or else meaning: definition, quotations

or else

conj

Otherwise or as an alternative.

Go now, or else you'll have to stay all night.
If you wil willingly remaine with me, You ſhall haue honors, as your merits be: Or els you ſhal be forc’d with ſlauerie.c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act (please specify |act=I or II), scene ii:

1 more example

He shall do this, or else I do recant / The pardon that I late pronounced here.c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:

phrase

Idiomatic Implies an unspecified threat if a preceding command is not fulfilled.

2 more examples

Elon Musk to Workers: Spend 40 Hours in the Office, or Else [title]2022 June 1, Ryan Mac, “Elon Musk to Workers: Spend 40 Hours in the Office, or Else”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
Joy Behar, who has called the MAGA movement a cult, poked her head into the room and demonstrated how invested she was in Ms. Farah Griffin’s success by offering some advice aimed squarely at me: “Be nice — or else.”2024 March 9, Jacob Bernstein, “A Former Trump Aide Becomes a Liberal Favorite”, in The New York Times, →ISSN: