for the nonce

UK/nɒn(t)s/US/nɑn(t)s/

prepositional phrase

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.”

OriginMiddle English for þe nones →
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Meanings

prepositional phrase
  1. idiomaticFor 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.

    3 more examples

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

    1857, Anthony Trollope, chapter 6, in Barchester Towers

    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.

    1922 February 2, James Joyce, “[Episode 16]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company […], →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.'

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

Origin

  1. Middle Englishfor þe nones
  2. Englishfor the nonce

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

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 暫且 /暂且, 權且 /权且
  • 暫且 /暂且 (zànqiě)for the time being
  • 權且 /权且 (quánqiě)for the time being
Esperanto nuntempe
  • nuntempefor the time being
French pour le moment
  • pour le momentfor the time being
German für den Augenblick, für den augenblicklichen Zweck
  • für den Augenblickfor the time being
  • für den augenblicklichen Zweckfor the time being
  • für den Momentfor the time being
  • einstweilenfor the time being
Icelandic í þetta sinn
  • í þetta sinnfor the time being
Italian per il momento
  • per il momentofor the time being
Polish na razie, póki co
  • na raziefor the time being
  • póki cofor the time being
Portuguese por agora
  • por agorafor the time being
Romanian deocamdată, pentru moment
  • deocamdatăfor the time being
  • pentru momentfor the time being
Russian пока́ что, в данном случае
  • пока́ что (poká što)for the time being
  • в данном случаеfor the time being
Spanish por esta vez
  • por esta vezfor the time being
Swedish för tillfället, för stunden
  • för tillfälletfor the time being
  • för stundenfor the time being
  • för närvarandefor the time being
Cite this entry
APA

for the nonce. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/for%20the%20nonce

MLA

“for the nonce.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/for%20the%20nonce. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “for the nonce,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/for%20the%20nonce.

Source: for the nonce on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.