Middle English Dictionary Entry
an-ōn adv. & conj.
Entry Info
| Forms | an-ōn adv. & conj. Also onon, anan, onan. |
| Etymology | OE on ān(e. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. in-on.
1.
(a) At once, instantly, immediately, right away; shortly, soon [quots. 1390 Evang., a1500 SEChron.]; (b) right anon, sone ~, forthright ~, ~ forthwith, immediately, forthwith.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)10830 : Forr heoffne wass oppnedd anan ȝæn Crist, tær he wass fullhtnedd.
- a1225(?OE) Vsp.A.Hom.(Vsp A.22)231 : Gief he fend were, me sceolden anon eter gat ȝemete..and binde him hand and fett.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)10272 : Seuerius wende anan [Otho: anon] to hæbbene þisne kinedom.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)135/24 : Ne teiþe þu him naht anoan, ac beðenc ðu ðe wel ȝerne.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)25/255 : He walde don hire anan ut of dahene.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)1430 : Feole turnden to treowe bileaue, & þoleden anan deað i þe nome of drihtin.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)6a : Ȝe muhe seggen hit biuoren & efter uhtsong anan, ȝef hit swa neodeð.
- a1275 *St.Marg.(2) (Trin-C B.14.39)85 : Þe meidan him onswerede swiþe feire anon.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)223 : He drageð ðe neddre of de ston ðurg his nese up on on.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1067 : He boden him bringen ut o-non ðo men ðat woren ðidir in-gon.
- a1350 Flem.Insur.(Hrl 2253)15 : Clappe we of þe heuedes an onen o þe grene.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)117 : And sent to rouland o nan.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)4092 : Þemperour..doþ make onan [vr. anone] A piler of gray marbel ston.
- c1330(?c1300) Spec.Guy (Auch)33 : Þe world anon he þer forsok.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)83 : Errour ine batayle ne may naȝt by amended, uor hi is anon awreke.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2028 : Roland y-saw erld Olyuer & ys herte wax glad anon.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mark 9.19 : And whanne he hadde seyn him, anon the spirit troublide him.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.424 : Anon he yaf the sike man his boote.
- c1390 Evang.(Vrn)137 : Þe sixte Moneþ now is anon, Þat heo haþ wiþ chylde igon.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.626 : This was the swevene which he hadde, That Daniel anon aradde.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)885 : God spak til hir, and said o-nan [Frf: anane; Trin-C: anoon]: 'Qui did þou þus, þou fole womman?'
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)137 : An-on out of þe norþ est þe noys bigynes.
- a1400 Pep.Gosp.(Pep 2498)64/22 : And onon þe mesel dyed.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)175 : His cumandment I did onane.
- (1429) Proc.Privy C.3.343 : Anoone upon þe tyme of publicacion.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1242 : The wikke fame upros, and that anon.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)287 : All entred into Argon after anon.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)813 : Enon [he] lurkys to his loge & laide hym to slepe.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)2305 : So on the morn þei mett on ond [vr. anoone].
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)521/32 : Þe se-flude..drownyd þaim all thre, and þat onone.
- (1455) Lin.DDoc.68/17 : Anon after day of my dethe.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)23/20 : He horsed hym agayne anone, and..ded many mervelous dedis of armys.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)156/136 : Here comyth a-none..kyngys thre.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)163/38 : Hastely A-non, with-owte teryenge.
- a1500(c1465) SEChron.(Lamb 306)5 : Tho dyed Higamus, and a none after died Petiture.
- a1500(c1465) SEChron.(Lamb 306)18 : After him regned his nevewe Stephen..he was crowned at Westmester anone after that his uncle Kynge Henry was dede.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)225 : Þeȝȝ wisstenn sone anan Forr whatt he dwelledd haffde.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)20689 : Heo forð riht anon..fluȝen ut of castle.
- c1225 St.Kath.(1) (Bod 34)1899 : Þis meiden sone anan onswerede.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2199 : Ðes oðere breðere sone on-on Token leue and wenten hom.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)10 : Al þe hous was yffuld of þe smel riȝt anon.
- a1325(?c1300) NPass.(Cmb Gg.1.1)131 : Ihesu answerd son anon [Cmb Gg 5.31: sone onone] Wordes swete.
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)157 : We myght haue sald it sone onane, And thre hundreth penyse þerfor tane.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2334 : Right anon oon of the fyres queynte.
- (1402) Hoccl.Cupid (Hnt HM 744)28 : They right anoon moot steruen in the place.
- a1425(c1300) Assump.Virg.(1) (Add 10036)123/452 : I callid hure to me soone anon.
- a1500(c1465) SEChron.(Lamb 306)77 : A none forthe with, he made him redy a gayne in the marche of Walis.
2.
(a) On and on, continually, constantly; forever; ai ~, ever ~; (b) ~ to, til, onward or up to (a certain point or event).
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)11331 : Heold Crist hiss fasste þære Fowwerrtiȝ daȝhess aȝȝ onnan, Bi daȝhess & bi nahhtess.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)13976 : Uss birrþ aȝȝ occ aȝȝ onnan Hiss gode dede himm þannkenn.
- a1250 Orison Lord (Lamb 487)189 : Þet is euer ilic wiþ-ute truchunge, þet halt euer anon wiþ-ute sturunge.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)635 : Ðre daies slep he al on on.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1852 : Þe streme it stud ai still in-an [Frf: in ane; Göt: on an; Trin-C: in oon].
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)104.10 : I sal giue þe þe land of Chanaan Stringe ofe þine heritage on-an.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)12 : A-noon or as-faste: Confestim, protinus, mox, cito, statim, illico.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)14429 : Fra þatt tatt Adam shapenn wass Anan till Noþess time.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)9/3 : Ðat we moten him bien hersum on alle gode woerkes anaon to ðe deaðe.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.259 : From þe bygynnynge of þe world..anon to [L usque ad] þe incarnacioun of Crist were fyve þowsand ȝere and two hondred.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.213 : Youre resons ben so myghti and so fyne Anon to þis [L usque ad hoc], and open to my sight.
3.
Of direction or extent: onward, all the way (to a certain place or point).
Associated quotations
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.963 : & swa þurh Merelade on an to þet wæter þet man cleopeð Nen.
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1122 : & weax on lengþe up on an to þam wolcne.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)7230 : To ledenn hemm þe weȝȝe Anan inntill þatt illke tun.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)17023 : Heo uerden a-nan [Otho: a-non] þat heo comen to Alæban.
- c1300 SLeg.Kenelm (LdMisc 108)70 : Þe kyng of North-humber-lond was kyng..Of al þe londe biȝeonde houmber A-non into scotlonde.
- ?c1335 Heil seint Michel (Hrl 913)p.154 : Þou hast a rede kirtil anon to þi fote.
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.156v : A grete congregacion of noble men was ther in the solempnite of Ester with pope John and emperoure Conrarde, That is to saye neigh all the princes fro the Mount Gargan anon to this nexte see.
- a1500(c1050) Chart.Crediton in Anec.O.74 : Fram Crydian brugge to herpaþ..and þan ewn lang Exe anonto fogan flodys.
4.
Associated quotations
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)10825 : Forr þær comm Haliȝ Gast o Crist, Anan summ he wass fullhtnedd.
- a1225(?OE) Vsp.A.Hom.(Vsp A.22)241 : Ælc cristen man, anon se stepð up of þe funte..he maceð him þri ifon.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)793 : Anan swa [Otho: anon so] ich lihte of blonken, swa ich wlle blawen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)29281 : Anan swa þet fur wes hat [etc.].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)30800 : Anan swa þat maiden hine i-sæh, sone heo him to bæh.
- a1300 Floris (Vit D.3)76/63 : Anon þat he to þe burles com, Wel ȝerne he bi-hul þer-on.
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)1043 : A non as otuwel was goon, Þe king leet diȝte his host a non.
- c1390 Vrn.Mir.Virg.(Vrn)125 : Anon þat lilie out was taken, Þe childes song bi-gon to slaken.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.471 : Anon as he perceiveth that [etc.].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1262 : Anon as I may knowe Mi ladi will.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)289a/a : Anon as he knoweþ..þat eny þing comeþ after him, he arereþ vp þe prikkes.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)19.18 : & bowen, Anon as men nempned þe name of god Ihesu.
- (1440) Paston2.47 : Anon as the seide utlagare was certyfyed [etc.].
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.175r : But as none as kyng Edwarde was dede a twelfthe eue, Harolde then morwe let croune himself kyng.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)340 : Anoon as we have yow receyved, Certaynly we ben deceyvyd!
- c1450 Royal SSecr.(Roy 18.A.7)26/30 : Beware that thou ete anoon as thyn appetite is come.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)78 : Anone vppon as she these wordis saide, Ther come an hert in att the chaumber dore.
- c1500(?a1475) St.Marg.(3) (Ashm 61)34 : A-none as sche was borne, In-to Aȝy sche hyre sente.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)313 : Þan he asked onone right, What man I was.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)367 : I toke þe bacyn sone onane And helt water opon þe stane.
Note: New spelling
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)196/27 : He comaundid þe chaunceler to resigne þe sel, and forth anon he took þe sel to Ser William Wikkam.
Note: forth anon = promptly - "Not recorded by OED or MED; cf. MED an-on adv. & conj. 1.(b)
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)105 : His ymage he made onon, And of his barouns euerychon, and afterward of his fon.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)121 : He degysed hym onon, Þat hym ne knew frende ne fon.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)843 : Alisaundre his ooþ made has, He wil to hym wende onon.
Note: Additional quote(s)