Middle English Dictionary Entry
nǒu conj.
Entry Info
| Forms | nǒu conj. |
| Etymology | From adv. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Now that, seeing that, since; supposing that, if [quot.: Cleanness 721]; ~ that, seeing that.
Associated quotations
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)50/13 : Men, nu we iheræð ðæt God on us eardiȝæn wule..is us swiðe mycel ðearf þæt we us sylfe weorðe don him to eardungstowe.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)23/8 : Nu ðu wilt mine name swa ȝiernliche witen, soð ic ðe wile seggen.
- a1300(c1250) Floris (Vit D.3)119 : Nu hit nele non oþer bee, Leuere me wer þat heo were, [etc.].
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)93 : Quellen him hi wolleþ, nou hi him habbeþ inome, Ac Ruben, þat o broþer, he spac atte frome.
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)31/539 : Nu þu hast wille þine, Vn bind me of my pine.
- c1300(c1250) Floris (Cmb Gg.4.27)543 : Mi leof, nu ihc habbe þe ifunde, Of al mi care ihc am vnbunde.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)6553 : Of alle is proute dedes ine may uorbere noȝt Þat ine mot ȝou telle of on, nou it comeþ in mi þoȝt.
- c1330(c1250) Floris (Auch)490 : Nou schal swete Florice misse, Schal non oþer of me haue blisse.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)343 : Þis lessoun me lerde my fader..hald it in þi hert now i þe haue it kenned.
- a1400(c1250) Floris (Eg 2862)86-7 : Now she ne myȝt with me wende, Now we ne mot togeder goo, Al my wele is turned to woo.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)5252 : Of deide wil I me neuer mene, now [Vsp: Sin] I þi faire face haue sene.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)721 : Now fyfty fyn frendez wer founde in ȝonde toune, In þe cety of Sodamas and also Gomorre..Schal þay falle in þe faute þat oþer frekez wroȝt?
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1111 : Nou ar we sore and synful..How schulde we se..þat Syre upon throne?
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)283 : I trawed my perle don out of dawez. Now haf I fonde hyt, I schal ma feste.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)377 : I wyste neuer quere my perle watz gon; Now I hit se..leþez my loþe.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)389 : Bot now I am here in your presente, I wolde bysech..Ȝe wold me say..What lyf ȝe lede.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2140 : Now þou so much spellez Þat þou wylt þyn awen nye nyme to þy-seluen, & þe lyst lese þy lyf, þe lette I ne kepe.
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)232 : Now i am older woxe, þou schalt me fynd a more!
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1182 : 'And now,' quod she, 'that I have don yow smerte, Foryeve it me.'
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)808 : Sere, let be þat þouȝt! Now it is don, it helpes nouȝt.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)477 : That joye gete I never non, Now that I see my lady bryght..Is fro me ded and ys agoon.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)30a/a : Now þe chapitre of þe anothamie of þe schuldre is endid, we wolen speke sumdel in þis chapitre of þe anothamye of the arme.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)539 : Bot, now he lyffis, welle is me.