Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Neither
Nei′ther
(nē′thẽr or nī′thẽr; 277)
, Adj.
[OE.
neither
, nother
, nouther
, AS. nāwðer
, nāhwaeðer
; nā
never, not + hwaeðer
whether. The word has followed the form of either
. See No
, and Whether
, and cf. Neuter
, Nor
.] Not either; not the one or the other.
Which of them shall I take?
Both? one? or
If both remain alive.
Both? one? or
neither
? Neither
can be enjoyed,If both remain alive.
Shakespeare
He
Nor either cares for him.
neither
loves,Nor either cares for him.
Shakespeare
Nei′ther
,c
onj.
Not either; generally used to introduce the first of two or more coordinate clauses of which those that follow begin with nor.
Fight
neither
with small nor great, save only with the king. 1 Kings xxii. 31.
Hadst thou been firm and fixed in thy dissent,
Neither
had I transgressed, nor thou with me. Milton.
When she put it on, she made me vow
That I should
That I should
neither
sell, nor give, nor lose it. Shakespeare
☞ Neither was formerly often used where we now use nor. “For neither circumcision, neither uncircumcision is anything at all.”
Tyndale.
“Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it.” Gen. iii. 3.
Neither is sometimes used colloquially at the end of a clause to enforce a foregoing negative (nor, not, no). “He is very tall, but not too tall neither.” Addison.
” ‘I care not for his thrust’ ‘No, nor I neither.'” Shak.
Not so neither
, by no means.
[Obs.]
Shak.
Webster 1828 Edition
Neither
NEITHER
,Noun.
1.
It refers to individual things or persons; as, which road shall I take? Neither, take neither road. The upright judge inclines to neither party. It is used as a substitute; as, the upright judge inclines to neither of the parties.He neither loves Nor either cares for him.
2.
It refers to a sentence; as, ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it. That is, ye shall not eat, not either or other shall ye touch it; ye shall not eat, nor shall ye do the other thing here mentioned, that is, touch it. Genesis 3. Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king; that is, fight not, either with small or great. 1 Kings 22.
Neither, in the first part of a negative sentence, is followed by nor, in the subsequent part. It is neither the one nor the other. But or would be most proper, for the negative in neither, applies to both parts of the sentence. It is often used in the last member of a negative sentence instead of nor, as in the passage above cited. Ye shall not eat it , neither shall ye touch it. Here neither is improperly used for nor, for not in the first clause refers only to that clause, and the second negative refers only to the second clause. Ye shall not eat it, nor shall ye touch it. In the sentences above, neither is considered to be a conjunction or connecting word, though in fact it is a pronoun or representative of a clause of a sentence.
3.
Neither primarily refers to two; not either of two. But by usage it is applicable to any number, referring to individuals separately considered. Five or ten persons being charged with a misdemeanor or riot, each may say, neither of us was present.4.
Neither sometimes closes a sentence in a peculiar manner, thus, men come not to the knowledge of ideas thought to be innate, till they come to the use of reason; not then neither. That is not either when they come to the use of reason, or before. Formerly, in English, as in Greek and French, two negatives were used for one negation. But in such phrases as that above, good speakers now use either; nor then either.