nonsuch, n. and a.
(ˈnɒnsʌtʃ)
[var. of nonesuch, and now the usual form.
The change of none (nɔːn) to non- would be natural in a compound of this form, but may have been partly helped by association with the prefix non-.]
I. † 1. = nonesuch 1. Obs. rare—1.
| 1620 R. N. Sonn. in Sylvester's Du Bartas, Then by right Rare Muses Non-Such shall thy Worke be hight. |
2. = nonesuch 2.
| 1657 S. Purchas Pol. Flying-Ins. 13 For every Hive, or Commonwealth, endeavours to be a Non-such, and to engross all within its own circumference. 1677 W. Hughes Man of Sin i. i. 2 We have therein a very Nonsuch, for the enriching that ægypt, which it passeth through. 1710 T. Fuller Pharm. Extemp. 106 An Oliose Draught..is a Nonsuch for a Pleurisy. 1820 A. Opie Tales of Heart IV. 274, I have got a little pot of honey and some rob.., as 'tis reckoned a nonsuch for a cough. |
b. = nonesuch 2 b.
| 1655 W. Gurnall Chr. in Arms. i. (1665) 132 Was not Job the Devil's hypocrite, whom God vouch't for a non-such in holinesse. 1670 Brooks Wks. (1867) VI. 30 Job was a non⁓such in his day for holiness. 1753 Richardson Sir C. Grandison I. xxii. (1781) 152 Then you are, as indeed I have always thought you, a nonsuch of a woman. 1819 Keats Let. to G. Keats 14 Feb., A young gentleman..leaves his unfortunate Bride and follows this nonsuch. 1850 Dobell Roman v. Poet. Wks. (1875) 61 Nay, everybody! Write me up a nonsuch! I can beat everybody. 1895 ‘Sarah Tytler’ Macdonald Lass 172 As for your Prince,..he's not a nonsuch. |
c. In depreciatory sense.
| 1836 Gentl. Mag. V. 423/2 The audience were insulted by the mis-representation of a nonsuch called the Fate of War, which caused a tremendous disturbance in the Theatre. |
† 3. = nonesuch 3. Obs.
| 1635 R. Brathwait Arcadian Princess ii. 11 He was esteemed the Non-such of his time. 1660 W. Secker Nonsuch Prof. 9 Beleivers in the world, they are the Non-such's of the world. 1673 J. Janeway Heaven upon Earth (1847) 212 Those brave worthies who were..the nonsuches of their age, and a pattern to future generations. |
† 4. adj. = nonesuch 4. Obs.
| 1667 Waterhouse Fire Lond. 3 This spoil and non-such disappointment. 1711 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. V. 186 A non-such contempt of the world in a monarch. 1728 P. Walker Life Peden Pref. (1827) 7 Ere that tremendous non-such stroke came upon Jerusalem. |
II. spec.
5. = nonesuch 5. ? Obs.
| 1760 J. Lee Introd. Bot. App. 320 Nonsuch, Lychnis. |
6. a. A species of Lucern (see quot. 1844). Also called black nonsuch.
| 1668 Phil. Trans. III. 725 Of 7 acre of Non-such or Hopp-Clover. 1669 Worlidge Syst. Agric. (1681) 31 It's better to sowe three [bushels] mixt with Nonsuch. 1705 Lond. Gaz. No. 4111/4 Broad Clover and Trefoil, alias Non⁓such. 1768–74 Tucker Lt. Nat. (1834) I. 501 Every country fellow makes the distinction between natural grass, and clover, nonsuch, or others that are sown. 1778 Eng. Gazetteer (ed. 2) s.v. Worplesdon, A sort of grass was lately much cultivated in these parts, called Nonsuch, which is equal to St. Foin. 1844 Stephens Bk. Farm II. 556 Medicago lupulina is the hop-clover, or black nonsuch, which is..sown by some farmers amongst their grass. |
| attrib. 1766 Museum Rust. VI. 338 We find it useful, also, when we sow any saintfoin, to throw in about a gallon of nonsuch seed. |
b. white nonsuch, rye-grass seed. ? Obs.
| 1787 Marshall E. Norfolk (1795) Gloss. |
7. A variety of apple († and pear). Also attrib.
| 1676 Worlidge Cyder (1691) 210 The Non-such [apple] is a long-lasting fruit, good at the table. Ibid. 216 The Non⁓such, Dionier,..are all very good winter-pears. 1846 Mrs. Gore Eng. Char. (1852) 112 With lustrous, rosy, and whiskerless face, round as a Nonsuch apple. 1859 F. G. White Addr. Cape Town Fine Arts Exhib. 13 No man in his senses would eat sour crabs when he could get ribstone pippins or nonsuch apples. |