neither Meaning, Definition & Usage

Nei"ther adjective

Etymology

OE. neiter, nother, nouther, AS. nawer, nahwæer; na never, not + hwæer whether. The word has followed the form of either. See No, and Whether, and cf. Neuter, Nor.

Definitions

1. Not either; not the one or the other.

   Which of them shall I take? Both? one? or neither? Neither can be enjoyed, If both remain alive. Shak.

   He neither loves, Nor either cares for him. Shak.

Nei"ther conjunction

Definitions

1. not either; generally used to introduce the first of two or more coördinate 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 neither sell, nor give, nor lose it. Shak.

   ✍ 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. Shak.