new
New Age a broad movement of the late 20th century, originating in California and the West Coast of the US, which is characterized by alternative approaches to traditional Western culture, with an interest in spirituality, mysticism, holism, and environmentalism.
new brooms sweep clean proverbial saying, mid 16th century, often used in the context of someone newly appointed to a post who is making changes in personnel and procedures.
New Deal a name for the economic measures introduced by Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945) in 1933 to counteract the effects of the Great Depression. It involved a massive public works programme, complemented by the large-scale granting of loans, and succeeded in reducing unemployment by between 7 and 10 million.
New Forest an area of heath and woodland in southern Hampshire (forest here has the specialized sense of an area, typically owned by the sovereign and partly wooded, kept for hunting and having its own laws). It has been reserved as Crown property since 1079, originally by William I as a royal hunting area.
New Jerusalem the abode of the blessed in heaven, with reference to Revelation 21:2.
New Kingdom a period of ancient Egyptian history (c.1550–1070 bc, 18th–20th dynasty).
New Labour that section of the Labour Party which actively supported the internal reforms initiated by Neil Kinnock (party leader, 1983–1992) and carried through by John Smith (party leader 1992–1994) and Tony Blair (party leader 1994– , Prime Minister 1997– ); the Labour Party as a whole after the implementation of those reforms.
new learning the studies, especially that of the Greek language, introduced into England in the 16th century. Also, the doctrines of the Reformation.
New Look a style of women's clothing introduced in 1947 by Christian Dior, featuring calf-length full skirts and a generous use of material in contrast to wartime austerity.
new lords, new laws proverbial saying, mid 16th century, meaning that new authorities are likely to change existing rules. A similar idea is found in a source of the mid 15th century, ‘Willyham Conquerour was made here kyng, And made newe lordus and eke new lawe.’
new man in Christian theology from the late Middle English period, used to designate someone regarded as morally or spiritually reformed or renewed, often with explicit biblical allusion, as to Ephesians 4:24. In the 1980s, New Man began to be used in a secular sense to designate a man rejecting sexist attitudes and the traditional male role, especially in the context of domestic responsibilities and childcare.
New Model Army a disciplined and well-trained army created in 1645 by Oliver Cromwell to fight for the Parliamentary cause in the English Civil War. It later came to possess considerable political influence.
new moon the phase of the moon when it first appears as a slender crescent, shortly after its conjunction with the sun. It is believed to be unlucky to glimpse the new moon through glass.
New Style the method of calculating dates using the Gregorian calendar, which in England and Wales superseded the use of the Julian calendar in 1752.
New Testament the second part of the Christian Bible, written originally in Greek and recording the life and teachings of Christ and his earliest followers. It includes the four Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, twenty-one Epistles by St Paul and others, and the book of Revelation.
New World North and South America regarded collectively in relation to Europe. The term was first applied to the Americas (also to other areas, e.g. Australia), especially after the early voyages of European explorers.
New World Order a vision of a world ordered differently from the way it is at present; in particular, an optimistic view of the world order or balance of power following the end of the Cold War. The term was given prominence in a speech in March 1991 by George Bush (1924– ) when President of the US.
New Year's Day the first day of the year; in the modern Western calendar, 1 January, although before the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in the 18th century, the legal beginning of the year was 25 March. New Year's Eve is 31 December in the modern Western calendar.
what is new cannot be true proverbial saying, mid 17th century, used to imply that innovation is less soundly based than custom which has been proved by experience.
you can't put new wine in old bottles proverbial saying, early 20th century; originally with biblical allusion to Matthew 9:17, ‘Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish.’ The expression is often used in relation to the introduction of new ideas or practices.
See also a whole new ball game, break new ground, turn over a new leaf, there is nothing new under the sun, you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
new
new / n(y)oō/ • adj. 1. not existing before; made, introduced, or discovered recently or now for the first time: new crop varieties | this tendency is not new | [as n.] (the new) a fascinating mix of the old and the new. ∎ in original condition; not worn or used: check that the wiring is new and in good condition. ∎ not previously used or owned: a secondhand bus cost a fraction of a new one. ∎ of recent origin or arrival: a new baby. ∎ (of food or drink) freshly or recently produced. ∎ (of vegetables) dug or harvested early in the season: new potatoes.2. already existing but seen, experienced, or acquired recently or now for the first time: her new bike. ∎ (new to) unfamiliar or strange to (someone): a way of living that was new to me. ∎ (new to/at) (of a person) inexperienced at or unaccustomed to doing (something): I'm quite new to gardening. ∎ different from a recent previous one: I have a new assistant | this would be her new home. ∎ in addition to another or others already existing: recruiting new pilots overseas. ∎ [in place names] discovered or founded later than and named after: New York.3. just beginning and regarded as better than what went before: starting a new life. ∎ (of a person) reinvigorated or restored: a bottle of pills would make him a new man. ∎ (the new) renewed or reformed: the new South Africa. ∎ superseding another or others of the same kind, and advanced in method or theory: the new architecture. ∎ reviving another or others of the same kind: the New Bohemians. ∎ recently affected or produced by social change: the new rich.• adv. [usu. in comb.] newly; recently: new-mown hay | new-fallen snow.PHRASES: a new one inf. an account, idea, or joke not previously encountered by someone: I've heard of lazy, but somebody being too lazy to talk—that's a new one on me.what's new?1. (said on greeting someone) what's going on? how are you?2. (also what else is new?) that is the usual situation: she and I squabbled—so what's new? men like to see women's legs. So what else is new?DERIVATIVES: new·ish adj.new·ness n.ORIGIN: Old English nīwe, nēowe, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch nieuw and German neu, from an Indo-European root shared by Sanskrit nava, Latin novus, and Greek neos ‘new.’