nary

Meanings

1. 1
   det

   informal or dialectal: not a single; not any, used before a singular count noun

   Nary a pale look crossed either man's face when the crowd arrived.

2. 2
   adv

   dialectal: not or never

   He nary spoke a word during the entire journey.

A contraction and redivision of ne'er a, 'never a' or 'not a.' It remains commonest in the fixed pattern nary a followed by a singular noun.

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