Definition of "note"

note¹

/nəʊt/

noun
countable and uncountable, plural notes
1. A symbol or annotation.
  1. A mark or token by which a thing may be known; a visible sign; a character; a distinctive mark or feature; a characteristic quality.
    Quotations
    As therefore they that are of the Myſticall Body of Chriſt, haue thoſe inward Graces and Vertues, whereby they differ from all others which are not of the ſame Body ; againe, whoſoeuer appertaine to the Viſible Body of the Church, they haue alſo the notes of externall Profeſſion, whereby the World knoweth what they are.
    1594, Richard Hooker, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, London: William Stansbye, published 1622, book III, page 89
    She [the Anglican church] has the Note of possession, the Note of freedom from party-titles ; the Note of life, a tough life and a vigorous ; she has ancient descent, unbroken continuance, agreement in doctrine with the ancient Church.
    1841, John Henry Newman, A Letter to the Right Reverend Father in God, Richard, Lord Bishop of Oxford, on Occasion of No. 90, in the Series Called The Tracts for the Times, Oxford: John Henry Parker, page 39
    What a note of youth, of imagination, of impulsive eagerness, there was through it all !
    1888, Mary Augusta Ward, Robert Elsmere, volume I, London: Macmillan and Co., page 217
    For the first ten years of nationalisation a further note of overall gloom was added by the depressing policy of unimaginative Regional colour schemes, indifferently applied.
    1962 October, Brian Haresnape, “Focus on B.R. passenger stations”, in Modern Railways, page 251
    The story struck the depressingly familiar note with which true stories ring in the tried ears of experienced policemen. No one queried it. It was in the classic pattern of human weakness, mean and embarrassing and sad.
    1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 20, in The China Governess‎
  2. A mark, or sign, made to call attention, to point out something to notice, or the like; a sign, or token, proving or giving evidence.
  3. A brief remark; a marginal comment or explanation; hence, an annotation on a text or author; a comment; a critical, explanatory, or illustrative observation.
2. A written or printed communication or commitment.
  1. A brief piece of writing intended to assist the memory; a memorandum; a minute.
  2. A short informal letter; a billet.
    Quotations
    Garson: Drop me a note sometime. I'd love to hear how we're doing.
    2017, BioWare, Mass Effect: Andromeda (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, PC, scene: Ark Hyperion
  3. (academic) An academic treatise (often without regard to length); a treatment; a discussion paper; (loosely) any contribution to an academic discourse.
  4. A diplomatic missive or written communication.
  5. (finance) A written or printed paper acknowledging a debt, and promising payment
  6. (obsolete) A list of items or of charges; an account.
    Quotations
    Heere is now the Smithes note, for Shooing, / And Plough-Irons.
    c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act V, scene i]
  7. A piece of paper money; a banknote.
  8. (extension) A small size of paper used for writing letters or notes.
3. (music) A sound.
  1. A character, variously formed, to indicate the length of a tone, and variously placed upon the staff to indicate its pitch.
  2. A musical sound; a tone; an utterance; a tune.
    Quotations
    Then feed on thoughts, that voluntarie move / Harmonious numbers ; as the wakeful Bird / Sings darkling, and in ſhadieſt Covert hid / Tunes her nocturnal Note.
    1667, John Milton, “Book III”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […]; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, lines 37–40
    Judge Short had gone to town, and Farrar was off for a three days' cruise up the lake. I was bitterly regretting I had not gone with him when the distant notes of a coach horn reached my ear, and I descried a four-in-hand winding its way up the inn road from the direction of Mohair.
    1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., page 47
    As they turned into Hertford Street they startled a robin from the poet's head on a barren fountain, and he fled away with a cameo note.
    1922, Michael Arlen, “Ep./4/2”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days
  3. (by extension) A key of the piano or organ.
  4. (by extension) A call or song of a bird.
    Quotations
    We heard the peculiar note of the woodcock, which resembles the repeated croaking of the frog, followed by a sharp hissing sound, somewhat like the noisy chirping of the wagtail[.]
    1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 85
4. (uncountable) Observation; notice; heed.
  Quotations
  Go in Nerriſſa, / Giue order to my ſeruants, that they take / No note at all of our being abſent hence, / Nor you Lorenzo, Ieſſica nor you.
  c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act V, scene i]
  So it is true, that ſmall matters win great commendation, becauſe they are continually in uſe, and in note ; whereas the occaſion of any great virtue cometh but on feſtivals.
  1625, Francis Bacon, “Of ceremonies and reſpects”, in The Works of Francis Bacon, volume III, London: J. and J. Knapton et al., published 1730, page 373
5. (uncountable) Reputation; distinction.
6. A critical comment.
7. (obsolete) Notification; information; intelligence.
8. (obsolete) Mark of disgrace.
  Quotations
  That my poſteritie ſham’d with the note / Shall curſe my bones, and hold it for no ſinne, / To wiſh that I their father had not beene.
  1594, William Shakespeare, Lucrece (First Quarto), London: […] Richard Field, for Iohn Harrison, […]
  Once more, the more to aggrauate the note,With a foule Traitors name ſtuffe I thy throte,And wiſh (ſo pleaſe my Soueraigne) ere I moue,What my tong ſpeaks, my right drawn ſword may proue
  1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The life and death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene i], page 23, column 2
verb
third-person singular simple present notes, present participle noting, simple past and past participle noted
1. (transitive) To notice with care; to observe; to remark; to heed.
  Quotations
  Note the preſumption of this Scythian ſlaue:I tel thee villaine, thoſe that lead my horſeHaue to their names tytles of dignitie,And dar’ſt thou bluntly cal me Baiazeth?
  c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, Act III, scene iii
2. (transitive) To record in writing; to make a memorandum of.
3. (transitive) To denote; to designate.
4. (transitive) To annotate.
5. (transitive) To set down in musical characters.
6. (transitive, law) To record on the back of (a bill, draft, etc.) a refusal of acceptance, as the ground of a protest, which is done officially by a notary.
  Quotations
  By noting the protest, notaries could date certificates when they were received, making it easier to comply with time restrictions associated with protesting.
  2020 October 28, Kimberly Budd for the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, case SJC-12769

note²

/nəʊt/

noun
usually uncountable, plural notes
1. (uncountable, UK dialectal, Northern England, Ireland, Scotland) That which is needed or necessary; business; duty; work.
  Quotations
  And have thou that for thy note !
  1838, William Marriott, “The Deluge”, in A Collection of English Miracle-Plays or Mysteries, Basel: Schweighauser & Co, page 11
  Tha'll keep me at this noit all day... Om always at this noit.
  1897 May 27, Halifax Courier, quoted in 1903, Joseph Wright, English Dialect Dictionary, volume IV, London: Henry Frowde, page 302
  Thou canst do thy note; that have I espied.
  1962, Arthur C. Cawley, Everyman, and Medieval Miracle Plays, page 125
2. (UK dialectal, Northern England, Ireland, Scotland) The giving of milk by a cow or sow; the period following calving or farrowing during which a cow or sow is at her most useful (i.e. gives milk); the milk given by a cow or sow during such a period.
  Quotations
  The supply of horned cattle at this fair was great, but the business done was confined to fleshy barreners of feeding qualities and superior new-calved heifers, and those at early note, with appearance of being useful; [...]
  1843, The Farmer's Magazine, page 384
  For sale, a Kerry cow, five years old, at her note in May.
  1875, Paper, Belfast
  A cow is said to be in note when she is in milk.
  1888, S. O. Addy Gloss, Words Sheffield, page 160
  A man who drank spring water when his one cow was near note.
  1922, P. MacGill, Lanty Hanlon, page 11
  Be at her note, be near note, come forward to her note, of a cow or sow, be near the time for calving or farrowing.
  1996, C. I. Macafee Conc., Ulster Dict. at Note

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