AND

Etymology 1

Conjunction

and

As a coordinating conjunction; expressing two elements to be taken together or in addition to each other.

Used simply to connect two noun phrases, adjectives or adverbs. [from 8^th c.]

Simply connecting two clauses or sentences. [from 8^th c.]

Introducing a clause or sentence which follows on in time or consequence from the first. [from 9^th c.]

(obsolete) Yet; but. [10^th-17^th c.]

Used to connect certain numbers: connecting units when they precede tens (not dated); connecting tens and units to hundreds, thousands etc. (now often omitted in US); to connect fractions to wholes. [from 10^th c.]

(now, colloquial or literary) Used to connect more than two elements together in a chain, sometimes to stress the number of elements.

Connecting two identical elements, with implications of continued or infinite repetition. [from 10^th c.]

Introducing a parenthetical or explanatory clause. [from 10^th c.]

Introducing the continuation of narration from a previous understood point; also used alone as a question: ‘and so what?’.

(now, regional or somewhat colloquial) Used to connect two verbs where the second is dependent on the first: ‘to’. Used especially after come, go and try. [from 14^th c.]

Introducing a qualitative difference between things having the same name; "as well as other". [from 16^th c.]

Used to combine numbers in addition; plus (with singular or plural verb). [from 17^th c.]

(heading) Expressing a condition.

(now, US dialect) If; provided that. [from 13^th c.]

(obsolete) As if, as though. [15^th-17^th c.]

Usage notes

1. Beginning a sentence with and or other coordinating conjunctions is considered incorrect by classical grammarians arguing that a coordinating conjunction at the start of a sentence has nothing to connect, but use of the word in this way is very common. The practice will be found in literature from Anglo-Saxon times onwards, especially as an aid to continuity in narrative and dialogue. The OED provides examples from the 9^th century to the 19^th century, including one from Shakespeare’s King John: “Arthur. Must you with hot Irons, burne out both mine eyes? Hubert. Young boy, I must. Arthur. And will you? Hubert. And I will.” It is also used for other rhetorical purposes, especially to denote surprise

   (O John! and you have seen him! And are you really going?—1884 in OED)

   and sometimes just to introduce an improvised afterthought

   (I’m going to swim. And don’t you dare watch—G. Butler, 1983)

   It is, however, poor style to separate short statements into separate sentences when no special effect is needed: I opened the door and I looked into the room (not *I opened the door. And I looked into the room). Combining sentences or starting with in addition or moreover is preferred in formal writing.

2. And is often omitted for contextual effects of various kinds, especially between sequences of descriptive adjectives which can be separated by commas or simply by spaces

   (The teeming jerrybuilt dun-coloured traffic-ridden deafening city—Penelope Lively, 1987)

   And all is a well-established tag added to the end of a statement, as in

   Isn’t it amazing? He has a Ph.D. and all—J. Shute, 1992

   With the nominal meaning “also, besides, in addition”, the use has origins in dialect, as can be seen from the material from many regions given in the English Dialect Dictionary (often written in special ways, e.g, ano', an'-all, an' a'). In many of the examples it seems to lack any perceptible lexical meaning and to be just a rhythmical device to eke out a sentence.

Synonyms

• (used to connect two similar words or phrases): as well as, together with, in addition to

• (informal): &, 'n', +

Noun

and (plural ands)

(music, often informal) In rhythm, the second half of a divided beat.

Etymology 2

Noun

and (plural ands)

(UK dialectal) Breath.

(UK dialectal) Sea smoke; steam fog.

Etymology 3

Verb

and (third-person singular simple present ands, present participle anding, simple past and past participle anded)

(UK dialectal, intransitive) To breathe; whisper; devise; imagine.

Anagrams

• ADN, DAN, DNA, Dan, Dan., NAD, NDA, dan, dna, nad

Noun

AND (plural ANDs)

(logic) Alternative form of ∧, the conjunction operator.

(logic) The binary operator and, only true if both of two inputs is true. In infix notation.

Antonyms

• NAND

Coordinate terms

• FALSE

• OR

• NOR

• NOT

• TRUE

• XNOR

• XOR

Verb

AND (third-person singular simple present ANDs, present participle ANDing, simple past and past participle ANDed)

(logic, transitive) To combine (a value) with another value by means of this operator.

Anagrams

• ADN, DAN, DNA, Dan, Dan., NAD, NDA, dan, dna, nad

Source: Wiktionary

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And, conj. Etym: [AS. and; akin to OS. endi, Icel. enda, OHG. anti, enti, inti, unti, G. und, D. en, OD. ende. Cf, An if, Ante-.]

1. A particle which expresses the relation of connection or addition. It is used to conjoin a word with a word, a clause with a clause, or a sentence with a sentence.

Note: (a) It is sometimes used emphatically; as, "there are women and women," that is, two very different sorts of women. (b) By a rhetorical figure, notions, one of which is modificatory of the other, are connected by and; as, "the tediousness and process of my travel," that is, the tedious process, etc.; "thy fair and outward character," that is, thy outwardly fair character, Schmidt's Shak. Lex.

2. In order to; -- used instead of the infinitival to, especially after try, come, go. At least to try and teach the erring soul. Milton.

3. It is sometimes, in old songs, a mere expletive. When that I was and a little tiny boy. Shak.

4. If; though. See An, conj. [Obs.] Chaucer. As they will set an house on fire, and it were but to roast their eggs. Bacon. And so forth, and others; and the rest; and similar things; and other things or ingredients. The abbreviation, etc. (et cetera), or &c., is usually read and so forth.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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