now
now
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "now" is /naʊ/.
/naʊ/ - now
Word Form Variations
"Now" does not have typical word form variations like singular/plural or different conjugations, as it primarily functions as an adverb, conjunction, or interjection. It does not change its form based on number, tense, or person.
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Adverb
Definition 1: At the present moment; immediately.
Synonyms: currently, presently, forthwith, straightaway
Antonyms: later, formerly, previously, then
Definition 2: In the immediate past; very recently.
Synonyms: just, recently, a moment ago
Antonyms: long ago, in the distant past
Definition 3: Used to introduce a statement or question, especially one that follows logically from what has just been said.
Synonyms: therefore, consequently, so, well
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for this usage)
Definition 4: Under the present circumstances; as things are.
Synonyms: given the situation, as it stands, presently
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for this usage)
Conjunction
Definition 1: Seeing that; since (used to introduce a reason or explanation).
Synonyms: since, inasmuch as, considering that
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for this usage)
Interjection
Definition 1: Used to call attention, express impatience, or introduce a command or request.
Synonyms: listen, look, hey, well
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for this usage)
Definition 2: Used to show a transition in thought or to begin a new topic.
Synonyms: anyway, furthermore, moving on
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for this usage)
Noun
Definition 1: The present time or moment. (Often used with "the")
Synonyms: present, today, the moment
Antonyms: past, future, eternity
Examples of Use
Books:
"It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. Winston Smith, his chin nuzzled into his breast in an effort to escape the vile wind, slipped quickly through the glass doors of Victory Mansions, though not quickly enough to prevent a spurt of gritty dust from entering along with him. The hallway smelt of boiled cabbage and old rag mats. At one end of it a coloured poster, too large for indoor display, had been tacked to the wall. It depicted simply an enormous face, more than a metre wide: the face of a man of about forty-five, with a heavy black moustache and ruggedly handsome features. Winston made for the stairs. It was no use trying the lift. Even at the best of times it was seldom working, and now the electric current was cut off during daylight hours." (George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four, June 1949)
"There's no place like home, there's no place like home, there's no place like home. Oh, I want to go home now!" (L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, May 1900)
Newspapers:
"The government faces immense pressure to act now to address the rising cost of living." (The Guardian)
"After months of negotiations, a deal appears to be in sight now that both parties have made concessions." (The New York Times)
Online Publications:
"What you need to know about the new AI regulations, explained now that they're officially in effect." (Wired.com)
"Our comprehensive guide to the best travel destinations to visit now." (Lonely Planet online)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "Go get him now!" (Often heard in action films, e.g., Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, July 2023)
Television Series: "And now for something completely different." (Opening line of Monty Python's Flying Circus, October 1969)
Music: "But now I see the world as it should be" (Lyrics from "A Whole New World" from Disney's Aladdin, November 1992)
Video Games: "Your turn now." (Common phrase in turn-based strategy games, e.g., Civilization VI, October 2016)
Podcasts: "Join us now as we dive into the latest developments in quantum physics." (NPR's Science Friday, May 2024)
Social Media: "Live streaming now! Join the conversation." (Post on X (formerly Twitter), June 2024)
General Public Discourse:
"I need that report on my desk now." (Heard in a business meeting)
"Can we leave now? I'm getting tired." (Heard in a casual conversation)
"It's raining now, so we should probably stay inside." (Heard in everyday conversation)
"What are you doing now?" (Common question asked to friends or family)
10 Quotes Using Now
"The time is always right to do what is right. Now is the time." (Martin Luther King Jr., June 1964)
"It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards. It's a very good memory that can also remember things that haven't happened yet... Now, where were we?" (Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass, December 1871)
"The very things that hold you down are going to lift you up. Now, go!" (Timothy Q. Mouse to Dumbo, Dumbo, October 1941)
"And now for something completely different." (Monty Python's Flying Circus, October 1969)
"If not now, when?" (Hillel the Elder, 1st century BCE)
"There's no time like the present. Now is the time to act." (Often attributed to various sources, common idiom)
"I believe that now, as always, the most important thing is to be honest with ourselves and with each other." (Barack Obama, January 2008)
"Do it now." (Common motivational phrase, widely attributed)
"What we think, we become. What we feel, we attract. What we imagine, we create. Now, let us be." (Often attributed to Buddha or various spiritual teachers)
"The future is now." (Generally attributed to various futurists and popular culture)
Etymology
The word "now" has a very ancient and consistent history, tracing its roots all the way back to a common ancestor of many European and Indian languages.
It comes from the Old English word "nū". This "nū" already meant "at the present time" or "at this moment," and was also used to introduce something, like "now, listen..."
Before Old English, it came from *Proto-Germanic "nu" (or "nū"), which also meant "now." This shows that the concept of "the present moment" was expressed with a very similar sound across the early Germanic languages.
Going even further back, the word's ultimate origin is believed to be *Proto-Indo-European (PIE) "nu" (or "nū"). PIE is the reconstructed ancient language that is the ancestor of a huge family of languages, including English, German, Latin, Greek, Sanskrit, and many others. This means that the basic idea of "now" has been conveyed by a word sounding very similar for thousands of years across a vast geographical area.
So, the first known use and meaning of "now" (or its ancient forms) has consistently been about "the present time" or "at this moment."
Phrases + Idioms Containing Now
Now and then: Occasionally; from time to time.
Now or never: This is the only opportunity; act immediately.
Now you see it, now you don't: Something that appears and disappears quickly, often used in magic tricks.
For now: For the present time; temporarily.
Just now: A very short time ago; recently.
Now that...: Since; because (introducing a reason).
Right now: Immediately; at this very moment.
Now, now: Used to calm someone down or express gentle disapproval.
Till now/Until now: Up to the present moment.
From now on: From this time forward; in the future.
Any minute now: Very soon; imminently.
Now then: Used to get someone's attention or introduce a new topic, similar to "all right then."
It's all over now: Something has finished or come to an end.
Now what?: Expressing impatience or exasperation at a new problem.
The here and now: The present moment, as opposed to the past or future.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of now from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
