Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
You use ~ after words such as ‘anywhere’, ‘someone’, and ‘what’, to refer in a vague way to another person, place, or thing.
If I can’t make a living at painting, at least I can teach someone ~ to paint...
We had nothing ~ to do on those long trips...
There’s not much ~ I can say.
ADJ: pron-indef/quest ADJ
•
Else is also an adverb.
I never wanted to live anywhere ~.
ADV: adv ADV
2.
You use ~ after words such as ‘everyone’, ‘everything’, and ‘everywhere’ to refer in a vague way to all the other people, things, or places except the one you are talking about.
As I try to be truthful, I expect everyone ~ to be truthful...
Cigarettes are in short supply, like everything ~ here.
ADJ: pron-indef ADJ
•
Else is also an adverb.
London seems so much dirtier than everywhere ~.
ADV: adv ADV
3.
You use or ~ after stating a logical conclusion, to indicate that what you are about to say is evidence for that conclusion.
He must be a good plumber, or ~ he wouldn’t be so busy...
Evidently no lessons have been learnt or ~ the government would not have handled the problem so sloppily.
= otherwise
PHRASE
4.
You use or ~ to introduce a statement that indicates the unpleasant results that will occur if someone does or does not do something.
Make sure you are strapped in very well, or ~ you will fall out.
= otherwise
PHRASE
5.
You use or ~ to introduce the second of two possibilities when you do not know which one is true.
You are either a total genius or ~ you must be absolutely raving mad...
PHRASE
6.
Above all ~ is used to emphasize that a particular thing is more important than other things.
Above all ~ I hate the cold.
PHRASE: PHR with cl emphasis
7.
You can say ‘if nothing ~’ to indicate that what you are mentioning is, in your opinion, the only good thing in a particular situation.
If nothing ~, you’ll really enjoy meeting them.
PHRASE: PHR with cl
8.
You say ‘or ~’ after a command to warn someone that if they do not obey, you will be angry and may harm or punish them. (SPOKEN)
He told us to put it right, or ~.
PHRASE: cl PHR