else

[ els ]
/ ɛls /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR else ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

other than the persons or things mentioned or implied: What else could I have done?
in addition to the persons or things mentioned or implied: Who else was there?
other or in addition (used in the possessive following an indefinite pronoun): someone else's money.

adverb

if not (usually preceded by or): It's a macaw, or else I don't know birds.
in some other way; otherwise: How else could I have acted?
at some other place or time: Where else might I find this book?

Idioms for else

    or else, or suffer the consequences: Do what I say, or else.

Origin of else

before 1000; Middle English, Old English elles (cognate with Old High German elles), equivalent to ell- other (cognate with Gothic aljis, Latin alius, Old Irish aile Greek állos, Armenian ayl other; cf. eldritch) + -es -s 1

usage note for else

The possessive forms of somebody else, everybody else, etc., are somebody else's, everybody else's, the forms somebody's else, everybody's else being considered nonstandard in present-day English. One exception is the possessive for who else, which is occasionally formed as whose else when a noun does not immediately follow: Is this book yours? Whose else could it be? No, it's somebody else's.

Words nearby else

els, elsa, elsan, elsass, elsass-lothringen, else, elsene, elsevier, elsewhere, elsewhither, elsie

Words related to or else

differently, variously, contrarily, diversely, either, conversely, preferentially

British Dictionary definitions for or else

else
/ (ɛls) /

determiner (postpositive; used after an indefinite pronoun or an interrogative)

in addition; more there is nobody else here
other; different where else could he be?

adverb

or else
  1. if not, thengo away or else I won't finish my work today
  2. or something terrible will result: used as a threatsit down, or else!

Word Origin for else

Old English elles, genitive of el- strange, foreign; related to Old High German eli- other, Gothic alja, Latin alius, Greek allos

Idioms and Phrases with or else (1 of 2)

or else
1

Otherwise, in different circumstances, as in Present your case now, or else you won't have a chance. [c. 1300]

2

Regardless of any extenuating circumstances, no matter what, as in Be there on time or else! [Second half of 1800s]

Idioms and Phrases with or else (2 of 2)

else

see in someone's (else's) shoes; or else; something else; something else again.