Whither vs Either - What's the difference?
whither | either |
(literary, or, archaic) To which place.
* 1918 , , Mirado Modern Classics, paperback edition, page 8
*
*
* 1885 , , Penguin Red Classics, paperback edition, page 24
Each of two.
* (John Milton) (1608-1674)
* 1936 , (Djuna Barnes), (Nightwood) , Faber & Faber 2007, page 31:
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= (coordinating)
* {{quote-book, year=1893, author=(Walter Besant), title=
, passage=Thus, when he drew up instructions in lawyer language
(obsolete) Both, each of two or more.
* , Bk.VII:
* (Francis Bacon) (1561-1626)
* , III.i:
* (1809-1894)
One or other of two people or things.
* 2013 , Daniel Taylor,
As well.
* {{quote-book, year=1959, author=(Georgette Heyer), title=(The Unknown Ajax), chapter=1
, passage=But Richmond
Introduces the first of two options, the second of which is introduced by "or".
As adverbs the difference between whither and either
is that whither is (literary|or|archaic) to which place while either is as well.As a verb whither
is (intransitive|obsolete|dialectal) to wuther.As a determiner either is
each of two.As a pronoun either is
(obsolete) both, each of two or more.As a conjunction either is
introduces the first of two options, the second of which is introduced by "or".whither
English
Adverb
(-)- The wagon jolted on, carrying me I knew not whither .
- And with the same grave countenance he hurried through his breakfast and drove to the police station, whither the body had been carried.
Usage notes
* This word is unusual in modern usage; where is much more common. It is more often encountered in older works, or when used poetically. * Do not confuse with whether'' or ''wither .Derived terms
* anywhither * nowhither * whitherward * whithereverSynonyms
* wheretoAntonyms
* whenceeither
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)- His flowing hair / In curls on either cheek played.
- Her hands, long and beautiful, lay on either side of her face.
Mason drops lawsuit vs. Jews for Jesus}}
The Ivory Gate, chapter=Prologue
Synonyms
* (one or the other) * (each of two) both, eachPronoun
(English Pronouns)- Than ayther departed to theire tentis and made hem redy to horsebacke as they thought beste.
- Scarce a palm of ground could be gotten by either of the three.
- And either vowd with all their power and wit, / To let not others honour be defaste.
- There have been three talkers in Great British, either of whom would illustrate what I say about dogmatists.
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
(-)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 * tooConjunction
(English Conjunctions)- Either you eat your dinner or you go to your room.
