▪ I. nouther, nowther, pron., a., adv.1, and conj. Now dial.
Forms: α. 1, 3 nowðer, 3 Orm. nowwþerr, 4–5 nowþer, 4–6 nowþir (5 -ire), 5–9 nowther (5 -ere, -re, 5–6 -ir); 5 nowdyr(e, 5–6 (9) nowder, -ir. β. 3 nouðer, 2–5 nouþer, 4–5 -ir, 4 -ur, 2–9 nouther, 4–6 -ir (5 -ire); 4 (9) nouder.
[OE. nowðer (= OFris. nouder), contracted form of nóhwæðer (= OFris. noweder), f. ne ne + ó O adv. + hwæðer whether. Cf. nauther and nother.]
A. † 1. pron. Neither (of two persons or things). Also nether nouther (quot. 1401). Obs.
| 896 in Birch Cartul. Sax. II. 217 He næfre ne heora nowðer hine bereafian wolde ðære mæstreddene. 1154 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1140, Þe king & Randolf eorl..treuthes fæston ðæt her nouþer sculde be suiken other. c 1200 Ormin 12872 Þatt nowwþerr þeȝȝre nohht ne laȝȝ I nane depe sinness. a 1225 Ancr. R. 52 Auh toten vt wiðuten vuel ne mei nouðer of ou. c 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 1842 Nouther of þam wald other forga Swa mykel lof es bytwen þam twa. 1401 Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 95 As I wene the Holigost appreveth nether nouther. 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 52 Nouthir of the parties had power to stryke a strake. 1483 Cath. Angl. 256/2 Nowdyr, neuter. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. i. 98 Quhen baith ar present, thay ar seine in nouther of thame to delyte mekle. |
† 2. adj. Neither. Also neither nouther. Obs.
| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. v. metr. iii. (1868) 160 He nis in neiþer nouþir habit, for he not nat alle ne he ne haþ nat alle for-ȝeten. 1390 Gower Conf. II. 77 Sche which oure Elde⁓moder is, The Erthe, bothe that and this Receiveth and alich devoureth, That sche to nouther part favoureth. |
B. adv.1 and conj.
1. = neither A. 1 (followed by ne, na, nor, etc.).
| α c 1200 Ormin 3124 Forr birrþ me nowwþerr hellpenn þe To lif, ne to þe sawle. c 1250 Doomsday 33 in O.E. Misc. 164 Ne schulen heo nowðer fiȝte mid schelde ne mid spere. a 1340 Hampole Psalter (1884) 498 Whaim þou nowþer delyuers fra syn na fra hell. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 125 Ther halp him nowther swerd ne scheld. c 1420 Chron. Vilod. 3202 Þat he myȝt nowther se ny go. 1477 Paston Lett. III. 211 They arn nowthir redyn nor corayd... Whyte wol not a tende hem, nowdyr for Peris ner for me. c 1560 A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) xxv. 21 My hairt, tak nowdir pane nor wa. a 1585 Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae 1143 For nowther rigour nor for reuth. 1684 Yorkshire Dialogue (E.D.S.) 448 But nowther th' Why nor Filly we will sell. 1719 Hamilton Epist. i. i. in Ramsay Poems (1760) 96 There's nowther highlandman nor lawlan [etc.]. 1804 R. Anderson Cumbld. Ball. 79, I nowther heed house, lan, or siller. 1888 Mrs. H. Ward R. Elsmere i. ii, I can mak' nowt o' ya', nowder back nor edge. |
| β 1154 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1137, Ne for-baren hi nouther circe ne cyrce iærd. a 1225 Ancr. R. 44 Mid him ne schule ȝe nouðer uerslen ne singen. a 1310 in Wright Lyric P. xxxvii. 102 When thou shalt deȝe, ner thou nost nouther day ne nyht. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 206 For he was nouther ther ne hiere. c 1450 Lydg. Secrees 1148 With Oute moysture..Comyth nouthir flour nor greyn. 1470–85 Malory Arthur xix. iii. 775 Spare not thy hors..nouther for water neyther for lond. 1530 Palsgr. 688/2 It never ceaseth nouther daye nor nyght. 1567 Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.) 110 Thay haif a mouth can nouther say nor sing. 1724 Ramsay Tea-t. Misc. (1733) I. 29 We have nouther pot nor pan. 1865 in Eng. Dial. Dict. |
† b. = nor. Obs. rare.
| a 1225 Leg. Kath. 1703 Þe neauer ne linneð nowðer ne lesseð. 1534 Cromwell in Merriman Life & Lett. (1902) I. 375 Ye tried out nothing of her falshed, nouther..entended to do. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. ix. 260 For nowther was he ouer lang,..nouther ouer schort. Ibid., Nouther was this done without cause. |
2. = neither A. 3.
| c 1200 Ormin 10216 Forr hellepitt niss næfre full, Ne grediȝnesse nowwþerr. c 1400 Destr. Troy 1930 We loue noght his lede, ne his land nowþer. |
| 1826 Scott Jrnl. 4 Feb., As the boatswain said, one can't dance always nowther. |
▪ II. † nouther, adv.2 Obs.
In 4 nouþer, 4–5 nouthir.
[app. an alteration of nower adv., by confusion with prec. Cf. nother adv.2]
Nowhere. Usually in comb. nouther-where.
| 13.. Cursor M. 17556 (Gött.), Þar es he soth and nouþer ellis. Ibid. 18604 His bodi here, his gast was þar, His goddhede wanted nouþer-quar. Ibid. 23819 Ouþer here or nouþer-quar ellis. 1375 Barbour Bruce vi. 522 The kyng..Till thame, and nouthir ellis-quhar, Had ey. a 1400–50 Alexander 993 (Ashm.), Þare is na region na rewme..Ne nouthire-quare na nacion [etc.]. |
So † nouther-whither, nowhither. Obs. rare—1.
| 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 257 We se nouþer whidere þou may haf sikerer weie. |