a. (pron.) and adv. (conj.). Forms: 1 ǽʓ-, œʓ-, éʓhwæðer, 1–2 ǽʓðer, 2 eiʓðer, (3 Orm. eȝȝðer), 3 æiðer, aieþer, 2–4 eiðer, eiþer, 3–5 aiþer, aither, ayther, (ayder, 5 eyder), 3–6 ether, (? 4–6 aþer, ather, -ir, 4 euther, ewther), 3–7 eyther, -thir, (5 eithar), 6 eather, 4– either. See also ER. [OE. ǽʓhwæðer (contracted ǽʓðer) = OHG. eogihwedar (MHG. iegeweder), f. WGer. *aiwo(n (in OE. á, ó) AY, always + *gihwaþaro-z (in OE. ʓehwæðer: see Y- and WHETHER) each of two.
In OE. and early ME. the word appears only in its original sense ‘each of two,’ or as adv. = ‘both’; but about the beginning of 14th c. it assumed the disjunctive sense ‘one or the other of two’ (and the corresponding adverbial use), which properly belonged to OE. áhwæðer, áwðer, ME. owþer, oþer (see OUTHER). This disjunctive sense has so far prevailed that in mod. Eng. such expressions as on either side = ‘on both sides’ are felt to be somewhat arch., and must often be avoided on account of their ambiguity. The word OUTHER became obs. in literary use in 16th c.; its mod. dial. forms are popularly regarded as belonging to either. (It is not quite clear whether the forms aþer athir in Sc. from 14th to 16th c. should not be referred to OUTHER; cf. OE. áðor.)]
A. adj. (pron.)
I. Each of the two.
1. As adj. used attrib.
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., I. xi. § 1. Hwa is þætte ariman mæʓe hwæt þær moncynnes forwearð on æʓðere hand.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 1439. Muche folc in eiþer half to gronde me slou.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 12881. Þe holi strem of flum iordane On aeiþer side stude still as stane.
a. 1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 1274. Bot with þe world comes dam fortone, Þat ayther hand may chaung sone.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, II. 346. On athir syd thus war thai yhar.
c. 1420. Anturs of Arth., xxxix. Aythire freke appoune fold has fastned his spere.
1535. Coverdale, Ezek. xl. 48. By the walles also were pilers, on either syde one.
1628. Hobbes, Thucyd., 27. The Standard being on either side lift vp, they ioyned Battell.
1762. Falconer, Shipwr., Proem 40. The fierce extremes of either zone.
1820. Scott, Ivanhoe, iii. There was a huge fireplace at either end of the hall.
1842. Tennyson, E. Morris, 37. Either twilight and the day between.
† b. With plural sb.: = ‘both.’ Also (rarely), either both, in same sense. Obs.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., I. Pref. They all endeuor … to kepe still eyther bothe kingdome safe.
1586. Lett. Earle Leycester, 20. The Lords and Commons in either houses assembled.
1608. Topsell, Serpents, 142. Vppon either feete they [skinks] haue fiue distinct fingers or clawes.
† c. With possessive pron. interposed before the sb. Obs. rare.
c. 1305. St. Kenelm, 355, in E. E. P. (1862), 57. Out berste aiþere hire [the queen’s] eȝe & fulle adoun vpe hire sautere.
† d. Either other: each of the two. (In quot. with pl. vb. as if = ‘both.’) Obs.
1526. Tindale, Lev., Prol. For which cause either other of them were ordained.
† 2. absol. as pron.; used both of persons and things. Often followed by of with pl. sb. or pron. (In ME. with. genit. pl. in same sense; in the case of pronouns this survived until 17th c., e.g., Your either = ‘either of you.’) Obs. or arch.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. ix. 17. Hiʓ doð niwe win on niwe bytta, and æʓðer byð ʓehealden.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 15. Eour eyþer sunegað bi-foran drihten.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 141. Hur eiðer alumð þe se.
c. 1200. Ormin, 119. Forr eȝȝþer here ȝede swa Rihht affterr Godess lare.
c. 1205. Lay., 15982. Æiðer [c. 1275 aiþer] wende to his hole.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 8360. And did þair ether dun for to sitt.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., I. 808. So shall her eitheres werke been overblowe With colde or hoote.
1479. Bury Wills (1850), 54. I beqwethe to eyther of myn executors xls.
1535. Coverdale, Ruth i. 9. Ye maie fynde reste ether of you in hir huszbandes house.
1591. Spenser, M. Hubberd, 551. So parted they, as eithers way them led.
1615. Chapman, Odyss., IV. 79/48. The pourtraiture Of Ioue-sustaind, and Scepter-bearing Kings, Your either person, in his presence brings.
1676. in Picton, L’pool Munic. Rec. (1883), I. 268. The Serjeant and Water Baylive shall have either (each) a cloak.
1759. Goldsm., Misc. Wks. (1837), III. 219. Fontenelle and Voltaire were men of unequal merit; yet how different has been the fate of either.
† b. With plural concord. Obs.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 53 b. Either of theim as naked as euer thei wer born.
1647. W. Browne, trans. Gomberville’s Polexander, III. III. 90. Either of them have treated me as the scandall and infamie of my Sex.
c. Sometimes = each (of more than two things).
1588. R. Parke, trans. Mendoza’s Hist. China, 76. The other thirteene prouinces that do remaine haue eyther of them a vizroy or governor.
1867. Howells, Ital. Journ., 228. Just above the feet, at either of the three corners, is an exquisite … female bust.
† d. Either other: = ‘each other’: cf. EACH. Obs. exc. in form either … the other.
Usually the two words were in different grammatical relations, one of them (in most cases the former), being the subj., and the other governed in acc., genit., or dat. by a vb., sb., or prep. Sometimes, however, either other became a compound (cf. each other), and might be governed by a prep.
a. 1000. Andreas, 1053 (Gr.). Ægðer þara eorla oðrum trymede Heofonrices hyht.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 213. Þesse wise biswikeð her aiðer oðer.
c. 1205. Lay., 3932. Eiþer hateden oþer.
a. 1300. Floriz & Bl., 509. Eiþer oþer sone ikneu.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 799. Quen ayder biheld oþer naked, For scham þay stode bath and quakid.
c. 1320. Sir Beues, 1991. Ather askede of otheres stat.
1393. Langland, P. Pl., C. XXI. 127. Ayþer axed of oþer of þis grete wonder.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. i. (1495), 99. Membres helpen eyther other.
1439. E. E. Wills (1882), 124. Aither aftir othir in the taile.
1471. Hist. Arrivall Edw. IV. (1838), 19. There was a greate myste and letted the syght of eithar othar.
15[?]. Kyng to Hermyt, 513, in Hazl., E. P. P., I. 33. Ather betauȝt other gode dey.
1552. Lyndesay, Monarche, 4023. Atheris deand in vtheris armis.
1593. Shaks., Lucr., 66. Beauties red and Vertues white, Of eithers colour was the other Queene.
1677. Hale, Prim. Orig. Man., IV. ii. 297. There seems to be a more connatural Transmutation of either into other.
1874. Morley, Compromise (1886), 103. The rights of either to disturb the other.
II. One or other of the two.
3. As adj. used attrib.
c. 1300. Beket, 2247. He miȝte … wende up aither side.
c. 1320. Sir Tristr. (1886), 356. Chese onaiþer hand.
1667. Milton, P. L., I. 424. Spirits when they please Can either Sex assume, or both.
1740. Chesterf., Lett., I. lx. 170. When the sun shines on either side of us (as it does mornings and evenings) the shadows are very long.
1788. Gibbon, Decl. & F. (1846), VI. 190. The artificial thunder, in the hands of either nation, must have turned the fortune of the day.
¶ Incorrectly with plural vb.
1874. Ruskin, Val D’Arno, 119. I don’t mean that either of the writers I name are absolutely thus narrow in their own views.
† b. Either other: one or the other of two. Obs.
1532. More, Confut. Tindale, Wks. (1557), 707/2. Wythoute anye chaunge of beliefe on eyther other syde.
1567. Jewel, Def. Apol. (1611), 100. Let him take whether he liketh best, if either other of these words shall serue his turne.
4. absol. as pron. (Formerly sometimes inflected in genit.)
1548. Coverdale, Erasm. Par. 1 Cor. iii. 15. If eythers worke be with fyre destroyed, the workeman shall lose his labour.
1593. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., I. x. (1611), 25. If wee bee both or eyther of these.
1802. Med. Jrnl., VIII. 188. It is by no means necessary to determine a preference between the two … since either of them may be resorted to.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 164. Whatever was ridiculous or odious in either increased the scorn and aversion which the multitude felt for both.
1866. Crump, Banking, viii. 167. Either causes a loss to the community by not doing the work for which it was created.
¶ Incorrectly with plural vb.
1833. Bp. Thirlwall, Philolog. Museum, II. 656. Religious rites by which either Thebes or Eleusis were afterwards distinguished.
† b. Either of both: = ‘either of the two.’ Obs.
a. 1575. Abp. Parker, Corr., 396. I never heard of either of them both till your honour had sent me your last letters.
1621. Ainsworth, Annot. Pentat. (1639), 86. Wives were taken in Israel by bils of Dowry, and solemne espousals; but concubines without either of both.
c. Sometimes = any one (of more than two).
1616. Hieron, Wks. (1624), II. 11. That doctrine which tends to the furtherance of all or either of these three.
1796. Encycl. Brit., XVII. 566. Rubens, Jordens, and Snyders, used to co-operate in each other’s … pictures … and thus they became more valuable than if finished by either of them singly.
1845. Stephen, Laws Eng. (1874), II. 31. If either of them [several methods] be found to fail.
B. As adv. (conj.)
I. Adverbial uses of A. I.
† 1. In OE. and early ME. = BOTH. In the oldest use followed by ʓe … ʓe, or ʓe … and; afterwards ʓe was omitted, and being retained in the second place. Obs.
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., II. v. § 8. Æʓþer ʓe of Sciþþium ʓe of Crecum.
a. 1067. Chart. Eadweard, in Cod. Dipl., IV. 227. Æʓðer ʓe binnan burh and butan.
a. 1175. Cott. Hom., 223. [Ȝe] imugon ȝecnowen eiȝðer god and euyl.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 23. Bute þu heo alle for-lete eiðer ȝe þa ane ȝe þa oðer.
a. 1200. Moral Ode, 32, in E. E. P. (1862), 24. Ayþer to lutel & to muchel.
c. 1205. Lay., 30887. Aiðer [c. 1275 boþe] bi worden and by writen.
† 2. Used to connect more than two terms. Obs.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 115. Eiðer ȝe on herȝunge ȝe on hungre ȝe on cwalme ȝe on uniwidere ȝe on wilde deoran.
II. Adverbial uses of A. II.
3. Introducing the mention of alternatives.
a. Either … or, † either … o(u)ther. (Formerly either might be preceded by an adj.; see quot. 1594.)
138[?]. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 297. Eþer to kyng … oþer to deukis.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., Prol. 5. Non … that eythir hath in heuyn or in hell I-be.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., I. 25. Eyther springing there Or elles thider brought from elles where.
1540. Cromwell, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., II. 142, II. 168. I never thought treson to your Highnes … ayther in woorde or dede.
1563. Homilies, II. Rogation Wk., IV. (1859), 498. They either quite ear them up … or else [etc.].
1593. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., I. ii. How should either men or Angels be able perfectly to behold?
1594. Bp. J. King, Jonas, &c. (1618), 623. The mutable and transitory either pleasures or profits of this life.
1713. Berkeley, Hylas & Phil., I. Wks. 1871, I. 291. Either, Hylas, you are jesting, or have a very bad memory.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), III. 266. A narration of events, either past, present, or to come.
† b. Either … either: = either … or. Obs.
1551. Recorde, Pathw. Knowl., Pref. Knowledge … that maye appertaine either to good gouernance in time of peace, eyther wittye pollicies in time of warre.
1574. Hellowes, Gueuara’s Ep. (1584), 20. In those golden times either philosophers did governe, either else governours did use philosophie.
1588. A. King, trans. Canisius’ Catech., G viij b. Ather on ye day self of ye æquinoxe, ather ellis on ye day nixt yairefter.
† 4. = Or. Also, either else = or else. Obs.
138[?]. Antecrist, in Todd, 3 Treat. Wyclif, 118. Who euer clepiþ himself vnyversal prest eiþer desireþ to þe clepiþ.
1395. Purvey, Remonstr. (1851), 8. The cruelte of all thevis eithir robberis.
1483. Caxton, G. de la Tour, K vij b. She was brente eyther stoned with stones.
1546. Coverdale, Lord’s Supper, Wks. 1844, I. 462. Perhaps men would have forgotten themselves, either else the mercy of God should not have been so much known as it ought to be.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. C 1 b. Either else they would neuer be so desirous of reuenge.
1611. Bible, Luke vi. 42. Either [1881 Revised, Or] how canst thou say to thy brother.
5. a. As an alternative, ‘which way you please.’ b. In negative or interrogative sentences: Any more than the other.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 1479. Or Alisaunder ewther was his other name.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., II. v. 206. To. Wilt thou set thy foote o’ my necke? An. Or o’ mine either?
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, xxxii. Thy sex cannot help that either.
Mod. If you do not go I will not go either. If John had said so, or William either, I could believe it.
