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Either vs Every - What's the difference?

either | every |

As a determiner either

is each of two.

As a pronoun either

is (obsolete) both, each of two or more.

As an adverb either

is as well.

As a conjunction either

is introduces the first of two options, the second of which is introduced by "or".

As a proper noun every is

.

either

English

Usage notes

In the UK the first pronunciation is generally used more in southern England, while the latter is more usual in northern England. However, this is an oversimplification, and the pronunciation used varies by individual speaker and sometimes by situation. The second pronunciation is the most common in the United States.

Determiner

(en determiner)
  • Each of two.
  • * (John Milton) (1608-1674)
    • His flowing hair / In curls on either cheek played.
  • * 1936 , (Djuna Barnes), (Nightwood) , Faber & Faber 2007, page 31:
    • Her hands, long and beautiful, lay on either side of her face.
  • One or the other of two.
  • * {{quote-news, passage=You can't be a table and a chair. You're either a Jew or a gentile.
    • , quotee=(Jackie Mason), year=2006, date=December 5, work=USA Today , title= Mason drops lawsuit vs. Jews for Jesus}}
  • (coordinating)
  • * {{quote-book, year=1893, author=(Walter Besant), title= The Ivory Gate, chapter=Prologue
    • , passage=Thus, when he drew up instructions in lawyer language

    Synonyms

    * (one or the other) * (each of two) both, each

    Pronoun

    (English Pronouns)
  • (obsolete) Both, each of two or more.
  • * , Bk.VII:
    • Than ayther departed to theire tentis and made hem redy to horsebacke as they thought beste.
  • * (Francis Bacon) (1561-1626)
    • Scarce a palm of ground could be gotten by either of the three.
  • * , III.i:
    • And either vowd with all their power and wit, / To let not others honour be defaste.
  • * (1809-1894)
    • There have been three talkers in Great British, either of whom would illustrate what I say about dogmatists.
  • One or other of two people or things.
  • * 2013 , Daniel Taylor, Danny Welbeck leads England's rout of Moldova but hit by Ukraine ban , The Guardian, 6 September:
    • Hodgson may now have to bring in James Milner on the left and, on that basis, a certain amount of gloss was taken off a night on which Welbeck scored twice but barely celebrated either before leaving the pitch angrily complaining to the Slovakian referee.

    Adverb

    (-)
  • As well.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1959, author=(Georgette Heyer), title=(The Unknown Ajax), chapter=1
    • , passage=But Richmond

    Usage notes

    either is sometimes used, especially in North American English, where neither would be more traditionally accurate: "I'm not hungry." "Me either."

    Synonyms

    * neither * too

    Conjunction

    (English Conjunctions)
  • Introduces the first of two options, the second of which is introduced by "or".
    • Either you eat your dinner or you go to your room.

    Usage notes

    * When there are more than two alternatives, "any" is used instead.

    See also

    * neither * nor * or

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * English conjunctive adverbs English indefinite pronouns English third person pronouns English words not following the I before E except after C rule 1000 English basic words

    every

    English

    Alternative forms

    * ev’ry (poetic) * euery (obsolete)

    Determiner

    (en determiner)
  • All of a countable group, without exception.
  • :
  • *
  • *:At half-past nine on this Saturday evening, the parlour of the Salutation Inn, High Holborn, contained most of its customary visitors.In former days every' tavern of repute kept such a room for its own select circle, a club, or society, of habitués, who met ' every evening, for a pipe and a cheerful glass.
  • *, chapter=5
    • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=Here, in the transept and choir, where the service was being held, one was conscious every moment of an increasing brightness; colours glowing vividly beneath the circular chandeliers, and the rows of small lights on the choristers' desks flashed and sparkled in front of the boys' faces, deep linen collars, and red neckbands.}}
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-07, author=David Simpson
    • , volume=188, issue=26, page=36, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Fantasy of navigation , passage=Like most human activities, ballooning has sponsored heroes and hucksters and a good deal in between. For every dedicated scientist patiently recording atmospheric pressure and wind speed while shivering at high altitudes, there is a carnival barker with a bevy of pretty girls willing to dangle from a basket or parachute down to earth.}}
  • Used with ordinal numbers to denote those items whose position is divisible by the corresponding cardinal number, or a portion of equal size to that set.
  • :
  • :

    • Synonyms

    * each

    Antonyms

    * no

    Derived terms

    * a chicken in every pot * each and every * every bit * everybody * every cloud has a silver lining * every dog has its day * every five minutes * every last * every little helps * every man for himself * every man Jack, every man jack * every nook and cranny * everyone * every other * every second * every so often * everything * every time * everywhere * every which way * every which where * hang on someone's every word * there are two sides to every question * there is an exception to every rule * worth every penny

    See also

    * all * each

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * * 200 English basic words 1000 English basic words