now
part of speech
adverb; conjunction (now that); noun (for now, until now)
meaning for a pupil
1) Now means at this time, at the present moment: I am busy now. tree →
2) Now means at once, immediately: Come here now! tree →
3) Now can start a sentence to get attention or move on: Now, let's begin. tree →
4) «Now that» means because at this time: Now that it's sunny, let's go out. tree →
5) «For now» means for the time being; «by now» means already, by this time. tree →
6) (casual) «Right now», «rn» (texts), «just now» (South Africa, UK north: soon or a moment ago), «now then» (UK greeting); «now you're talking» means that's a good idea. tree →
7) (rough) «Now!» shouted alone is a sharp order; «now look what you've done» blames someone. tree →
8) (formal) The exam voice says «at present», «currently», «at this juncture», «presently», «at the conclusion of the transactions», «subsequent to the changes». tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: In the Torah, "Now" often just starts a new part of the story or adds a detail, as in "Now Laban was gone to shear his sheep." The later books use it the same way, as in "Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria." Sometimes it does mean "at this moment," as when Job says "Oh that my words were now written!" In the primary lessons: the amount at the end of the story («How many cards does Ben have now?» = the count after all the changes); in class «Now, let's begin», «right now»; in everyday life «now and then» (sometimes), «from now on», «just now», «for now»; in texts «rn»; in rough talk «now look what you've done»; in the exam voice «at present», «currently», «subsequent to these transactions»
examples
- Now these are the generations of Terah. (Torah GEN.11.27, JPS 1917) tree →
- Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: (Torah GEN.35.22, JPS 1917) tree →
- Now Laban was gone to shear his sheep. (Torah GEN.31.19, JPS 1917) tree →
- Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. (Prophets 2KI.10.1, JPS 1917) tree →
- Now Sheshan had no sons, but daughters. (Writings 1CH.2.34, JPS 1917) tree →
- Oh that my words were now written! (Writings JOB.19.23, JPS 1917) tree →
- How many cards does Ben have now? tree →
- Now there are 9 birds on the roof. tree →
- How many children are in the bus now? tree →
- It is raining now. tree →
- Put your toys away now, please. tree →
- Now, open your books at page 10. tree →
- I see my cousins now and then. tree →
- From now on I will brush my teeth twice a day. tree →
- at the shops rn, how many eggs we got now? tree →
- Now look what you've done, 3 eggs on the floor! tree →
- Pizza? Now you're talking. tree →
- Determine the number of cards currently in Ben's possession, subsequent to the aforementioned transactions. tree →
- The candles were now lighted--what brightness! tree →
note
«now» asks for the amount after the change; the operation comes from the change (got, lost, gave); «currently» and «at present» in an exam ask the same. «Now!» alone is an order, not a number question. «just now» can mean a moment ago or soon, depending on where the speaker is from. Do not mix «now» with «know» (to have in your mind): they look alike but sound different.
In the corpora
- Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.
- And now cursed art thou from the ground, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand.
- Now these are the generations of Terah.
- Now the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners against the LORD exceedingly.
- Now Sarai Abram's wife bore him no children; and she had a handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «now» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.