Middle English Dictionary Entry
nōn-thing n.
Entry Info
| Forms | nōn-thing n. Also (early) nān-, nane thinge, -thingen, nanes thinges, næne thinge, (error) nan thin. |
| Etymology | From nōn adj. & thing n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Nothing; bicomen to ~, to be reduced to nothing; (b) governing genitive constructions or with of- phrase: no part of, not any of; ~ iveles, nothing evil; ~ untheulices, nothing improper; (c) with comparatives; (d) in phrases: ~ (elles) but, nothing but; for (never) ~, not at all, not for anything.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.963 : Wulfhere..Leot wircen þa þat mynstre..þær ær ne wæs nan þing.
- a1126 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1124 : Corn wæs litel, & se penig wæs swa ifel þæt se man þa hæfde at an market an pund, he ne mihte cysten þær of for nan þing twelfe penegas.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)12/25 : Ne bede ȝe nan þing ȝyt on mine nome.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)68/2 : Ne maȝe ȝe nan þin [read: þing] don buton me.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)82/26 : He his þing ne wonæð, ne he nanes þinges ne bihofæð.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)134/19 : Soðlice nylt þu nan þing yfeles habben on þin æhte.
- c1175(?OE) HRood (Bod 343)14/19 : He nan þing iseon ne mihte.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)61/5 : Ðanne sculen godes eiȝen bien uppe ðe, ðat nanðing ne mai ðe deriȝen, and his earen opene to ðine bienes, ðat naþing he ðe ne wile wærnen.
- a1225 Wint.Ben.Rule (Cld D.3)39/11 : To nane þinge [L nichilum] ic eam bycuman.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1126 : Ðat water is so deades driuen Non ðing ne mai ðor-inne liuen.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Glo 42)762/24 : It is better now to me to be in pece; Than when comyth to age he haue non þing agayne me.
b
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1110 : Naþer ne leoht ne trændel ne nan þing mid ealle of him wæs gesæwen.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)94/1 : Hire ȝedafenæð þæt heo swa swa læfdi ȝeornlice foresceawie hwæt heo ȝehwylcum limum iþafiȝe on wilnunge his icyndes, þæt ðær nan þing unþeawlices ne bilimpe on nanes limes þeiȝnunge.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)128/12 : Heo his þenne nan þing nabbæð.
- a1225(OE) Vsp.A.Hom.Init.Creat.(Vsp A.22)223 : God hi ȝesceop swa bilewitte þat hi ne cuðan nan þing eueles.
c
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)56/17 : Heo his of þisse life nan þing mare mid heom ne lædæð, buton ða synnæ & ða ecæ nyþeruncgæ heom sylfum.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)132/13 : Ðenne nis us nan þing bætere ne sælre buton þæt we lufien ure Drihten mid alle mode.
d
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.963 : Se biscop Aðelwold..ne fand þær nan þing buton ealde weallas & wilde wuda.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)6220 : Ne maȝe we hit ifinden for næuer næne þinge [Otho: none þing], lond to ure leoden.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)12419 : Heo ne mihten for nane þingen [Otho: noþing] Melgan iuinden.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1098 : Ðis angeles..boden hem and tagten wel, Ðat here non wente agen For non ðhing he migte sen.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)332/23 : And al þat causeþ a man to do yuel & þanne to falle, and þat is noon þing ellis but þe loue of hymsilf.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)2562 : And it be so..thanne wolde j that ȝe hym slowen for non thing.