Both (&unr_;), a. or pron. [OE. bothe, ba&unr_;e, fr. Icel. bā&unr_;ir; akin to Dan. baade, Sw. båda, Goth. baj&unr_;&unr_;s, OHG. beid&unr_;, b&unr_;d&unr_;, G. & D. beide, also AS. begen, bā, b&unr_;, Goth. bai, and Gr. &unr_;, L. ambo, Lith. abà, OSlav. oba, Skr. ubha. √310. Cf. Amb-.] The one and the other; the two; the pair, without exception of either.
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&hand_; It is generally used adjectively with nouns; as, both horses ran away; but with pronouns, and often with nous, it is used substantively, and followed by of.
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It frequently stands as a pronoun.
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She alone is heir to both of us. Shak.
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Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant. Gen. xxi. 27.
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He will not bear the loss of his rank, because he can bear the loss of his estate; but he will bear both, because he is prepared for both. Bolingbroke.
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It is often used in apposition with nouns or pronouns.
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Thy weal and woe are both of them extremes. Shak.
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This said, they both betook them several ways. Milton.
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Both now always precedes any other attributive words; as, both their armies; both our eyes.
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Both of is used before pronouns in the objective case; as, both of us, them, whom, etc.; but before substantives its used is colloquial, both (without of) being the preferred form; as, both the brothers.
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