of, belonging to, or constituting a hereditary class that has special social or political status in a country or state; of or pertaining to the aristocracy.
4.
of an exalted moral or mental character or excellence; lofty: a noble thought.
5.
admirable in dignity of conception, manner of expression, execution, or composition: a noble poem.
6.
very impressive or imposing in appearance; stately; magnificent: a noble monument.
7.
of an admirably high quality; notably superior; excellent.
8.
famous; illustrious; renowned.
9.
Chemistry. inert; chemically inactive.
10.
Falconry. (of a hawk) having excellent qualities or abilities.
–noun
11.
a person of noble birth or rank; nobleman or noblewoman.
12.
a former gold coin of England, first issued in 1346 by Edward III, equal to half a mark or 6s. 8d., replaced in 1464 under Edward IV by the rose noble.
13.
(in Britain) a peer.
[Origin: 1175–1225; ME < OF < L (g)nōbilis notable, of high rank, equiv. to (g)nō-, base of (g)nōscere to get to know, find out (see know1) + -bilis-ble]
—Related forms
no·ble·ness, noun
—Synonyms 3. highborn, aristocratic. 4. honorable. Noble,high-minded,magnanimous agree in referring to lofty principles and loftiness of mind or spirit. Noble implies a loftiness of character or spirit that scorns the petty, mean, base, or dishonorable: a noble deed. High-minded implies having elevated principles and consistently adhering to them: a high-minded pursuit of legal reforms. Magnanimous suggests greatness of mind or soul, esp. as manifested in generosity or in overlooking injuries: magnanimous toward his former enemies. 6. grand, lordly, splendid. 11. peer, aristocrat.
c.1225, "illustrious, distinguished, worthy of honor or respect," from O.Fr. noble, from L. nobilis "well-known, famous, renowned, of superior birth," earlier gnobilis, lit. "knowable," from gnoscere "to come to know," from PIE base *gno- (see know). The prominent Roman families, which were "well known," provided most of the Republic's public officials. Meaning "distinguished by rank, title, or birth" is first recorded 1297. Sense of "having lofty character, having high moral qualities" is from 1601. The noble gases (1902) so called for their inactivity or interness; a use of the word that had been applied in M.E. to precious stones, metals, etc., of similar quality (c.1390), from the sense of "having admirable properties" (c.1305).
Noble County, IN (county, FIPS 113) Location: 41.39619 N, 85.41733 W Population (1990): 37877 (15516 housing units) Area: 1064.8 sq km (land), 16.8 sq km (water)
Noble County, OH (county, FIPS 121) Location: 39.76692 N, 81.45328 W Population (1990): 11336 (4998 housing units) Area: 1033.5 sq km (land), 14.5 sq km (water)
Noble County, OK (county, FIPS 103) Location: 36.38865 N, 97.23760 W Population (1990): 11045 (4894 housing units) Area: 1895.8 sq km (land), 27.3 sq km (water)
Noble, IL (village, FIPS 53143) Location: 38.69720 N, 88.22457 W Population (1990): 756 (350 housing units) Area: 2.6 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 62868
Noble, LA (village, FIPS 55420) Location: 31.69008 N, 93.68302 W Population (1990): 225 (100 housing units) Area: 2.7 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 71462
Noble, MO Zip code(s): 65715
Noble, OH Zip code(s): 44132
Noble, OK (town, FIPS 52150) Location: 35.14093 N, 97.37185 W Population (1990): 4710 (1954 housing units) Area: 32.4 sq km (land), 1.0 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 73068
Ig*no"ble\, a. [L. ignobilis; pref. in- not + nobilis noble: cf. F. ignoble. See In- not, and Noble, a.]1. Of low birth or family; not noble; not illustrious; plebeian; common; humble. I was not ignoble of descent. --Shak. Her royal stock graft with ignoble plants. --Shak. 2. Not honorable, elevated, or generous; base. 'T but a base, ignoble mind, That mounts no higher than a bird can soar. --Shak. Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife. --Gray. 3. (Zo["o]l.) Not a true or noble falcon; -- said of certain hawks, as the goshawk. Syn: Degenerate; degraded; mean; base; dishonorable; reproachful; disgraceful; shameful; scandalous; infamous.
Know\, v. t. [imp. Knew; p. p. Known; p. pr. & vb. n. Knowing.] [OE. knowen, knawen, AS. cn["a]wan; akin to OHG. chn["a]an (in comp.), Icel. kn["a] to be able, Russ, znate to know, L. gnoscere, noscere, Gr. ?, Skr. jn?; fr. the root of E. can, v. i., ken. (?). See Ken, Can to be able, and cf. Acquaint, Cognition, Gnome, Ignore, Noble, Note.]1. To perceive or apprehend clearly and certainly; to understand; to have full information of; as, to know one's duty. O, that a man might know The end of this day's business ere it come! --Shak. There is a certainty in the proposition, and we know it. --Dryden. Know how sublime a thing it is To suffer and be strong. --Longfellow. 2. To be convinced of the truth of; to be fully assured of; as, to know things from information. 3. To be acquainted with; to be no stranger to; to be more or less familiar with the person, character, etc., of; to possess experience of; as, to know an author; to know the rules of an organization. He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin. --2 Cor. v. 21. Not to know me argues yourselves unknown. --Milton. 4. To recognize; to distinguish; to discern the character of; as, to know a person's face or figure. Ye shall know them by their fruits. --Matt. vil. 16. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him. --Luke xxiv. 31. To know Faithful friend from flattering foe. --Shak. At nearer view he thought he knew the dead. --Flatman. 5. To have sexual commerce with. And Adam knew Eve his wife. --Gen. iv. 1. Note: Know is often followed by an objective and an infinitive (with or without to) or a participle, a dependent sentence, etc. And I knew that thou hearest me always. --John xi. 42. The monk he instantly knew to be the prior. --Sir W. Scott. In other hands I have known money do good. --Dickens. To know how, to understand the manner, way, or means; to have requisite information, intelligence, or sagacity. How is sometimes omitted. " If we fear to die, or know not to be patient." --Jer. Taylor.
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