I. (|)nau̇ adverb
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English nū; akin to Old High German nū, nu now, Old Norse nū, Gothic nu, Latin nunc, Greek ny, nyn, Sanskrit nū, nu
1.
a. : at the present time : at this moment
he is busy now
is now abroad
is now writing a new play
he teaches now
b. : in the time immediately before the present : very lately : a moment ago
was here just now
we were thinking of you just now
c. : in the time immediately to follow : without delay : forthwith
steps to correct this weakness must be taken now
must write now or it will be too late
2. — used with the sense of present time weakened or lost to express command, request, or admonition
now hear this
now be a good boy and do as I tell you
now don't get me angry
3. — used with the sense of present time weakened or lost to introduce an important point or indicate a transition from one idea to another
now , this central cord is present in all the vertebrate animals we have so far mentioned — W.E.Swinton
now this point of view … seems to me absolutely unhistorical — Edmund Wilson
4. : sometimes
full of pathos and humor, now gay, now sad — H.H.Reichard
the foothills roll along on either side, now bare and now wooded — American Guide Series: Vermont
5. : under the present conditions : in view of the existing circumstances
after his quick victory over his last opponent, he is now favored to defeat the champion
since my plan has failed, we must now try his
6. : at the time under consideration : at the time referred to
the people now proceeded to give him almost every important honor within their gift — E.M.Coulter
now the ore is loaded in chutes from towering trestled docks — Meridel Le Sueur
7. : reckoning to the present time : by this time
spurned as the lowest form of wit for several centuries now — Esther K. Sheldon
a good many years ago now , when I was a soldier — John Connell
II. conjunction
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English nū, from nū, adverb
: seeing that at or by this time : in view of the fact that : since
now he is better, he can return to school
— often followed by that
now that I have seen her, I can understand your feeling for her
III. ˈnau̇ noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from now (I)
: the present time or moment : present
the now is that which limits and determines the before and after of time — W.A.Gerhard
about three times as large as any dining alcove of now — Sylvia T. Warner
IV. adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from now (I)
1. : of or relating to the present time : existing
was working for the now judge — Time
2. : currently fashionable : up-to-date
the now point of view