria c. 79 §17 From the centre of the track of the right or off wheel to the centre of the track of the left or near wheel.

1900 W. A. Shenstone Elem. Inorg. Chem. xxix. 439 Plumbic oxide (PbO) is known as litharge or massicot.

1960 Jrnl. Educ. Res. 53 172/2 A student in the top or first quartile of his class.

2001 Independent 12 Apr. i. 14/7 By early Tuesday he was dead—a victim of the most deadly of the world's culinary delicacies, the blowfish or fugu.

b. Used between numeral adjectives to convey an approximate quantity, as four or five, forty or fifty, etc. Cf. one or two —— at one adj., n., and pron. Phrases 1a, two or three at two adj. 5b.The numbers concerned are usually consecutive (four or five, nine or ten), or else the interval between them is a recognizable factor of each (five or ten, forty or fifty). Whereas forty or forty-one would usually be taken literally as meaning either 40 or 41 (exactly).

ΚΠ

a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) 2391 (MED) Þe werwolf was out to-fore þe mountaunce of half a myle or more.

c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Matt. xviii. 20 Where two or three shulen be gedrid in my name.

1433 W. Caxton tr. G. de la Tour-Landry Knyghte of Toure C iij They dare bye gownes of three or foure score crownes.

1535 Bible (Coverdale) 1 Kings xvii. 12 I haue gathered up one or two stickes.

1576 F. Clement in Petie Schole (1587) sig. Aij^v How fewe be there under the age of seauen or eight yeares?

1592 T. Nashe Pierce Penilesse (Brit. Libr. copy) sig. D1 Brewers, that by retayling filthy Thames water, come in few yeres to be worth fortie or fiftie thousand pound.

1601 B. Jonson Every Man in his Humor iii. iii O for three or four gallons of vinegar, to sharpen my wits.

1671 tr. R. Fréjus Relation Voy. Mauritania 33 I drank five or six cups of this admirable water.

1709 R. Steele Tatler No. 45 I took a Walk a Mile or Two out of Town.

1735 J. Wesley Wks. (1872) I. 17 I..administered the Lord's Supper to six or seven communicants.

1805 W. Wordsworth Prelude viii. 25 A stall or two is here.

1824 R. Southey Life (1850) v. 177 Taking up a book for five or ten minutes.

1908 S. E. White Riverman ix. 80 There isn't a man on that river who doesn't chip in five or ten dollars when a man is hurt.

1999 Daily Tel. 28 Jan. (Connected section) 15/1 Pay a visit to the Car Seekers website to see if you can save a grand or three.

a. After a primary statement, appending a secondary alternative or the consequence of setting aside the primary statement: otherwise, else; in any other case; if not.

ΚΠ

a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) 667 (MED) Wirche wiþ me þi wille, or..Mi liif lelly is lorn.

c1395 G. Chaucer Merchant's Tale 1388 Cherisse thy wyf, or thow shalt neuere thee.

?a1475 Ludus Coventriae (1922) 368 (MED) Faste yow aray or I make avow..youre bodyes schul blede.

a1513 W. Dunbar Poems (1998) I. 87 Owt of mynd ȝone man is he, Or sum hes done him confort kyth.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Twelfth Night (1623) ii. iv. 36 Then let thy Loue be yonger then thy selfe, Or thy affection cannot hold the bent.

1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost i. 330 Awake, arise, or be for ever fall'n.

1791 W. Cowper tr. Homer Iliad in Iliad & Odyssey I. i. 95 I judge amiss, or he who rules the Argives..will be incensed.

1840 Peter Parley's Ann. 82 Leave off, sir, or I will cane you again.

1874 T. Hardy Far from Madding Crowd I. xv. 179 The first man in the parish that I hear prophesying bad of our mistress, why..he'll smell and taste that—or I'm a Dutchman.

1920 R. Macaulay Potterism iv. i. 154 We must crush them this time, or it will be the beginning of the end.

1980 V. S. Pritchett Edge of Cliff 107 The rain was pouring down outside or I would have gone after her.

b. Introducing an elliptical question which, in the character of an afterthought, casts doubt on a preceding assertion or on the presuppositions behind a preceding statement or question.

ΚΠ

c1907 W. B. Yeats Let. 4 July (1954) 483 I suppose the matter is technically your concern as well as mine, or is it?

1924 R. Macaulay Orphan Island xvi. 212 Matilda had the laugh of the bees after all. Or did she? I'm not so sure!

1935 V. Markham Deadly Jest xi. 138 They couldn't have come from the servants' quarters or you'd have heard. Or would you? You were dropping off.

1956 H. McCloy Two-thirds of Ghost (1957) i. 8 Vera must know how everyone who cared for Amos felt about her. Or did she? Probably not.

1992 Economist 8 Feb. 85 (heading) A queue, or a black market, is a sure sign that something..is seriously underpriced. Or is it?

c. colloquial. Introducing an emphatic repetition of a rhetorical question.

ΚΠ

1933 Punch 11 Jan. 29/3 Say, can he act orr can he act? Ah'll tell de woirrld.

1939 P. Cheyney Poison Ivy vii. 122 Just then Mirabelle comes through [on the telephone]. Has that dame gotta a swell voice or has she?

1946 ‘C. Brahms’ & ‘S. J. Simon’ Trottie True vii. 201 ‘Well,’ said Bradford, torn between pride and regret, ‘she may be going to marry a Lord, but can I pick 'em or can I pick 'em?’

2002 News-Press (Fort Myers, Florida) (Nexis) 21 Oct. 1 a You know how the family is. They're overprotective. Am I right or am I right?

6. or else (formerly also as one word).

a. Or if not, or otherwise; = sense 5a. In early use also corresponding to senses 1 and 3.

ΚΠ

a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) 1132 (MED) He..egged him..bataile to a-bide, or elles..he wold bruttene alle hise burnes.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 9715 (MED) Or ells agh dom be cald a-gain.

a1450 (?c1405) in J. Kail 26 Polit. Poems (1904) 29 (MED) Þey wene no god þer nys..Or elles a-noþer heresy þere is.

1461 in J. Raine Inventories & Acct. Rolls Benedictine Houses Jarrow & Monk-Wearmouth (1854) 245 Y^t he..apper be for y^e said holy fader y^e pope, or ylls y^e wirschipfull doctour Bernardus Romia.

c1475 (?c1451) Bk. Noblesse (Royal) (1860) 30 Good men..takethe theire congie and licence..orellis they departethe bethout licence.

a1513 H. Bradshaw Lyfe St. Werburge (1521) i. x. sig. c.vii^v Is now orels shalbe.

1577 G. Whetstone Remembraunce Gaskoigne xl In wo orels in endles blis.

1584 in Cal. State Papers Scotl. (1913) VII. 64 Thai ether diffyrd in the equite of thair cause orelles are bevichit and sensles.

c1600 (?c1395) Pierce Ploughman's Crede (Trin. Cambr. R.3.15) (1873) 480 Oþers elles Satan him-self sente hem fro hell.

1659 H. Hammond Paraphr. & Annot. Psalms (xlviii. 13 Annot.) 249/2 Or els it will be impossible to number them exactly.

1760 L. Sterne Life Tristram Shandy II. iii. 22 He found the precise path to be a Parabola,—or else an Hyperbola.

1796 Glasse's Art of Cookery (new ed.) xi. 175 Boil all together and send it up immediately, or else it will oil.

1820 J. Keats Eve of St. Agnes in Lamia & Other Poems 89 Follow me, child, or else these stones will be thy bier.

1879 J. Beerbohm Wanderings in Patagonia xi. 171 The batter must be stirred well, or else it will stick to the sides.

1904 E. H. Giglioli tr. O. Beccari Wanderings Forests Borneo App. 392 Certain plants growing on river banks..which have linear or else very narrow leaves.

1985 J. Merrill Late Settings i. 5 That chiffonier would have to go, or else be painted white.

b. colloquial. Used elliptically as a form of warning or threat.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > danger > threat or threatening > [phrase]

or elsea1593

bilbo's the word1693

a1593 C. Marlowe Edward II (1594) sig. E Mor. iu. And you shall ransome him, or else. Edm. What Mortimer, you will not threaten him?

1833 Examiner 6 Jan. 1/2 Suppose a landlord were to say to his tenant, ‘I have got a cause coming on at Chelmsford Assizes; you must..swear to such and such a falsehood, or else.’

1854 W. M. Thackeray Rose & Ring x See it be done, or else!

1879 J. McCarthy Hist. our Own Times II. 275 Correspondence..between two Irish chieftains. ‘Pay me my tribute,’ wrote the one, ‘or else!’

1933 Baltimore Sun 6 Apr. 12/1 People who worked for us during the campaign are saying ‘either come across with those jobs or else’.

1959 J. Verney Friday's Tunnel vi. 61 If I do..have children..they'll jolly well obey me and no argument. Or else.

1977 A. Cooke Six Men i. 18 In those ‘people's republics’..a million people can be commanded to appear on the double in the great square, or else.

2000 K. Atkinson Emotionally Weird (2001) 70 I want your George Eliot [essay] on my desk by five o'clock.., or else.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2004; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

> see also

also refers to : † or-prefix

also refers to : -orsuffix

> as lemmas

O.R.

O.R. n. U.S. operating room.

ΚΠ

1968 ‘J. Hudson’ Case of Need 6 The pink tag attached gave the name of the patient; he was down in the OR now with his chest cut open.

1979 Washington Post (Nexis) 2 May b1 He kept right on operating..with the hot lights and O.R. pressure and fame arcing down.

1989 C. Hiaasen Skin Tight (1990) xii. 130 He'd stay in the O.R. until they put her under.

2001 N.Y. Times Mag. 15 July 40/1 Operating Room No.5..is a backdrop of blue: blue scrubs on the 10 nurses and doctors who crowd around the O.R. table; blue sterile sheets.

extracted from On.¹

OR n. operational research.

1953 Operational Res. Q. 4 72 The evolution of O.R...is reflected by the number of publications.

1969 J. Argenti Managem. Techniques 107 Courses on OR designed for managers.

1994 T. Byrne Local Govt. in Brit. (ed. 6) x. 278 Operational research (OR) is used to establish a more rational or scientific basis for management decision-making.

extracted from On.¹

O.R.

O.R. n. Military other ranks.

ΚΠ

1942 E. Partridge Dict. Abbrev. 72/1 O.R., other ranks, i.e. ranks other than officers.

1947 J. Bertram Shadow of War vii. ii. 217 The heavy work in the camp was done by N.C.O.s and O.R.s., known as ‘camp-employed’.

1991 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) 2 Feb. 31/2 The O.R.'s mess is a pleasant, airy, sensible sort of place.

extracted from On.¹

n.¹1437

n.²1947

v.1970

adv.¹prep.conj.²OE

adv.²c1429

conj.¹c1175

单词	or
释义	orn.¹ Brit. /ɔː/, U.S. /ɔr/ Origin: A borrowing from French. Etymon: French or. Etymology: < Anglo-Norman and Middle French, French or gold (9th cent. in Old French, earliest in figurative sense ‘wealth, riches’) < classical Latin aurum gold (see auro- comb. form). †1. Gold (the metallic element). Obsolete. rare. ΚΠ 1437 Rolls of Parl. IV. 503/2 It be lefull to the Maire and Citezeins of ye Citee of Lincoln..to shipp..lx sakkes of Wolle, withoute any Subsidee of the said v Nobles of or. 2. Heraldry. Gold or yellow in armorial blazoning.One of the two metals (metal n. 3), the other being argent. ΘΚΠ society > communication > indication > insignia > heraldic devices collective > heraldic tincture > [noun] > metal > gold or yellow goldc1460 or?1530 topaz1562 sun1572 sol1610 ?1530 T. Tonge Heraldic Visitation Northern Counties (1863) 1 Arms... II. Quarterly, with a surcoat. 1. Barry of six, nebulee, or and gules. 1562 G. Legh Accedens of Armory (1597) 1 b I will begin with the most pretious mettall Golde: Or. 1605 J. Sylvester tr. G. de S. Du Bartas Deuine Weekes & Wks. i. v. 185 Azure they beare three Æaglets Argentine, A Cheuron Ermin 'grailed Or betweene. a1657 G. Daniel Poem (1878) I. 44 And tell you how they beare Gules, or, vert, azure,—heathen words for Red, Yellow, green, blue. 1766 ‘M. A. Porny’ Elem. Heraldry (1787) 20 Or, which signifies gold, and in colour yellow, is expressed by points, pricks, or dots. 1875 C. D. E. Fortnum Maiolica ix. 79 These arms are paly gules and or, on a fess argent a dog in the act of bounding sable. 1980 Daily Tel. 8 May 18 Two lions, that of the Sovereign and a lion per fesse or and gules, being one of the supporters of the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne. 1991 Antiquaries Jrnl. 70 99 Ashmole has tricked all metals as or, although in a number of identifiable quarters argent should appear. 3. or moulu, or molu: see ormolu n. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022). ORn.² Brit. /ɔː/, U.S. /ɔr/ Forms: 1900s– OR, 1900s– or. Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: or conj.¹ Etymology: < or conj.¹ Computing and Electronics. A Boolean operator that has the value unity if at least one of the operands is unity, and is otherwise zero; more fully inclusive or (corresponding to Latin vel). Also: a Boolean operator that has the value unity if just one of two operands is unity, not both of them; more fully exclusive or (corresponding to Latin aut). Frequently attributive. Cf. and n.¹ 2, not n. 4.When exclusive or (sometimes written xor) has more than two arguments, it is usual to make the function unity if and only if an odd number of the arguments are 1 (this represents a generalization of the definition given above for two arguments). Then the placing of the brackets in an exclusive or function is immaterial: e.g. the exclusive or of the four arguments a, b, c, d is ((a xor) b xor c) xor d, equivalent to (a xor (b xor c)) xor d and to a xor ((b xor c) xor d). ΘΚΠ society > computing and information technology > [noun] > logic > operation > particular operations and1946 OR1947 negation1949 inversion1955 NOR1957 NAND1958 NOT AND1960 XOR1961 not1969 1938 C. E. Shannon in Trans. Amer. Inst. Electr. Engineers 57 718/1 There are many special types of relays and switches... The operation of all these types may be described with the words ‘or’, ‘and’, ‘if’, ‘operated’, and ‘not operated’. 1940 W. V. Quine Math. Logic i. 12 When ‘or’ is used in the inclusive sense..joint truth of the components verifies the compound. An ‘or’-compound in this sense can be expressed more clearly by adding the words ‘or both’.] 1947 Proc. IRE 35 758/1 The ‘or’ operation is performed by a ‘buffing’ circuit. 1949 E. C. Berkeley Giant Brains ix. 149 The ‘or’..that is defined in the truth table is often called the inclusive ‘or’ and means ‘and/or’... There is another ‘or’ in common use, often called the exclusive ‘or’, meaning ‘or else’. 1970 O. Dopping Computers & Data Processing i. 25 The order in which different operations are taken is important. The normal order is not, and, or in decreasing order of priority. 1971 J. H. Smith Digital Logic iv. 45 or units are not extensively employed because they are usually constructed with components such as diodes, which have no amplification. 2010 C. H. Roth & L. L. Kinney Fund. Logic Design (ed. 6) vii.196 Next, attempt to realize and or or, keeping in mind that not is now available. Compounds OR gate n. a gate that implements the or function, i.e. whose output signal is 1 if and only if at least one of the input signals is 1; cf. AND gate n. at and conj.¹, adv., and n.¹ Compounds. ΘΚΠ society > computing and information technology > [noun] > logic > operation > logic element > circuit containing OR gate1953 parametron1956 latch1959 XOR gate1969 1953 Proc. IRE 41 1308/2 Negative inputs to and-gates that are used for inhibition omit the initial or-gate. 1972 IEEE Trans. Computers 21 153/2 When digital computers are synthesized with gates other than and, or, and not gates, it is difficult to design optimal..networks directly from the Boolean expressions. 1987 E. H. J. Pallett Aircraft Electr. Syst. (ed. 3) xi. 190/1 With a.c. power now on the busbar, the input to the or gate changes to logic 0. 2002 N. Dale & J. Lewis Computer Sci. Illuminated iv. 93 Note the difference between the xor gate and the or gate... When both input signals are 1, the or gate produces a 1 and the xor produces a 0. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022). ORv. Brit. /ɔː/, U.S. /ɔr/ Forms: 1900s– OR, 1900s– or. Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: OR n.² Etymology: < OR n.² Computing. transitive. To combine using a Boolean or operator. ΘΚΠ society > computing and information technology > programming language > program or code > [verb (transitive)] > use Boolean operator AND1961 OR1970 1970 IBM Techn. Disclosure Bull. 13 257 The outputs of all the drill sense transistors 12 are Ored together by diode Or's 18 and fed to the base of relay control transistor 20. 1982 Giant Bk. Electronics Projects iii. 135 A precise 100 ms gate..is then ‘or’ed together with the signal. 1989 Electronics & Wireless World Feb. 151/2 The resultant word is modified by exclusively or-ing the result with a 10-bit word. 1996 Database 19 80/1 From a Dialog user's perspective, here's what we needed to do:.. or together the results of each of these searches. Derivatives ˈORing n. ΚΠ 1990 Amiga Computing Dec. 115/1 Real 3d allows a full complement of Boolean functions to be performed. These include anding, oring, xoring and most other combinations you can probably imagine. This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, June 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022). oradv.¹prep.conj.² Brit. /ɔː/, U.S. /ɔr/ Forms: α. Old English (Northumbrian) Middle English aar, Old English (Northumbrian) Middle English air, Old English (Northumbrian) Middle English ar, Old English (Northumbrian) Middle English are, Old English (Northumbrian) Middle English ayre, 1800s aur (English regional (Devon)); Scottish pre-1700 aire, pre-1700 ar, pre-1700 are, pre-1700 ayr, pre-1700 ayre, pre-1700 hare, pre-1700 1700s– air, 1700s air'. β. Middle English hoore, Middle English ore, Middle English– or; also Scottish pre-1700 1700s–1800s ore, 1700s 'ore, 1800s ir (Shetland), 1800s oore, 1900s– ur (north-eastern); N.E.D. (1902) also records a form late Middle English oore. Origin: Apparently a borrowing from early Scandinavian. Etymology: Apparently < an early Scandinavian positive form (compare Old Icelandic ár ) of the Germanic base of which the comparative is shown by ere adv.¹, although semantically in English all uses except sense A. 1 are essentially comparative (compare occasional use of ere adv.¹ in positive senses in Old English). Compare ere adv.¹In the 13th and 14th centuries α forms are found in the north, but appear soon to have been displaced by β forms, which are still found frequently in northern regional use and also in Scots. It is uncertain whether this represents a northerly spread of the originally southern and midland form. It has alternatively been suggested that the α. forms may (wholly or partly) show a variant of Old English ǣr ere adv.¹ without i-mutation. Occasional more southerly α. forms in the 13th and 14th centuries may in any case have originated in an unstressed form of Old English ǣr. Now archaic and regional. †A. adv.¹ Obsolete. I. As a positive. 1. Early, at an early hour; = ere adv.¹ 1(a). Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > time > day and night > day or daytime > morning > [adverb] earlyOE orOE ereOE amornOE amorrowc1275 rathec1275 betimea1300 morningc1325 of (also in, on) morningsc1395 a-morninga1400 a-morningsc1400 betimes1481 morningly1560 in the morning1562 ante meridiem1563 timeous1566 rare1574 in a morning1591 rearly1596 timeouslyc1600 mornly1605 a.m.1651 rear1714 antemeridian1770 bright and early1805 matutinely1833 matutinally1897 ack emma1918 OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Matt. xx. 1 Qui exiit primo mane : seðe foerde ærist uel ar in merne. OE (Northumbrian) Rushw. Gospels: Luke xxi. 1 Qui mittebant mane munera sua in gazophilacio diuites : ðaðe gesendun ar ðing hiora in gazophilacium weolige. c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 6242 Beon ar. & late onn ȝunnkerr weorrc. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 19033 Desseli bath late and are. a1530 (c1425) Andrew of Wyntoun Oryg. Cron. Scotl. (Royal) viii. xxxiii. 145 Come I are, come I late. 1579 (c1501) G. Douglas Palice of Honour (Edinb.) 1029 in Shorter Poems (1967) 69 Quha is content, reioycit air or lait? a1650 D. Calderwood Hist. Kirk Scotl. (1843) II. 211 Skairse could anie of the nobilitie have accesse to her aire or late. 1725 A. Ramsay Gentle Shepherd i. i. 4 She jears me air and late. 1817 W. Scott Rob Roy II. xiv. 318 [Baillie Nicol Jarvie loq.] ‘Air day or late day, the fox's hide finds the flaying knife.’ II. As comparative. 2. a. At a former time, on a former occasion; formerly, previously, before; = ere adv.¹ 4. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > time > relative time > the present (time) > [adverb] noweOE nowtheOE nughuOE todayOE nowthenc1225 orc1275 in presentc1330 in this presentc1330 now by dawec1330 of present1340 presentc1385 nowadays?1387 adaysa1393 nowadaya1393 now on daysa1393 presently?a1425 now of daysc1425 now-o'-daysc1450 at (the) presenta1500 at this presenta1500 nowdaysa1500 currently1579 on the presenta1616 actually1663 nowanights1672 naow1824 at this (or the) present speaking1835 again1837 contemporarily1837 nowdays1850 any more1859 hic et nunc1935 at this moment in time1936 the world > time > relative time > the past > [adverb] erea822 fernOE whileOE erera1000 whilereOE onceOE somewhile1154 whilomc1175 herebeforec1200 somewhilesa1250 yorea1250 orc1275 rather?a1300 erewhilec1305 sometimea1325 sometimec1330 at or in sometime1340 in arrear1340 heretoforea1375 fernyear1377 once upon a timec1380 behinds1382 beforetimea1393 of olda1393 erenow1393 umquhilea1400 erst14.. fornec1400 yore whilec1400 of before1402 late1423 abefore1431 beforetimes1449 whilesc1480 sometime1490 aforrow?a1513 behind1526 quondamc1540 in foretime(s?c1550 erstwhile1569 erstwhiles1569 aleare1581 erewhiles1584 sometimes1597 formerly1599 anciently1624 olim1645 somewhile since1652 quondamly1663 forepassed1664 sometimea1684 backward1691 historically1753 time back1812 had-been1835 when1962 the world > time > relative time > the past > antecedence or being earlier > [adverb] erea900 beforeeOE forec1000 toforec1175 therebeforec1200 toforehand1258 forne toc1275 orc1275 andersitha1300 alreadyc1300 rather?1316 beforehandc1330 erstc1330 aforec1350 theretoforea1375 aforehanda1387 forthwitha1400 forwitha1400 or?a1400 ereward14.. toforetimec1400 aforetimes1429 aforetime1433 afore seasons1463 heretoforetime1481 forouth1487 aforrow?a1513 beforrow1568 paravant1590 antecedently1593 formerly1596 precedently1611 preveniently1633 preallably1652 previously1655 precedaneously1657 somewhiles1657 antecedaneously1661 aft1674 prior1675 anteriorly1681 antecedent1690 previous1712 priorly1742 c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 14315 Þa at þan fehte ar weoren. c1330 (?c1300) Guy of Warwick (Auch.) 425 (MED) As y seyd ore. c1380 in Speculum (1946) 21 197 Of effauȝ and elami ne coudy neuer are. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 2913 (MED) Loth, ȝee herd me ar of tell. c1400 (?a1300) Kyng Alisaunder (Laud) (1952) 5023 Hij ben broun of hare, as hij weren aar. c1450 J. Capgrave Life St. Katherine (Arun. 396) (1893) xii. 410 (MED) If she fayr and bryght were hoore, It is amended an hundird part more. c1480 (a1400) St. Lawrence 763 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) I. 424 Rycht as þe feynd sad hyme hare. 1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) xviii. 211 Eduard the bruce, as I said air, Wes descumfit. a1500 (?a1400) Morte Arthur (1903) 2202 He thought on thyngis that had bene ore. a1600 ( W. Stewart tr. H. Boece Bk. Cron. Scotl. (1858) I. 536 The sone..of Fyndocus as I haif said ȝow air. b. Before something else, in the first place. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > one > firstness > [adverb] > in the first place firstlOE ora1300 imprimis1465 once1523 originally1533 primely1610 in the first instancea1676 for one thing1767 a1300 (c1275) Physiologus (1991) 104 He speweð or al ðe uenim..Drinkeð siðen inoȝ. c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) 728 But or he hauede michel shame. a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 88 Fro ðat time we tellen ay Or ðe nigt and after ðe day. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 916 For i most couer þis tinsel are [a1400 Trin. Cambr. furst]. 3. At an earlier time; earlier, sooner; = ere adv.¹ 2. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > time > relative time > the past > antecedence or being earlier > [adverb] erea900 beforeeOE forec1000 toforec1175 therebeforec1200 toforehand1258 forne toc1275 orc1275 andersitha1300 alreadyc1300 rather?1316 beforehandc1330 erstc1330 aforec1350 theretoforea1375 aforehanda1387 forthwitha1400 forwitha1400 or?a1400 ereward14.. toforetimec1400 aforetimes1429 aforetime1433 afore seasons1463 heretoforetime1481 forouth1487 aforrow?a1513 beforrow1568 paravant1590 antecedently1593 formerly1596 precedently1611 preveniently1633 preallably1652 previously1655 precedaneously1657 somewhiles1657 antecedaneously1661 aft1674 prior1675 anteriorly1681 antecedent1690 previous1712 priorly1742 ?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) (1996) i. l. 9991 Cador & his toke þer wey, & to þe hauen wele ore [a1450 Lamb. raþer] cam Ar any Sesson to schip nam. a1425 (?c1350) Ywain & Gawain (1964) 1061 Bitwene þis and þe thrid night And are if that it are myght be. B. prep. 1. a. Before (in time); = ere adv.¹ 1. Now Scottish and Irish English. ΚΠ ?a1200 (?OE) Peri Didaxeon (1896) 13 Nim webradeleaf ar sunne upgange. a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 645 Fowerti ger or domes-dai. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 11383 A tuelmoth ar [a1400 Gött. are; a1400 Trin. Cambr. or] þe natiuite. ?a1425 (c1380) G. Chaucer tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. iii. pr. vii. 25 Nat to tellen it the that hast or this tyme assayed it. 1467–8 Rolls of Parl. V. 622/2 Which had been doon or that tyme. 1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) xx. 607 It wes neuir led or his day So weill. 1509 A. Barclay Brant's Shyp of Folys (Pynson) f. clxxviii To dye or theyr day. 1564 E. Grindal Serm. Funeral Prince Ferdinandus 16 So should we have had the Turk, or this day, to have come to our own doors. a1605 R. Birrel Diarey 19 in J. G. Dalyell Fragm. of Scotish Hist. (1798) Ther came to Striveling, or day light,..the Earle of Huntly. 1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. iv. 141 He came..in the morning ouer to Constantinople; and long or midday turned Turke. 1710 Earls of Cromartie in P. Fraser Treat. Husband & Wife (1876) II. 115 Wee cannot yet be positive for what's fitt, but I hope wee will or Tuesday. 1788 R. Burns Poems & Songs (1968) I. 7 Lang or noon, loud tempests storming. 1819 J. Hogg Wks. Ettrick Shepherd (1874) I. 141 It may be thrapple deep or the morn. 1893 R. L. Stevenson Catriona xii. 137 I'll be there long or that. a1908 H. C. Hart MS Coll. Ulster Words in M. Traynor Eng. Dial. Donegal (1953) 203 Or, ere. It'll not be long ere we'll be back. 1939 J. M. Caie 'Twixt Hills & Sea 39 I doot it'll rain or nicht. †b. or ere [perhaps by confusion with or ere] : before. Obsolete. ΚΠ 1645 J. Milton On Christ's Nativity: Hymn viii, in Poems 5 The Shepherds on the Lawn, Or ere the point of dawn, Sate simply chatting in a rustick row. 1811 W. Wordsworth Epist. to Sir G. H. Beaumont 95 And long or ere the uprising of the Sun O'er dew-damped dust our journey was begun. †2. With clause introduced by a demonstrative pronoun as object, forming with the pronoun a compound conjunction in sense C. 1. Cf. ere adv.¹ 1(a).Cf. classical Latin priusquam, French avant que. a. or than. Obsolete. ΚΠ a1225 (c1200) Vices & Virtues (1888) 145 (MED) Eft seið goddalmihti him self: Ar ðanne ðu clepiȝe to me. a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 2435 Or ðan he [sc. Abraham] wiste off werlde faren. 1465 J. Rising in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) II. 309 They were delyuered owt of pryson or than the massenger come a-geyn to theym. 1511 Pylgrymage Richarde Guylforde (Pynson) f. xxviij^v Or than we Rose from the borde, the warden rose. b. or that. Obsolete. ΚΠ a1325 (c1280) Southern Passion (Pepys 2344) (1927) 55 (MED) Al þis was ydo..þer by-ffore, longe ar þat was þis. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Gött.) 4976 Gode men, listines..Ar þat [a1400 Fairf. or] ȝe giue ani dome. a1450 (?c1421) J. Lydgate Siege Thebes (Arun.) (1911) 2867 (MED) They falle on hym or that he was war. 1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) i. l. 265 Or that thow cess thow will be slayne with-all. 1549 Forme & Maner consecratyng Archebishoppes sig. J.ii^v Christ continued the whole night in praier or euer that [1662 before] he did chose & send foorth his .xii. Apostles. 3. Before an adverb of time functioning as a noun, as long, now, etc., forming an adverbial phrase: cf. erelong adv., erenow adv., etc.; = ere adv.¹ 2. Now rare (Scottish in later use).In quot. c1300, with the adverb aught modifying the time adverb. ΚΠ c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) 1789 (MED) We shole at þis dore gonge..or outh longe. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Trin. Cambr.) 2982 (MED) She is clene as she was ar now. tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) i. 179 (MED) Or longe, yf hit be drie [etc.]. a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1897–1973) 52 (MED) I cam neuer or now where I am. 1559–60 MS Cott. Cal. B. ix The mater had bene lang or now compounded. 1671 in W. Fraser Mem. Maxwells of Pollok (1863) II. 319 Or now. 1786 R. Burns Poems 34 I'll wad my new pleugh-pettle, Ye'll see't or lang. 1822 J. Galt Sir Andrew Wylie II. viii. 78 Some morning or lang ye may rant and ring for your dochter. 1892 J. Lumsden Sheep-Head 263 We'll a' be deid or then. 1903 N.E.D. (at cited word) He'd been there oft or than, Ise warran'. I've seen him lang or now. 4. Scottish. Until (a specified future time). Now rare. ΚΠ 1827 J. Watt Poems 60 Wait or the morn at een. 1883 R. Cleland Inchbracken ii She'll maybe no live or mornin'. 1928 Scots Mag. May 148 The milkin' wisna or nicht. 2009 R. Adam Rhymes of Weary Roadman 3 The Rubbits can wait or the morn. C. conj.² 1. Before (in time). †a. Following an adverb such as before or similar, in redundant use; = ere conj. 1c. Obsolete. ΚΠ a1225 (c1200) Vices & Virtues (1888) 83 (MED) Ðe ilche blisse þat ic adde ær, ar ic sineȝede. c1300 (?c1225) King Horn (Cambr.) (1901) 546 (MED) Mid spere ischal furst ride..Ar ihc þe ginne to woȝe. a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 1506 Ðe firme sune..sulde auen ðe bliscing Or or ðe fader dede his ending. 1388 in J. Slater Early Scots Texts (Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Edinb.) (1952) No. 12 That so [= she] had befor or we come thair. a1400 (c1303) R. Mannyng Handlyng Synne (Harl.) 650 Þat he was noght Before, or þe worlde was wroghte. a1425 (?a1400) G. Chaucer Romaunt Rose (Hunterian) 864 Hir yen..That laugheden ay in hir semblaunt First or the mouth, by covenaunt. ?a1425 (c1400) Mandeville's Trav. (Titus C.xvi) (1919) 54 Before or þei resceyue hem, þei knelen doun. 1485 W. Caxton tr. Paris & Vienne (1957) 25 Tofore or he wente to hys bedde. c1528 in Bk. Old Edinb. Club XI. 116 To the maser at kepis the dur before or the lordis enter in the consell hous. 1598 Baxter Bk. of St. Andrews (1903) 55 Befoir or it be lesum B [etc.]. †b. or alone, in the same sense. Scottish in later use. Obsolete. ΚΠ a1300 (c1275) Physiologus (1991) 65 Or he bicumeð Cristen. c1330 Owain Miles (1837) 32 Now turn oȝain or to late, Ar we the put in at helle gate. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 5578 Born, or he þis werld wroght [a1400 Fairf. or þis werlde was wroȝt]. 1490 W. Caxton tr. Foure Sonnes of Aymon (1885) i. 41 Lete vs ryde hastely towarde Troy or it be take. 1535 Bible (Coverdale) Prov. iv. B Wherin men fall, or they be awarre. 1553 T. Wilson Arte of Rhetorique iii. f. 108 Wil you drink or you go, or wil you go or you drinke. a1598 D. Fergusson Sc. Prov. (1641) sig. C2 He that fishes afore the net, lang or he fish get. a1599 R. Rollock Sel. Wks. (1849) I. 324 Or the half-hour be past. 1615 in J. R. N. Macphail Highland Papers (1920) III. 224 I wow to God, or I liwe the contré, I..sall [etc.]. 1725 A. Ramsay Gentle Shepherd v. ii. 76 Ye intend to..take your Leave of Patrick or he gang. c1783 Lady Maisry in F. J. Child Eng. & Sc. Ballads (1857–91) A. 22 An, or the porter was at the gate, The boy was i the ha. 1826 J. Galt Last of Lairds xxxiv. 310 Your client may..mak a playock wi' a whistle in its tail, or he'll either get heft or blade o' my vote. 1870 W. Morris Earthly Paradise: Pt. III 119 Yet or fell the night He rose. 1895 S. R. Crockett Bog-myrtle & Peat i. iii. 49 I should earn my two hundred pounds a year or all were done. c. or ever (or e'er): before ever, before even, before..at all, before..in any way. Cf. ere conj. 1d. Now rare (British regional and poetic).Ever adds emphasis; cf. ever adv. 6d. But in many early instances or ever does not perceptibly differ from the simple or, ere, or before, whence perhaps the later spelling or ere (see sense C. 1d). ΚΠ 1389 in J. Slater Early Scots Texts (Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Edinb.) (1952) No. 16 Or euer thai be herd before ony juge. c1485 ( G. Hay Bk. Law of Armys (2005) 20 Sanct petir was thare sevyn ȝere duelland or euer he duelt jn rome. c1500 (?a1437) Kingis Quair (1939) v Or ever I stent, my best was more to loke Upon the writings of this nobil man. 1526 Bible (Tyndale) John iv. f. cxxv Syr come awaye or ever that my chylde deye. 1606 G. W. tr. Justinus Hist. iii. 20 They..put forth to sea, or euer the Lacedemonians got knowledge of them. 1752 J. Wesley Wks. (1872) X. 223 Thou accursed Spirit! damned or ever thou wert born! 1785 W. Cowper Task i. 67 Long time elapsed or e'er our rugged sires Complain'd. 1846 J. Keble Lyra Innocentium 129 Stay thee, sad heart, or ere thou breathe thy plaint. 1879 C. Rossetti Seek & Find 246 Or ever He ascended up where he was before. 1919 R. Kipling Years Between 5 O Keepers of the House of old, Or ever we were born. 1928 A. E. Pease Dict. Dial. N. Riding Yorks. 90/1 Naay, he'd getten t'job deean or ivver Ah cam nigh him. †d. or ere [for or ever (or e'er) at sense C. 1c] : = sense C. 1c. Cf. sense B. 1b. Obsolete. ΚΠ 1568 U. Fulwell Like wil to Like sig. E.ii Thou shalt haue some what of me or ere I go. 1608 W. Shakespeare King Lear vii. 445 But this heart shall breake, in a 100. thousand flowes Or ere ile weepe. 1674 N. Fairfax Treat. Bulk & Selvedge To Rdr. Forthwith or ere I could well help it, I fell a Roving. 1823 J. G. Lockhart Calaynos in Anc. Spanish Ballads xiii His soul shall dwell with him in hell, or ere yon sun go down! 1851 E. B. Browning Casa Guidi Windows i. iv. 10 That not a letter of the meaning fall, Or ere it touch and teach His world's deep heart. 1865 J. Young Homely Pictures in Verse 166 Or ere my beast was oot the yoke. 2. Until. Now rare (Scottish in later use). ΚΠ c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) 655 Nolde he þonne faren ar [c1300 Otho: are] his feo[n]den feie weore. c1350 (a1333) William of Shoreham Poems (1902) 11 (MED) Ne non ne may icristned be Ar he his boren of moder. c1390 (a1376) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Vernon) (1867) A. ii. 123 (MED) Cesse schul we neuere or mede be þi weddud wyf. ?a1475 Noble Bk. Cookry in Middle Eng. Dict. at Er Set them on the fyer and let them stonde longe or they sethe. 1489 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (Adv.) i. 297 Bot wonderly hard thing fell Till him or he till state was brocht. a1525 in W. A. Craigie Asloan MS (1923) I. 215 The Pictis regnit i^m lxj ȝere fra thai began or thai war distroyit. 1597 A. Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae 220 Bot lang mycht I lye luiking so or Cupide come againe. 1761 Session Papers in Sc. National Dict. (1965) VI. (at cited word) Bear up my Wife's Heart as much as possible, or I see and win home. 1839 Wilson's Hist. Tales Borders V. 95 Ye maun juist content yoursel awhile or I get a spade. 1870 R. Chambers Pop. Rhymes Scotl. (new ed.) 104 Jock gaed far and far and farer nor I can tell, or he cam to a king's hoose. 1937 F. Niven Staff at Simson's viii Wait or I get the tickets. 1952 Forfar Dispatch 4 Dec. in Sc. National Dict. (1965) VI. 489/2 She's knipit awa at the knittin or her beens is a' sair. 1992 D. Toulmin Coll. Short Stories 107 Whiles she'd let the milk curdle and make a hangman cheese, hanging it outside on a nail in the wall for nearly a week or it dried and hardened. 3. Scottish and English regional (northern). After a comparative or other: than. Now rare (Scottish in later use). ΚΠ a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 1510 And hauen mete ðan at is mel More or ðe gungere twinne del. c1400 (?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) 1543 (MED) To yow þat..weldez more slyȝt Of þat art..or a hundreth of seche As I am. a1522 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid (1957) v. viii. 88 Felis thow nocht ȝit, quod he, Othir strenth or mannis force has delt with the? 1567 Compend. Bk. Godly Songs (1897) 135 Rather or thow suld ly in paine. c1650 J. Row & J. Row Hist. Kirk Scotl. (1842) 500 The Marques of Hunteley obtained more subscriptions..in the toune and shyre of Aberdeen and Bamff or any other. 1880 W. T. Dennison Orcadian Sketch-bk. 3 Better or ony lord i' the land. 1920 J. Firth Reminisc. 157 Better cleanly want or a filty fill. 4. a. Sooner than, rather than (in expressing preference); = ere adv.¹ 2. Now Scottish. ΚΠ a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 9816 (MED) His hert aght ar at brest in thrin Ar [v.r. or] fra his comamentes tuin. c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. xv. 502 (MED) Þe red noble Is reuerenced or [c1400 C text xviii. 201 by-fore] þe Rode. 1567 T. Drant tr. Horace Pistles in tr. Horace Arte of Poetrie sig. Fij^v Or he would weare a suite of silke, The winter should him kil. 1624 Extracts Rec. in W. Chambers Charters Burgh Peebles (1872) 365 The devill be amang the provest and bailyes or I be thair burges. 1814 W. Scott Waverley II. xix. 296 He wad scroll for a plack the sheet, or she kend what it was to want. View more context for this quotation 1903 N.E.D. (at cited word) I wad sterve or I wad be obleig't to the like o' him. †b. With comparative adverbs expressing a preference in the principal clause, as better, erer, rather. Obsolete. ΚΠ 1508 Golagros & Gawane (Chepman & Myllar) sig. bii^v Or thay be dantit with dreid erar will thai de. 1514 Earl of Worcester in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eng. Hist.* (1827) 2nd Ser. I. 244 Never man..better loved his wife than he did, but or he wold have suche a woman abought hur, he hadde lever be without hur. 1622 in R. Pitcairn Criminal Trials Scotl. (1833) III. 525 I rather ȝe and my hussie baith..war brunt or ȝe get my dog! †5. Scottish. Lest. Obsolete. rare. ΚΠ 1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) i. l. 272 That gud man dred or Wallace suld be tane, For Suthroun ar full sutaille euerilk man. a1525 Bk. Sevyne Sagis 1282, in W. A. Craigie Asloan MS (1925) II. 41 For dreid or þat ȝe be miscarijt. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2004; most recently modified version published online June 2022). oradv.² Misinterpretation of or conj.¹ as an introductory particle meaning ‘now’: see quot. a1500 at or conj.¹ 4a. ΚΠ c1429 Mirour Mans Saluacioune (1986) l. 1177 Or Salomones throne had greces sex, als I saide toforne. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2004; most recently modified version published online December 2019). orconj.¹ Brit. /ɔː/, U.S. /ɔr/ Forms: α. early Middle English ( Ormulum) 1900s (regional) orr, Middle English ar, Middle English arre, Middle English hor (rare), Middle English o (transmission error), Middle English on (transmission error), Middle English ore (rare), Middle English– or, 1800s 'a (English regional (Suffolk)); U.S. regional 1800s a, 1800s er, 1800s ur, 1900s– aer; also Scottish pre-1700 are, 1900s– ur. c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 10882 Hofenn upp. & hadedd. Till bisscopp. orr till unnderrpreost. ▸ c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) 977 King or cayser forto be.a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 3272 Egipcienes woren in twired wen, Queðer he sulden folgen or flen.a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 5856 Þat i suld oþer here his saand, O[a1400 Gött. Or] lat þe folk vte o mi land.a1500 Sir Degrevant (Cambr.) (1949) 156 He preyd hem to do him ryght Ar[c1440 Thornton Or] tell hym wher-fore.a1500 Ratis Raving (Cambr. Kk.1.5) l. 1552 in R. Girvan Ratis Raving & Other Early Scots Poems (1939) 44 Outhir thai are þaris.1823 E. Moor Suffolk Words 2 ‘Wutha 'a wool 'a nae.’ Whether he will or not.a1824 J. Guild Jrnl. in Proc. Vermont Hist. Soc. (1937) 3 252 I came to a poor house where they wanted a needle atoo [= or two] or a few pins.1867 G. W. Harris Sut Lovingood 158 Hit am es true es sayin yas, when a man axes yu ur me.1894 J. W. Riley Armazindy 157 Fer any boy 'at's little as me, Er any little girl.1939 B. Cheney Lightwood 5 It didn't last more'n seven aer eight year.1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick xxi. 201 A speert fatna game 'is frien likit best, Jinny. Three Caird Loo, Whust, ur Catch 'e Ten. β. Middle English ouer, Middle English ouir, Middle English our, Middle English 1600s ore (northern); Scottish pre-1700 ore. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Coll. Phys.) 19523 Godis uirtu our [a1400 Vesp. or] grete prophete, Or angel elles þai him let.a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Coll. Phys.) 23425 Wit þi fot to ouircast a fel, Ouer[a1400 Vesp. Or] al þis erþe.a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Coll. Phys.) 19715 Nichte ouir [a1400 Gött. or] dai.c1450 (?a1400) Wars Alexander (Ashm.) 2260 Of were ore of wristilling.c1480 (a1400) St. Paul 737 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) I. 50 How hard panis, ore how sar his modir tholit. Origin: A variant or alteration of another lexical item. Etymons: other conj., outher conj. Etymology: Reduced form of other conj., and probably also (in forms in ou- ) of outher conj. Compare er conj.The Middle English forms ar , arre are perhaps transmission errors, although examples from northern and Scots sources (compare quots. a1500¹, a1500² at α. forms) probably show a parallel reduced form of ather , northern and Scots variant of outher conj. The Ormulum has oþerr for the disyllabic form, and, for the monosyllabic and unstressed form, oþþr before a vowel, orr before a consonant; compare:c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 6480 Her iss litell oþerr nohht. I þiss land.c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 16100 Ta þatt sellenn haliȝ gast..Att fullhtninng. oþerr att hannd gang. Oþþr att hadinng forr mede.c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 7728 Þatt lac..Wass tweȝȝenn cullfre briddess..Oþþritt wass tweȝȝenn turrtless.c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 11843 To don ohht orr to spekenn ohht. Or is properly the conjunction, not the associated adverb (see sense 2), which continued to be other , or outher , in modern Standard English either (i.e. either..or); though or..or also occurs: see sense 3. 1. Used to coordinate two (or more) sentence elements between which there is an alternative.Things so coordinated may differ in nature, or quality, or merely in quantity, in which case the one may include the other, as in ‘it will cost a pound or one pound fifty’, ‘two or three minutes’, ‘a word or two’. The second member may also express a correction or modification of the first, which may be strengthened by expanding or to or even, or rather, or at least. a. In general use, coordinating noun phrases, adjectival phrases, adverbial phrases, verbs, and clauses.Also used where the first alternative is negated by not or some other negative word, where nor might otherwise be used: cf. sense 2c, and nor conj.¹ 3a.or otherwise: see otherwise adv. 5; or so: see or so at so adv. and conj. 33; or something: see something n. 1f; or whatever: see whatever pron. 4b. ΚΠ c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 10882 Hofenn upp. & hadedd. Till bisscopp. orr till unnderrpreost. c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) 573 Leoun or wlf, wluine or bere, Or oþer best, þat wolde him dere. c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) 2102 (MED) Þan birþe men casten hem in poles Or in a grip or in þe fen. c1385 G. Chaucer Knight's Tale 1125 Oure appetites..of werre or pees or hate or loue. ?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) ii. 154 If werre or wo had risen. a1425 Dialogue Reason & Adversity (Cambr.) (1968) 7 (MED) Þou art not so stronge..as an hors or an olifaunt. 1483 Catholicon Anglicum (BL Add. 89074) (1881) 260 Or, aut, vel, sev, que. 1490 W. Caxton tr. Eneydos vi. 24 Bochace..hath transposed or atte leste dyuersifyed the falle and caas of dydo otherwyse than vyrgyle. a1522 G. Douglas in tr. Virgil Æneid (1959) vi. Prol. 39 Twichand our faith mony clausis he fand, Quhilk bene conforme, or than collaterall. 1548 Hall's Vnion: Edward IV f. ccxxxii^v No man hathe sene a better counterfaytor or player in any Comedie or Tragedie. 1584 R. Scot Discouerie Witchcraft xiv. i. 353 The art or rather the craft of Alcumystrie. 1602 B. Jonson Poetaster ii. i. sig. C2^v As soone as euer your maide, or your man brings you word. View more context for this quotation 1639 Oath of Free-man (single sheet) And therefore doe here sweare..And further that I will not Plot or practise any evill against it, or consent to any that shall so doe. 1656 tr. T. White Peripateticall Inst. 428 In all the Peregrinations of the Patriarchs, or even the commerces of the Kings with Ægypt. 1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost i. 583 And all who since, Baptiz'd or Infidel Jousted in Aspramont or Montalban. View more context for this quotation 1766 O. Goldsmith Vicar of Wakefield I. i. 2 The year was spent in moral or rural amusements. 1776 Trial Maha Rajah Nundocomar for Forgery 61/2 Did you send a verbal or a written message? 1804 W. Cruise Digest Laws Eng. Real Prop. III. 555 The possession of the others or other of them. 1813 W. Scott Rokeby ii. 89 Wilfrid, or Bertram raves, or you! 1816 J. Wilson City of Plague i. i. 439 He heeded not Me or my sorrow. 1849 Chambers's Information for People (new ed.) II. 282/1 It is generally flat or but slightly undulating. 1861 M. Pattison in Westm. Rev. Apr. 413 A vine or two. 1920 R. Macaulay Potterism i. i. 9 A periodical called, I believe, the Weekly Comment, with which you may or may not be familiar. 1965 A. Lurie Nowhere City xv. 156 Or he would write letters. Or he would look out of the window. Or he would go to Ceci's. 1989 Which? Jan. 22/1 They might blend in better with antiques or a period interior. b. spec. With coordinated singular subjects and plural agreement.When singular subjects (noun or pronoun) are coordinated by or, strict logic and the rules laid down by grammarians since the 17th cent. require the verb and following pronouns to be singular (cf., e.g., quot. 1602 at sense 1a); but at all times there has been a tendency to use the plural with two or more singular subjects when their mutual exclusion is not emphasized.When the subjects differ in number or person, the grammarians' rule is that the verb and pronouns should agree with the last or nearest, e.g. ‘I or thou art to blame’, ‘I, or thou, or he is the author of it’ (Lindley Murray); but such constructions tend to seem stiff and pedantic, and are consequently avoided.The question of gender causes further complication, and especially the absence of a 3rd person pronoun of common gender. To say either ‘if he or she has his friends with him’ or ‘if he or she has her friends with her’ may be misleading, while ‘if he or she has his or her friends with him or her’ is clumsy and pedantic, which is avoided by saying ‘have their friends with them’ (cf. their adj. 2); so ‘Your brother or sister will lend their aid.’ These difficulties appear to have been felt at all times, and have been sometimes avoided by making the verb immediately precede or follow the first subject, and agree with it (cf. quot. 1813 at sense 1a). ΚΠ c1400 (?a1300) Kyng Alisaunder (Laud) (1952) 75 Whan kyng oiþer erle com hym to a-werre.] c1400 J. Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1871) III. 479 (MED) Goddis office or servyse ben not to be songun wiþ note. a1425 (?a1400) G. Chaucer Romaunt Rose (Hunterian) 4862 Whanne fader or moder arn in grave. 1502 tr. Ordynarye of Crysten Men (de Worde) ii. x. sig. lvi^v Whan the one or the other ben of lynage or of ony affynyte. 1621 G. Hakewill King David's Vow 328 A great towne or a great Personages house, if they bee good, do much good to the Countrey. 1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones V. xiii. vi. 51 Among whose Vices Ill-Nature or Hardness of Heart were not numbered. View more context for this quotation 1849 J. Ruskin Seven Lamps Archit. iv. 126 If Tintoret or Giorgione are at hand. 1879 ‘G. Eliot’ Theophrastus Such xviii. 339 The corpus vile on which rage or wantonness vented themselves with impunity. 1957 C. Muscatine Chaucer & French Trad. 75 His logic or his sympathy lead him to show us this view as involved with the higher ones. 1977 N.Y. Times 14 Aug. e17 If Senator Church or Senator George McGovern think they can learn something in Cuba or anywhere else, his attitude is: let them try. 2. In correlative constructions. a. With the alternative expressed by or emphasized by prefixing to the first member, or adding after the last, the correlative adverb either (formerly other or outher): e.g. ‘you may have either an apple or a pear’; ‘I could eat an apple or a pear either’. Cf. either adv. 3a, other adv.¹, outher adv.The primary function of either, etc., is to emphasize the indifference of the two (or more) things or courses; e.g. ‘you may take either the medal or its value’ = the medal and its value are equally at your option, you may take either; but a secondary function is to emphasize the mutual exclusiveness, = either of the two, but not both. ΚΠ c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) 94 (MED) Oþer he refte him hors or wede, Or made him sone handes sprede. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 5856 Þat i suld oþer here his saand, O [a1400 Gött. Or] lat þe folk vte o mi land. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 9838 (MED) A-noiþer..wanted oiþer fote or [a1400 Gött. eyder..or; a1400 Trin. Cambr. ouþer..or] hand. c1430 (c1395) G. Chaucer Legend Good Women Prol. 5 That eyther hath in helle or hevene ybe. ?a1475 (a1396) W. Hilton Scale of Perfection (Harl. 6579) i. ii. f. 2^v (MED) Þis lif longeth to alle..whilke eiþer han stat, office, ore cure ouer oþer men. a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1897–1973) 37 (MED) Bryng..Of mercy som tokynyng, Ayther bi north or southe. 1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles I. cccxxi. 202 a Outher with fayrnesse or foulnesse. 1625 N. Carpenter Geogr. Delineated i. v. 117 The Globe of the Earth may be considered two waies; either Absolutely in it selfe, or Comparatiuely in respect of the heauenly Bodies. 1725 I. Watts Logick i. iv. §4 Names are either common or proper. 1791 J. Learmont Poems Pastoral 172 When fock are outher late or sune Ramjee'd wi' whisky. 1844 W. M. Thackeray in New Monthly Mag. July 418 Eels, salmon, lobsters, either au gratin or in cutlets. 1902 Encycl. Brit. XXXII. 167/2 Adhesion lines..may be either of normal or of narrow gauge. 1974 C. Ryan Bridge too Far i. ii. 15 No one had seen Allied troops—either American or British. 2000 Holiday & Leisure Spring 119/1 The flats..each comfortably sleep either two or four people. b. With the first alternative introduced by whether (see whether conj.¹ 3, whether conj.¹ 5).Here or (formerly other) took the place of the earlier disjunctive particle, Old English þe (see the conj. 1c). ΚΠ a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 3272 Egipcienes woren in twired wen, Queðer he sulden folgen or flen. a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1959) Gen. xxvii. 21 Wheþer þou be my sonn Esau or none. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 22167 Queþer þat he be crist or nai. a1500 (?a1425) Ipomedon (Harl.) (1889) 1844 Whethyr will ye come or nay? 1542 H. Brinkelow Lamentacion sig. Avii Yee and yet knowe not you, whether they heare you or not, as the likelyhod is they do not. 1600 J. Pory tr. J. Leo Africanus Geogr. Hist. Afr. 344 Whether the said Amber be the sperma or the excrement therof, they cannot well determine. 1657 R. Tomlinson tr. J. de Renou Physical Inst. v, in Medicinal Dispensatory sig. X4 Any convenient humour, whether bitter, acerb, salty, or oyly. 1707 G. Farquhar Beaux Stratagem i. 9 Let me look you full in the Face, and I'll tell you whether you can affront me or no. 1764 S. Foote Mayor of Garret i. 10 Whether from the fall or the fright, the Major mov'd off in a month. 1801 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 91 239 Whether we consider it mineralogically or chymically, it certainly is an interesting substance. 1873 T. Cooper Paradise of Martyrs iii. 111 Each thing.., whether it will or nill, The eternal purpose..Doth..fulfil. 1903 Westm. Gaz. 12 June 10/1 The false issue you raised was whether or not the uncle was justified in going to the detective to find out the wife's residence. 1957 R. N. C. Hunt Guide to Communist Jargon iii. 6 All those who, whether they possess capital or not, have an interest in preserving the capitalist system. 2000 Red Herring Feb. 72/1 Sellers and buyers—whether businesses or consumers—arrive at a mutually satisfactory price point. c. With the first alternative negated by neither (also formerly nother), where the normal conjunction is nor. See neither adv. 1c, nother adv.¹ 3a, and cf. nor conj.¹ 1. ΚΠ 1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles I. xxvi. 37 We fynd nat aunciently, that..Scotlande shulde..be subgiet to the realme of Ingland, nother by homage, or any other wayes. 1597 T. Beard Theatre Gods Iudgements i. xxiv. 127 There is neither scepter, crowne, stay, or strength of man that is able to hinder and turne aside the hand of the Almightie. 1682 Herbert's Life Henry VIII (new ed.) 221 From which they saw neither profit nor honour likely to ensue. 1691 A. Wood Athenæ Oxonienses II. 516 An horse that had neither good eyes or feet. 1713 R. Steele Guardian No. 5. ⁋4 Neither strict piety, diligence in domestick affairs, or any other avocation, have preserved her against love. 1765 T. Mortimer New Hist. Eng. II. viii. 23/2 Neither we, nor our heirs, will ever act contrary to any of them, neither judicially nor extra-judicially, neither directly or indirectly. 1812 S. T. Coleridge in R. Southey Omniana I. clix. 310 Morality can neither be produced or preserved in a people..without true religion. 1882 E. A. Freeman in W. R. W. Stephens Life & Lett. E. A. Freeman (1895) II. 267 Neither Reformers in the sixteenth century or Puritans in the seventeenth century strove in any sense for ‘religious liberty’. 1923 U. L. Silberrad Lett. Jean Armiter ii. 37 She does nothing.., neither looking at her fellow beachers..or playing with the children. 1997 Independent 23 Apr. (Suppl.) 2/2 Some brave transsexuals..have rejected the medicalised script.., insisting that they are neither one thing or the other. 3. As introductory correlative. a. or..or: either..or. Now poetic.Formerly, sometimes a literalism of translation (cf. Latin aut..aut, French ou..ou), but perhaps sometimes an actual phonetic reduction of other..other, other..or: cf. wher..or for whether..or. ΚΠ a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 2045 Or for misdede, or for on-sagen, Ðor woren to ðat prisun dragen On ðat ðe kinges kuppe bed. c1330 in T. Wright Polit. Songs Eng. (1839) 324 (MED) Or he shal singe si dedero, or al geineth him noht. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 494 (MED) Þan fell þai depe, or lesse or mare. a1425 J. Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1869) I. 124 Ȝif he heere treuþe or o tyme or oþer. 1474 W. Caxton tr. Game & Playe of Chesse (1883) i. iii. 15 Or thou art a god or a man or nought. 1576 G. Gascoigne Steele Glas sig. F.ij [Epamynond] Would neuer take, or bribe, or rich reward. a1616 W. Shakespeare Comedy of Errors (1623) i. i. 136 Loth to leaue vnsought Or that, or any place. View more context for this quotation 1717 A. Pope tr. Homer Iliad III. xii. 396 Or let us Glory gain, or Glory give! 1800 S. T. Coleridge Anc. Mariner (rev. ed.) vi, in W. Wordsworth & S. T. Coleridge Lyrical Ballads (ed. 2) I. 185 Without or wave or wind. 1867 J. Ingelow Story of Doom vii. 266 Learn that to love is the one way to know Or God or man. 1957 D. L. Sayers tr. Song of Roland 128 His eyes are all glazed, Or far or near he can see nothing straight. †b. or..or: whether..or (in alternative questions, direct or indirect). Obsolete.Or alone in the sense ‘whether’ (as in quot. ?1518) is rare, and probably only represents Latin an. ΚΠ a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1965) Ecclus. xlvi. 5 Or [a1425 L.V. whether; L. An] not in wrathefulnesse of hym is lettid þe sunne. c1410 (c1350) Gamelyn (Harl. 7334) 148 (MED) I..dide it..but for a fondyng, For to loken or þou were strong. ?1518 Virgilius sig. aiiij^v He asked the lordes..or they wolde therfore warre. 1579 E. Spenser Shepheardes Cal. Mar. 29 Or hast thy selfe his slomber broke? Or made preuie to the same? 1600 W. Shakespeare Merchant of Venice iii. ii. 64 Tell me where is fancie bred, Or in the hart, or in the head. View more context for this quotation 1623 J. Webster Deuils Law-case ii. iii Denied Christian burial! I pray, what does that? Or the dead lazy march in the funeral? Or the flattery in the epitaphs? 1734 A. Pope Ess. Man: Epist. IV 235 Alike, or when or where, they shone or shine, Or on the Rubicon, or on the Rhine. 4. a. Connecting two words denoting the same thing: = otherwise called, that is (corresponding to Latin vel, sive). ΚΠ J. Gaytryge Lay Folks' Catech. (York Min.) (1901) 86 (MED) The sext thing..Is the seuen heued synnes or dedely synnes. a1425 (a1382) Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Corpus Oxf.) Gen. iii. 19 In the swoot of thi chere, or face, thou shalt ete thi brede. c1475 ( Surg. Treat. in MS Wellcome 564 f. 48^v (MED) Þe day artificial..lastiþ vn to þe euenynge or þe sunne goynge to þe reste. a1500 ( Pilgrimage of Soul (Egerton) (1953) iv. xli. f. 75^v This statua or this ymage, signyfied this same kyng Nabugodonosor. 1548 W. Turner Names of Herbes sig. F.vij^v With a sharper toppe or ende of the leafe. 1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball ii. xcvi. 276 The tame or garden Nigella is agayne parted into two sortes. 1608 E. Topsell Hist. Serpents 259 (heading) Of the Tame or Hovse-Spyder. 1672 N. Grew Anat. Veg. iv. 111 These Nerves or Fibres. 1726 in K. Laybourn Brit. Trade Unionism (1991) 14 All contracts..for regulating the said trade or mystery. 1842 Act 5 & 6 Victoria c. 79 §17 From the centre of the track of the right or off wheel to the centre of the track of the left or near wheel. 1900 W. A. Shenstone Elem. Inorg. Chem. xxix. 439 Plumbic oxide (PbO) is known as litharge or massicot. 1960 Jrnl. Educ. Res. 53 172/2 A student in the top or first quartile of his class. 2001 Independent 12 Apr. i. 14/7 By early Tuesday he was dead—a victim of the most deadly of the world's culinary delicacies, the blowfish or fugu. b. Used between numeral adjectives to convey an approximate quantity, as four or five, forty or fifty, etc. Cf. one or two —— at one adj., n., and pron. Phrases 1a, two or three at two adj. 5b.The numbers concerned are usually consecutive (four or five, nine or ten), or else the interval between them is a recognizable factor of each (five or ten, forty or fifty). Whereas forty or forty-one would usually be taken literally as meaning either 40 or 41 (exactly). ΚΠ a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) 2391 (MED) Þe werwolf was out to-fore þe mountaunce of half a myle or more. c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Matt. xviii. 20 Where two or three shulen be gedrid in my name. 1433 W. Caxton tr. G. de la Tour-Landry Knyghte of Toure C iij They dare bye gownes of three or foure score crownes. 1535 Bible (Coverdale) 1 Kings xvii. 12 I haue gathered up one or two stickes. 1576 F. Clement in Petie Schole (1587) sig. Aij^v How fewe be there under the age of seauen or eight yeares? 1592 T. Nashe Pierce Penilesse (Brit. Libr. copy) sig. D1 Brewers, that by retayling filthy Thames water, come in few yeres to be worth fortie or fiftie thousand pound. 1601 B. Jonson Every Man in his Humor iii. iii O for three or four gallons of vinegar, to sharpen my wits. View more context for this quotation 1671 tr. R. Fréjus Relation Voy. Mauritania 33 I drank five or six cups of this admirable water. 1709 R. Steele Tatler No. 45 I took a Walk a Mile or Two out of Town. 1735 J. Wesley Wks. (1872) I. 17 I..administered the Lord's Supper to six or seven communicants. 1805 W. Wordsworth Prelude viii. 25 A stall or two is here. 1824 R. Southey Life (1850) v. 177 Taking up a book for five or ten minutes. 1908 S. E. White Riverman ix. 80 There isn't a man on that river who doesn't chip in five or ten dollars when a man is hurt. 1999 Daily Tel. 28 Jan. (Connected section) 15/1 Pay a visit to the Car Seekers website to see if you can save a grand or three. 5. a. After a primary statement, appending a secondary alternative or the consequence of setting aside the primary statement: otherwise, else; in any other case; if not. ΚΠ a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) 667 (MED) Wirche wiþ me þi wille, or..Mi liif lelly is lorn. c1395 G. Chaucer Merchant's Tale 1388 Cherisse thy wyf, or thow shalt neuere thee. ?a1475 Ludus Coventriae (1922) 368 (MED) Faste yow aray or I make avow..youre bodyes schul blede. a1513 W. Dunbar Poems (1998) I. 87 Owt of mynd ȝone man is he, Or sum hes done him confort kyth. a1616 W. Shakespeare Twelfth Night (1623) ii. iv. 36 Then let thy Loue be yonger then thy selfe, Or thy affection cannot hold the bent. View more context for this quotation 1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost i. 330 Awake, arise, or be for ever fall'n. View more context for this quotation 1791 W. Cowper tr. Homer Iliad in Iliad & Odyssey I. i. 95 I judge amiss, or he who rules the Argives..will be incensed. 1840 Peter Parley's Ann. 82 Leave off, sir, or I will cane you again. 1874 T. Hardy Far from Madding Crowd I. xv. 179 The first man in the parish that I hear prophesying bad of our mistress, why..he'll smell and taste that—or I'm a Dutchman. 1920 R. Macaulay Potterism iv. i. 154 We must crush them this time, or it will be the beginning of the end. 1980 V. S. Pritchett Edge of Cliff 107 The rain was pouring down outside or I would have gone after her. b. Introducing an elliptical question which, in the character of an afterthought, casts doubt on a preceding assertion or on the presuppositions behind a preceding statement or question. ΚΠ c1907 W. B. Yeats Let. 4 July (1954) 483 I suppose the matter is technically your concern as well as mine, or is it? 1924 R. Macaulay Orphan Island xvi. 212 Matilda had the laugh of the bees after all. Or did she? I'm not so sure! 1935 V. Markham Deadly Jest xi. 138 They couldn't have come from the servants' quarters or you'd have heard. Or would you? You were dropping off. 1956 H. McCloy Two-thirds of Ghost (1957) i. 8 Vera must know how everyone who cared for Amos felt about her. Or did she? Probably not. 1992 Economist 8 Feb. 85 (heading) A queue, or a black market, is a sure sign that something..is seriously underpriced. Or is it? c. colloquial. Introducing an emphatic repetition of a rhetorical question. ΚΠ 1933 Punch 11 Jan. 29/3 Say, can he act orr can he act? Ah'll tell de woirrld. 1939 P. Cheyney Poison Ivy vii. 122 Just then Mirabelle comes through [on the telephone]. Has that dame gotta a swell voice or has she? 1946 ‘C. Brahms’ & ‘S. J. Simon’ Trottie True vii. 201 ‘Well,’ said Bradford, torn between pride and regret, ‘she may be going to marry a Lord, but can I pick 'em or can I pick 'em?’ 2002 News-Press (Fort Myers, Florida) (Nexis) 21 Oct. 1 a You know how the family is. They're overprotective. Am I right or am I right? 6. or else (formerly also as one word). a. Or if not, or otherwise; = sense 5a. In early use also corresponding to senses 1 and 3. ΚΠ a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) 1132 (MED) He..egged him..bataile to a-bide, or elles..he wold bruttene alle hise burnes. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 9715 (MED) Or ells agh dom be cald a-gain. a1450 (?c1405) in J. Kail 26 Polit. Poems (1904) 29 (MED) Þey wene no god þer nys..Or elles a-noþer heresy þere is. 1461 in J. Raine Inventories & Acct. Rolls Benedictine Houses Jarrow & Monk-Wearmouth (1854) 245 Y^t he..apper be for y^e said holy fader y^e pope, or ylls y^e wirschipfull doctour Bernardus Romia. c1475 (?c1451) Bk. Noblesse (Royal) (1860) 30 Good men..takethe theire congie and licence..orellis they departethe bethout licence. a1513 H. Bradshaw Lyfe St. Werburge (1521) i. x. sig. c.vii^v Is now orels shalbe. 1577 G. Whetstone Remembraunce Gaskoigne xl In wo orels in endles blis. 1584 in Cal. State Papers Scotl. (1913) VII. 64 Thai ether diffyrd in the equite of thair cause orelles are bevichit and sensles. c1600 (?c1395) Pierce Ploughman's Crede (Trin. Cambr. R.3.15) (1873) 480 Oþers elles Satan him-self sente hem fro hell. 1659 H. Hammond Paraphr. & Annot. Psalms (xlviii. 13 Annot.) 249/2 Or els it will be impossible to number them exactly. 1760 L. Sterne Life Tristram Shandy II. iii. 22 He found the precise path to be a Parabola,—or else an Hyperbola. 1796 Glasse's Art of Cookery (new ed.) xi. 175 Boil all together and send it up immediately, or else it will oil. 1820 J. Keats Eve of St. Agnes in Lamia & Other Poems 89 Follow me, child, or else these stones will be thy bier. 1879 J. Beerbohm Wanderings in Patagonia xi. 171 The batter must be stirred well, or else it will stick to the sides. 1904 E. H. Giglioli tr. O. Beccari Wanderings Forests Borneo App. 392 Certain plants growing on river banks..which have linear or else very narrow leaves. 1985 J. Merrill Late Settings i. 5 That chiffonier would have to go, or else be painted white. b. colloquial. Used elliptically as a form of warning or threat. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > danger > threat or threatening > [phrase] or elsea1593 bilbo's the word1693 a1593 C. Marlowe Edward II (1594) sig. E Mor. iu. And you shall ransome him, or else. Edm. What Mortimer, you will not threaten him? 1833 Examiner 6 Jan. 1/2 Suppose a landlord were to say to his tenant, ‘I have got a cause coming on at Chelmsford Assizes; you must..swear to such and such a falsehood, or else.’ 1854 W. M. Thackeray Rose & Ring x See it be done, or else! 1879 J. McCarthy Hist. our Own Times II. 275 Correspondence..between two Irish chieftains. ‘Pay me my tribute,’ wrote the one, ‘or else!’ 1933 Baltimore Sun 6 Apr. 12/1 People who worked for us during the campaign are saying ‘either come across with those jobs or else’. 1959 J. Verney Friday's Tunnel vi. 61 If I do..have children..they'll jolly well obey me and no argument. Or else. 1977 A. Cooke Six Men i. 18 In those ‘people's republics’..a million people can be commanded to appear on the double in the great square, or else. 2000 K. Atkinson Emotionally Weird (2001) 70 I want your George Eliot [essay] on my desk by five o'clock.., or else. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2004; most recently modified version published online June 2022). > see also also refers to : † or-prefix also refers to : -orsuffix > as lemmas O.R. O.R. n. U.S. operating room. ΚΠ 1968 ‘J. Hudson’ Case of Need 6 The pink tag attached gave the name of the patient; he was down in the OR now with his chest cut open. 1979 Washington Post (Nexis) 2 May b1 He kept right on operating..with the hot lights and O.R. pressure and fame arcing down. 1989 C. Hiaasen Skin Tight (1990) xii. 130 He'd stay in the O.R. until they put her under. 2001 N.Y. Times Mag. 15 July 40/1 Operating Room No.5..is a backdrop of blue: blue scrubs on the 10 nurses and doctors who crowd around the O.R. table; blue sterile sheets. extracted from On.¹ OR OR n. operational research. Π 1953 Operational Res. Q. 4 72 The evolution of O.R...is reflected by the number of publications. 1969 J. Argenti Managem. Techniques 107 Courses on OR designed for managers. 1994 T. Byrne Local Govt. in Brit. (ed. 6) x. 278 Operational research (OR) is used to establish a more rational or scientific basis for management decision-making. extracted from On.¹ O.R. O.R. n. Military other ranks. ΚΠ 1942 E. Partridge Dict. Abbrev. 72/1 O.R., other ranks, i.e. ranks other than officers. 1947 J. Bertram Shadow of War vii. ii. 217 The heavy work in the camp was done by N.C.O.s and O.R.s., known as ‘camp-employed’. 1991 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) 2 Feb. 31/2 The O.R.'s mess is a pleasant, airy, sensible sort of place. extracted from On.¹ < n.¹1437n.²1947v.1970adv.¹prep.conj.²OEadv.²c1429conj.¹c1175 see also as lemmas
随便看	to look backward to look backwards to look beside to look beyond to look black to look blank to look blue to look both ways for sunday to look down to look down on to look down one's nose to look down one's nose at to look down upon to look downward to look downwards to look etc ways for sunday to look feel like something the cat has brought in to know a hawk from a handsaw to know a hawk from a hernshaw to know a move or two to know a person a thing or two to know a person by her company to know a person by his company to know a person by the company he keeps to know a person by the company she keeps

orn.1

ORn.2

Compounds

ORv.

Derivatives

oradv.1prep.conj.2

oradv.2

orconj.1

> see also

> as lemmas

orn.¹

ORn.²

oradv.¹prep.conj.²

oradv.²

orconj.¹