Both

Both (bōth) , a. or pron.

[Old English bothe, baþe, from Icelandic bāeir; akin to Danish baade, Swedish båda, Gothic bajōþs, Old High German beidē, bēdē, German & Dutch beide, also Anglo-Saxon begen, bā, bū, Gothic bai, and Greek 'a`mfw, Latin ambo, Lithuanian abà, OSlav. oba, Sanskrit ubha. r310. Compare Amb-.]

The one and the other; the two; the pair, without exception of either.

She alone is heir to both of us. — Shakespeare

Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant. — Gen. xxi. 27

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

Thy weal and woe are both of them extremes. — Shakespeare

This said, they both betook them several ways. — Milton

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.

It frequently stands as a pronoun.

It is often used in apposition with nouns or pronouns.

Both now always precedes any other attributive words; as, both their armies; both our eyes.

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.

Both , conjunction

As well; not only; equally.

To judge both quick and dead. — Milton

A masterpiece both for argument and style. — Goldsmith

To whom bothe heven and erthe and see is sene. — Chaucer

Both mongrel, puppy, whelp, and hound. — Goldsmith

He prayeth well who loveth well Both man and bird and beast. — Coleridge

Both precedes the first of two coordinate words or phrases, and is followed by and before the other, both... and...; as well the one as the other; not only this, but also that; equally the former and the latter. It is also sometimes followed by more than two coordinate words, connected by and expressed or understood.