nourish 
cesses and to promote growth ; supply with nu- 
triment. 
At the ende of 3 Wekes or of n Mouethe, thei comen 
azen and taken here Chickenes and norissche hem and 
bryngen hem forthe. Mandeville, Travels, p. 49. 
He planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it. 
Isa. xliv. 14. 
3. To promote the growth or development of 
in any way; foster; cherish. 
Yet doth it not nourish such monstrous shapes of men 
as fabulous Antiquities fained. 
Purchoi, Pilgrimage, p. 51. 
This nymph, to the destruction of mankind, 
Nourished two locks, which graceful hung behind 
In equal curls. Pope, R. of the L., ii. 20. 
Were you to stand upon the mountain slopes which nour- 
ish the glacier, you would see thence also the widening of 
the streak of rubbish. Tyndall, Forms of Water, p. 95. 
4. To support; maintain, in a general sense; 
supply the means of support and increase to ; 
encourage. 
Whiles I in Ireland nourish a mighty band, 
I will stir up in England some black storm. 
Shalt., 2 Hen. VI., iii. 1. 348. 
Then may we . . . make a comfortable guess at the 
goodness of our condition in this world, and nourish, very 
promising hopes to ourselves of being happy in another. 
Bp. Atterbury, Sermons, II. xii. 
Men failed, betrayed him, but his zeal seemed nourished 
By failure and by fall. 
Whittier, Remembrance of Joseph Sturge. 
5. To bring up; educate; instruct. 
For Symkyn wolde no wyf, as he sayde, 
But if she were wel norissed and a mayde. 
Chaucer, Reeve's Tale, 1. 28. 
Thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished 
up in the words of faith. 1 Tim. iv. 6. 
Here about the beach I wander'd, nourishing a youth sub- 
lime 
With the fairy tales of science, and the long result of Time. 
Tennyson, Locksley Hall. 
II. intrans. 1. To serve to promote growth; 
be nutritious. 
Grains and roots nourish more than leaves. 
Bacon, Nat. Hist., 845. 
2. To gain nourishment. [Rare.] 
In clay grounds all fruit trees grow full of moss, . . . 
which is caused partly by the coldness of the ground, 
whereby the pails nourish less. Bacon, Nat. Hist., 545. 
The greatest loues do nourt/she most fast, for as moch as 
the fyre hathe not exhausted the moisture of them. 
Sir T. Elyot, Castle of Health, ii. 
nourishable (nur'ish-a-bl), a. [< nourish + 
-able 1 .] 1. Capable of being nourished: as, the 
nourishable parts of the body. 2f. Capable of 
giving nourishment; nutritious. 
These are the bitter herbs, wherewith if we shall eat this 
passover, we shall find it most wholesome and nourishable 
unto us to eternal life. 
Bp. Hall, Remains, p. 197. (Latham.) 
nourisher (nur'ish-er), n. One who or that 
which nourishes. 
Sleep, . . . great nature's second course, 
Chief nourisher in life's feast. 
Shak., Macbeth, ii. 2. 39. 
nourishing (nur'ish-ing), p. a. [Ppr. of nourish, 
v.] Promoting strength or growth ; nutritious : 
as, a nourishing diet. 
No want was there of human sustenance. 
Soft fruitage, mighty nuts, and nourishing roots. 
Tennyson, Enoch Arden. 
=Syn, Strengthening, invigorating, wholesome. 
nourishment (nur'ish-ment), n. [< nourish + 
-ment.~\ 1. The act of nourishing, or the state 
of being nourished; nutrition. 
So taught of nature, which doth litle need 
Of f orreine helpes to lifes due nourishment ; 
The fields my food, my flocke my rayment breed. 
Spenser, F. Q., VI. ix. 20. 
2. That which, taken into the system, serves to 
nourish; food; sustenance; nutriment. 
About the sixth hour ; when beasts most graze, birds best 
peck, and men sit down to that nourishment which is called 
supper. Shak., L. L. L., L I. 239. 
3. Figuratively, that which promotes growth 
or development of any kind. 
No nourishment to feed his growing mind 
But conjugated verbs, and nouns declin'd. 
Cou-per, Tirocinium, 1. 618. 
nourituret, n. An obsolete form of nurture. 
nourset, . An obsolete form of nurse. 
nourslet, '. An obsolete variant of nuzzle. 
nourslingt, An obsolete form of nursling. 
nous (nos or nous), n. [Also nouse; < Gr. voi/f, 
contr. of v6of , the mind, intelligence, perception, 
sense, in Attic philosophy the perceptive and 
intelligent faculty; prob. orig. *yv6o$, < / yvo 
in ytyv&aKeiv, know: see gnostic, knou'l. The 
word, picked up at classical schools and the uni- 
versities, passed into common humorous use, 
and even into provincial speech.] 1. In Pla- 
4030 
tonism and the Neoplatonic philosophy, reason, 
the highest kind of thought; especially, that 
reason which made the world (though other 
elements contributed to it). The later Neo- 
platonists made the nous a kind of living being. 
The original Being [in the philosophy of Plotinus] first 
of all throws out the nous, which is a perfect image of the 
One, and the archetype of all existing things. 
Encye. Brit., XVII. 336. 
Hence 2. Wit; cleverness; smartness. [Col- 
lege cant, and slang.] 
Don't . . . fancy, because a man nous seems to lack, 
That, whenever you please, you can "give him the sack." 
Barham, Ingoldsby Legends, II. 249. 
The literal Germans call it "Mutterwiss," 
The Yankees "gumption," and the Grecians nous 
A useful thing to have about the house. 
J. 0. Saxe, The Wife's Revenge. 
nousleti An obsolete variant of nuzzle. 
nout (nout), n. [Also nowt, erroneously nolt; 
< ME. nout, < Icel. naut, cattle, = AS. neat, E. 
neat: see neat 1 ."] Cattle : same as neat 1 . [Ob- 
solete or Scotch.] 
Or by Madrid he taks the rout, 
To thrum guitars, an' fecht wi* nout. 
Burns, The Twa Dogs, L 181. 
nouthet, nowthet, adv. [ME., < now, MOM, now.] 
Now ; just now. 
It sit hire wel ryght nouthe 
A worthy Knyght to loven and cherice. 
Chaucer, Troilus, i. 985. 
nouthert, a., pron., and conj. A Middle Eng- 
lish form of neither. 
nouveau riche (no-vo' resh); pi. nouveaujc 
riches. [F. : nouveau, new ; riche, rich : see nov- 
el and rich.] One who has recently acquired 
wealth ; one newly enriched ; hence, a wealthy 
upstart ; a parvenu. 
This same nouveau riche used to serve gold dust, says 
Herrera, instead of salt, at his entertainments. 
Prescott, Ferd. and Isa., ii. 2C, note. 
Nov. An abbreviation of- November. 
novaculite (no-vak'u-lit), n. [< L. novacula, a 
sharp knife, a razor (< novarc, renew, make 
fresh: see novation), + -ite 2 .] A very hard, fine- 
grained rock, used for hones: same as honcstone. 
It is a very silieious variety of clay slate. 
novalia (no-va'li-a), n. pi. [L., neut. pi. of no- 
valis, plowed anew or for the first time, < no- 
vus, new : see novel.] In Scots law, lands newly 
improved or cultivated, and in particular those 
lands which, having lain waste from time im- 
memorial, were brought into cultivation by 
monks. Imp. Diet. 
novargent (no-var'jent), n. [< L. novus, new, 
+ argentum, silver: see new and argent.] A sub- 
stance used for resilvering plated articles, and 
prepared by moistening chalk with a solution 
of oxid of silver in a solution of cyanide of po- 
tassium. Imp. Diet. 
Nova-Scotian (no'va-sko'shian), a. and n. [< 
Nova Scotia, lit. 'New Scotland,' 4- -an.] I. a. 
Of or pertaining to Nova Scotia. 
II. . An inhabitant of Nova Scotia, a mari- 
time province of the Dominion of Canada. 
Novatian (no-va'shian), a. and n. [< LL. No- 
vatiani, pi. (Gr. Noovarmvoi, yavcmavoi, also Nav- 
arai), followers of Novatianus or Novatus, < 
Novatianus (Gr. Noouorof, also Nauarof), aproper 
name (see def.), < novare, renew: see novation.] 
I. a. Of or pertaining to Novatianus and his 
followers, or their doctrines. 
II. re. In church hist., one of a sect founded 
in the middle of the third century by Novati- 
anus (also called Novatus), a presbyter of 
Eome, who had himself consecrated bishop of 
Rome in opposition to Cornelius in 251. An- 
other Novatus (of Carthage) was joint founder of the sect. 
Novatianus denied that the church had power to absolve 
or restore to communion those who after Christian baptism 
had lapsed or fallen into idolatry in time of persecution, 
and his followers appear to have refused the grant of 
forgiveness to all grave post-baptismal sin and denied 
the validity of Catholic baptism, considering themselves 
the true church. They assumed the name of Cathari, 'the 
Pure,' on the strength of their severity of discipline. In 
other respects than those mentioned the Novatians dif- 
fered very little from the Catholics: and they were gen- 
erally received back into communion on comparatively 
favorable terms. The sect continued to the sixth century. 
See Saltbatian. 
The A'licatiaim called the Catholics "Traditors." 
Jer. Taylor, Works (ed. 1835), I. 880. 
Novatianism (no-va'shian-izm), . [< Nova- 
tian + -ism.'] The doctrines of the Novatians. 
Novatianist (no-va'shian-ist), w. [< Novatian 
+ -ist.~\ A Novatian. 
The Novatianists denied the power of the Church of God 
in curing sin after baptism. Hooker, Eccles. Polity, vi. 4. 
novation (no-va'shon), . [= F. novation = 
Sp. novacion = Pg. "novugao = It. novazione, < 
novel 
L. novatio(n-), a making new, renovation, < no- 
vare, pp. novatus, make new, renew, make fresh, 
< novus, new, = E. new: see new.] If. The in- 
troduction of something new ; innovation. 
Novations in religion are a main cause of distempers in 
commonwealths. Ah/,. Laud, Hist, of his Troubles, iii. 
2f. A revolution. 
Ch. What news? 
d. Strange ones, and fit for a novation. 
Chapman, Revenge of Bussy d'Ambois, iii. 1. 
3. In late, the substitution of a new obligation 
for an old one, usually by the substitution of a 
new debtor or of a new creditor. The term, how- 
ever, is sometimes used of the substitution of a new obli- 
gation between the original parties, as the substitution of 
a bill of exchange for a right of action arising out of a con- 
tract of sale, though this is more commonly called merger 
or extinguishment. While in an assignment the old claim 
merely passes into other hands, in a novation there is a new 
claim substituted for it. The term is derived from the Ro- 
man law, where it was of great importance, because assign- 
ment of claims did not exist. It is possible by one nova- 
tion to extinguish several obligations : as, if A owes a debt 
to B, B to C, and C to D, and it is agreed that A shall pay 
D in satisfaction of all, this promise, if consented to by all 
parties, extinguishes all the other claims, even though not 
performed. 
novatort (uo-va'tor), n. [= F. norateur = Sp. 
Pg. noi'ador = It. novatore, < L. norator, < no- 
vare, pp. novatus, renew: see novation.] An in- 
novator. Bailey, 1731. 
Noveboracensian (no-ve-bo-ra-sen'sian), a. 
[< NL. Noveboracensis, < Novum Eboracum, New 
York: L. novum, neut. of novus, new; LL. Ebo- 
racum (AS. Eoferwic), York.] Of or pertain- 
ing to New York. 
novel (nov'el), a. and n. [I. a. < ME. novel, 
novell, < OF. novel, nouvel, nouveau, new, fresh, 
recent, recently made or done, strange, rare, 
F. nouveau, new, recent, = Sp. novel, new, in- 
experienced, = Pg. novel, new, newly come, = 
It. novello, new, fresh, young, modern, < L. no- 
vellus, new, young, recent, dim. of novus, new, 
= E. new: see new, II. n. < ME. novel (in pi. 
novels, news), < OF. novelle, nouvelle, F. nou- 
velle, news, a tale, story, = Sp. not'ela = Pg. 
novella, a novel, = It. novella, news, message, 
a tale, novel, < L. novella, fern. (cf. LL. pi. 
novella', sc. constitutiones, the new constitutions 
or novels of the Roman emperors) of novellus, 
new, recent : see above. A novel in the present 
sense (II. ,4) is thus lit. a 'new' tale i. e. one 
not told before.] I. a. 1. Of recent origin or 
introduction ; not old or established ; new. 
For men had hym told off this strenght nouell. 
Rom. of Partenay (E. E. T. S.),l. 5397. 
I must beg not to have it supposed that I am setting up 
any novel pretensions for the honour of my own country. 
Walpole, Anecdotes of Painting, I. ii. 
Men, thro' novel spheres of thought 
Still moving after truth long sought, 
Will learn new things when I am not. 
Tennyson, Two Voices. 
2. Previously unknown; new and striking; 
unusual; strange: as, a novel contrivance; a 
novel feature of the entertainment. 
I thorughly know all thes nouell tidinges 
Full good and fair ben vnto vs this hour. 
Rom. of Partenay (E. E. T. S.), 1. 2696. 
Thy pyramids built up with newer might 
To me are nothing novel, nothing strange. 
Shut., Sonnets, cxxiii. 
The sheep recumbent, and the sheep that graz'd, 
All huddling into phalanx, stood and gaz'd, 
Admiring, terrified, the iinc,-l strain. 
Counter, Needless Alarm. 
3f. Young. 
A novel vine up goeth by diligence 
As fast as it goeth down by negligence. 
Palladius, Husbondrie (E. E. T. S.), p. 8. 
Assize of novel disseizin. See disseizin. Novel as- 
signment. Same as new assignment (which see, under 
assignment). = Syn. 1. Fresh, Recent, etc. See new. 
II. re. If. Something new ; a novelty. 
Who rthe French] loning nouels, full of affectation, 
Reeeiue the Manners of each other Nation. 
Sylvester, tr. of Du Bartas's Weeks, i. 2. 
I have shook off 
My thraldom, lady, and have made discoveries 
Of famous novels. Ford, Fancies, iv. i 
Perhaps I might have talk'd as of a third Person or 
have introduc'd an Amour of my own, in Conversation, by 
way of Novel, But never have explain'd Particulars. 
Congreve, Love for Love, iii. 3. 
2f. A piece of news ; news ; tidings: usually in 
the plural. 
Off noueles anon gan hym to enquere ; 
Where-hens he cam, and fro what place that day. 
Rom. of Partenay (E. E. T. S.), 1. 3382. 
Insteed of other wmefe, Isende yon my opinion, inaplaine 
but true Sonnet, vpon the famous new worke intituled 
A Quippe for an Vpstart Courtier. 
C. Bird, To E. Demetrius (1592). 
