Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Either
Ei′ther
(ē′thẽr or ī′thẽr; 277)
, Adj.
& pron.
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
Of both is flattered; but he neither loves,
Nor
either
cares for him. Shakespeare
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
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).
Ei′ther
,c
onj.
Either precedes two, or more, coördinate words or phrases, and is introductory to an alternative. It is correlative to or.
Either
he is talking, or
he is pursuing, or
he is in a journey, or
peradventure he sleepeth. 1 Kings xviii. 27.
Few writers hesitate to use
either
in what is called a triple alternative; such as, We must either
stay where we are, proceed, or recede. Latham.
☞ Either was formerly sometimes used without any correlation, and where we should now use or.
Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries?
either
a vine, figs? James iii. 12.
Webster 1828 Edition
Either
E'ITHER
,Adj.
1.
One or another of any number. Here are ten oranges; take either orange of the whole number, or take either of them. In the last phrase, either stands as a pronoun or substitute.2.
One of two. This sense is included in the foregoing.Lepidus flatters both,
Of both is flattered; but he neither loves,
Nor either cares for him.
3.
Each; every one separately considered.On either side of the river. Rev.22.
4.
This word, when applied to sentences or propositions, is called a distributive or a conjunction. It precedes the first of two or more alternatives, and is answered by or before the second, or succeeding alternatives.Either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he sleepeth. l Kings 18.
In this sentence, either refers to each of the succeeding clauses of the sentence.