“neither” – English explanatory dictionary

adj, pron not either of two people or things ○ Neither car or neither of the cars passed the test. ○ Neither sister is dark or neither of the sisters is dark. ■ adv not either ○ He doesn’t eat meat and neither does his wife. ○ She isn’t fat but neither is she really very thin. ■ conj □ neither…nor not one…and not the other ○ The water is neither too hot nor too cold – it’s just right. ○ She’s neither Chinese nor Japanese – she comes from Korea. ○ Neither his mother nor his father is coming to the wedding.

(? or 277), a. [OE. neiter, nother, nouther, AS. nawðer, nahwaeðer; na never, not + hwaeðer whether. The word has followed the form of either. See No, and Whether, and cf. Neuter, Nor.] Not either; not the one or the other. “Which of them shall I take?
Both? one? or neither? Neither can be enjoyed,
If both remain alive.” Shak. “He neither loves,
Nor either cares for him.” Shak.

conj. not either; generally used to introduce the first of two or more coördinate clauses of which those that follow begin with nor. “Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king.” 1 Kings xxii. 31. “Hadst thou been firm and fixed in thy dissent,
Neither had I transgressed, nor thou with me.” Milton. “When she put it on, she made me vow
That I should neither sell, nor give, nor lose it.” Shak. Neither was formerly often used where we now use nor. ´For neither circumcision, neither uncircumcision is anything at all.´ Tyndale. ´Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it.´ Gen. iii. 3. Neither is sometimes used colloquially at the end of a clause to enforce a foregoing negative (nor, not, no). ´He is very tall, but not too tall neither.´ Addison. ´ •I care not for his thrust’ •No, nor I neither.’´ Shak. Not so neither, by no means. [Obs.] Shak.