or */*/*/

UK [ɔː(r)] / US [ɔr] conjunction

1) used for showing possibilities or choices used for connecting possibilities or choices. In a list, "or" is usually used only before the last possibility or choice

Which colour do you want – red, green, yellow, or blue?

He's probably at lunch or in a meeting.

either ... or:

"When will you get the results?" "Either tomorrow or the day after."

whether ... or:

You don't care whether he lives or dies, do you?

or not:

The jury must decide whether the prisoner is guilty or not.

2) and not used for including someone or something else in a negative statement

She's had nothing to eat or drink all day.

I never had any help or advice from my parents.

3) used when amounts or numbers are not exact used between two similar numbers for showing that you do not know what the exact number is

one or two/two or three/three or four etc:

I can photocopy your notes. It'll only take a minute or two.

The car has to be serviced every five or six thousand miles.

4) used in warnings, threats, or advice used for saying what will happen if someone does not do something

The soldiers told everyone to leave or they would be shot.

or else:

We must deal with the problem now, or else it will be too late.

You'd better do what I say, or else (= I will do something bad to you).

5) used when correcting or explaining used for introducing a comment that corrects or adds more information to what you have just said

There are six cashpoints, or ATMs, in the main airport terminal.

or rather:

This is a problem for the government, or rather for the Prime Minister, to deal with.

6) used when giving a reason used when you are trying to show that something must be true, by saying that the situation would be different if it was not true

He obviously doesn't have a plan, or he would have said something.

or else:

It must be something serious, or else they wouldn't have radioed for help.

•

or something/or anything — used for referring to any of a group of things or possibilities without being specific

Would you like a sandwich or something?

It was a peaceful protest – there was no violence or anything.

- or so