Nonce (?), n. [For the nonce, OE. for the nones, a corruption of for then ones, where n. in then is a relic of AS. m in am, dat. of the article and demonstrative pronoun, E. the. See For, Once, and The.]
The one or single occasion; the present call or purpose; -- chiefly used in the phrase for the nonce.
The miller was a stout carl for the nones.
Chaucer.
And that he calls for drink, I 'll have prepared him
A chalice for the nonce.
Shak.
Nonce word, "a word apparently employed only for the nonce".
Murray (New English Dict. ).
© Webster 1913.