Middle English Dictionary Entry
nọ̄n n.
Entry Info
| Forms | nọ̄n n. Also none, nonne, noun(e, noine, noen. |
| Etymology | OE nōn (from L) & L nōna & OF none. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. nones n.(2).
1.
(a) The canonical hour of nones; three o'clock p.m.; heigh ~, ?precisely 3:00; (b) the canonical office of nones; ringen ~, to ring the bell calling the worshipers to nones; ~ belle, ~ preier, ~ song; (c) midday, the period around 12:00 noon; also, 12:00 noon; ~ hete; (d) heigh) houre of ~, heigh ~ (of the dai, ?precisely 12:00 noon; ~ daies (sesoun), middai ~, yong ~, time of ~, ~ of the dai, ?the midday period; (e) a midday meal; maken ~, to dine; (f) as surname.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.DD (Lamb 487)45 : Ic ham ȝeue reste..from non on saterdei a þa cume monedeis lihting.
- a1225 Wint.Ben.Rule (Cld D.3)53/9 : Herian we urne scyppand..on myddeȝi, on none, on efene.
- a1225 Wint.Ben.Rule (Cld D.3)65/13-14 : Heora ȝererdes þiȝene heo anan underfo æfter þæra sustrene ȝererdre [read: ȝererde]..gyf þo ȝesustre on myddei, heo non; gyf þa swustra on non, heo on efen.
- a1275 Body & S.(3) (Trin-C B.14.39)15 : Þu noldes friday festen to no [read: non], Ne þe setterday almesse don.
- a1300 I-hereþ nv one (Jes-O 29)478 : Hit wes welneyh mydday þo þusternesse com In alle Middenherde fort þet hit wes non.
- a1350 Of a mon (Hrl 2253)7 : In marewe men he sohte, at vnder mo he brohte..At mydday ant at non.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)150/3237 : Þe sonne schon, hit drouȝ to vnder..Middai com, hit drouȝ te noune.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mark 15.33 : The sixte our, or mydday, maad, derknessis ben maad..til in to the nynthe our, that is, noon.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.249 : Þe citezeyns schulde doo nouȝt elles to fore none [L usque ad horam nonam].
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)1023 : Holy chyrche wyl þe werne Þe halyday to go to þe tauerne, And namly byfore þe noun whan goddys seruyse owyþ to be doun.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)988 : Adam..was wroght at vndern tide, At middai eue draun of his side..þai war bath don out at none.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)19810 : At þe tid o non An angel com.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)25574 : Suete iesu! at time o none..Vte of þi bodi þou gaf þe gast.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.18 : Bituex vnderon & noen [F Entre terce et noune] was þe feld alle wonnen.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416)114/14 : Þe sunne leste hure liȝt fro þe sixte oure to none.
- a1400 Pep.Gosp.(Pep 2498)99/18 : Fram þe heiȝe midday til þe noone, þe sunne wiþ-drowȝe his liȝth.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.472 : The lettres..he wolde allone rede An hondred sithe atwixen noon and prime.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)21/15 : Yef þai ete at midday, sho salle ete at noon; yef þai ete at noon, sho sal ete at euin.
- c1440(?c1350) Mirror St.Edm.(4) (Thrn)44/26 : Þe sonne with-drewe his lyghte fra þe werlde fra myddaye to noune.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)1712 : If þai non slike trauel done, On þos days sal þai fast to none, And on oþer days..At mydday.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)1721 : Fro time þat december be-gin Vntil clene lentyn cum in, At hi none sal þai ete.
- c1450 As y gan wandre (Lamb 853)41 : At mydday y was dubbid knyȝt..At hiȝ noon y was crowned king.
- c1450 Mandev.(4) (CovCRO Acc.325/1)1873 : And so hote the sonne is þere alleway So þat in þe water thei liggeth alle day From mydmorne til affter the noone, That the grete hete ben alle idoone.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)37/72 : I pray to god..that he me kepe..mornynge, hevenynge, mydday, and none.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)94/11 : It schuld noȝt be lawefull..fro the tyme of none forþeward for to wasche here hedis.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)954 : Vpon þe cros he shal be done And deie aȝenst þe time of none.
b
- a1225 Wint.Ben.Rule (Cld D.3)51/22 : Undernsang, middæȝsang, nonsang..si ȝesunge.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)15/10 : Ȝe muhe seggen..non eauer efter mete.
- c1300 SLeg.Brendan (Hrl 2277:Horst.)225 : Þe foweles sunge..matyns..prime, & vnderne siþþe, & middai & afterwardes non.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)2250 : So stod Beues in þat þring Til noun belle be-gan to ring.
- c1330 Degare (Auch)148 : Þe seruise was al idone And ipassed ouer þe none.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)891 : On Satyrday shul ȝe ryngge noun, And late no lenger no werke be doun.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)970 : Y wlde nat leue for here to werche Þoght men rong noun at þe cherche.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)17/26 : Matins, Prime, Vndrin, Midday, Noon, Al be saide wid alleluia.
- c1425 Bible SNT(1) (Cmb Dd.12.39)Deeds 3.1 : Peter soþely ande saynte John ȝoden into þo temple atte þo houre of none-preyer.
- ?c1430(c1400) Rule & T.St.Francis(1) (Corp-C 296)41 : Prime, tierce, vndern, and noon, for eche of hem seuene pater nostris.
- c1525 Rule & T.St.Francis(2) (Fst D.4)67 : The lay bretherne shall say xxiiii pater noster for matens..for pryme, terce, sext, and none..vii pater nosters.
- -?-(1466) Will in Som.RS 16209 : I will that a taper..at the service tyme after none, be lighted.
c
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)17063 : Ȝurstendæi ær none ich wuste þat ȝe comen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)31733 : Þa hit wes uppen non, þa sunne gon to nipen.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)137/25-6 : Þanne hie alles fasten sculen, ðane fasteð hie all þat none uneaðe; ðanne after non drinkeð all daiȝ.
- a1275 *St.Marg.(2) (Trin-C B.14.39)156 : Þe holi gost from heuene to hire com ful son..ant scon ase briste so sonne abouten non.
- ?a1300(a1250) Harrow.H.(Dgb 86)19 : Gode friday at non Þenne he was on rode idon.
- ?a1300 Sirith (Dgb 86)433 : So ich euere bide noen..ich am redi and I-boen To don al þat þou saie.
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)405 : Þe sonne a-rist and [o]uer þe is at none.
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)409 : Noon it is binethen us ȝwane it is here mid-niȝt.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1542 : Þo by-gonne tenebres..In þe sixte tyd of þe day þat me clupeþ noon.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1545 : Derkhede..bygan at non and ffor-to þe nyeþe tyde ylaste, Þat wolde beo Mydouer-non.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)890 : Bitvene þe none and þe niȝt Last þe batayle.
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.504 : Seþþen, ȝistay at none ete y non.
- c1330 Orfeo (Auch)372 : Þe riche stones liȝt gonne As briȝt as doþ at none þe sonne.
- c1390 St.Greg.(Vrn)10/86 : Þou seost cleiȝ clyngen on cliue Im someres dai aboute þe None.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.668 : It was noght passed yit Midmorwe, Whan thiderward his weie he nam, Wher sone upon the Non he cam.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1885 : The moone..at noon was thilke day That Ianuarie hath wedded fresshe May.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1067 : She grad Weilaway Tyl þe tyme of heiȝe mydday; At none riseþ hire worschipes.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)7.135,137 : Ankeris & heremytes..Shuln haue of myn almesse..Inouȝ iche day at non..Ones at noon is ynouȝ.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1519 : Phebus southward was reised in his arke So hiȝe alofte þat it drowe to noon.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1130 : Lat us dyne..And after noon than maystow come ayeyn.
- (1430) Let.Scrope in EHR 54424 : On Monday last at twoo after noon.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)358 : Noone, mydday: Nona.
- c1440(a1400) Eglam.(Thrn)1008 : Fyve and thrytty knyghttis he made, By þe toþir daye at nonne.
- (1447) in Mullinger Cambridge 1313 : Plain lecture..performed daily twyes..upon the bible aforenoone, and maistre of the sentences afternoone.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)2.25.38 : Abate than fro the sonnes altitude at non the nombre of his declinacioun.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)2.39.10 : Whan that the sonne..cometh to his verrey meridian place, than is it verrey mydday, that we clepen oure non.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)41a : Þey ben diligently vsed day by day to dedes of armes, noȝt onliche in þe morwening but also aftir none [L post meridiem].
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)1239 : Fram none tille þe merke nyȝt neuer ne cesed, Bot man after man mercy bysouȝt.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)14698 : He þat rewls hym ryȝt mydnyȝt, morn, and noyne, he has dole.
- c1450 In a noon (Lamb 853)41 : This noon hete of þe someris day, Whanne þe sunne moost hiȝest is.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)218 : Whan he was at the bregge at nyne befor non, it was on aftir noon or he myte come to Westminster.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)234/5 : By an houre aftir none..hit woll noy us all.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)323/6 : They fought tyll hit was paste none.
- (1474) in Salzman Building in Engl.63 : He shall contynue unto xj of the clocke be stroken at none.
- (1474) in Salzman Building in Engl.63 : viijth of the clocke affore none..one of the clocke afftre none..iij of the clocke at after none.
- a1486 Jousts of Peace (Mrg M 775)39 : To a pere at ix of the belle be fore noone and to Juste ayens all comers..un to vj of the belle at after noon.
- a1500(c1445) Lydg.Mir.Edmund (Ashm 46)26 : Our lord..Wrought a myracle..Day of his ffeeste, at ffoure afftirnoon.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)32/317 : Trus sam oure gere, That we be ther or none.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)131/480 : Who is that spak as it were noyne On loft?
d
- a1325 SLeg.Cross (Corp-C 145)177/301 : Bi þe wey atte heie non, he gan aȝen hom bringe A ded ȝonge man up a bere.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2676 : Alisaunder and his barouns..wenten..abouten þe ȝonge none.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3080 : Priamus..Vp-on þe tyme of þe hour of noon To mete goth.
- a1425 NPass.(Cmb Gg.5.31)207/1765 : It was about mydday None, als I ȝhowe tell may.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)12/28 : Sche roos at ij or iij of þe clok & went to cherch & was þer in hir prayers on-to tyme of noon and also al þe aftyr-noon.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)1378 : By heghe none With all þat folke hade he done.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)83/22 : It was þe houre of noon; sche was soore chaufed and hoot for þe greet heete of þe sunne.
- a1450(1391) Chaucer Astr.(Benson-Robinson)2.3.88 : I mene from xi of the clokke before the houre of noon til oon of the clokke next folewyng.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)18.364 : Whanne the holy gost hym left ful sone, It was the hy Owre Of None.
- a1450 Where-of is mad (Dgb 102)70 : Trewe hyne..trauayle..Many hiȝe none er þey dyne.
- c1450 Mandev.(4) (CovCRO Acc.325/1)1614 : Evenne atte hiȝe none of the day..He shalle see his shadowe.
- (1461) Paston (EETS)1.197 : Yowre letter was delyueryd..abowthe noone seison.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1216/33 : Frome undern tyll hyghe noone hys myght encresed tho three owres.
- (1472-3) RParl.6.23b : The houre of xii, comenly called the houre of none.
- (1478) Let.Cely (PRO S.C.1 59/38)p.18 (19/29) : The xxij day of Marche I saw iij as greyt harttys in owr whete as euer I sau in my lyue, abowte none dayes, and the same day at euyn I hard a fesaunte koce crow .. ; I wryte to you of aull thyngys, as well of japys as sad mattars.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)81/107 : Or noyn of of the day, I dar you hyght, to bryng hym by the hand.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)51/31 : Thay went ham out of þe Cite Softely about noon dayes.
- 1530(c1450) Mirror Our Lady (Fawkes)15 : At houre of none the sonne is hiest.
e
- a1225(?OE) Vsp.A.Hom.(Vsp A.22)231 : Me..sceolde..ȝiefe him his formemete, þat him to lang ne þuhte to abiden of fe [read: oð se] laford to þe none inn come.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)16595 : Þat folc hafde imaked non.
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)21/358 : Go nu..& send him after none.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.1044 : And after noon [vr. metes] hom with the senatour Goth Alla.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)9.290 : Bere hem none cromes, Til alle þyn nedy neihebores haue none ymaked.
- c1400 PPl.C (Vsp B.16)9.276 : [Hnt: Sitte nauht to longe] At noon, ne at no time, and nameliche at soper.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1185 : They..sette hem down and ete; And after noon..Pandarus Gan drawe hym to the wyndowe.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)1988 : What is your vse To do..aftyr the none..Tille men to souper shalle gone?
- 1790(1471-1472) Ordin.Househ.Edw.IV(2) (Topham)56 : He hath..for his chambre brekefast, none, souper, [etc.].
f
- (1260) Assize R.Yks.in YASRS 44138 : Walt. Noon.
- c1444(1319) Cart.Lewes in Sus.RS 38 (Vsp F.15)182 : Richard Noon.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?a1325(a1300) Cokaygne (Hrl 913)20 : Iu [read: In] Cokaigne is met and drink…Þe met is trie, þe drink is clere To none, russin and sopper.
Note: Needed for date in (e)