for the nonce

English

Etymology

From Middle English for þe nones, for þe nanes, a rebracketing of earlier for þen ānes (literally “for the once”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /nɒn(t)s/ enPR: nŏn(t)s
• (General American) IPA^(key): /nɑn(t)s/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Prepositional phrase

for the nonce

1. (idiomatic) For the time being, for now, with the expectation that the situation may change.

   That will do for the nonce, but we'll need a better answer for the long term.

   • 1857, Anthony Trollope, chapter 6, in Barchester Towers:

     'Idiot!' exclaimed the doctor, who for the nonce was not capable of more than such spasmodic attempts at utterance.

   • 1922 February, James Joyce, “[Episode 16]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC:

     For the nonce he was rather nonplussed but inasmuch as the duty plainly devolved upon him to take some measures on the subject he pondered suitable ways and means during which Stephen repeatedly yawned.

   • 1946, P. G. Wodehouse, chapter 11, in Joy in the Morning, →OCLC:

     'We part, then, for the nonce, do we?'
     'I fear so, sir.'
     'You take the high road, and self taking the low road, as it were?'
     'Yes, sir.'
     'I shall miss you, Jeeves.'
     'Thank you, sir.'

Translations

for the time being

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 暫且 / 暂且 (zh) (zànqiě), 權且 / 权且 (zh) (quánqiě)

• French: pour le moment (fr)
• German: für den Augenblick, für den augenblicklichen Zweck, für den Moment, einstweilen (de)
• Icelandic: í þetta sinn
• Italian: per il momento
• Portuguese: por agora (pt)
• Romanian: deocamdată (ro), pentru moment
• Russian: пока́ что (ru) (poká što), в данном случае
• Spanish: por esta vez
• Swedish: för tillfället (sv), för stunden, för närvarande (sv)