▪ I. nave, n.1
(neɪv)
Forms: α. 1 nabæ, nafa, nafu, 4–5 nafe, 4–7 naue, (5 nawe), 4– nave. β. 4 naf, 4, 9 naff, (9 knaff), 5–7 naffe.
[OE. nafu fem., nafa masc. = MDu. nave (naef, naf; Du. naaf), MLG. nave, OHG. naba, napa (G. nabe), ON. naf-, nǫf (Sw. naf, Da. nav):—Comm. Teut. *naƀō related to Lett. naba navel, OPruss. nabis, Skr. nābhi, nābha nave and navel.]
1. a. The central part or block of a wheel, into which the end of the axle-tree is inserted, and from which the spokes radiate; a hub.
| α c 725 Corpus Gloss. (Hessels) M 256 Modioli, habæ [for nabæ; Epinal nabæ, Erfurt nebæ]. c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xxxix. §7 Þæt hweol hwerfð ymbutan & sio nafu next þære eaxe. Ibid., Þa spacan..bioð þeah fæste on ðære nafe, & se nafa on ðære eaxe. 1382 Wyclif 1 Kings vii. 33 The spokys, and the felijs, and the naue, alle ȝoten. c 1386 Chaucer Sompn. T. 562 Than shal this cherl..sette him on the wheel right of this cart, Upon the nave. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 351/2 Nave of a qwele, modius, et modiolus. a 1548 Hall Chron., Rich. III 25 b, Blew veluet embroudered with the naues of Cartes burnyng of gold. 1598 Chapman Iliad v. 734 The naves, in which the spokes were driven, were all with silver bound. 1679 Cocks Forest & Fruit-Trees a 2 Eighty pair of Naves were made out of it. 1720 Pope Iliad xxiii. 412 The wheel's round naves appear to brush the goal. a 1774 Goldsm. Surv. Exp. Philos. (1776) I. 282 Such as in the nave of a wheel, in the axle of a pulley, and such like. 1803 Wellington in Gurw. Desp. (1837) I. 434 Four carriages, for 6 pounders, with brass naves, are preparing. 1838 Civ. Eng. & Arch. Jrnl. I. 384/2 The naves of the paddles are of wrought iron. 1877 W. Jones Finger-ring 22 The cart-wheels sank up to their naves. |
| β 1388–9 Durham Acc. Rolls 391 In factura unius par. rotarum cum ij par. de naffs. 1393–4 Ibid. 392 Pro rotis, nafs, et alia husbanderia. 1483 Cath. Angl. 248/1 A Naffe of a qwele, meditulium, modiolus. 1593 R. Barnes Parthen. in Arb. Garner V. 403 An orient jet which did not move, To Cupid's chariot wheel, made for the naffe, Was fixed. 1653 G. Daniel Idyll iii. 56 Whip vp and downe The grateing Orbes; all in a tracke, t'enflame Their Naffes drye-worne. 1796 W. Marshall Yorksh. (ed. 2) II. 334. 1824 in Cumbld. Gloss. (1899) 221/1 Wheels with naffs (naves), spokes and felloes. 1855 Robinson Whitby Gloss. 1873– in north. dial. glossaries (Northumb., Cumb., Yks.). |
b. attrib. and Comb., as nave-band, nave-box, nave-deep, nave-hole, nave-hoop, nave-shaped, nave-stock; nave plate = hub-cap.
| 1388 Wyclif 1 Kings vii. 33 The extrees, and the naue stockis [v.r. nauelstockis], and the spokis..were ȝotun. 1753 Chambers Cycl. Supp. s.v., It is bound at each end with hoops of iron, called the nave-bands. 1802 James Milit. Dict., Nave-boxes were formerly made of brass. Ibid., Nave-hoops are flat iron rings to bind the nave. 1839 Lindley Bot. (ed. 3) 454 Nave-shaped. 1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk. 493 Nave-hole, the hole in the centre of a gun⁓truck for receiving the end of the axle-tree. 1876 Voyle & Stevenson Milit. Dict. 269/1 The nave-box is made of gun⁓metal. 1882 E. Arnold Pearls of Faith xxiii. (1883) 84 Through foeman's blood nave-deep he drave his wheel. 1962 Which? Car Suppl. Apr. 67/1 The Austin A60 had a grease gun, nave plate remover and box spanner. 1968 Radio Times 13 June 29/3 A rattle from the tail end [of a car],..sounding..like a loose wheel nut bouncing about inside the nave plate. |
† 2. ? The navel. Obs. rare—1.
| 1605 Shakes. Macb. i. ii. 22 Braue Macbeth..neu'r shooke hands, nor bad farwell to him, Till he vnseam'd him from the Naue to th' Chops. |
▪ II. nave, n.2
(neɪv)
[= Sp. and It. nave, ad. L. nāvem, acc. of nāvis ship: see also nef.]
The main part or body of a church, extending from the inner door to the choir or chancel, and usually separated from the aisle on each side by pillars.
| 1673 Ray Journ. Low C. 261 A double isle on each side of the Nave. 1682 N. O. Boileau's Lutrin iii. 63 With equal pace the Temples Nave they measure! 1726 Ayliffe Parergon 169 It comprehends the whole Church, viz. the Nave or Body of the Church together with the Chancel. 1791 Mrs. Radcliffe Rom. Forest ii, From this chapel he passed into the nave of the great Church. 1823 Byron Island iv. vii, The fretted pinnacle, the aisle, the nave, Were there. 1859 Jephson Brittany ii. 15 The massive pillars of the nave have a solemn and grand effect. a 1878 Sir G. Scott Lect. Archit. (1879) I. 52 Let us suppose it applied to the nave of a basilica in place of the timber roof. |
| attrib. and Comb. 1850 T. Inkersley Styles Archit. France 311 The windows opened in the nave-aisle walls. 1883 Farrar in Pall Mall G. 27 Dec. 2/2 The nave services of all our great cathedrals are the results of this experiment. |
Hence nave v., trans. to make like a nave.
| 1820 Shelley in Medwin Convers. Byron (1824) I. 19 Follow the graceful curve of the palaces on the Lung' Arno till the arch is naved by the massy dungeon-tower. |
▪ III. † nave
have not: see ne and have v. A. 9. Obs.
See also nabbe, nad, nas.
| c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. John iv. 17 Uel ðu cuede þætte nafu [ic] wer. 971 Blickl. Hom. 31 He næniᵹe mehte wið us nafað. a 1000 Andreas 311 (Gr.), Nafast þe to frofre..hlafes wiste? c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 29 Nauest þu nefre milce of heofenlic drihten. c 1230 Hali Meid. 5 Ha naueð nawt freo of hire seluen. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 8223 Y naue no wyt To open þe knottes þat Merlyn knyt. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. i. 157 Ȝe naue no more merit in masse ne in houres. c 1420 Chron. Vilod. st. 288 Y naue nouther wytte ny space All here godenesse forto wryte. |
▪ IV. nave
obs. f. navy, obs. or dial. f. nieve, fist.