how now

interjection

Hello, what is that?

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Meanings

interjection
  1. archaicHello, what is that?

    How now! a rat? Dead, for a ducat, dead!

    c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv]
    2 more examples

    How now ſir Iohn, what are you brawling here? Doth this become your place, your time, and buſineſſe?

    c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Second Part of Henrie the Fourth, […], quarto edition, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley, published 1600, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]

    "How now, you scullions and cullions: bring hither a pair of cow's hooves to out face this contumelious caitiff."

    1936, Norman Lindsay, The Flyaway Highway, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 44
Cite this entry
APA

how now. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/how%20now

MLA

“how now.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/how%20now. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “how now,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/how%20now.

Source: how now on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.