Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective One and the other; relating to or being two in conjunction.
- pronoun The one and the other.
- conjunction Used with and to indicate that each of two things in a coordinated phrase or clause is included.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Including the two (terms or notions mentioned): an adverb preceding two coördinate terms (words or phrases) joined by and, and standing thus in an apparent conjunctional correlation, both … and, equivalent to not only … but also. Both is thus used sometimes before three or more coördinate terms.
- The one and the other; the two; the pair or the couple, in reference to two persons or things specially mentioned, and denoting that neither of them is to be excluded, either absolutely or (as with either) as an alternative, from the statement.
- [The genitive both's (ME. bothes, bothers, earlier bother, bathre) is now disused; in the earlier period it was joined usually with the genitive plural of the personal pronoun. Subsequently the simple both, equivalent to of both, was used.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- conjunction As well; not only; equally.
- adjective The one and the other; the two; the pair, without exception of either.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- determiner Each of the two; one and the
other . - determiner obsolete Each of more than two.
- conjunction including both (used with
and )
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective (used with count nouns) two considered together; the two
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Now he's taking both girls to the supermarket for a list of about five items; I'm not at all sure he's ever taken them *both* since Emer started walking, so it may be an exciting experience for him.
Emer kisses ailbhe 2008
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Greece is in Europe..but that is Geography..so is Egypt is in Africa…but both are considered Middle Eastern countries…..both are old civilizations linked to each others..and the whole area…
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He would help them, He would make them both -- _both_ good and great -- great after a pause, as being perhaps not a worthy aspiration.
The Beth Book Being a Study of the Life of Elizabeth Caldwell Maclure, a Woman of Genius Sarah Grand
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The ritual implies both the knowledge of the law of sacrifice and the proper practice of that law, _both understanding and works_.
Hindu Gods And Heroes Studies in the History of the Religion of India Lionel D. Barnett
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I have, therefore, thought of the following expedient, which will almost answer the same purpose -- viz. that all power, both _legislative and executive, ecclesiastical and civil_, may be divided among _both sexes_; and that they may be equally capable of sitting in Parliament.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine — Volume 54, No. 337, November, 1843 Various
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You next proceed to form marriages, both in ascending and in descending lines, with cards on the outside of _both_ groups (Rule I).
Lady Cadogan's Illustrated Games of Solitaire or Patience New Revised Edition, including American Games Adelaide Cadogan
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Perhaps the very best guide will be to aim at what will make both head and feet perfectly comfortable, and _both_ of natural heat.
Papers on Health John Kirk
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Why, theyre both here, both the boats, said Bob, as he got into the one where Maggie was.
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"No, sir, if Brother John _or you either, _ should drink one drop of the liquors mentioned and be expelled therefor, you would both be helplessly beyond the pale of the lodge, even though you had _both taken the obligation a thousand times!"
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First, your faith, and mine; and then, the strength and repose of that other faithfulness, which is round us both; in whichwe will _both_ walk, Hazel, shall we not? '
The Gold of Chickaree Susan Warner 1852
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