either
/ˈʌɪðə
/ /ˈiːðə/conjunction & adverb
1Used before the first of two (or occasionally more) given alternatives (the other being introduced by ‘or’): either I accompany you to your room or I wait here available in either black or white...
- Nine out of 29 households participated in the scheme either regularly or occasionally.
- It was introduced from North America either by accident or design from Victorian times.
- Her paintings are in either bright colours or black and white.
2 [adverb, with negative] Used to indicate a similarity or link with a statement just made: You don’t like him, do you? I don’t either it won’t do any harm, but won’t really help either...
- You don't need to be a genius to work out the similarities either.
- I don't believe that the Reserve Bank believes that there is a strong link either.
- Needless to say I won't be writing to them for permission to use these links either.
2.1For that matter; moreover: I was too tired to go. And I couldn’t have paid, either...
- There is no such thing as a Great Novel, divorced from its readers, or an absolute stinker of a novel either, for that matter.
- It wasn't something that Joan could easily ignore either; no matter how hard she tried.
- Well, it does not matter any more either, apparently - we just go with those polls.
determiner & pronoun
1One or the other of two people or things: [as determiner]: there were no children of either marriage [as pronoun]: their mortgage will be repaid if either of them dies...
- A win would secure top spot for either of us, a loss could have seen either team drop out.
- Equal rights to custody means that a child born outside of marriage can live with either parent.
- These two groups have changed the world, but not in the way that either intended.
1.1 [determiner] Each of two: the road was straight, with fields on either side...
- Just before the farm is reached you will see waymarked paths and stiles leading through fields on either side of the farm road.
- One of my favourite memories is my father planting loads of young Christmas trees in the woods that ran either side of the field.
- The rice fields on either side of the road lay motionless in the dim light.
Usage
In good English writing style, it is important that either and or are correctly placed so that the structures following each word balance and mirror each other. Thus, sentences such as either I accompany you or I wait here and I’m going to buy either a new camera or a new video are correct, whereas sentences such as either I accompany you or John and I’m either going to buy a new camera or a video are not well-balanced sentences and should not be used in written English.
Phrases
either way
Origin
Old English ǣgther, contracted form of ǣg(e)hwæther, of Germanic origin; ultimately related to aye1 and whether.