both definition | Dictionary.com

both

[bohth]

–adjective

1.	one and the other; two together: He met both sisters. Both performances were canceled.

–pronoun

2.	the one as well as the other: Both of us were going to the party.

–conjunction

3.	alike; equally: He is both ready and willing.

Origin:
1125–75; ME bothe, bathe, influenced by Scand (cf. ON bāthir both; c. G, D beide, Goth ba tho skipa both (the) ships, OHG bêde < *bai thai); r. ME bo, ba, OE bā; c. Goth bai; akin to L ambō, Gk ámphō, Lith abù, Skt ubháu

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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both (bōth)

adj.  One and the other; relating to or being two in conjunction: Both guests have arrived. Both the books are torn. Both her fingers are broken.
pron.  The one and the other: Both were candidates. We are both candidates. Both of us are candidates.
conj.  Used with and to indicate that each of two things in a coordinated phrase or clause is included: both men and women; an attorney well regarded for both intelligence and honesty.

[Middle English bothe, probably from Old Norse bādhar.]

Usage Note: Both indicates that the action or state denoted by the verb applies individually to each of two entities. Both books weigh more than five pounds, for example, means that each book weighs more than five pounds by itself, not that the two books weighed together come to more than five pounds. Both is inappropriate where the verb does not apply to each of the entities by itself. · In possessive constructions of both is usually preferred: the mothers of both (rather than both their mothers); the fault of both (rather than both their fault or both's fault). · When both is used with and to link parallel elements in a sentence, the words or phrases that follow them should correspond grammatically: in both India and China or both in India and in China (not both in India and China).

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Both

Both\, a. or pron. [OE. bothe, ba?e, fr. Icel. b[=a]?ir; akin to Dan. baade, Sw. b[*a]da, Goth. baj??s, OHG. beid?, b?d?, G. & D. beide, also AS. begen, b[=a], b?, Goth. bai, and Gr. ?, L. ambo, Lith. ab[`a], OSlav. oba, Skr. ubha. [root]310. Cf. Amb-.] The one and the other; the two; the pair, without exception of either.

Note: It is generally used adjectively with nouns; as, both horses ran away; but with pronouns, and often with nous, it is used substantively, and followed by of.

Note: It frequently stands as a pronoun.

She alone is heir to both of us. --Shak.

Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant. --Gen. xxi. 27.

He will not bear the loss of his rank, because he can bear the loss of his estate; but he will bear both, because he is prepared for both. --Bolingbroke.

Note: It is often used in apposition with nouns or pronouns.

Thy weal and woe are both of them extremes. --Shak.

This said, they both betook them several ways. --Milton.

Note: Both now always precedes any other attributive words; as, both their armies; both our eyes.

Note: Both of is used before pronouns in the objective case; as, both of us, them, whom, etc.; but before substantives its used is colloquial, both (without of) being the preferred form; as, both the brothers.

Both

Both\, conj. As well; not only; equally.

Note: Both precedes the first of two co["o]rdinate words or phrases, and is followed by and before the other, both . . . and . . .; as well the one as the other; not only this, but also that; equally the former and the latter. It is also sometimes followed by more than two co["o]rdinate words, connected by and expressed or understood.

To judge both quick and dead. --Milton.

A masterpiece both for argument and style. --Goldsmith.

To whom bothe heven and erthe and see is sene. --Chaucer.

Both mongrel, puppy, whelp, and hound. --Goldsmith.

He prayeth well who loveth well Both man and bird and beast. --Coleridge.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : both

Spanish: ambos,

German: beide,

Japanese: 両方の

More Translations »

both

There are several theories, all similar, and deriving the word from the tendency to say "both the." One is that it is O.E. begen (masc.) "both" (from P.Gmc. *ba, from PIE *bho "both") + -þ extended base. Another traces it to the P.Gmc. formula represented in O.E. by ba þa "both these," from ba (feminine nominative and accusative of begen) + þa, nominative and accusative plural of se "that." A third traces it to O.N. baðir "both," from *bai thaiz "both the," from P.Gmc. *thaiz, third person plural pronoun.

both

In addition to the idioms beginning with both, also see best of both worlds; burn the candle at both ends; cut both ways; foot in both camps; have it both ways; play both ends against the middle; work both sides of the street.

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