nocent

comparative more nocent · superlative most nocent

1. rareCausing injury; harmful.

   They consider the various known Effects of particular Herbs or Drugs, they meditate what will be the Effect of their Composition, and whether the Virtues of the one will exalt or diminish the Force of the other, or correct any of its nocent Qualities.

   1741, I[saac] Watts, chapter 19, in The Improvement of the Mind: Or, A Supplement to the Art of Logick: […], London: […] James Brackstone, […], →OCLC, pages 313-314

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   […] [Satan] held on His midnight search, where soonest he might finde The Serpent: him fast sleeping soon he found In Labyrinth of many a round self-rowld, His head the midst, well stor’d with suttle wiles: Not yet in horrid Shade or dismal Den, Nor nocent yet, but on the grassie Herbe Fearless unfeard he slept […]

   1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 180-187

   Synonyms: injurious, nocuous, harmful, damaging, deleterious, detrimental, hurtful, inimical

2. obsoleteguilty; not innocent

   He is not innocent, whom the kinge iudgeth nocent.

   1571, Richard Edwards, Damon and Pythias

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   Nocent, not innocent he is, that seeketh to deface, By word the thing, that he by deed hat taught men to imbrace; Which being now a Bishop old, doth study to destroy The thing, which he a young man once did covet to injoy.

   1563 March 30 (Gregorian calendar), John Foxe, “King John”, in Actes and Monuments of These Latter and Perillous Dayes, […], London: […] Iohn Day, […], →OCLC, book II, page [330]

   Synonyms: culpable, to blame, at fault, blameworthy, censurable, culpable, guilty, reprehensible

plural nocents

1. obsoleteA guilty person.

   […] no nocent is absolved by the verdict of himself.

   1716, Thomas Browne, edited by Samuel Johnson, Christian Morals, 2nd edition, London: J. Payne, published 1756, Part I, p. 32

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   […] there is no reason that the innocents and nocents sufferings should be alike, for then punishments would not be so effectuall to terrifie others, nor to give future security to innocence.

   1649, Anthony Ascham, Of the Confusions and Revolutions of Governments, Part 3, Chapter 4, p. 190