both

[bohth]

adjective

1. one and the other; two together.

   He met both sisters. Both performances were canceled.

pronoun

1. the one as well as the other.

   Both of us were going to the party.

conjunction

1. alike; equally.

   He is both ready and willing.

both

/ bəʊθ /

determiner

1. 1. the two; two considered together

      both dogs were dirty

   2. ( as pronoun )

      both are to blame

conjunction

1. (coordinating) used preceding words, phrases, or clauses joined by and , used to emphasize that not just one, but also the other of the joined elements is included

   both Ellen and Keith enjoyed the play

   both new and exciting

Word History and Origins

Origin of both¹

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English bothe, bathe, Old English bā thā “both the, both those”; cognate with German, Dutch beide, Old High German bêde; akin to Latin ambō, Greek ámphō, Lithuanian abù, Sanskrit ubháu

Word History and Origins

Origin of both¹

C12: from Old Norse bāthir ; related to Old High German bēde , Latin ambō , Greek amphō

Idioms and Phrases

• 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

Example Sentences

The game was delayed as the officials talked to both coaches trying to determine ejections.

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Caroline Clapper, who sits on both Hertfordshire County and Hertsmere Borough councils, said a by-election would incur "a significant and unnecessary cost to the taxpayer".

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Androgenetic alopecia, also known as male pattern baldness or female pattern hair loss, is one of the most widespread causes of hair thinning in both men and women.

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Some held candles at the event, which doubled as both a celebration and a protest against the military, which seized power in 2021, plunging the country into a bloody civil war.

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Mercedes and US carmaker Ford both rejected the claims as having "no merit," while Japan's Nissan declined to comment.

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