— used to introduce another choice or possibility或,或者,还是(用于引出另一个选择或可能性)
You can have coffee or tea.你可以喝咖啡或是茶。
Would you like beer, wine, or something else?你想喝啤酒、葡萄酒,还是其他什么?
He must be her brother—or is he? [=maybe he is not her brother]他肯定是她的哥哥——或者不是?
I'll call (either) today or tomorrow.我会在今天或明天打电话。
(somewhat informal) I didn't mean to annoy you or anything.我没想惹你生气,也没其他意思。
(somewhat informal) Can I get you a cup of coffee or something?我能给你来杯咖啡或是其他饮料吗?
2
— used in negative statements to introduce something else that is also true也不(用于否定句,引出另外一件同样真实的事情)
We couldn't stop or even slow down the whole time. [=we could not stop and we could not slow down]我们在整段时间中不能停下,甚至也不能减速。
They have no food or water. [=they do not have food and they do not have water]他们既没有食物也没有水。
3
— used to say what will happen if a specified thing is not done否则,要不(表示如果不做某事会引起的后果)
Finish your dinner or you won't get any dessert. [=if you do not finish your dinner, then you will not get any dessert]把晚饭吃完,否则就不给你吃甜品。
Be at the station by 5 o'clock or you will miss the bus.*5点钟前到达车站,不然你就赶不上公共汽车了。
4
— used to introduce another number or amount that is possibly the correct one或,或者(用于引出另一个可能正确的数字或数量)
It's been two or three years since I've seen her.我已经有两三年没见到她了。
The package should arrive in five or six days.包裹应该五六天后到达。
We waited for an hour or more.我们等了有一个小时或更久。
5
— used to introduce the reason why something said previously is true否则,不然(用于引出前述事情为真的原因)
He must be hiding something or he wouldn't be lying. [=he would not lie if he were not hiding something; the fact that he is lying means that he must be hiding something]他肯定是在隐瞒一些事情,要不他不会撒谎的。
6
a — used to introduce a word or phrase that defines or explains what another word or phrase means或者说,也就是(用于引出某一词语或短语的解释)
Botany, or the science of plants, is a fascinating subject. = The science of plants, or botany, is a fascinating subject.植物学,也就是研究植物的科学,是一门迷人的学科。
This pan is used for sautéing, or frying, the vegetables.这种锅是用来炒或者说油煎蔬菜的。
b — used to introduce a word or phrase that corrects or states more precisely something you have just said或者说(用于引出更精确的描述)
We got here quickly—or more quickly than last time, anyway. = We got here quickly—or at least more quickly than last time.我们很快就到这儿了——或者说至少比上次快。
The building is 500, or to be precise, 502 years old.这栋大楼已有500年的历史了,或者更精确地说,是502年。
She breeds rabbits, or rather hares.她饲养兔子,或者更准确地说,是饲养野兔。
—used in logic as a sentential connective that forms a complex sentence which is true when at least one of its constituent sentences is true compare disjunction
: a logical operator that requires at least one of two inputs to be present or conditions to be met for an output to be made or a statement to be executed
Middle English, alteration of other, alteration of Old English oththe; akin to Old High German eddo or
Preposition
Middle English, from or, adverb, early, before, from Old Norse ār; akin to Old English ǣr early — more at ere
Noun (1)
Middle English, from Anglo-French, gold, from Latin aurum — more at aureus
Noun suffix (1)
Middle English, from Anglo-French -ur, -our, -eour & Latin -or; Anglo-French -ur, -our, from Latin -or; Anglo-French -eour, from Latin -ator, from -a-, verb stem + -tor, agent suffix; akin to Greek -tōr, agent suffix, Sanskrit -tā