none

none
none
which is not a shortening of no one but a descendant of an Old English pronoun, may be followed by a singular or a plural verb, depending on the sense. When individuality is being emphasized, or when none refers to something that cannot be plural, a singular form is used:

• A fear which we cannot know, which we cannot face, which none understands —T. S. Eliot, 1935

• She is rather difficult to describe physically, for none of her features is particularly striking —David Lodge, 1962

• None of this was a matter of treachery —P. Wright, 1987

• It was afternoon, a quiet time —none of the other tables was occupied and he heard no sound from inside the bar —B. Unsworth, 1996.

When collectivity is the dominant notion, a plural form is used:

• Though she had many affairs, none were lighthearted romances —New Yorker, 1987

• None of these situations exist here —Independent, 2003.


Modern English usage. 2014.

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Synonyms:
/ , ,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • none — none …   Dictionnaire des rimes

  • None — • Essay on the daytime canonical hour recited in mid afternoon Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. None     None     † …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • none — [ nʌn ] function word, quantifier *** None can be used in the following ways: as a pronoun: I asked for some more cake, but there was none left. (followed by of ): None of my friends will help me. as an adverb: She pushed him none too gently back …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • None — (n[u^]n), a. & pron. [OE. none, non, nan, no, na, AS. n[=a]n, fr. ne not + [=a]n one. [root]193. See {No}, a. & adv., {One}, and cf. {Non }, {Null}, a.] [1913 Webster] 1. No one; not one; not anything; frequently used also partitively, or as a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • None of — None None (n[u^]n), a. & pron. [OE. none, non, nan, no, na, AS. n[=a]n, fr. ne not + [=a]n one. [root]193. See {No}, a. & adv., {One}, and cf. {Non }, {Null}, a.] [1913 Webster] 1. No one; not one; not anything; frequently used also partitively,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • None — None …   Wikipedia Español

  • none — [ nɔn ] n. f. • XIIe; lat. nona, fém. de nonus « neuvième » I ♦ Au sing. (de nona [hora] « neuvième [heure] ») 1 ♦ Antiq. rom. Neuvième heure du jour. Quatrième partie du jour qui commençait à la fin de la 9e heure. 2 ♦ Liturg. cathol. Petite… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • none — none1 [nun] pron. [ME < OE nan < ne, not (see NO1) + an, ONE] 1. not one [none of the books is interesting] 2. no one; not anyone [none of us is ready] 3. [with pl. v.] no persons or thin …   English World dictionary

  • none — ► PRONOUN 1) not any. 2) no one. ► ADVERB (none the) (with comparative ) ▪ by no amount: none the wiser. USAGE Some traditionalists maintain that none can only take a singular verb (as in none of them is coming tonight rather than none of them… …   English terms dictionary

  • None — Sf Teil des Stundengebets per. Wortschatz fach. (9. Jh.) Entlehnung. Schon mit ahd. nōna übernommen aus l. (hōra) nōna neunte Stunde und gelegentlich auch außerhalb der speziellen Bedeutung verwendet. Bei der normalen Rechnung beginnt der Tag um… …   Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen sprache

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