Middle English Dictionary Entry
nought n.
Entry Info
| Forms | nought n. |
| Etymology | OE; for forms, see nought pron. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Evil, an evil act; worthless or evil conduct; (b) nothingness, non-existence; negation; (c) a nothing, trifle; false appearance; maken a ~, to feign insignificance or humility; (d) an insignificant person; (e) num. zero.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.Lear (Göt Hist 740)403 : He trowyt þat scho vold do hym noght, ffor he vnkyndly to her wroght.
- a1450(?c1405) Lerne bodyly (Dgb 102)62 : Þouȝ þou be of feble fame, Bere good visage; þy nouȝt aspye, Make þerof but iape and game In fleschly lustis bodylye.
b
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)121/21, 122/1 : Þof al þi bodely wittes kon fynde þer noþing to fede hem on..do on þan þis nouȝt, elles þat þou do it for Goddes loue; &..trauayle besily in þat nouȝt with a wakyng desire to wilne to haue God.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.2.237 : For so as I have gadrid and proevid a litil herebyforn that evel is nawght [L malum nihil est], and so as schrewes mowen oonly but schrewednesses, this conclusion is al cler, that schrewes ne mowen ryght nat, ne han no power.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)345/28 : Of þis nouȝt of synne, which is a þorn þat prickeþ þe soule, I haue drawe out a rose.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)67/17 : Ingratitude farith as nought, þe which drieth þe welle of pite, þe dewe of grace and þe ryuer of merci.
- c1450(c1400) Rev.Jul.Norwich (Add 37790)45/8-9 : In this blyssede revelacyon god schewyd me thre noughtes, of whilke nouȝttes this is the fyrste that was schewyd me: of this nedes ilke man & woman to hafe knawynge that desyres to lyeve contemplatyfelye, that hym lyke to nouȝt alle thynge that es made for to hafe the love of god that es vnmade.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)2.27.97b : Þis is þan a good mirknes & a riche nouȝt þat bryngiþ a soule to so mikel gostly ese & so stille softnes.
c
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)59/30 : Huanne..hi nolleþ zigge aperteliche, hi hit makeþ a naȝt and makeþ zuo moche ham milde.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)16990 : Al þat i moght drei to pine..Again þe pine he for me drou, bot als a noght it were.
- a1450(?1404) As þe see (Dgb 102)227 : Þe world..In his best tyme is worst to trest. Þis world is a fayre nouȝt, A fals lemman þat chaunge lest.
- a1475 Leve lystynes (Brog 2.1)p.33 : Of all noȝtes it is noȝte.
d
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)15/137 : He ys a nyþyng, a noȝt, a negard, þai say.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1742 : And slike a nekard as þi-selfe, a noȝt of all othire, Is bot a madding to mell with mare þan him-seluen.
e
- ?c1425 Craft Number.(Eg 2622)5/7 : A cifre tokens noȝt, bot he makes þe figure to betoken þat comes aftur hym more þan he schuld & he were away, as þus: 10.
- ?c1425 Craft Number.(Eg 2622)10/18 : Cast one to a cifer, & hit wulle be but on, for noȝt & on makes but one.
- ?c1425 Craft Number.(Eg 2622)11/28 : Take foure out of foure; þan leus noȝt.
- ?c1425 Craft Number.(Eg 2622)20/3 : A 0 is noȝt, And twyes noȝt is but noȝt.