| 释义 |
ei·ther AHD[ē"Yər, ī"Yər] D.J.[ˈiːðə, ˈaɪðə]K.K.[ˈiðɚ, ˈaɪðɚ]pron.（代词）- The one or the other:任一，两方，随便哪一个：两者中的一个或另一个：Which movie do you want to see? Either will be fine.你想看哪一部电影?哪部都行
conj.（连接词）- Used before the first of two or more coordinates or clauses linked byor : 或…或…，…呢还是…，要么…要么…：用在以或 连接的两个或多个并列成分或分句的第一个之前： Either we go now or we remain here forever.要么我们现在走，要么我们永远在这呆下去
adj.（形容词）- Any one of two; one or the other:任一的：两者之中任一的；一个或另一个：Wear either coat.穿随便哪件衣服都行
- One and the other; each:两方的，各自的：（两者之中）一个和另一个；每个的：rings on either hand.两只手上的都戴着戒指
adv.（副词）- Likewise; also. Used as an intensive following negative statements:也：同样；也。作为强调成分用在否定陈述之后：If you don't order a dessert, I won't either.如果你不点甜点，我也不点
- Middle English 中古英语
- from Old English ǣther, ǣghwæther * see k wo- 源自 古英语 ǣther, ǣghwæther * 参见 k wo-
- The traditional rule holds thateither should be used only to refer to one of two items and thatany is required when more than two items are involved: 传统规则认为either 只能用于指两者之一， 如果涉及多于两者的情况时，应用any ： Any (not either ) of the three opposition candidates still in the race would make a better president than the incumbent. 正在参加竞选的三个反对党候选人中的任何 （不是 either ) 一个都会比现任总统干得更好。
- But reputable writers have often violated this rule,and in any case it applies only to the use ofeither as a pronoun or an adjective. Wheneither is used as a conjunction no paraphrase withany is available, and soeither is unexceptionable even when it applies to more than two clauses: 但是许多著名作家经常违反这个规则，这种情况只见于either 用作代名词或形容词时。 当either 用作连接词时， any 没有相应的替代词， 所以即使用来连接多于两个从句时，也要用either ： Either the union will make a counteroffer or the original bid will be refused by the board or the deal will go ahead as scheduled. · 或者工会提出一个相反的建议，或者董事会拒绝原来的要价，或者这事按原计划进行。
- Ineither . . . or constructions, the two conjunctions should be followed by parallel elements.The following is regarded as incorrect:You may either have the ring or the bracelet (properly, You may have either the ring or the bracelet ). The following is also incorrect:She can take either the examination offered to all applicants or ask for a personal interview (properly, She can either take . . . ). · When used as a pronoun,either is singular and takes a singular verb: The two left-wing parties disagree with each other more than either does (not do ) with the right. When followed byof and a plural noun, either is often used with a plural verb: 在either … or 结构中， 两个连接词后应跟并列成分。下面这句话被认为是不正确的：You may either have the ring or the bracelet ，正确的应是 You may have either the ring or the bracelet （你既可以有戒指也可以有手镯） 下面这句也是不对的：She can take either the examination offered to all applicants or ask for a personal interview。 正确的应是， She can either take …（她可以参加提供给所有申请人的考试，也可以要求一个单独面试。） 作为代名词时，either 是单数，动词应用单数形式： The two left-wing parties disagree with each other more than either does （不用 do ) with the right.（两个左翼党之间的分歧比任何一个与右翼党的分歧都要大） 当后面接of 和一个复数名词的时候， either 经常与动词复数形式配合： Either of the parties have enough support to form a government. 这些政党中任一个都有足够的支持来组阁一个政府。
- But this usage is widely regarded as incorrect;in an earlier survey it was rejected by 92 percent of the Usage Panel. ·When all the elements in aneither . . . or construction (or a neither . . . nor construction) used as the subject of a sentence are singular, the verb is singular: 但是这种用法通常被认为是不正确的，在以前的调查中它被用法使用小组百分之九十二的成员所否定。当作为句中主语的either…or 结构（或 neither…nor 结构）中的所有成分都是单数的时候， 动词也应用单数： Either Eve or Herb has been invited. 伊夫和赫伯都被 邀请了。
- Analogously, when all the elements in theeither . . . or construction are plural, the verb is plural too: 类似地，当所有either…or 结构中的成分都是复数的时候， 动词也应用复数： Either the Clarks or the Kays have been invited. 克拉克全家和凯全家都被 邀请了。
- When the construction mixes singular and plural elements, however,there is some confusion as to which form the verb should take.It has sometimes been suggested that the verb should agree with whichever noun phrase is closest to it;thus one would writeEither Eve or the Kays have been invited, butEither the Kays or Eve has been invited. This pattern is accepted by 54 percent of the Usage Panel.Others have maintained that the construction is fundamentally inconsistent whichever number is assigned to the verband that such sentences should be rewritten accordingly.As Wilson Follett put it:然而，当结构中既有单数又有复数成分的时候，动词应采取什么形式说法不定。人们有时建议动词的人称和数应与离得最近的名词短语呼应；因此人们说Either Eve or the Kays have been invited ， 而不是Either the Kays or Eve has been invited 。 这种格式被用法使用小组54的成员所接受。也有人认为不管动词用什么样的数， 这个结构本质上都是一致的，因此这样的句子应重写。象威尔逊·伏莱特所说的："This [construction] is defensible, but a workmanlike writer may put his pride in not writing sentences that need defending.”See Usage Note at every ,neither ,or 1“这个是站得住脚的，但是精心推敲的作者应以写出不需为之辩护的句子而感到骄傲。” 参见 every,neither,or1
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