noble 
Hlr garthes of nobull sylke they were. 
Thntnnt i(l AWMWM (Child's Ballads, I. 99). 
My wife, who, [wor wretch ! sat ... all day, till ten at 
night, altering and lacing of a //"/</ pettieoat. 
Peiiys, Diary, Dec. 25, 1668. 
Si e that there be a noble supper provided In the saloon 
to-night-- serve up my best wines, and let me have music, 
d'ye hear? Sheridan, The Duenna, III. 1. 
(d) In miiural., excellent ; pure in the highest degree: as, 
ivible opal ; ,i/>l. hornblende ; noble tourmalin, (e) Pre- 
cious; valualile: applied to those metals which are not 
altered on exposure to the air, or which do not easily rust, 
and which are niiieh sea i and more valuable than the 
so-called useful metals. Though the epithet Is applied 
liu ih to gold and silver, and sometimes to quicksilver, 
it might also with propriety be made use of In reference 
to platinum and the group of metals associated with it 
since these are scarce and valuable, and are little acted 
on by ordinary reagents, (f) In .falconry, noting long, 
winged falcons which swoop down upon the quarry. 
3. Of magnificent proportions or appearance ; 
magnificent; stately; splendid: as, a noble edi- 
fice. 
Vne oppon the Auter was amyt to stond 
An yniage full noble in the nome of god, 
ffyftene cubettcs by course all of clene lenght, 
Hhynyng of shene gold A of snap nobill. 
Destruction of Troy (E. E. T. S.), 1. 1681. 
It Is very well built, and has many noble roomcs, but 
they are not very convenient. Evelyn, Diary, Sept. 25, 1672. 
A in:'*!' library . . . looks down upon us with Its pon- 
derous and speaking volumes. 
Story, Misc. Writings, p. 551. 
Most noble, the style of a duke. Noble hawks, in/oi- 
i-uiirii See Anuiii. Noble laurel, the bay-tree, Launtx 
nobuin. See bayl, 2, and laurel, 1. Noble liverwort, 
the common hepatica or liverleaf, Anemone Hepatica. 
See Uepatica. Noble metals. See def. 2 (). Noble 
parts Of the body < , the vital parts, as the heart, liver, 
lungs, brain, etc. Dunylison. The noble art, the art 
of self-defense ; boxing. = Sy n. 2. Noble, Generous, Mag- 
nanimous, honorable, elevated, exalted, illustrious, emi- 
nent, grand, worthy. Noble and generoux start from the 
idea of being high-born ; in character and conduct they 
express that which is appropriate to exalted place. Noble 
is n 1 1 absolute word in excluding its opposite completely ; 
it admits no degree of the petty, mean, base, or dishon- 
orable ; it is one of the words selected for the expression 
of loftiness In spirit and life. With generous the Idea of 
liberality in giving has somewhat overshadowed the ear- 
lier meaning, that of a noble nature and a free, warm 
heart going forth toward others : as, a generous foe dis- 
dains to take an unfair advantage. Magnanimmu comes 
nearer to the meaning of noble ; it notes or describes that 
largeness of mind that has breadth enough and height 
enough to take in large views, broad sympathies, exalted 
standards, etc. (See definition of magnanimity.) It gen- 
erally implies superiority of position : as, a nation so great 
as the United States or Great Britain can afford to be mag- 
nanimous in its treatment of injuries or affronts from na- 
tions comparatively weak. 
II. n. 1. A person of acknowledged social or 
political preeminence ; a person of rank above 
a commoner ; a nobleman ; specifically, in Great 
Britain and Ireland, a peer; a duke', marquis, 
earl, viscount, or baron. See nobility and 
peerage. 
I come to thee for charitable license . . . 
To sort our nobles from our common men. 
For many of our princes woe the while ! 
Lie drown'd and soak'd in mercenary blood. 
Shak., Hen. V., IT. 7. 77. 
Let us see these handsome houses, 
Where the wealthy nobles dwell. 
Tennyson, Lord of Burleigh. 
2. All old English gold coin, current for 6s. 8rf., 
first minted by Edward III., and afterward by 
Richard II., Henry 
IV., V., and VI., 
and also by Ed- 
ward IV., under 
whom one variety 
of the noble was 
called the ryal or 
rose noble (see 
''//"') The obverse 
type of all these no- 
bles was the king in a 
ship. The reverse in- 
script ion, "Jesus au- 
teui transiens per me- 
ilium illorum ibat " 
(Lukeiv. TO), was prob- 
ably a charm against 
thieves. Riuliug con- 
jectures, though not 
with much probabil- 
ity, that the coins de- 
rived their name from 
the noble nature of tin; 
metal of which they 
were composed. The 
coin was much imitat- 
ed in the Low Coun- 
tries. See George-noble, 
fuoKtr-noKi, 
li< .> tulile him a tale 
and tok him a noble, 
For to lieu hire lieode- 
moit and hire baude 
after. Reverse 
Piers f*OMM U Noble of Edward III.' (Size of the 
['- 48. original.) 
4003 
Ful brighter was the shynyng of hlr hcwc 
Than In the Tour the noble yforged newe. 
Chaucer, Miller's Tale, L 70. 
Sayth master mony taker, greasd 1' th' fist 
" And if th" n comst in danger, for a rn<lile 
lie stand thy friend, & healp thee out of trouble." 
Times' Whistle (E. E. T. &), p. 4.1. 
3. The pogge, Agoniu cataphractux. [Scotch.] 
4f. pi. In tntom., the 1'amlioaiilir Farthing 
noble. See farthing. Lion noble. See lion, 5.- Mall 
noble. See mail*. To bring a noble to nlnepencet, 
to decay or degenerate. 
AV Have you given over study then? 
/'". Altogether ; I have brought a tuMe to ninepenee, and 
of a master of seven arts I am become a workman of but 
one art. N. llailey, tr. of Colloquies of Erasmus, I. 848. 
noblet (no'bl), v. t. [< ME. noblen; < noble, a. 
Cf. ennoblt.] To ennoble. 
Thou noble/lest to ferforth our nature, 
That no desdeyn the maker hadde of kynde. 
Chaucer, Second Nun s Tale, 1. 40. 
noble-ending (no'bl-en'ding), a. Making a 
noble end. [Rare.] 
And so, espoused to death, with blood he seal'd 
A testament of noble-ending love. 
Shale.. Hen. V., Iv. 6. 27. 
noble-finch (no'bl-fineh), n. A book-name of 
the chaffinch, Fl'ingilla cailebs, translating the 
German edelfink. See cut under chaffinch. 
nobleiet, . See nobley. 
nobleman (no'bl-mau), n. ; pi. noblemen (-men). 
[< noble + man.] One of the nobility ; a noble ; 
a peer. 
if I blush. 
It is to see a nobleman want manners. 
Shot., Hen. VIII., iii. 2. 308. 
Thus has It been said does society naturally divide It- 
self Into four classes noblemen, gentlemen, glgmen, and 
men. Carlyle. 
noble-minded (no'bl-min'ded), a. Possessed 
of a noble mind ; magnanimous. 
The fraud of England, not the force of France, 
Hath now entrapp'd the noble-minded Talbot 
Shot., 1 Hen. VI., Iv. 4. 37. 
nobleness (no'bl-nes), n. The state or quality 
of being noble, (a) Preeminence or distinction ob- 
tained by birth, or derived from a noble ancestry ; distin- 
guished lineage or rank ; nobility. 
I hold It ever 
Virtue and cunning were endowment! greater 
Than nobleness and riches. Shot., Pericles, ill. 2. 28. 
(fr) Greatness of excellence or worth; loftiness; excel- 
lence ; magnanimity ; elevation of mind ; nobility. 
The Body of K. Harold his Mother Tim a offered a great 
Sum to have it delivered to her ; but the Duke, out of the 
Nobleness of his Mind, would take no Money, but dellver'd 
it freely. Baiter, Chronicles, p. 23. 
Greatness of mind, and nobleness, their seat 
Build in her loveliest. Milton, P. L., vlli. 557. 
The king of noblenesse gave charge unto the friers of 
Leicester to see an honourable interrment tobegiuen tn it, 
Bacon, Hist. Hen. VII., p. 2. 
(e) Stateliness ; grandeur ; magnificence. 
For nobleness of structure, and riches, it [the abbey of 
Reading] was equal to most in England. 
Ashmole, Berkshire, II. 341. (Latham.) 
(d) Excellence ; cholceness of quality. 
We ate and drank, 
And might the wines being of such nobleness 
Have jested also. 
Tennyson, Lover's Tale, Golden Supper. 
( ) Of metals, freedom from liability io rust. = Syn. See 
nobility and noble-. 
noblesse (no-bles'), [Early mod. E. also 
nobless (now noblesse, spelled and accented after 
mod. F.); < ME. noblesse, noblesce, < OP. no- 
blesse, noblesce, noblece, noblaice. F. noblesse = 
Pr. noble:a, noblessa = Sp. noblc:a = Pg. no- 
brc:a, < ML. nobilitia, nobility (pi. nobilitia; 
privileges of nobility), < L. nobilis, noble : see 
noble.'] 1. Noble birth or condition ; nobility; 
greatness ; nobleness. [Obsolete or archaic.] 
Tulllns Hostillius, 
That out of poverte roos to heigh noblesse. 
Chaucer, Wife of Bath's Tale, 1. 311. 
"Grislld," quod he, "that day 
That I you took out of your poure array, 
And putte yon In estaat of heigh noblesse, 
Ye have nat that forgotten, as I gesse." 
Chaucer, Clerk's Tale, 1. 412. 
As a Husbands Noblest doth illustre 
A mean-born wife. 
Sylvester, tr. of Du Bartns's Weeks, I. 4. 
All the bounds 
Of manhood, noblesse, and religion. 
Chapman, Busty d'Ambols. v. 1. 
2. The nobility; persons of noble rank collec- 
tively ; specifically, same as nobility, 3 (6). 
It was evening, and the canal! where the Noblesse go to 
take the air, as in our Uidepark, was full of ladys and gen- 
nocently 
Noblesse Oblige I F.I, literally, nobility obliges; noble 
birth or rank compels to noble aets ; hence, the obligation 
of noble conduct imposed by nobility. 
noblewoman (no' bl-wum*an), .; pi. imiiii- 
niiiiii-n (-wim'en). [< noble + teaman.] A 
woman of noble rank. 
These noblewomen maskers spake good French unto the 
Frenchmen. (J. Cavendish, Wolsey. (Kncyc. Diet) 
nobleyt, . [ME., also nobleie, < OF. noblee, 
nobleness, < noble, noble : nee noble."] 1. Noble 
birth; rank; state; dignity. 
Why! that this king sit thus In his nobUye. 
Chaucer, Squire's Tale, L 69. 
Ne pomp, array, nobley, or ek rlchesse, 
Ne made me to rew on youre dlstresse, 
But moral virtu, grounded upon trouthe. 
Chaucer, Trollui, Iv. 1670. 
2. The body of nobles ; the nobility. 
Your princes erren, as your nobley doth. 
Chaucer, Second Nun's Tale, 1. 449. 
noblin, n. See nobblin. 
nobly (no'bli), adv. [(noble + -fy 2 .] In a no- 
ble manner, (a) Of ancient or noble lineage ; from no- 
ble ancestors : as, nobly born or descended. (6) In a man- 
ner befitting a noble. 
A gentleman of noble parentage, 
Of fair demesnes, youthful, and nnbty train d. 
Shot., 11. and J., ill. 5. 182. 
(c) With magnanimity, bravery, generosity, etc.; heroi- 
cally. 
Was not that niMy done? Shall., Macbeth, 111. 6. 14. 
Well beat, O my immortal Indignation ! 
Thou nobly swell'st my belklng SouL 
J. Beaumont, Psyche, I. 30. 
(d) Splendidly ; magnificently : as, he was nottly enter- 
tained. 
In that Heine ben falre men. and thel gon fulle nobely 
arrayed in Clothes of Gold. Mandevillc, Travels, p. 152. 
Behold! 
Where on the Jgean shore a city stands, 
Built nobly; pure the air, and light the soil ; 
Athens, the eye of Greece. Milton, P. B., IT. 239. 
= Syn. Illustriously, honorably, magnanimously, grandly, 
superbly, sublimely. 
nobody (no'bo-di), n. ; pi. nobodies (-diz). [< 
ME. no body; rare in ME. (where, besides the 
ordinary none, no man, notnan, and no wiglit were 
used); < no 1 + body.'] 1. No person; no one. 
This is the tune of our eateh. plaid by the picture of 
Nobody. 5Ao*., Tempest (folio 1628), iii. 2. 186. 
I care for nobody, no, not I, 
If no one cares for me. 
Bickerstaf, Love in a Village, i. 3 (song). 
Hence 2. An unimportant or insignificant 
person ; one who is not in fashionable society. 
Oh, Mrs. Benson, the Peabodys were nobodys only a few 
years ago. I remember when they used to stay at one of 
the smaller hotels. C. D. Warner, Their Pilgrimage, p. 92. 
nobstick, ". See knobstick. 
nob-thatcher (nob'thach'er), n. A wig-maker. 
Hatliwell. [Slang.] 
nocake (no'kak), . [An accom., simulating E. 
cake 1 , of the earlier nokthick, < Amer. Ind. noo- 
kik, meal.] Parched maize pounded into meal, 
formerly much used by the Indians of North 
America, especially when on the march, it was 
mixed with a little water when prepared for use. This 
article, usually with the addition of sugar, is still much 
used in Spanish-American countries under the name of 
pinole. 
Nutehiflc, parch'd meal, which Is a readie very whole- 
some food, which they eate with a little water. 
Roger Williams, Key (1643) (Coll. E. I. Hint. Soc., I. S3). 
A little pounded parched com or no-cake sufficed them 
(the Indians] on the march. 
Emerson, Hist. Discourse at Concord. 
nocentt (no'sent), a. and . [< L. nocen(t-)s, 
r. of nocere, harm, hurt, injure.] L a. 1. 
urtful ; mischievous ; injurious ; doing hurt : 
as, nun-lit qualities. 
The Earle of Denonshire, being Interessed In the blod 
of Yorke, that was rather feared then nocent. 
Bacon, Hist. Hen. VII., p. 213. 
The baneful schedule of her nixrnt charms. 
B. Jonson, Sad Shepherd, II. 2. 
2. Guilty; criminal. 
God made us naked and innocent, yet we presently made 
ourselves nocent. 
Hevyt, Sermons (1658\ Christmas Day, p. 74. (Latham.) 
Afflicts both nocent and the Innocent. 
Ortene, James IV., T. 
The innocent might have been apprehended for the no- 
CharnocJr, Attributes, p. 595. 
ppr 
Hu 
cent. 
llemen. 
'i. Diary, June, 1645. 
He has plainly enough pointed out the fault* even of 
the French noblesse. Brougham. 
II. n. One who is guilty; one who is not in- 
nocent. 
An innocent with a nocent, a man ungylty with a gylty, 
was pondered In an egall balaunce. 
tlatt, 1548, Hen. IV., f. 14. (HaUitccU.) 
No nocent is absolved by the verdict of himself. 
Sir T. Browne, Christ Mor., L 22. 
nocently (no'sent-li), adv. In a nocent manner; 
hurtfully; injuriously. [Rare.] 
