both

both — adjective

1. placed before a plural noun phrase that already has words like 'the', 'these', o

1.adjectiveA1
Definition

placed before a plural noun phrase that already has words like 'the', 'these', or 'my', to show that the statement is true of those two known people or things together.

Example

Both the doors were locked when Leila reached the clinic.

both + the + plural noun

Both my sisters sing in the station choir every Sunday morning.

both + possessive + plural noun

Common collocations
  • both the doors
  • both my parents
  • both our bags
  • both these chairs
  • both those windows
Synonyms
  • the two

    close in meaning, but more often names the pair rather than modifying the noun directly.

  • each of the two

    looks at the members separately, while 'both' keeps them together as one pair.

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

both + the/these/those + plural noun

both + my/our/your/his/her/their + plural noun

Usage Note

Put 'both' before the determiner or possessive, not after it: both the rooms, both my bags, both these cakes. Distinguish from determiner/1, which goes straight before a plural noun with no extra word in between.

Common Mistakes

The both doors were shut.
Both the doors were shut.
'both' comes before 'the', not after it.

2. showing that something affects, includes, or belongs to the two sides, groups, o

2.adjectiveA2
Definition

showing that something affects, includes, or belongs to the two sides, groups, or matching parts, not just one of them.

Example

The cold wind made both eyes water on the walk home.

both + body-part noun

After the crash, traffic backed up on both sides of the bridge.

on both sides

Common collocations
  • both eyes
  • both sides
  • both parents
  • both ends
  • both teams
Synonyms
  • each side

    splits the pair into separate members, while 'both' keeps the whole pair in view.

  • the two ... together

    explains the same idea, but is less compact and less natural in normal sentences.

Antonyms
  • one-sided

    affecting or involving only one side.

  • single

    limited to one part or one side.

Grammar Patterns

both + body-part noun

both + sides/ends/teams/parents

on both sides

at both ends

Usage Note

Common with nouns that name natural pairs or opposite groups, such as eyes, hands, sides, ends, teams, and parents. Distinguish from determiner/1: here the main idea is that a condition or action reaches each side or part.

Common Mistakes

The pain spread to both side of his neck.
The pain spread to both sides of his neck.
the noun after 'both' stays plural.

both — determiner

both — conjunction

both — pronoun

Synonym discussion

Sense: determiner/1

'Both' is the normal word when you want to include the full pair together: both children, both answers, both doors. 'The two' often points to the same pair, but it feels more like naming or identifying them in a story: the two boys ran off. 'Each' is different because it looks at the members one by one, even if the result is shared: each child got a sticker. 'Either' means one of the two, often when one choice is enough: either parent can sign. 'Neither' is the negative partner, meaning not one and not the other. A quick test helps: if you mean the whole pair, use 'both'; if you mean one member separately, use 'each'; if one member is enough, use 'either'.

both ↗the twoeach ↗either ↗neither ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • both parents
  • both hands
  • both sides
  • both teams

Phrases

  • both of us
  • both of them
  • both ... and ...
  • on both sides
  • at both ends

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishOld NorseMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Both' came into Middle English as 'bothe'. It grew out of an older Germanic word for 'the two together' and was probably shaped by an early phrase meaning roughly 'both the'. English forms were influenced by Old English words such as 'ba' and 'begen', and likely also by the similar Old Norse form 'badhir'. That shared history explains why related languages still have close forms, such as German 'beide' and Dutch 'beide'.