(used to connect words, phrases, or clauses representing alternatives): books or magazines; to be or not to be.
2.
(used to connect alternative terms for the same thing): the Hawaiian, or Sandwich, Islands.
3.
(used in correlation): either … or; or … or; whether … or.
4.
(used to correct or rephrase what was previously said): His autobiography, or rather memoirs, will soon be ready for publication.
5.
otherwise; or else: Be here on time, or we'll leave without you.
6.
Logic. the connective used in disjunction.
[Origin: 1150–1200; ME, orig. the second, unstressed member of correlative other … or, earlier other … other, OE āther … oththe, ā-hwæther … oththe, for oththe … oththe either … or; cf. ay1, whether]
Used to indicate an alternative, usually only before the last term of a series: hot or cold; this, that, or the other.
Used to indicate the second of two alternatives, the first being preceded by either or whether:Your answer is either ingenious or wrong. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Archaic Used to indicate the first of two alternatives, with the force of either or whether.
Used to indicate a synonymous or equivalent expression: acrophobia, or fear of great heights.
Used to indicate uncertainty or indefiniteness: two or three.
[Middle English, from other, or (from Old English, from oththe) and from outher (from Old English āhwæther, āther; see either).]
Usage Note: When all the elements in a series connected by or are singular, the verb they govern is singular: Tom or Jack is coming. Beer, ale, or wine is included in the charge. When all the elements are plural, the verb is plural. When the elements do not agree in number, some grammarians have suggested that the verb should agree in number with the nearest element: Tom or his sisters are coming. The girls or their brother is coming. Cold symptoms or headache is the usual first sign. Other grammarians, however, have argued that such constructions are inherently illogical and that the only solution is to revise the sentence to avoid the problem of agreement: Either Tom is coming or his sisters are. The usual first sign may be either cold symptoms or a headache. See Usage Notes at and/or, either, neither, nor1.
Or·e·gonAudio Help (ôr'ĭ-gən, -gŏn', ŏr'-) Pronunciation Key Abbr. OR or Ore.
A state of the northwest United States in the Pacific Northwest. It was admitted as the 33rd state in 1859. Claimed by the United States after Capt. Robert Gray explored the mouth of the Columbia River in 1792, the area was further explored by Lewis and Clark in 1805 and was soon the site of fur-trading posts. The Oregon Country, a region encompassing all the land from the California border to Alaska and the Pacific Ocean to the Rocky Mountains, was held jointly by Great Britain and the United States from 1818 until 1846, when the international boundary was fixed at the 49th parallel. In 1848 the Oregon Territory was created, including all of present-day Washington and Idaho. The state's current boundaries were established in 1853. Salem is the capital and Portland the largest city. Population: 3,700,000.
c.1200, from O.E. conj. oþþe "either, or," related to O.N. eða, O.H.G. odar, Ger. oder, Goth. aiþþau "or." This was extended in early M.E. with an -r ending, perhaps by analogy of other "choice between alternative" words that ended this way (either, whether), then reduced to oþþr, at first in unstressed situations (commonly thus in Northern and Midlands Eng. by 1300), and finally reduced to or, though other survived in this sense until 16c. The contraction took place in the second term of an alternative, such as either ... or, a common construction in O.E., where both words originally were oþþe (see nor).
a state in northwestern United States on the Pacific [syn: Oregon]
2.
a room in a hospital equipped for the performance of surgical operations; "great care is taken to keep the operating rooms aseptic" [syn: operating room]
ORlogic The Boolean function which is true if any of its arguments are true. Its truth table is: A | B | A OR B --+---+--------- F | F | F F | T | T T | F | T T | T | T (1996-11-04)
Truth or Consequences, NM (city, FIPS 79840) Location: 33.13559 N, 107.24807 W Population (1990): 6221 (3655 housing units) Area: 32.8 sq km (land), 0.3 sq km (water)
Aye\, Ay \Ay\, adv. [Icel. ei, ey; akin to AS. [=a], [=a]wa, always, Goth. aiws an age, Icel. [ae]fi, OHG, ?wa, L. aevum, Gr. ? an age, ?, ?, ever, always, G. je, Skr. ?va course. ?,?. Cf. Age, v., Either, a., Or, conj.] Always; ever; continually; for an indefinite time. For his mercies aye endure. --Milton. For aye, always; forever; eternally.
Ei"ther\ (?; 277), a. & pron. [OE. either, aither, AS. ?g?er, ?ghw[ae]?er (akin to OHG. ?ogiwedar, MHG. iegeweder); [=a] + ge + hw[ae]?er whether. See Each, and Whether, and cf. Or, conj.]1. One of two; the one or the other; -- properly used of two things, but sometimes of a larger number, for any one. Lepidus flatters both, Of both is flattered; but he neither loves, Nor either cares for him. --Shak. Scarce a palm of ground could be gotten by either of the three. --Bacon. There have been three talkers in Great British, either of whom would illustrate what I say about dogmatists. --Holmes. 2. Each of two; the one and the other; both; -- formerly, also, each of any number. His flowing hair In curls on either cheek played. --Milton. On either side . . . was there the tree of life. --Rev. xxii. 2. The extreme right and left of either army never engaged. --Jowett (Thucyd).
Ere\ (?; 277), prep. & adv. [AS. ?r, prep., adv., & conj.; akin to OS., OFries., & OHG. ?r, G. eher, D. eer, Icel. [=a]r, Goth. air. [root]204. Cf. Early, Erst, Or, adv.]1. Before; sooner than. [Archaic or Poetic] Myself was stirring ere the break of day. --Shak. Ere sails were spread new oceans to explore. --Dryden. Sir, come down ere my child die. --John iv. 49. 2. Rather than. I will be thrown into Etna, . . . ere I will leave her. --Shak. Ere long, before, shortly. --Shak. Ere now, formerly, heretofore. --Shak. Ere that, & Or are. Same as Ere. --Shak.
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Audio Help [awr; unstressed er] Pronunciation Key 
