both: [12] The Old English word for ‘both’ was bēgen (masculine; the feminine and neuter form was bā), a relative of a wide range of Indo- European words denoting ‘each of two’, including the second syllables of Old Slavic oba and Latin ambō (represented in English ambidextrous). Most Germanic languages extended the base form by adding -d or -th (as in German beide ‘both’). In the case of Old Norse, this produced bāthir, the form from which English acquired both. => ambidextrous
both (adj., pron.)
there are several theories, all similar, and deriving the word from the tendency to say "both the." One is that it is Old English begen (masc.) "both" (from Proto-Germanic *ba, from PIE *bho "both") + -þ extended base. Another traces it to the Proto-Germanic formula represented in Old English by ba þa "both these," from ba (feminine nominative and accusative of begen) + þa, nominative and accusative plural of se "that." A third traces it to Old Norse baðir "both," from *bai thaiz "both the," from Proto-Germanic *thaiz, third person plural pronoun. Compare similar formation in Old Frisian bethe, Dutch beide, Old High German beide, German beide, Gothic bajoþs.
实用例句
1. The vehicle that permitted both communication and acceptability was social revolution.
既能实现交流又能被广为接受的手段就是社会革命。
来自柯林斯例句
2. They have both behaved very badly and I am very hurt.
他们俩都很不友善，让我非常难过。
来自柯林斯例句
3. Featured are both his classics and his latest creations.
他的经典作品和最新创作都很独特。
来自柯林斯例句
4. The degree provides a thorough grounding in both mathematics and statistics.
该学位课程将为数学和统计学打下扎实的基础。
来自柯林斯例句
5. Both sides have agreed to demobilize 70% of their armies.
