[syn: immediately, instantly, straightaway, straight off, directly, now, right away, at once, forthwith, like a shot]
6. (prefatory or transitional) indicates a change of subject or activity;
- Example: "Now the next problem is..."
7. in the immediate past;
- Example: "told me just now"
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Now \Now\ (nou), adv. [OE. nou, nu, AS. n[=u], nu; akin to D.,
OS., & OHG. nu, G. nu, nun, Icel., n[=u], Dan., Sw., & Goth.
nu, L. nunc, Gr. ny`, ny^n, Skr. nu, n[=u]. [root]193. Cf.
New.]
[1913 Webster]
1. At the present time; at this moment; at the time of
speaking; instantly; as, I will write now.
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I have a patient now living, at an advanced age, who
discharged blood from his lungs thirty years ago.
--Arbuthnot.
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2. Very lately; not long ago.
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They that but now, for honor and for plate,
Made the sea blush with blood, resign their hate.
--Waller.
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3. At a time contemporaneous with something spoken of or
contemplated; at a particular time referred to.
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The ship was now in the midst of the sea. --Matt.
xiv. 24.
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4. In present circumstances; things being as they are; --
hence, used as a connective particle, to introduce an
inference or an explanation.
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How shall any man distinguish now betwixt a parasite
and a man of honor? --L'Estrange.
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Why should he live, now nature bankrupt is? --Shak.
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Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but
Barabbas. Now, Barabbas was a robber. --John xviii.
40.
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The other great and undoing mischief which befalls
men is, by their being misrepresented. Now, by
calling evil good, a man is misrepresented to others
in the way of slander. --South.
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Now and again, now and then; occasionally.
Now and now, again and again; repeatedly. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
Now and then, at one time and another; indefinitely;
occasionally; not often; at intervals. "A mead here, there
a heath, and now and then a wood." --Drayton.
Now now, at this very instant; precisely now. [Obs.] "Why,
even now now, at holding up of this finger, and before the
turning down of this." --J. Webster (1607).
Now . . . now, alternately; at one time . . . at another
time. "Now high, now low, now master up, now miss."
--Pope.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Now \Now\, a.
Existing at the present time; present. [R.] "Our now
happiness." --Glanvill.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Now \Now\, n.
The present time or moment; the present.
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Nothing is there to come, and nothing past;
But an eternal now does ever last. --Cowley.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
now
adv 1: in the historical present; at this point in the narration
of a series of past events; "President Kennedy now calls
in the National Guard"; "Washington now decides to cross
the Delaware"; "the ship is now listing to port"
2: in these times; "it is solely by their language that the
upper classes nowadays are distinguished"- Nancy Mitford; "we
now rarely see horse-drawn vehicles on city streets"; "today
almost every home has television" [syn: nowadays, now,
today]
3: used to preface a command or reproof or request; "now hear
this!"; "now pay attention"
4: at the present moment; "goods now on sale"; "the now-aging
dictator"; "they are now abroad"; "he is busy at present
writing a new novel"; "it could happen any time now" [syn:
now, at present]
5: without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening; "he
answered immediately"; "found an answer straightaway"; "an
official accused of dishonesty should be suspended
forthwith"; "Come here now!" [syn: immediately,
instantly, straightaway, straight off, directly,
now, right away, at once, forthwith, like a shot]
6: (prefatory or transitional) indicates a change of subject or
activity; "Now the next problem is..."
7: in the immediate past; "told me just now"
n 1: the momentary present; "Now is a good time to do it"; "it
worked up to right now"