Middle English Dictionary Entry
nō adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | nō adj. Also nọ̄, noi, (early & N) na, (error) næ. |
| Etymology | OE nā & nō adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. ne adj.
1a.
In positive constructions: no, not any.
Associated quotations
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)8622 : Comm na reȝȝn onn eorþe.
- a1275 *Body & S.(4) (Trin-C B.14.39)86 : Mai no mon þenne striue, ne no tunge malen.
- a1300 Þu salt hauen (Cmb Ff.6.15)1 : Þu salt hauen na god buten An.
- c1300(c1250) Floris (Cmb Gg.4.27)38 : Sire, nimestu no ȝeme Hu þis child murninge sit?
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)234 : Ðor-of ðurte hire ðinken no same.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.86 : Þe folk of þe werlde haþ no [vr. noon] remembraunce of þe holy þat han ben.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1076 : No gome þort him blame.
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)17/577 : Þei made no gret nois.
- (c1392) ?Westwyk EPlanets (Peterh 75)42/17 : She hath no latitude.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Devil Phys.(Phys-E)p.151 : In na chaffar may I winne Of tha lurdanes that won thar inne.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)16 : Wit sarazins wald þai na saght [Frf: noȝt saȝt].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24823 : Þaa þat he had na giftes til, Wit hightes fair he wan þair will.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)19.19 : Ergo, is no name to þe name of ihesus.
- (1423) Let.Bk.in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)107/14 : No Sheregrynder..take more for a paire of newe Sherys gistyng and gryndyng þan ij s.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Wisd.13.13 : The residue of these thingis, which he makith to no [L nullos] werk.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)1077 : For what mught men by þe world understand If na worldishmen war þar-in dwelland?
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.Lear (Göt Hist 740)229 : No nothyr gooddes wyll he to spyr.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)127b/a : Þen do in no noþer maner but as y haue tauȝte laste.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)5.117 : No [BodAdd: Nowe] ruge on hem, puld newe, old wyne yspronge Wol suffre be.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)4149 : I schulde lelely one þe lenge and one noo lede ells.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)350 : No deede is deedly synne for þat it is doon for þe eend which it is ordeyned.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)468 : Neither thei ben in no notable degree better.
- a1450(?a1349) ?Rolle Luf es lyf (Cmb Dd.5.64)42 : Þe kynd of luf es..þar it es..trew To..chaunge it for na new.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)6316 : Hym-selfe fore to no fyght for hys fel wondys.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)4/31 : No [L Nullum] sacrifyce plesyth so mych god as loue of soules.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)308 : He fled for no othir cause but for the eyer at Constaunce was not heilsome to him.
- (1472) Doc.in Sur.Soc.8523 : Item, for owr fechers, elykwys, yat ya sell noy feche with owt yat it be abyld be fyche [read: syche] offesers.
- c1475(c1447) Epitaph Duke Glo.(Hrl 2251)55 : Crowne hym in hevene, that in his dayes had no pere.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)555 : I haue no lede on my helys.
- a1500(?a1325) Otuel & R (Fil)2366 : Syre, haue ȝe no care.
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)332 : Ther is no best which in all degrees..Doth so gret profite..As doth the Sheep.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)35/16 : Thay had no galosis.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)11382 : For he haþ þinges thre Þat on no noþir men may se.
1b.
In double and multiple negative constructions: no, not any: (a) with negative verb; (b) with never(more; (c) with negative adjective, pronoun, or phrase; -- sometimes plus neg. verb.
Associated quotations
a
- a1131 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1127 : Na god þær ne dide, ne na god ðær ne læuede.
- ?a1160 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1137 : Na god ne dide me for his saule thar of.
- a1225(?c1175) PMor.(Lamb 487)80 : Nis na lauerd swich se is crist.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)10265 : I þisse londe nas na ræd.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)25378 : Nes þer na king his ilike.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)65/703 : Ah ilecche ha me eft, ne finde ich na [Roy: neauer] leche.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)1518 : Ne mei hit liste ne luðer strengðe nowðer of na liuiende mon leowsin ne leoðien.
- a1250 Cristes milde moder (Nero A.14)23 : Nis no wummon iboren þet ðe beo iliche.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)502 : He ne hauen no lið ðat he mugen risen wið.
- a1300(c1250) Floris (Vit D.3)394 : Of vre liue nis no socur.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)4 : Ðog he ne be lered on no boken.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)304 : Þat deol þat made Innogen, no tonge telle ne may.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)5829 : Þai no seiȝen no socour.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.13 : Þouȝ ich..ȝiue my body to brenne, & I ne haue no charite, Al is nouȝth worþ to me.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)634 : Nis it no sekenes bote þat so sore ȝouȝ eiles.
- a1400(c1250) Floris (Eg 2862)21 : Ne can y in no scole syng ne rede Without Blauncheflour.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)6802 : For God no synne wyl þey nat lete.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)316/15 : I wil not þat no seculer medle wiþ hem in poneschinge of þeir defautis.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)277 : No strengthe of the seid textis gooth not so fer.
- a1450(a1396) Hilton CPerf.(Paris angl.41)26 : But it is wondur stif..as a þing þat myȝte not be stirid ne chaungid, ne bowid on no syde.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)151/144 : Fayre mullynge, take it nat at no greve.
- 1485(a1470) Malory Wks.(Caxton:Vinaver)88/13 : It is not for no knyght alone to ryde toward this castel.
- c1500 How GWife(3) (Ashm 61)73-4 : Ne go þou not to no wrastlyng, Ne ȝit to no coke schetynge.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)552 : I nile no forȝeuenesse haue Of noght þat I haue done amis.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)6989 : Nes neuer seoðden [read: seoððen] næ king swa custi.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)15966 : Ne isæh nauere na cniht nan ladluker fiht.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2148 : Neuer burn to no bataile brouȝt swiche a puple.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.70 : He neuere yet no vileynye ne sayde In al his lyf vn to no maner wight.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.768 : Thus was abandoned Thempire, which cam nevere ayein Into the hond of no Romein.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)3.174 : For kilde I neuere no king.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)158a/a : Þere engenderþe neuer more no kindelye quyture.
- a1450(a1396) Hilton CPerf.(Paris angl.41)5 : For no tribulacioun and for no temptacioun, leue neuere praier.
- a1450 Mandev.(3) (BodeMus 116)15/7 : Thour al the yer they faste neuere no Satirdayes.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)5/28 : He coude neuyr cacch no hold to be wroth with hir.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1235/31 : And never syns was there never seyne a more dolefuller batayle in no Crysten londe.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1242/12 : Nynyve wolde never suffir sir Pe[ll]eas to be in no place where he shulde be in daungere of hys lyff.
- a1475 Rev.St.Bridget(3) (Gar 145)4/14 : The fende shall neuer haue lordeshippe in noo sowle that deuotely seruyth me.
c
- a1300(c1250) Floris (Vit D.3)75 : Nes nere non Þine imake of no wimmon.
- a1350 Horn (Hrl 2253)84/1476 : Ne may þer comen ynne no mon wiþ no gynne.
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)1187 : No man of king charles lond, Schal do me no vileynie.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1413 : No seg scouched non ille.
- (1389) Lond.Gild Ret.in Bk.Lond.E.(PRO C 47/var.)55/64 : It schal be no nede to make non rancour.
- (1389) Lond.Gild Ret.in Bk.Lond.E.(PRO C 47/var.)57/128 : We wile þat none of her breþeren make no sengler conseill by hem self.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)225 : I hope no tong moȝt endure No sauerly saghe say of þat syȝt.
- (?1423-4) Let.Bk.in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)106/34 : I, hopyng and supposyng no wrong to no party to falle ne happen.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)52 : Ne ost ordand he nane of na kyd knyȝtis.
- (1461) LRed Bk.Bristol2.127 : No person of the seid Crafte of Weuers..sett, putt or hire his seid wyfe, doughter or maide to no suche occupacion of weuyng in the lombe with hymselfe.
- (1468) Doc.in Gilbert Cal.Dublin 1328 : Noo person ne persones cast ne ley noo dunke at noo gatte ne in none other place of the citte.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)864/23 : Shylde wolde he take none for no prayer of the kynge.
- 1485(a1470) Malory Wks.(Caxton:Vinaver)17/21-2 : They had no joye to receyve no yeftes of a berdles boye.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)63/35 : Ne gyf þou no credence to no wymmen.
2.
No kind of, not a, not.
Associated quotations
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)6/10 : Heo ne beoð na cild soðlice on domes dæȝ.
- c1330(c1250) Floris (Auch)42 : He nis no marchaunt, as me þinkez.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)334 : Be no tellere of talis.
- (1389) Lond.Gild Ret.in Bk.Lond.E.(PRO C 47/var.)56/115 : He schal be put out of our breþerhed, & he be for no broþer.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.1823 : For who that is of man no king, The remenant is as no thing.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.2202 : I am a gentil womman and no wenche.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.526 : I took for loue and no richesse.
- a1400(c1250) Floris (Eg 2862)166 : He þat it made was no knave.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (LdMisc 210)8/22 : He þat haþ on, he haþ alle and no vice, and he þat haþ on vice, hah [read: hath] alle and no vertue.
- (1422) Plea & Mem.in Bk.Lond.E.125/116 : Nichol..defectif, for he byeth and sellith, no freman.
- (1423) Plea & Mem.in Bk.Lond.E.131/17 : Mawde Sheppyster holt opyn Shopp and retaylith, and ys no Frewoman.
- (?1423-4) Plea & Mem.in Bk.Lond.E.106/11 : He swore to me on a boke þat it was no preiudice to man lyuyng.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.178 : Þei shulden be noo cause of synne, neþer of hem ne of þe peple.
- a1450(a1396) Hilton CPerf.(Paris angl.41)31 : And þouȝ it be a synne, ȝit it is no greet synne.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)143/4 : Hys loste ys no grevons.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)1175 : Were þai all deede it war na charge.
- (1467) LRed Bk.Bristol1.17 : Noo persoone beyng noo Burgeys of our said Towne schold bye withynne the same any merchaundysze of any other persone not beyng Burgeys of the same Towne.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)245 : Ȝe sey trew, ser, ȝe are no faytour.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)555 : It ys but honest, no pryde, no nay.
- 1485(a1470) Malory Wks.(Caxton:Vinaver)18/5 : I preve hym he is no bastard.
- a1500 Bod.EMisc.Lapid.(BodEMisc e.558)34/314 : The Colonytes..woll not brenne with noo fuyre, and somme say that he is lyke to Iasper colour and he is goode for the fysyke.
- a1500 This ys no (Cmb Ff.1.6)1 : This is no lyf, alas, þat y do lede.
- a1500 Whan lordes (Dub 516)4 : Robbery is hold no trespace.
3.
In phrases: ~ force, no matter; ~ force on me, it does not matter to me; setten ~ force of, taken to ~ force, to pay no attention to (sb. or sth.) [see also force n. 10a. (b, c), 10b. (a, b)]; in ~ kinde, in no way [see also kinde n. 6. (b)]; ~ manere (of, no kind of (person or thing), no [see also manere 1c. (f, h), 3b. (d)]; bi ~ wei(es, in (on) ~ wise, in no way, by no means; ~ cure, ~ degre, ~ lak, ~ nai, ~ nede, ~ other, ~ whit, ~ wight, ~ wonder [see cure n.(1) 1. (a); degre 7. (b); lak n. 1. (a); nai n.; nede n.; other pron.; whit n.(1); wight n.; wonder n.]; ~ man, ~ thing, q.v.
Associated quotations
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)71/1531 : No forse on me, after an emperour Mai me wedde a vauasour.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)560 : He ne schold in no wise wite what i mente.
- (1384) Procl.Brembre in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk H)32/15 : No man..ne destourbe..no maner straunge vitailler.
- (1384) Procl.Brembre in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk H)33/22 : No denzeins..ne bigge no manere fissh.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.71 : He neuere..no vileynye ne sayde..vn to no maner wight.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.4176 : But yet, na force, al sal be for the beste.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.705 : I wol yow nat contrarien in no wise.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)8742 : Þe childe be naways be done to ded.
- (1418) Let.Bk.in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)96/2 : No manere persone..walk by nyght in eny manere mommyng, pleyes, [etc.].
- (1422) Let.War France in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)86/14 : We..requere..that ye ne yeue in noo wyse assent..to any thing that myght be ordenned..in derogacion of þe saide lawes.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)29/15 : Þerfore me þinkiþ þat he schuld on no wise be iuel.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)154/34 : All þo..scholden..neuere for ȝiftes ne for promys in no kynde to ben fals ne traytour.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)7/11 : Þer schall na thunder ne na maner of tempest dere him.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)137b/a : Þe pacient..schal be bounden faste apon a borde þat he maie not meue in no wyse.
- (1431-6) Let.Bekynton in RS 56.1110 : I wyll not disobey in no kynde.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1011 : 'No fors,' quod y, 'hyt is no nede.'
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)2279 : That noon of hem shulde issue oute To feche vitayle by no waye.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.35 : I wolde þe senat had be hool and sound And in nowise hyndred ne repreued.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)362/29 : Sho saw þat on na wyse he wolde lat hur in.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)470/21 : Þai tuke it to no fors, nor wolde nott restore þe possessions agayn.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1234/14 : God hath sente me to you of Hys speciall grace to gyff you warnyng, that in no wyse ye do batayle as to-morne.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1235/15 : In no wyse I woll nat truste for thys tretyse.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)297 : Nothynge xulde offende Gode in no kynde.
- a1500(c1370) Chaucer Comp.L.(Benson-Robinson)53 : This hevy lif I lede for your sake, Thogh ye therof in no wyse hede take.
- a1500(c1386) St.Erk.(Hrl 2250)263 : Þi body may be enbawmyd..Bot þi coloure ne þi clothe, I know in no wise, How hit myȝt lye be monnes lore and last so longe.
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)237 : And, for he sett of me that day no fors, Ful litel or nouht availed hym his Hors.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)2004 : The land of perse..ought to paye noo tribute in noo wise.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)11702 : Shame of hem-self shullen þei Þinke þere by no wey, Þogh þat þei naked be.
4.
In surnames.
Associated quotations
- (1259) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)1.179 : Walter Nosuich.
- (1259) Pat.R.Hen.III11 : Walter Nosuch.
- (1332) Sub.R.Bdf.in Suf.GB 18158 : Walterus Noname.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)95/22 : A man shoulde not [vr. not be] mery ne to hevy for no ma-avisions.
Note: New spelling