▪ I. enow, a. and adv.1 Now only arch. and dial.
(ɪˈnaʊ)
Forms: α. (with apparent traces of pl. inflexion) 1 ᵹenóᵹe, 2 inóᵹe, 3–5 in-, ynoghe, -oghȝe, -oȝe, -oȝhe, -ohe, -ouȝe, in-, ynowe, -owȝe, 4–5 anowe, (5 enoghe, enughe, inowhe), 3–6 ynowe, 6 enowe. β. (without traces of inflexion) 3–5 in-, ynou, 3–7 in-, ynow, (4–6 inew, ynew, 4 aney, 6–9 Sc. anew, 8–9 dial. enew, enoo), 4– enow.
[See enough. The forms of enough and enow cannot always be discriminated with certainty, as the phonetic value of the ME. and early mod. ȝ, gh, was not uniform. The same graphic form, indeed, may sometimes represent two different pronunciations, one belonging to each series.]
A. adj.
1. ‘The plural of enough’ (J.). (The recent literary use is almost peculiar to Sc. writers.)
| Beowulf 3103 (Gr.), Þæt ᵹe ᵹenoᵹe ne on sceawiað beagas and brad gold. c 1033 Charter Cnut in Cod. Dipl. VI. 183 Leofric eorl, and Osgod Clape, and Ðored, and oðre ᵹenoᵹe. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 13 Ic eou wille ȝeuen wela and westme inoȝe. c 1200 Ormin 7932 Þatt witenn menn inoȝhe. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 514 Ah wordes þu hauest inohe. a 1300 Cursor M. 4563 (Gött.) In a medow sliht, floures and gress i-now i fand. c 1320 Seuyn Sag. (W.) 921 He kest the bor doun hawes anowe. 1375 Barbour Bruce i. 558 His Systir Son him slew, And gud men als, ma then Inew. a 1400–50 Alexander 3931 Bernes was diȝt þe deth with dintis enoghe. c 1430 Hymns Virg. (1867) 76 God haþ mercies y-now in stoore For a þousand worldis. 1486 Bk. St. Albans C j b, Yeue hir birdis Inow both morow and euyn. 1513 Douglas æneis ii. vii. (vi.) 23, I than, by cleir takynnis anew, Manifestlie all the Greikis falsheid knew. 1535 Coverdale Ezek. xxxix. 10 They shall haue weapens ynew to burne. 1581 Sidney Apol. Poetrie (Arb.) 67 He would be sure to name windes enovve. c 1611 Chapman Iliad xx. 24 His mere looks threw darts enow t'impress Their pow'rs with trembling. 1656 Sanderson Serm. (1689) 266 The Devil will be sure to suggest enow of these pretensions. 1702 Addison Dial. Medals i. 24, I think there are at Rome enow modern works of Architecture to employ any reasonable man. 1752 Hume Ess. & Treat. (1777) I. 23 There are enow of zealots on both sides. 1820 Scott Ivanhoe xxxii, Take with you enow of men. 1824 L. Murray Eng. Gram. I. 254 Enow was formerly used as the plural of enough; but it is now obsolete. 1828 H. Steuart Planter's G. 253 Accidents enow will happen, without aggravating them by carelessness. 1868 G. Macdonald Eng. Antiphon 210 Without yet having generated thoughts enow concerning the subject itself. |
b. predicatively.
| 1647 May Hist. Parl. Pref. 5 Any English man, whose yeares have been enow to make him know the Actions that were done. 1760 Sterne Serm. Yorick (1773) IV. 31 As if the causes of anguish in the heart were not enow. 1796 C. Marshall Garden. xii. (1813) 154 Three or four [fruits] on a long and strong branch are quite enow. 1825 Scott Talism. xix, Those charges, which there are enow to bring against him in his absence. |
c. absol. = ‘persons enough’.
| 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. 25 There are inow, and more than a good meanie. 1646 Crashaw Steps Temple 74 There are enow, whose draughts, as deep as hell, Drink up all Spain in sack. 1669 Shadwell Royal Shepherdess i. i, Thou wilt surely have Enow to court thee. 1805 Wordsw. Prelude v. (1851) 91 Enow there are on earth to take in charge Their wives, their children, and their virgin loves. |
2. As adj. sing. = enough a. 1 a.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (1724) 388 Þe kyng and Roberd..wyþ gret ost and strengþe ynou to Engelond come. a 1300 Cursor M. 2190 (Gött.) Of þat nacion sprang foli enou. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xv. 139 Ich haue mete more þan ynowe. c 1420 Chron. Vilod. 130 Plenteythe of fysshe þey hadden ynowe. 1471 Sir J. Paston in Lett. 670 III. 7, I have hey i new of myn owne. 1672–5 T. Comber Comp. Temple (1702) 90 And hence we see we have Reason enow to confess our Sins. |
b. predicatively; = enough a. 2.
| a 1200 Moral Ode 385 in Lamb. Hom. 183 Crist scal one beon inou . alle his durlinges. 1607 Tourneur Rev. Trag. v. i, That's enow a' conscience! 1814 Byron Lara i. xxviii, It was enow To seal his lip, but agonise his brow. |
c. absol. = enough a. 3.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 27601 (Cott.) Inow no mai man find o þaa. 1413 Lydg. Pilgr. Sowle ii. lvii. (1859) 56 Ynowe to doo for many a day herafter. a 1440 Sir Degrev. 1024 Whedur he wol tornay or fyȝthe, He shal have i-now! 1597 Daniel Trag. Philotas in Farr S.P. Jas. I (1848) 275, I know t'have said too much, but not ynow. |
B. adv. = enough adv. in various senses.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (1724) 83 Þat folk was þo of þis lond y payed wel ynow. c 1300 Beket 2213 Honurede that holi bodi: and custe hit ynoȝe. c 1340 Cursor M. 1404 (Fairf.) Lorde I-noghe [Trin. Inouȝe] now liued haue I. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 893 Tisbe, To make myn wounde large I-now I gesse. a 1449 Pecock Repr. 295 It may weel ynowȝ accorde with resoun. a 1553 Udall Royster D. i. ii. (Arb.) 14 Bee of good cheere; anon ye shall doe well ynow. 1676 Hobbes Iliad xiii. 271 Or if you had been hurt 'tis sure enow, Nor in your back nor neck had been the wound. 1814 Southey Paraguay i. 19 A few firm stakes..Circling a narrow space, yet large enow. 1850 Mrs. Browning Rom. Ganges xxiii, None are frail enow For mortal joys to borrow! 1870 Morris Earthly Par. III. iv. 235 Bright enow With gold and gems. |
b. ellipt. = enough adv. 1 c.
| c 1440 Anc. Cookery in Househ. Ord. (1790) 451 When hit is innowe take hit up. |
▪ II. enow, adv.2 dial.
(ɪˈnaʊ)
[? Short for e'en (= even) now. (But cf. Ger. im nu, Sw. i detta nu.)]
Just now (Sc.); by and by; presently.
| 1816 Scott Antiq. xxiv, ‘We canna howk for't enow.’ 1855 Robinson Whitby Gloss., I will come enow. |