Both

(20), a. & pron. [A-S. bā; bātū, bātva, for bātva, both the two; bā, both, and twā, two, Goth. bai, neut. ba; bajōths, Icel. báðir, m., báðar, f., bæði, n., Dan. baade, Sw. bäde, O. H. Ger. bêde, m., f., beidin, n., N. H. Ger. & D. beide, Skr. ubha, ubhan, Gr. ἄμφω, Lat. ambo, Lith. abbi.] The one and the other; the two; the pair or couple, without exception of either.

The next day, both morning and afternoon, he was kept by our party. Sidney.

It is generally used adjectively with nouns; but with pronouns, and often with nouns, it is treated substantively, and followed by of.

She alone is heir to both of us. Shak.

Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant. Gen. xxi. 27.

It frequently stands as a pronoun.

He will not bear the loss of his rank, because he can bear the loss of his estate; but he will bear both, because he is prepared for both. Bolingbroke.

It now always precedes any other attributive words; anciently, it rarely followed. “The Locrians put out the adulterer's both eyes.” Taylor.

It precedes the first of two co-ordinate words or phrases, and is followed by and before the other: both . . . and . . .; as well the one as the other; not only this, but also that; equally the former and the latter. Power to judge both quick and dead. Milton.