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# or

«or» in Mova's school dictionary: **Or gives a choice between two or more things: tea or juice?** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

conjunction

### meaning for a pupil

1) Or gives a choice between two or more things: tea or juice? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/or/#m1)

2) Or means if not, otherwise: Hurry, or you'll be late. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/or/#m2)

3) Or can give another word for the same thing: a joey, or baby kangaroo. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/or/#m3)

4) «Either … or» gives exactly two choices; «whether or not» means in either case. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/or/#m4)

5) (casual) «Or what?» at the end pushes a question: «you coming or what?»; «or something», «or whatever» mean roughly, I'm not sure. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/or/#m5)

6) (rough) «Or else!» at the end is a threat: «Give it back, or else!» [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/or/#m6)

7) (formal) The exam voice says «alternatively», «otherwise», «failing which», «or, equivalently», «either … or …», «respectively». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/or/#m7)

### sense in the lessons

choosing between two possibilities («Do we add or subtract?»); in everyday life choices («now or later?»), warnings («wear a hat or you'll get burnt»); «more or less» (about), «or so» (about); in maths «either … or», «is it odd or even?»; in casual talk «or what?», «or something»; in rough talk «or else»; in the exam voice «alternatively», «failing which», «either A or B»

### examples

- First decide: are things coming together, or going away? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/or/#x1)
- Do we add or subtract? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/or/#x2)
- Do you want an apple or a banana? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/or/#x3)
- Is 15 odd or even? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/or/#x4)
- Put on sunscreen, or you will get sunburnt. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/or/#x5)
- You can draw a cat, a dog or a horse. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/or/#x6)
- We will be there in ten minutes or so. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/or/#x7)
- A baby kangaroo, or joey, lives in its mum's pouch. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/or/#x8)
- are you thick or what, it's 12 [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/or/#x9)
- Give my ball back, or else! [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/or/#x10)
- there's like 20 kids or something [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/or/#x11)
- Indicate whether the integer 15 is odd or even; failing which, no credit shall be awarded. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/or/#x12)
- "Are you awake or asleep, One-Eye? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/or/#x13)

### note

No operation clue. Trap: «2 or 3 apples» is an estimate, not 5 apples; «20 or something» and «10 minutes or so» are about, not exact. «or else» is a threat or a bluff, and «or what?» is pushing, not a real choice. Do not mix «or» with «oar» (a paddle for a boat) and «ore» (rock with metal): they sound the same.

### In the corpora

- [A CV is a page or two listing someone's education, jobs and skills; Americans call it a résumé.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/3-finding-a-job-and-getting-on/6/)
- [An employment tribunal is a kind of court for work disputes, such as being sacked unfairly or not being paid what is owed.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/4-when-work-goes-wrong/17/)
- [An inheritance is money or belongings left by someone who has died, as written in their will.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/5-where-money-comes-from/13/)
- [There is rent or a mortgage, energy for heating and hot water, council tax, broadband and insurance.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/6-paying-for-a-home-and-the-bills/1/)
- [It moves as numbers when a card is tapped, a bill goes out or pay comes in.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/7-cards-banks-and-apps/1/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «or» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/or/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.