Brewer's: Nonce

For the nonce. A corruption of for then anes (for then once), meaning for this once. “An apron” for a naperon is an example of n transferred the other way. We have some halfdozen similar examples in the language, as “tother day” —i.e. the other or &that; other = the other. Nuncle used in King Lear, which was originally mineuncle. An arrant knave is a narrant knave. (See Nag.)

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