Both

a. and adv. Forms: 2–3 baðe, baþe, bathe, 2–6 boðe, boþe, bothe, (3 beþe, beoðe), 4–6 booþ, -th, (6 boeth), 7 boath, 4– both; also 3–5 boðen, -þen, -then, 5 bothyn; north. 3–5 bathe, bath, 4–6 baithe, 5–6 bayth, 6–8 beath, 4– baith. Genit. 3 bathre, baiþer, 3–4 baþer(n, 4 bothers, -es, 5 bothes, -is, (4–6 bothe), 7–8 both’s. [early ME. bāðe (genitive bāðre) was app. a. ON. báðar m., báðir fem., bæði, báði neut. (genitive báðra) = OS. bêðia m. f., bêðiu neut., OHG. bêde and beide m., bêdâ, beido fem., bēdiu, beidiu neut.; an extended form of the simple word found in Goth. as bai masc., ba neut., and in OE. as béʓen, bá (see BO). No trace of this extended form appears in OE.; the simpler form bei, BO existed side by side with both until 14–15th c., when the former died out.

  The suffix in ON. báðar and the equivalent forms is believed to be unconnected with that in Goth. bajóþs both (declined as sb. plur.), and to represent the definite article (in Goth. þai, þô) which seems to have coalesced with the simple bai, ba owing to the tendency to say ‘both the’ instead of merely ‘both’; cf. Goth. ba þô skipa ‘both the ships’ Luke v. 8. The constructions of both in Eng. follow those of the earlier BO and to some extent those of ALL; examples of its use as attribute to a sb. plur. without intervening possessive, demonstrative, or article, do not appear until after Bo had become obsolete.]

  A.  adj. I. Proper sense and normal uses.

  The one and the other; referring to two specially designated persons or things, implying that two and no more are so designated, and emphasizing the fact that neither of them is excepted from the statement made; equivalent to ‘the two, and not merely one of them.’

  The following Constructions occur:

  1.  absolutely. From 14th c. sometimes the both (obs.). In early mod.Eng. sometimes inflected as a sb., with genitive both’s.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 250. Baþe wærenn alde.

c. 1300.  Cursor M., 666. Bath he sette in þare fre will.

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron., 269. It turnes bot tille þe boþe, if Godes grace may stond.

1616.  B. Parsons, Mag. Charter, 26. Judge no cause in hand, Before boths talke thou understand.

a. 1620.  A. Hume, Brit. Tong. (1865), 34. For exemple of beath, and to conclud this treatesse.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 352. He … resents his Wounds, His ignominious Flight, the Victor’s Boast, And more than boath, the Loves, which unreveng’d he lost.

1715.  Lett., in Wodrow Corr. (1843), II. 38. That the business be tried, and both sides allowed to counter-question both’s witnesses.

1752.  Johnson, Rambl., No. 197, ¶ 13. The old gentlewoman considered herself wiser than both.

1848.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 113. Both were Tories: both were men of hot temper and strong prejudices.

  2.  In apposition with a plural sb. or pronoun.

  When referring to the subject of a sentence, both was in early ME. usually separated from it, and placed after the vb. or whole predication. This is still common dialectally. In the literary language, both is still placed after the verb be (occasionally also after become, seem, appear, etc.), and after the auxiliary in a compound tense.

c. 1175.  Cott. Hom., 223. Þa weran boðe deadlice.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 10. Noþeleas heo weren wel beoðe.

a. 1300.  Havelok, 1680. Loke þat ye comen beþe.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 793. Al for noght þai ette it bath.

c. 1400.  Gamelyn, 625. As they stoode talkyng bothen in-feere.

c. 1580.  Lyly, Euphues (1636), K 12. I wish you were both married.

1622.  Mabbe, trans. Aleman’s Guzman d’Alf., I. 255. They were both equall in state and condition.

1836.  Dickens, Pickw., x. We are both men of the world.

Mod.  They seem both very obstinate. They have both gone. The brothers might both have come.

  3.  In attributive relation to a plural sb.:

  a.  with a defining word (demonst. or poss. adj., ‘def. article,’ genitive case, etc.): Both precedes the defining word, as ‘both my friends saw it.’ It may also (with greater emphasis) follow the sb., esp. when the subject of the sentence, as ‘my friends both saw it.’ (In this case it further follows the verb be or an auxiliary, as ‘my friends had both seen it’: cf. 2).

  The constructions are the same when there is ellipsis of the sb. after demonst. or poss. pron., as ‘I need both these,’ ‘these are both mine.’ For the colloq. both of before sb. see 6.

1297.  R. Glouc., 376. Wo so by Kyng Wyllames day slou hert oþer hynde, Me ssolde putte oute boþe hys eye.

1394.  P. Pl. Crede, 224. A greet cherl and a grym … Wiþ a face … as a bagge honged On boþen his chekes.

1548.  Latimer, Ploughers (Arb.), 25. To lette or hinder boeth these kyndes.

1588.  A. King, trans. Canisius’ Catech., 84. Thay … in auld tymes had baith y^e kynds in publick vse.

1632.  Milton, Allegro, 32. Laughter holding both his sides.

1785.  Burns, Twa Herds, xii. Baith the Shaws, That aft hae made us black and blae.

1870.  Tennyson, Gareth & L., 80. Both thy brethren are in Arthur’s hall.

  † b.  Formerly both was sometimes placed between the defining word and the substantive.

c. 1430.  Bk. Hawkyng, in Rel. Ant., I. 297. Knyt the bothe endes with a threde.

c. 1449.  Pecock, Repr., II. xi. 216. Whether he entendid these bothe effectes, or the oon of hem oonli.

1551.  Recorde, Pathw. Knowl., I. Def. The middle partes nother bulke vp, nother shrink down more then the bothe endes.

c. 1615.  Chapman, Odyss., III. 572. To plate the both horns round about with gold.

1649.  Rainbowe, Sermon, 2. A King whose both hands God had filled with blessings of every kind.

1830.  trans. Aristophanes’ Knights, 85. He … with his both hands, scoops up from the public funds.

  c.  without defining word. Both regularly precedes the sb., but in lively or humorous address may sometimes follow it, as in quot. 1597. Both ways: in both respects.

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 34. Bothe wayes suche desyres be vnlawfull.

1593.  Hooker, Eccl. Pol., Pref. v. § 3. A solemn declaration made on both parts.

1597.  Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., III. ii. 308. Fare you well, Gentlemen both.

1628.  Hobbes, Thucyd. (1822), 105. Shew not yourselves both ways inferior to your ancestors.

1712.  Addison, Spect., No. 499, ¶ 2. Very agreeable young people of both sexes.

1798.  Canning, in Anti-Jacobin, 9 July (1832), 208. Much may be said on both sides.

1849.  Ruskin, Sev. Lamps, iv. § 26. So they have … a pair of horns: but not at both ends.

1879.  Lockyer, Elem. Astron., v. § 35. 206. In Russia … it is customary to give both dates.

  4.  In attrib. relation to a plural pronoun:

  a.  in nom. or obj. Both follows the pronoun, as ‘they both went.’ (With be and auxiliaries it further follows the verb: cf. 2). In ME. both might precede the pronoun, ‘both they went’; of this usage both which still occurs; but the regular modern construction with both preceding the pronoun is ‘both of us,’ ‘both of whom,’ ‘both of which’ (see 6).

c. 1320.  Metr. Hom., 55. Baithe thai gan his wai to lette.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Reeves T., 271. He myghte doon vs bathe [Camb. bothe; Corp. boþ(e] a vileynye.

1472.  Marg. Paston, Lett., 689, III. 37. The Holy Ghost kepe you bothyn.

1475.  Caxton, Jason, 37 b. Bothe they toke a good palfraye.

1549.  Marriage Serv., So long as you both shall live.

1597.  J. Payne, Royal Exch., 43. Then would yt … make bothe theme the better to love one another.

1610.  Shaks., Temp., I. ii. 241. The time ’twixt six and now Must by vs both be spent most preciously.

1611.  Bible, 2 Peter iii. 1. In both which [epistles] I stir vp your pure minds.

1816.  J. Wilson, City Plague, II. i. 14. They both speak of death.

1848.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 114. The papers found in the strong box … had converted them both to the true faith.

  † b.  in genit. pl. with a sb., as our, your, her (= their), their bather, bother, bothens, botheres, etc. (afterwards both, which sometimes preceded the pron.) = of us, you, them both. Obs.

>  Latterly the sb. often improperly took the plural form by attraction of the pronoun; this idiom is still in vulgar use, as ‘It is both your faults,’ ‘she is both their mothers.’

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 1254. In þat way sal þou find forsoth Þi moders and mine our bather slogh. Ibid., 23958. Þair baiþer paines aght to be mine.

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. XVI. 165. Cryst toke þe bataille, Aȝeines deth and þe deuel · destruyed her botheres myȝtes.

c. 1430.  Lydg., Bochas, I. ix. (1544), 19 b. This was concluded by their both assente.

1479.  Bury Wills (1850), 54. As moste beste can be advysed by ther botheris counsell.

1513.  More, Rich. III., Wks. (1557), 54/1. [To be] here as a saintuary man to their both dishonour and obloquy.

1536.  St. Papers Hen. VIII., I. 509. Ye take uppon you to set order bothe to them and Us, your bothe Sovereigne.

1592.  Shaks., Rom. & Jul., II. iii. 51. Both our remedies Within thy helpe and holy physicke lies. Ibid. (1601), All’s Well, I. iii. 169. Were you both our mothers.

1627.  Hakewill, Apol. (1630), 167. Both their haire was as white as was possible.

1699.  Bentley, Phal., Pref. 9. It was both our misfortunes that he committed the whole affair to the care of his Bookseller.

1752.  Mrs. Lennox, Female Quix. (1820), II. 29. These sentiments which now cause both our unhappiness.

  5.  In attrib. relation to two substantives or pronouns (or a sb. and pron.) coupled by and, the same constructions obtain as in 3: as ‘both John and I came,’ ‘John and George both came,’ ‘the brother and sister are both dead,’ but this is practically indistinguishable from the adverbial use in B 1.

  6.  With of: Both of is now used before pronouns and pronominal words, instead of the simple both (see 4). The use with a sb., as ‘both of these arguments,’ is colloquial, but scarcely ever occurs in literature.

1590.  Shaks., Com. Err., V. i. 291. I am sure you both of you remember me. Ibid. (1602), Lear, III. i. 27. The hard Reine which both of them hath borne.

1611.  Bible, Gen. xxii. 8. They went both of them together.

1875.  Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 80. Both of us often talk to the lads.

1878.  Morley, Crit. Misc., I. 211. With both of them, more than with other poets.

  II.  Transferred senses and abnormal uses.

  7.  In certain pleonastic combinations, † both two, twain (cf. OE. bá twá); both the two; † all both (cf. G. alle beide): all synonymous with both (So also in adverbial use; see B 2 b).

c. 1275.  Lay., 2399. Mid childe hii weren boþe two.

c. 1325.  E. E. Allit. P., B. 155. Byndez byhynde, at his bak, boþe two his handez.

c. 1300.  Cursor M., 635 (Gött.). Naked war þai bath tway.

1485.  Caxton, Paris & V. (1868), 18. Bothe two were throwen to the erthe.

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss. (1812), I. 621. They were bothe two armed.

1571.  T. Fortescue, Forest Hist., 129. Yet would he retain with hym still Silan and Sasilas, all both Lacedemonians.

1587.  Golding, De Mornay, Pref. 4. From both twaine of them, wee drawe … the trueth of our Scriptures.

c. 1600.  Shaks., Sonn., xlii. Both find each other, and I lose both twain.

1846.  Grote, Greece, II. xviii. (1854), III. 365. Both the two cities reached a high pitch of prosperity.

  8.  Synonymous with ‘the two’ in phrases either (neither, whether) of both, of the both (obs. or dial.); between both. (arch.)

1443.  Pol. Poems (1859), II. 214. Attween bothen … Crist Jhesu send us pees.

1489.  Caxton, Faytes of A., I. xxiv. 75. There abode not one man alyve of neythre of bothe partyes.

1489.  Will of Harryngton (Somerset Ho.). Whether of the both it shall fortune.

1544.  Ascham, Toxoph. (Arb.), 27. We be borne for neither of bothe.

1584.  Whetstone, Mirour, 27 b. The coveitous man is the worst of both.

1607.  Topsell, Serpents, 607. Either of both abhorreth one the other.

1766.  Goldsm., Vic. W., xxxii. The argument was supported, for some time, between both, with equal obstinacy.

1856.  J. R. Ballantyne, Aphor. Sánkhya Philos., 38. ‘Between both,’ i. e. between Soul and not-Soul, both together.

  † 9.  Used as a sing. (cf. G. beides). Obs. rare^–1.

1721.  R. Keith, trans. T. á Kempis’ Vall. Lillies, ii. 22. Both is a very great Evil.

  B.  adv. (conj.)

  1.  Preceding two homogeneous words (sbs., adjs., vbs., advbs. or preps.) or phrases, coupled by and, both adds emphasis to the sentence by suggesting a contrast with the statement as it would have been had one of the terms been omitted. Both … and is thus nearly = not only … but. (Both in this construction is not now preceded by a genitive case or an adj. of any kind, as in quots. 1641, 1690, 1834).

  As both … and corresponds to the Latin et … et, it is usual to class both as a conjunction; but it more properly belongs to the same grammatical category with EVEN. This use of both arises out of the construction in A 5, and in ‘both the king and the queen spoke,’ ‘the king and the queen both honor him,’ ‘Mercury and Venus are both inferior planets,’ both may still be viewed as an adjective in attributive relation to the two substantives. But in the extended use ‘both juster and kinder’ or ‘both by day and by night,’ ‘he both walks and runs,’ it can no longer be so treated.

1154.  O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1137. Bathe be nihtes . & be dæies.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 143. For to deme baþe þe gode and þe uuele.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 899. He was boðen king and prest.

a. 1300.  Havelok, 958. Boþen heye men and lowe.

c. 1320.  Cast. Love, 497. Boþe Ich and Merci We beclepeþ þe dom for-þi.

a. 1400.  Cov. Myst. (1841), 94. I shal send for hem, bothyn fere and nere.

1528.  Lyndesay, Dreme, Prol. 20. Because vnblomit was baith bank and braye.

1641.  Hinde, J. Bruen, vi. 24. A faire image of this young Gentlemans both wants and weaknesses.

1690.  Locke, Hum. Und., II. xxi. § 9. All its both Motion and Rest, come under our Idea of Necessary.

1766.  Goldsm., Vic. W., ii. (1806), 7. I looked upon this as a masterpiece both for argument and style.

a. 1834.  Coleridge, Remains (1836), III. 375. This idle argument is the favourite both shield and sword of the Romanist.

1837.  J. H. Newman, Par. Serm. (ed. 3), I. viii. 114. It is both severe and indulgent.

Bk. Com. Prayer, Visit. Sick, Both now and evermore.

  b.  Extended to more than two objects.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 1440. To whom bothe heuene and erthe and see is sene.

c. 1430.  Lydg., Bochas, I. vii. 18. She was also bothe ioly, fayre, and good.

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss. (1812), I. 351. Bothe prelates, bysshoppes, abbottes, barownes, and knyghtes.

1591.  Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., V. v. 107. Margaret shall now be Queene and rule the King; But I will rule both her, the King, & Realme. Ibid. (1592), Ven. & Ad., 747. Both favour, savour, hue and qualities.

1612.  Brinsley, Lud. Lit., 283. Rewards … giue all kinde of hartning … both to Masters, Vshers, and Schollars.

1678.  Bunyan, Pilgr., I. (1862), 37. To help them, both by awakening of them, counselling of them, and proffering to help them.

1782.  Johnson, Lett., 2 March. Both Williams, and Desmoulins, and myself are very sickly.

1798.  Coleridge, Anc. Mar., VII. xxii. He prayeth well, who loveth well Both man and bird and beast.

c. 1839.  De Quincey, Wks., XV. (1863), 140. For both Chaucer and Shakspeare and Milton.

  2.  Both may follow, instead of preceding (as in 1), the two words or phrases connected by and; now only in the case of two sbs. (two pronouns, or sb. and pronoun) subjects of the same plural verb, but formerly (and still dialectally) in all other cases. In this use both may often be replaced by too or also.

a. 1225.  Ancren R., 14. Of fleschliche vondunges, & of gostliche boðe.

c. 1230.  Hali Meid., 5. Widewen … & weddede baðe.

c. 1240.  Lofsong, 205. Ich habbe i suneged ine mete . and in drunche boðe.

1394.  P. Pl. Crede, 31. Þe cofres of cristendam · & þe keye boþen.

1467.  John Paston, Lett., 573, II. 303. He had shrevyn Master Brakley, and howsyllyd hym bothe.

1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, IV. xiii. I am sore hurte and he bothe. Ibid. (1816), II. 405. My broder Gareth loved hym … and alle his bretheren, and the kynge, bothe.

1561.  T. Hoby, trans. Castiglione’s Courtyer (1577), P vij. It shalbe good for him and me both.

1600.  W. Barlow, Serm. (1601), A v a. Malice marres logike and charitie both.

1683.  Burnet, trans. More’s Utopia, Pref. His setting out so barbarous a practice … is so wild and so immoral both.

Mod.  I have seen your brother and your sister both.

Mod. dial.  He can sing and dance both.

  † b.  Both two (in same sense). Obs.

1413.  Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, V. xi. (1483), 102. The scorpyon … byteth and styngeth bothe two at ones.

1513.  Bradshaw, St. Werburge (1848), 57. And founder was also Of dyuers holy places and monasteryes both two.

  † 3.  After a negative or word implying exclusion, both was formerly sometimes used instead of either. (Cf. ALL A 4.)

1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, XVIII. v. Of that I will not fayle you, nor her bothe.

1608.  Topsell, Serpents, 608. This snake … sunk down from altar clean, without both harm or noise.

  C.  Comb., as † both-hands, a factotum (cf. one’s right-hand); both-handed a., using both hands with equal ease; whence both-handedness; † both-like a., resembling both; † both-side a., derived from a like source on both sides; both-sided a., viewing both sides, taking both sides into account; whence both-sidedness.

1614.  B. Jonson, Barth. Fair, I. Wks. 1729, I. 199 (Ogilvie). He is his Master’s *Both hands, I assure you.

a. 1637.  B. Jonson, etc. Widow, IV. ii. in Dodsley (1780), XII. 295. [He] half cozens his belly … if he dine among … *both-handed feeders.

1653.  Holcroft, Procopius, II. 40. Bent his bow (being both-handed) and killed Jabdas horse.

1883.  Student, III. 284. The tendency toward what might be called *Both-handedness in the use of the brush.

1883.  St. James’s Gaz., 27 Feb., 5. In old age however there is a marked tendency to both-handedness.

1628.  Gaule, Pract. The., 145. Twixt God and Man; Is now brought forth to both, of *both-like Nature.

1623.  Lisle, Ælfric on O. & N. T., Ded. By Vertue met in *both-side Royall blood.

1879.  H. Spencer, Data of Ethics, vi. 99. *Both-sided conceptions. Ibid. (1874), Stud. Sociol., xvi. 397. Dangers from the want of a due *both-sidedness.