nov

n. [ L. novacula a sharp knife, razor: cf. F. novaculite. ] (Min.) A variety of siliceous slate, of which hones are made; razor stone; Turkey stone; hone stone; whet slate. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Eccl. Hist.) One of the sect of Novatius, or Novatianus, who held that the lapsed might not be received again into communion with the church, and that second marriages are unlawful. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The doctrines or principles of the Novatians. Milner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. novatio; novus new: cf. F. novation. ] 1. Innovation. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

I shall easily grant that novations in religion are a main cause of distempers in commonwealths. Laud. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) A substitution of a new debt for an old one; also, the remodeling of an old obligation; debt restructuring. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

n. An innovator. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. nouvelle. See Novel, a. ] 1. That which is new or unusual; a novelty. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. pl. News; fresh tidings. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Some came of curiosity to hear some novels. Latimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A fictitious tale or narrative, longer than a short story, having some degree of complexity and development of characters; it is usually organized as a time sequence of events, and is commonly intended to exhibit the operation of the passions, and often of love. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

4. [ L. novellae (sc. constitutiones): cf. F. novelles. ] (Law) A new or supplemental constitution. See the Note under Novel, a. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ OF. novel, nuvel, F. nouvel, nouveau, L. novellus, dim. of novus new. See New. ] Of recent origin or introduction; not ancient; new; hence, out of the ordinary course; unusual; strange; surprising. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In civil law, the novel or new constitutions are those which are supplemental to the code, and posterior in time to the other books. These contained new decrees of successive emperors. [ 1913 Webster ]

Novel assignment (Law), a new assignment or specification of a suit. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- New; recent; modern; fresh; strange; uncommon; rare; unusual. -- Novel, New . Everything at its first occurrence is new; that is novel which is so much out of the ordinary course as to strike us with surprise. That is a new sight which is beheld for the first time; that is a novel sight which either was never seen before or is seen but seldom. We have daily new inventions, but a novel one supposes some very peculiar means of attaining its end. Novel theories are regarded with distrust, as likely to prove more ingenious than sound. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Dim. of novel, n. See Novel. ] A short novel; a novella. [ 1913 Webster ]