Definition of NOW

now

Meanings

Plural: nows

Noun

  • the momentary present
    • "Now is a good time to do it"
    • "it worked up to right now"
  • The present time.
  • The state of not paying attention to the future or the past.
  • A particular instant in time, as perceived at that instant.

Adverb

  • in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
    • "President Kennedy now calls in the National Guard"
    • "Washington now decides to cross the Delaware"
    • "the ship is now listing to port"
  • in these times; - Nancy Mitford
    • "it is solely by their language that the upper classes nowadays are distinguished"
    • "we now rarely see horse-drawn vehicles on city streets"
  • used to preface a command or reproof or request
    • "now hear this!"
    • "now pay attention"
  • at the present moment
    • "goods now on sale"
    • "the now-aging dictator"
    • "they are now abroad"
    • "it could happen any time now"
  • without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
    • "Come here now!"
  • (prefatory or transitional) indicates a change of subject or activity
    • "Now the next problem is..."
  • in the immediate past
    • "told me just now"

Adj

  • Present; current.
  • Fashionable; popular; up to date; current.
  • At the time the will is written. Used in order to prevent any inheritance from being transferred to a person of a future marriage. Does not indicate the existence of a previous marriage.

Adv

  • At the present time.
  • Used to introduce a point, a qualification of what has previously been said, a remonstration or a rebuke.
  • Differently from the immediate past; differently from a more remote past or a possible future; differently from all other times.
  • At the time reached within a narration.
  • Used to indicate a context of urgency.
  • At the present point of a recurring cycle or event.
  • Very recently; not long ago; up to the present.
  • Used to address a switching side, or sharp change in attitude from before.
  • Sometimes; occasionally; used to list a series of often assumed states.

Conj

  • Since, because, in light of the fact.

Intj

  • Indicates a signal to begin.

Verb

  • Misspelling of know.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English now, nou, nu, from Old English nū, from Proto-West Germanic *nū, from Proto-Germanic *nu, from Proto-Indo-European *nū (“now”). Doublet of nu ("well?").
Cognates
Cognate with Scots noo (“now”), Saterland Frisian nu (“now”), West Frisian no (“now”), Dutch nu, nou (“now”), German nu, nun (“now”), Norwegian Bokmål nå (“now”), Norwegian Nynorsk no (“now”), Swedish and Danish nu (“now”), Icelandic nú (“now”), Latin num (“even now, whether”), Latin nunc (“now”), Albanian ni (“now”), Lithuanian nù (“now”), Avestan 𐬥𐬏 (nū, “now”), Sanskrit नु (nu, “now”).

Synonyms

as-is, at once, at present, directly, forthwith, here and now, immediately, instantly, like a shot, now, nowadays, present, right away, straight off, straightaway, today

Scrabble Score: 6

now is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
now is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
now is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 7

now is a valid Words With Friends word