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 1836. Dickens, Pickwick, vii. In short, when Dumkins was caught out, and Podder stumped out, All-Muggleton had notched, some fifty-four, while the score of the Dingley Dellers was as blank as their faces.

Note, subs. (American).—1. A bon-bon.

2. (American).—A singer.—Matsell (1859).

Noter, subs. (Harrow School).—A notebook.

Note-shaver, subs. phr. (American).—A usurer; a usurious compositor: specifically a wild-cat bank (q.v.) purchasing notes of hand at excessive rates of discount. [Obsolete since the regulation of banks by Congress.] See Paper.

Nothing. See Dance, Neck, and Say.

Notice to quit, subs. phr. (old).—See quot.

1823. Grose, Vulg. Tongue [Egan], s.v. Notice to quit. A cant phrase. When a person is in danger of dying from bad health, it is said, he has received a notice to quit.

Notion, subs. (Winchester College).—1. A word, usage, or phrase peculiar to Winchester College.

1891. Notions [Title].

2. (American).—A trifle; a nick-nack: specifically (in pl.) = wares in general.

1719. Ward, London Spy, i. 2. s.v.

1825. Neal, Bro. Jonathan, 11. 22. The tallow, corn, cotton, hams, hides, and so forths, which we had got in exchange for a load of Yankee notions.

1836. Michael Scott, Cruise of Midge, 300. A cargo of flour and notions, consigned to Macal, Walker, and Co.

1840. Dana, Two Years before the Mast, xxxv. A cargo of fresh provisions, mules, tin bake-pans, and other notions.

1846. Marryat, Peter Simple, iii. iii. [1846], 325. Her cargo consisted of what the Americans call notions: that is in English an assorted cargo.

1866. Howells, Venetian Life, ix. Fruitstands, and stands for the sale of crockery, and—as I must say for want of a better word, if there is any—notions, were in a state of tasteful readiness.

1867. Smyth, Sailor's Word Book, 501, s.v. Notions. An American sea-term for a cargo in sorts; thus a notion vessel on the west coast of America is a perfect bazaar: but one, which sold a mixture—logwood, bad claret, and sugar—to the priests for sacrament wine had to run for it.

1884. C. Kennan, in The Century, xxxviii. 82. American goods of all kinds bought from California, suddenly made their appearance in the village shops; and I saw the American tin-ware, lanterns, and Yankee notions.

1888. St. Louis Globe-Democrat, 21 Jan. Thursday, January 26, regular auction sale of dry goods, furnishing goods, notions, hats and caps, etc.

1891. Sportsman, 1 April. To examine the remedies which came from the land of the Stars and Stripes, the home of Colonel Buncombe and of innumerable notions.

Notional, adj. (colloquial).—Imaginative; whimsical; sentimental. Also notionate.

1691-92. Gentlemen's Journal, Mar., 5. The lady tip'd (perhaps) out of her notional love, was downright bent for a more substantial one.

1728. Bailey, Eng. Dict., s.v.

1881. Howells, Dr. Breen's Practice, ix. She's been a little notional, she's had her head addled by women's talk, and she's in a queer freak.

Nottamizer, subs. (old).—A dissecting surgeon.

1828. Smeaton, Doings in London. At length his affectionate rib acknowledged that she had sold the corpse saying she had no idea the nottamizers would have given so much for poor John's body.