Middle English Dictionary Entry
nō-whē̆r adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | nō-whē̆r adv. Also nọ̄-whẹ̄r, nowhere, nowhar(e, nowhore, nawher(e, (early) nohwer(e, nohware, noþware, nahwær, (late) noewhere, (errors) nouþer, nowehere, nouhewere & (N, NM, & EAnglian) noquer(e, noquar, naquer, naquar & nower(e, nowar(e, nouer, nowor, nowre, nour(e, nawer(e, naure & nouwher, nouwhore, nouware, (early SWM) nouhwer, nouhwar(e, (early SEM) nauhwer & noghwhere, noghwere, nogwer, noȝwhere, noȝwhar, noȝher, nohwhar, nagher(e, noughwher(e, nougher(e, nouȝwher(e, nouȝwhare, nouȝwer(e, nouȝere, nouhwhere & (with doubled 2nd element, chiefly N) nourwhare, -quar(e, nourewhare, -quare, nouerwhare, -ware, nourware, nouerewhare, norwhare, norgware, naurquar, naure-quare, -quere. |
| Etymology | OE nā-hwǣr, -hwēr, nō-. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) At or in no place, nowhere; (b) to no place; ~ thei nisten, they knew not whither; (c) in no part or passage of a book or body of writings, Scripture, etc.; in none of the writings in a particular language; ~ in latin ner english; also, in no report, discourse, tale, etc.; (d) as noun: no place; the mystical state or quality of being nowhere.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)1279 : Forr turrtle..fra þatt hire make iss dæd..serrȝheþþ aȝȝ forrþi þatt ȝho Ne maȝȝ himm nowwhar findenn.
- a1225(OE) Lamb.Hom.VA (Lamb 487)113 : Gif god bið his ifulsta, ne bið his mehte nohwer for-seȝen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8393 : Weore nowhar swa muchel iuorððed to ane mele.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)165 : Nusquam tuta fides, non hospes ab hospite tutus: Nis nower non trewðe, for nis þe gist siker of þe husebonde ne noðer of oðer.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)1306 : Ne funde we nowhwer [vr. nohwer] nan swa deope ilearet.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)34/36 : Nowðer ne beo nohwer ane wið oðer; ne seon ham, ne sompnin, ne sitten to-gederes wið-uten wittnesse.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)49/20 : Ne nule ich nohwer [Nero: nouware; Tit: nowhwer] bicluppe mi leof mon bute i stude dearne.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1168 : Heruore hit is þat me þe shuneþ An þe to torueþ & to buneþ..Þat þu ne miȝt nowar [Jes-O: noware] at rute.
- a1300 Þo ihu crist (Jes-O 29)44 : Alle þilke þat beoþ wiþ-inne iherusaleme No-hwere bute in þe temple ne weneþ god iqueme.
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)63/1088 : Ne seȝ he nowhar [vrr. nower, nowere] walke Aþulf his felawe.
- c1300 SLeg.Nich.(LdMisc 108)125 : So luþere fullen þe ȝeres alle þat no corn nouȝwere nas.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)2506 : Vairor womman nour [vr. nower; B vr. nowhere] aboute in none londe nas.
- a1350 St.Alex.(1) (LdMisc 108)58/372 : Wiþ þat relyk þat þei south, Myȝtte þe [read: þei] nowar [vr. nowhere] mete.
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)2368 : Þai soght in toune and in cete, And nowre-whare myght þai fynd a tre Þat wald acord vnto þair mett.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)413 : Charlis ys so strong in fiȝt he fyndeþ nowar is pere.
- (a1382) WBible(1) Prol.Wisd.(Bod 959)1 : Þe booc of wisdam anentis ebrues nowher [Dc 369(1): noȝher; vr. nowhere] is [WB(2): is not hadde].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.23 : Meny men haueþ i-walked þerynne and i-seie ryueres and stremes, but nowher [vr. nowhar; Higd.(2): in eny wise; L nusquam] konneþ þey fynd non ende.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.297 : Osca..defendede þe kyngdom and made it no more, and..passed nowher [vr. noȝwhar] his fader bondes.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.251 : Ther was no man no wher [vrr. nowheer, noghwere, no where] so vertuous.
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)357 : He þat dorste nere ȝut þe nouȝwhere a-byde, nou schal winne his wille of þe for þi wrong bi-leeue.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.1244 : Thei him seiden that naghere In al the world..Was nevere womman that forth broghte A fairer child.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1044 : In such prison thei weren bothe..that..Thei mihten nawher wenden oute.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1464 : I feele me nowher [vr. nowhwhere] hoor but on myn heed.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.14 : Ther was nowher [vr. nouhewere]..So excellent a lord.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.27 : Ther was nowher [vrr. nawhere, nouhewhere; nouthir] swich another man.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4641 : And i wat nour quar [Frf: nawre quere; Göt: noquar; Trin-C: nowhere] es mak.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4757 : Þis hunger..In landes als a-bute it fell, Men mist it nour quare [Göt: noquer] in land.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)9665 : For pes mai nourquar [Göt: naquer; Trin-C: nowhere] abide Þar hate wons, or werr or pride.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)1040 : Þir stremis..bring stanis fra paradis, Sua precius naquar funden es.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)2.179 : He was nowhere [vrr. nouȝwher, Nowre qware; B: nawhere; vr. nawere; C: nawer] welcome for his many talis.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)534 : Þay sayden her hyre watz nawhere boun.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2164 : He wayted hym aboute..& seȝe no syngne of resette bisydez nowhere.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.961 : But he that parted is in everi place Is nowher [vr. noughwhere] hol.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)121/13 : Wher þan..shal I be? Noȝwhere, by þi tale!
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1347 : But nowhere [F en nul leu] wold I reste me.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)60/20 : Þer es nower whare swilke anoþer citee of gardynes and of fruyte.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1429 : Therin was a ram..That hadde a fles of gold..That nowher [vrr. nough-wher, noughere] was swich anothir syghte.
- c1440(a1350) Isumb.(Thrn)12 : Swilke a knyghte als he was Now lyffes nowrewhare in lede.
- c1440(a1400) Eglam.(Thrn)481 : I ne dare neuir norwhare [Clg: no where; Cmb: no way] wend owt.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)112/11 : So mekill pepull is comen to towne Þat we can nowhare herbered be.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)315 : For instrument nor melodye Was nowhere [vr. nowgher] herd yet half so swete.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)12083 : He denyet hym onon, þat noqwere he knew Þat commly be keppet, ne in cloese haldyn.
- c1450 Mandev.(4) (CovCRO Acc.325/1)618 : Folke in þat cuntre sayn and swere That mastik groweth noowhere but there.
- a1475(a1447) Bokenham MAngl.(Hrl 4011)11/34 : No-wheere of no peple in oo prouynce be foundyne so many seyntis bodies liynge hool aftur hur dethe.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)205 : I seke and fynde nowere comforte But only in Gode.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)87a : Norgware [Monson: Nowre whare]: Nullicubi, Nuspiam, Nusquam.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)1.1 : Thes are noure plenerely bot in heuen.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)30.4 : Nourewhare i fele me strenghti and sykere bot of the.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)31.13 : That the enmy fynde nourwhare inlate.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)323/582 : In fayth I haue hym soght, Bot nawre he will fond be.
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)79/12 : I wyll you..slea noe man noewhere.
b
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)139/31 : Chierche-þinges, tiȝeþes, ne offrendes, ne almesses ne awh me nauhwer to ȝiuene buten ðar þe michel nied is.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)35 : He is hirde; we ben sep; Silden he us wille If we heren to his word ðat we ne gon nowor wille.
- c1300 SLeg.Marg.(Hrl 2277)113 : Al naked byndeþ hire faste þt heo nowhar ne fleo.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1913 : Constantin ne com nour in bataile non Þat he nadde þoru þe croiz þe maistrie of his fon.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)2135 : Þo þai noure fle miȝt Wiþ Aurilis Brosias þai gun fiȝt.
- a1350(?c1280) SLeg.Prol.CV (Ashm 43)66 : Louerd, wel may ous beo bet, þen hem miȝte þo, Þat miȝte nowar [vr. nower] fleo ac to helle scholde go.
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)702 : Þenn seis Iosaphe þat Ioseph his fader mot a-byden him and dwelle þer stille, while þat he and Naciens gon nouþer þei nusten, forte cristene þe folk and casten þe false.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)1899 : But where þe wyfe haþ gelousye..here mayster shal nagher go ne sytte.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)3495 : For-þi was he nawrequare [Göt: noquer] sent, bot to þe hous toke ay entent þe hous to kepe.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.286 : It lay nought in his libertee Nowher to gon.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)5057 : Þai may nour-whare away wynne.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2415 : So derk it was, he coude nowher go; And with a wawe brosten was his stere.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)755 : Thay ne durst nower ware goo.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)9.17 : The synnfull sall be takyn..swa that he nourewhare fle fra dampnacioun.
c
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8392 : Nes hit nowher itald þat weore..swa muchel iuorððed to ane mele.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)23794 : Nes hit no whar [Otho: noþware] itald þat æuere ai mon swa hende wunden uppen horse.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)29301 : Nes hit nohwhar iseid no a bocken irad þat æi folc swa feire swa for-fare weore.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)147/14 : Ne finde we nawher þat godd wernde ani þing ðe ani mann mid teares him besouhte.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)41/6 : Vre deore wurðe leafdi seinte Marie..wes of se lutel speche þet nohwer [Nero: nouhware] in hali writ ne finde we þet ha spec bute fowr siðen.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)12092 : Suþþe þes worle was astald nas hit nohwere itald.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2152 : Blameth me nat for as in my sentence Shul ye nowher fynden difference Fro the sentence of this tretys lite.
- (1395) Wycl.12 Concl.(Th 17)296 : Þat is of litil uertu, nowhere ensample in holi scripture.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)14862 : Bot we find writen naur-quar [Frf: naure quare; Trin-C: nowhere] Þat vr crist suld be born þar.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)22445 : Þat vndos he us nour-quar [Ld: now whore; Trin-C: nowhore] Þof he was mikel clerk o lare.
- a1425 Cursor (Glb E.9)28724 : We find he gaf penance nowrwhare Bot 'go now furth and sin nomare'.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)58 : But cause qwy that I this boke endyght, Is that noqwere in Latyne ner Englysch I coude yt aspye.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)118 : Nouȝwhere in Holi Scripture is expresse mensioun mad of eny suche.
- ?c1450 Nicod.(1) (Sion Arc.L.40.2/E.25)1084 : And enoke yhede þe same gate; Of hys deed noure [vr. neuer] we rede.
d
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)11/17 : Þe eiȝt and sixti chapitre: Þat noȝwhere bodili is eueriwhere goostly.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)124/1 : Þerfore trauayle fast in þis nouȝt, & þis nouȝwhere & leue þin outward bodely wittes.
- c1450 Cloud (UC 14)122/6 : [Hrl 674: Lat be þis eueriwhere & þis ouȝt, in comparison of þis] noȝwhere & þis [nouȝt].
2.
In no case; in no way, in no wise; in no respect; never.
Associated quotations
- a1225(OE) Lamb.Hom.VA (Lamb 487)113 : Ðe lauerd scal bihohȝian þet he habbe godes fultum, and he ne scal nohwer ortrowian bi godes fultum.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)70/12 : Ha mot wel biseon hire bilokin hire on euch half, þet ha nohwer [Nero: nouhwar] ne misneome leste ha beo icaht þurh sum of þe deofles grunen.
- c1300 Horn (LdMisc 108)72/1292 : No ware horn by wreyen, Þou he to deþe leyen.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1271 : He bad him maken siker pligt Of luue and trewðe..Ðat ne sulde him nogwer deren, Oc him and hise helpen and weren.
- a1350 Horn (Hrl 2253)44/804 : For godmodes feyrhede shalt þou no wer spede.
- c1330 Lorde god to þe (Auch)50 : Lord, ne alome [read: aloine] nouȝt þi face Fram ous nowhare in non place.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.121 : And ef crist paied no ware Of matirmoyne, hafed he noht thar Cumen to schew thar his goddhede.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2254 : Bot styȝtel þe vpon on strok, & I schal stonde stylle & warp þe no wernyng to worch as þe lykez, no-whare.
- c1400 Bible SNT(1) (Selw 108 L.1)Heb.2.16 : For nowȝere he toke aungeles, bote he toke þe sed of Abraham.
- a1450 Bevis (Cai 175/96)p.182 : So þey dyȝten þat fayre may Þat men ne scholden nyȝt ne day Here knowen nower in no manere.
3.
Phrases and combs.: (a) ~ abouten, nowhere in the vicinity; ~ oute, in or to no place outside; ~ elles, ~..elles, in no other place, nowhere else; in no other case; ~ neigh, nowhere near, not nearly; ~ ner longe, ?nowhere near; (b) ~ whider, to no place; (c) ~ non, non ~, none anywhere, none at all.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) HRood (Bod 343)22/33 : Ða comen heo eft to þam kynge & him cuddon þet heo hit nahwær findæn ne mihton elles buton heo þet nimen mosten.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)13073 : Crisstenndom mann findenn maȝȝ Hemm alle & nowwhar elless.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)8/97 : Nis hit nower neh gold al þet ter schineð.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)84/12 : Vre leoue leafdi..ne fond te engel hire in anli stude..nes ha nowher ute, ah wes biloken feste.
- c1300 SLeg.Greg.(LdMisc 108)54 : He nas nouȝwer neiȝ atþe se are he him of-sende.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)210/27 : Þanne we biddeþ zoþliche huanne we þencheþ nawerelles.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.1514 : That is noghwhere elles sene Of kinde with non other beste.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)17556 : Þere is he soþ & nowhere [Ld: now-wher] elles.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)932 : I se no bygyng nawhere aboute.
- a1425 Cursor (Glb E.9)28925 : Þis word 'whare' þe stede vs telles Whare we sall gif and nowr-ware els.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)147/13 : Þare growez grete plentee of baume and nowere whare elles þat I couthe here off.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)178 : Þouȝ we do to hym chere and good dedis, þo schulen be nouȝ where nyȝ so greet as schulde be þe dedis whiche we wolden do to oure seid pryncipal freend.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)42 : Thilk kunnyng is so probable and likeli that into the contrarie parti is not had nouȝwhare nyȝ so probable and so likeli euydencis.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)5083 : He..a sege abute hit set, Þat þey ne myghte no-wer aboute..haue issue oute.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)143/33 : Þilk seid comoun foorme of x comaundementis is nouȝwhere nyȝ so moche to be sett bi..as þe foorme afore tauȝt.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)87a : Nouer [Monson: Nowre] nere lange: Nimis multum citra.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)118.145 : Acordance of vertus in all the hert is when he thynkis nowre whare ellis.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)5.16.97b : For thei the dede were nowe here [?read: nowhere] nye so greet, yit is it a maner of resemblaunce.
b
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4559 : For nour-quider [Frf: naure quidder] mai we stere.
c
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)753 : Nis nawer [Otho: nohware] nan so wis mon þat me ne mai bi-swiken.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)3751 : Is los sprong so wide sone of his largesse..To þe verrost ende of þe world þat such nas nour non.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.2030 : So fair a gardyn woot I nowher [vr. nowhere] noon.
- c1410 Chaucer CT.Mk.(Hrl 7334)B.3492 : I say so worschipful a creature..was no wher noon in al þis world to seeke.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.330 : Swiche a-noþer nowher noon is.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)239 : Forsook ecch man his contre, Be on assent, to make this Cyte Royal and riche that lich was nowher noon.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3347 : A trewer felowe was nowher noon.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)832 : An hardyour knyȝt nasse now-where non.
- c1450 Mandev.(4) (CovCRO Acc.325/1)2502 : And of olive trees beth none nowhere So grete plente as is there.