Middle English Dictionary Entry
nor conj.
Entry Info
| Forms | nor conj. Also nore, noure. |
| Etymology | From ne adv. & or conj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Nor; or: (a) linking verbs, predicates, and verb phrases; (b) linking nouns, adjectives, adverbs and phrases; (c) linking clauses and sentences.
Associated quotations
a
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)2358 : For no wight her..Shal hynder ȝou, nor do ȝow no damage.
- (c1452) Paston (EETS)1.246 : He shuld never an askapid it, nor not is leke to do.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)164/10 : For soche a werre as it was Neuer is nor neuer was.
- 1485(a1470) Malory Wks.(Caxton:Vinaver)13/4 : None myght stere the swerd nor meve hit.
- (c1490) LRed Bk.Bristol2.125 : No Weuer Burgeis of the said Towne of Bristowe from hensforth teche nor do to be tougth any childe or seruaunt any feet perteynyng to the said Crafte of Weuers.
- a1500(?c1400) Triam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)210 : Y wylle hur no more see, Nor dwelle wyth hur.
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)438 : We may nat save nor keepe our riht, Our garisons nor our castelis old.
b
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.493 : He ne lafte nat for reyn ne thonder, In siknesse nor in meschief, to visite The ferreste in his parisshe.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3164 : An housbonde shal noght been inquisityf Of goddes pryuetee nor [vrr. neþer; and; ne] of his wyf.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)6787 : To..widewe nor childe fadirless Do no wronge ny noon vnpees.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.186 : For after deth clerkis lityl drede After desert for to bere witnesse, Nor of a tyraunt, the trouthe to expresse As men disserue.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.251 : Troye..Whos story ȝit age hath nouȝt diffaced, Nor cruel deth with his mortal strokys.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)2242 : Gret pouer..Plente of good, nor moch multitude..Arn to feble to holden Chanpartye Ageyns trouth.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1136 : For aught I kan aspien, This light, nor [vrr. ner; and; ne] I, ne serven here of nought.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)386 : Ther may nothing as tyme endure, Metall nor erthely creature.
- (1439) LRed Bk.Bristol2.153 : No maner persone..schal not polle..no maner persone priue nor straunge.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)2767 : Þer ne is werldys wele, nyth nor day, But þat me thynkyth it is to slow.
- (1455) Doc.in Nicholl Ironmongers25 : Richard Flemmyng and Nicholas Marchale stode wardeyns of the ffelaship of Iremongers, having than, nor long before, no maister, but ij wardeyns.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)46/85 : Tarye not be nyght nor day.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)111/5 : The Athenyences..spendid not their good upon men of werre nothir be see nor by londe as they wer wonte to doo.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)62 : The hye worthynes of my loue Angell nor man can tell playnly.
- 1485(a1470) Malory Wks.(Caxton:Vinaver)9/12 : But wayte ye make not many questions with her nor her men.
c
- a1400(c1250) Floris (Eg 2862)39 : Þe Kyng..þouȝt, when þey were of age, Þat her loue wolde noȝt swage; Nor he myȝt noȝt her loue withdrawe, When Florys shuld wyfe after þe lawe.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)2431-2 : But what shuld I rehercen owther telle..Of the metyng nor the welcomynge, Nor the Ioye that Adrastus made, Nor how his sustre and his wif were glade, [etc.]?
- (1423) Let.Bk.in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)111/108 : Þe Rectour of Medicyns gif no dome..nor he shal nat make non ordeynaunce.
- (1423) Let.Bk.in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)114/204 : He shalle wirke..without fraude..nor he shall nat entermete of sekenes, sore, or hurte..vnknowynge to hym in eny maner.
- (1428) Doc.in Sur.Soc.854 : Ye sayd Mayr and ye Counsell..charged hym yat he suld noght occupy in bying nor in sellyng als a concitezin, bot als a straunger, nor yat he suld hald na shopp of his opyn within ye fraunchise of ye cite.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)6/28 : Sur abbott, I may not eate your benys..nor I may not drynk your thyn ale.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)144 : And verely yff this ordre be kept, the kynge shalnot be greved be importunite of suytours, nor thai shall be importunite or brocage optayne any vnresonable desires.
- c1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Tbr A.7)22907 : Who that schal haue there entre Knowe, to-fforne, it muste be; Nor no man may haue there hostage, But I tofforne do his message.
2.
In correlative constructions: ~..~, nor..nor; neither..nor; neither (nouther)..~, neither..nor; ~..~ non, nor..nor any; ~..ne, neither..nor; nor..nor; no (non)..~ no, no..~ non, no..nor any; non (not, nought)..~, not..nor; not..or; never..~, never..nor; not..~..~ never, not..nor..nor ever; etc.
Associated quotations
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1675 : Noþer clerk nor kniȝt nor of cuntre cherle schal passe vnperceyued.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.946 : He..wol nat suffren hem..Neither to been yburyed nor ybrent.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)6788 : To..Wydw na child fadir-less Do ȝe na wrang nor [Vsp: ne; Trin-C: ny] na maless.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)7360 : I here noght of þat iesse tel; Nor his sonis ne him i knaw.
- (1419) Let.War France in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)79/10 : Gladder ne moor confortable tithinges might neuer haue come, nor in better tyme, for to satisfie and refresshe þe feruent desir of your poure lieges.
- (1419) Let.War France in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)81/15 : In moor quiet ne pesibler rest..was neuer erthly Cite nor toun.
- (1419) Grocer Lond.in Bk.Lond.E.202/232 : No maner Off Man Off þe Felloschippe schall sende no malys..nor non horslodys.
- (1421) Let.War France in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)85/19 : In pesibler degree..was neuer erthly Cite nor place.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)2115 : Fro the kyng he gan his face tourne, Nat astouned nor in his hert afferde.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)2350 : She..bad he shulde no-thing be dismayd, Nor in herte sorouful nor affrayd.
- (1423) Let.Bk.in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)111/108 : He shal nat make non ordeynaunce nor no constitucions.
- (1423) Let.Bk.in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)114/187 : Euereche Phisician..shall swere þat he shall practise in Phisyk well and trewly, not in yevyng wityngly noious medicyns to eny man, nor consentyng to þe yeuer.
- (1424) Let.War France in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)87/12 : More comfortable tidinges myght non haue come, nor in better tyme, to satisfie and refressh þe feruent desire of vs.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.1264 : Nouther ye nor I Ought half this wo to maken, skilfully.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)4/30 : Þe ferde maner er wel werre, þat nouþer will wone..noure wone lange.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)42/28-9 : Sho sal nott be trubellus nor angri nor ouir-obstinate nor iolyose nor ouirsuspiciose.
- a1425 Dial.Reason & A.(Cmb Ii.6.39)11/21 : Þe nobilite of a cete stondeþ neþer in hiȝe toures nor in grete richesses.
- (1425) Doc.in Bk.Lond.E.229/20 : The seid two houses shall be made..yif the seid William Addescomp be not letted nor taried in defaute of foundementz.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)2215 : I dare neyþyr crye nore crepe.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)2823 : Hem schal helpyn noþyr mel nor mete Tyl þey be drewyn to dethys dale.
- ?a1450 Chaucer TC (StJ-C L.1)1.977 : Was neuer man nor womman yit bygete That was vnapt to suffre loues hete.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)342 : For nother to cold nor hoot yt nas, Ne in al the welken was no clowde.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)46 : Þer preued neuer nane his prik for passing of witt, Plato nor Piktagaras ne Prektane him seluen.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)316 : Þis myȝty god..is of a medill age, Noȝt of ȝouth nor of eld nor ȝerris to many.
- (1453) LRed Bk.Bristol2.203 : Itym, y, the saide Johanne, will..that the preest..shall not medle him with the saide landis nor tenementis, nor noon reparacion.
- (1464-5) RParl.in OHS 5851 : Provided alwey that this acte nor eny other acte made..in this present parlement extend not, nor in noowise be prejudiciall to, the Wardeyn.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)32/114 : He wyll neyther ete nor drynke.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)53/69 : Þou xalt haue, neythyr nyght nore day, noon other god.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)1 : I haue not ben, nor is, nor neuer schal..sei any þing aȝen þe general feiþ.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)817 : Ȝelde me nethyr golde nor tresure, but yowr humbyll obeysyance.
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)101 : Nor in palestre nor pleyes marciall Yiff hors do faile may come to non encres.
- a1500 GRom.(Glo 42)730/1 : I may not se þe Nor þou me.
- a1500 GRom.(Glo 42)745/2-3 : The kynge Comaunded..þat no man schuld despoyle þese ymages Nor no vylonye do vn-to hem Nor to take a-wey fro hem.
- a1500 *Lanfranc CP (Wel 397)20b/19 : Ne ley þou noon emplaystre of herbys, of smer, nor of no mat[u]ratyue.
- a1500 *Lanfranc CP (Wel 397)29b/1 : Iche cankre and fester bene bylys, bot iche bile is not cankre nor fester.
- a1500 *Lanfranc CP (Wel 397)32a/11 : To þe eyen comythe veynis þat mowe not be seene nor felt.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.173 : O besy goste..That never art in quiet nor in rest.
3.
Introducing a sentence: nor; ~ the lesse, on no account.
Associated quotations
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2567 : 'I ne wot in wat wise to worche be best.' 'Nor ich, i-wisse,' sede william, 'but worþe god wiþ alle.'
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.442 : Nor in this world ther is non instrument Delicious..That at that feste it nas wel herd acorde.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)122 : Nor the lesse be that reason pondage and tonnage mey not be rekenned as parcell off the revenues wich the kynge hath ffor the mayntenance off his estate, bi cause it aught to be applied only to þe kepynge off the see.
- a1500 GRom.(Glo 42)779/4 : Nor þei were not washe with þe water of Baptyme as cristyn men are now.
4.
In cpd.: ~ forthan, nevertheless.
Associated quotations
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)2697 : But norforþan she ne wold lete Hym to rebuke þus stedefastly.