now / nou/ • adv. 1. at the present time or moment: where are you living now? | it's the most popular style of jazz right now | not now, I'm late | [after prep.] they should be back by now. ∎  at the time directly following the present moment; immediately: if we leave now, we can be home by ten | I'd rather do it now than leave it till later. ∎  under the present circumstances; as a result of something that has recently happened: it is now clear that we should not pursue this policy | I didn't receive the letter, but it hardly matters now. ∎  on this further occasion, typically as the latest in a series of annoying situations or events: what do you want now? ∎  used to emphasize a particular length of time: they've been married four years now. ∎  (in a narrative or account of past events) at the time spoken of or referred to: it had happened three times now | she was nineteen now, and she was alone.2. used, esp. in conversation, to draw attention to a particular statement or point in a narrative: now, my first impulse was to run away | I don't like Scotch. Now, if it had been Irish Whiskey you'd offered me. ∎  used when turning to a different subject or activity: and now for something completely different 3. used in or as a request, instruction, or question, typically to give a slight emphasis to one's words: now, if you'll excuse me? | we can hardly send her back, now can we? | run along now. ∎  used when pausing or considering one's next words: let me see now; oh yes, I remember.4. used at the end of an ironic question echoing a previous statement: “Mom says for you to give me some of your stamps.” “Does she now?”• conj. as a consequence of the fact: they spent a lot of time together now that he had retired | now that you mention it, I haven't seen her around for ages.• adj. inf. fashionable; up to date: seventies disco dancing—very now.PHRASES: for now until a later time: that's all the news there is for now.now and again (or then) from time to time.now now used as an expression of mild remonstrance: now now, that's not the way to behave.now ——, now —— at one moment ——, at the next ——: a wind whipped about the house, now this way, now that.now or never used to convey urgency: it was now or never—I had to move fast.now then1. used to get someone's attention or to invite a response: now then, who's for a coffee?2. used as an expression of mild remonstrance or warning: now then, Emily, I think Sarah has suffered enough.now you're talking used to express one's enthusiastic agreement with or approval of a statement or suggestion: The Beatles! Now you're talking.DERIVATIVES: now·ness n.

NOW

Now, in its secondary and common signification, a slice of time near the present, just gone or immediately impending. It primarily signifies the limit of the timeline or the punctiform divisor distinguishing, but linking, past and future. Because indivisible, the now is essentially imperceptible. We conceive it directly, but implicity, when we define time, and by thinking away the divisibility of time, we see that the now is indivisible. A complex proportional resemblance leads to its definition. As time is related to motion, so the now is related to mobile being. The alternant now, the temporal correlate of mobile being, is formally other in the diverse phases of time: the now is formally alternant qual alternant. A second and similar definition reads: the now is the number of mobile being; i.e., the alternant now is the formal pluralization of the mobile along the timeline. Because invariant and formal, the now measures times as the arithmetical one measures number.

[j. m. quinn]

now adv. at the present time; conj. since, seeing that. OE. nū̆ = OS., OHG., ON., Goth. nū̆ (Du. nu; G. nun, with advb. n); corr. to L. num, nunc, Gr. nu(n), nûn, OSl. nynē, Lith. nù, Skr. nù.
Hence nowaday(s) XIV. f. ME. aday(s), from the blending of OE. on dæġe and g. dæġes; see -S.

NOW • abbr. National Organization for Women.

NOW (USA) National Organization for Women
• Banking (USA) negotiable order of withdrawal (as in NOW account)
• New Opportunities for Women