Else Meaning

UK /ɛls/
US /ɛls/
Word Definition
else meaning

Else Definition & Usage

adjective

Used to refer to another person, thing, or situation besides the one already mentioned or implied.

Examples

  • "Is there anyone else coming to the party?"
  • "I don’t have any money, but you could ask someone else."
  • "He didn’t have the right tools, so he borrowed some from else."
  • "Did you speak to anyone else about this?"
  • "We have no options left; everything else seems impossible."
pronoun

Refers to another individual or thing in a group or set, especially as an alternative to the one already discussed.

Examples

  • "Would you like anything else to drink?"
  • "Do you want to sit anywhere else?"
  • "We can go elsewhere if you prefer."
  • "I’ll see if anyone else wants to join."
  • "There’s nobody else left to help us."
adverb

In addition to or as an alternative to the previously mentioned situation, location, or action.

Examples

  • "If I were elsewhere, I could help."
  • "We might as well go somewhere else for dinner."
  • "She could have done something else if she had the time."
  • "You should think about what else you can do."
  • "We need to consider whether there’s somewhere else to stay."

Cultural Context

The word 'else' comes from Old English 'ælces,' which combines the idea of something being 'other' or 'different.' It has been widely adopted in various forms across Germanic languages.

The Hidden Path

Story

The Hidden Path

It was the perfect day for a hike. The sky was clear, the sun was shining, and the forest ahead seemed to beckon. Emily and her friend Jason were standing at the edge of the trail, discussing their route. ‘Do we take the main path or try the smaller trail to the left?’ Emily asked. Jason glanced at the fork in the trail, his hand on his chin. ‘I think the main path looks easier, but the smaller one could be interesting.’ They both agreed to try the smaller trail, hoping to discover something new. As they ventured deeper into the woods, the path grew narrower and more tangled with underbrush. ‘Maybe we should have gone the other way,’ Emily said, brushing a twig off her sleeve. ‘Or we could just keep going and see what else is out there,’ Jason suggested, determined not to turn back. He had always believed there was more to explore if they didn’t settle for what was familiar. An hour later, the dense trees opened up into a clearing, and they found a small stream that wasn’t marked on any of their maps. ‘Wow, I didn’t expect to find this,’ Emily said, kneeling beside the water. ‘What else do you think we’ll discover if we keep going?’ Jason asked, his curiosity growing. ‘There could be all kinds of hidden spots like this,’ Emily replied, excited by the prospect of more surprises. As the day wore on, they realized they had strayed far from the main path, and it was getting late. ‘We might need to head back now,’ Emily said, looking at her watch. But Jason, always one to find an alternative, smiled. ‘We can’t stop here. Let’s find somewhere else to rest for the night.’ They eventually found a suitable spot to camp, and as they settled in, they reflected on the adventure they had just had. ‘It was worth it,’ Emily admitted. ‘We never would have found this hidden stream if we had stayed on the main path.’ Jason grinned. ‘Sometimes, it’s good to look for something else. You never know what you’ll find.’

The Hidden Path