noble
(redirected from Nobles)Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Idioms, Encyclopedia.
no·ble
(nō′bəl)adj. no·bler, no·blest
1. Possessing hereditary rank in a political system or social class derived from a feudalistic stage of a country's development.
2.
a. Having or showing qualities of high moral character, such as courage, generosity, or honor: a noble spirit.
b. Proceeding from or indicative of such a character; showing magnanimity: "What poor an instrument / May do a noble deed!" (Shakespeare).
3. Grand and stately in appearance; majestic: "a mighty Spanish chestnut, bare now of leaves, but in summer a noble tree" (Richard Jeffries).
4. Chemistry Inactive or inert.
n.
1. A member of the nobility.
2. A gold coin formerly used in England, worth half of a mark.
no′ble·ness n.
no′bly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
noble
(ˈnəʊbəl)adj
1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) of or relating to a hereditary class with special social or political status, often derived from a feudal period
2. of or characterized by high moral qualities; magnanimous: a noble deed.
3. having dignity or eminence; illustrious
4. grand or imposing; magnificent: a noble avenue of trees.
5. of superior quality or kind; excellent: a noble strain of horses.
6. (Chemistry) chem
a. (of certain elements) chemically unreactive
b. (of certain metals, esp copper, silver, and gold) resisting oxidation
7. (Falconry) falconry
a. designating long-winged falcons that capture their quarry by stooping on it from above. Compare ignoble
b. designating the type of quarry appropriate to a particular species of falcon
n
8. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a person belonging to a privileged social or political class whose status is usually indicated by a title conferred by sovereign authority or descent
9. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (in the British Isles) a person holding the title of duke, marquess, earl, viscount, or baron, or a feminine equivalent
10. (Currencies) a former Brit gold coin having the value of one third of a pound
[C13: via Old French from Latin nōbilis, originally, capable of being known, hence well-known, noble, from noscere to know]
ˈnobleness n
ˈnobly adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
no•ble
(ˈnoʊ bəl)adj. -bler, -blest,
n. adj.
1. distinguished by rank or title.
2. pertaining to persons so distinguished.
3. of, belonging to, or constituting a hereditary class that has special social or political status in a country or state; aristocratic.
4. of an exalted moral character or excellence.
5. imposing; magnificent.
6. of an admirably high quality.
7. inert; chemically inactive.
n. 8. a person of noble birth or rank.
9. a former gold coin of England.
[1175–1225; < Old French < Latin (g)nōbilis notable, of high rank, from (g)nō(scere) to get to know]
no′ble•ness, n.
no′bly, adv.
syn: noble, high-minded, magnanimous suggest moral excellence and high ideals. noble implies superior moral qualities and an exalted mind, character, or spirit that scorns the petty, base, or dishonorable: a noble sacrifice. high-minded suggests exalted moral principles, thoughts, or sentiments: a high-minded speech on social reform. magnanimous adds the idea of generosity, shown by a willingness to forgive injuries or overlook insults: The magnanimous ruler granted amnesty to the rebels.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Noun | 1. | noble - a titled peer of the realm armiger - a nobleman entitled to bear heraldic arms baron - a nobleman (in various countries) of varying rank burgrave - a nobleman ruling a German castle and surrounding grounds by hereditary right count - a nobleman (in various countries) having rank equal to a British earl duke - a nobleman (in various countries) of high rank grandee - a nobleman of highest rank in Spain or Portugal male aristocrat - a man who is an aristocrat margrave - a German nobleman ranking above a count (corresponding in rank to a British marquess) mesne lord - a feudal lord who was lord to his own tenants on land held from a superior lord milord - a term of address for an English lord palsgrave, palatine - (Middle Ages) the lord of a palatinate who exercised sovereign powers over his lands peer - a nobleman (duke or marquis or earl or viscount or baron) who is a member of the British peerage sire - a title of address formerly used for a man of rank and authority thane - a feudal lord or baron viscount - (in various countries) a son or younger brother or a count |
Adj. | 1. | noble - impressive in appearance; "a baronial mansion"; "an imposing residence"; "a noble tree"; "severe-looking policemen sat astride noble horses"; "stately columns" impressive - making a strong or vivid impression; "an impressive ceremony" |
2. | noble - of or belonging to or constituting the hereditary aristocracy especially as derived from feudal times; "of noble birth" lowborn - of humble birth or origins; "a topsy-turvy society of lowborn rich and blue-blooded poor" | |
3. | noble - having or showing or indicative of high or elevated character; "a noble spirit"; "noble deeds" honourable, honorable - worthy of being honored; entitled to honor and respect; "an honorable man"; "led an honorable life"; "honorable service to his country" ignoble - completely lacking nobility in character or quality or purpose; "something cowardly and ignoble in his attitude"; "I think it a less evil that some criminals should escape than that the government should play an ignoble part"- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. | |
4. | noble - inert especially toward oxygen; "a noble gas such as helium or neon"; "noble metals include gold and silver and platinum" unreactive - (chemistry) not reacting chemically |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
noble
adjective
1. worthy, generous, upright, honourable, virtuous, magnanimous He was an upright and noble man.
worthy selfish, dishonest, despicable, contemptible
worthy selfish, dishonest, despicable, contemptible
2. dignified, great, august, imposing, impressive, distinguished, magnificent, splendid, stately She was described by contemporaries as possessing a noble bearing and excellent manners.
dignified mean, modest, humble, insignificant, lowly, ignoble
dignified mean, modest, humble, insignificant, lowly, ignoble
noun
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
noble
adjective1. Of high birth or social position:
aristocratic, blue-blooded, elite, highborn, highbred, patrician, thoroughbred, upper-class, wellborn.
Informal: upper-crust.
2. Being on a high intellectual or moral level:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
كَريم الأصْل، نَبيلنَبيل الشُّعورنَبيل، أحد النُّبَلاء
šlechticušlechtilývznešenývelkomyslnýurozený
adelædelfinfornem
aatelik
jaloylväs
plemenitplemićplemkinja
nemesnemesi származású
ættgöfuguraîalsmaîurgöfuglyndur
pulchrum
didikasdidikėdiduomenėgarbingaikilmingas
augstmaniscēlscildensdižciltīgaisdižciltīgs
šľachetný
plemenit
ädelnobel
noble
[ˈnəʊbl]A. ADJ (nobler (compar) (noblest (superl)))
B. N → noble mf, aristócrata mf (Spanish Hist) → hidalgo m
C. CPD the noble art N → el boxeo
noble rot N [of wine] → podredumbre f noble
noble savage N → buen salvaje m
noble rot N [of wine] → podredumbre f noble
noble savage N → buen salvaje m
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
noble
adj (+er)
(= aristocratic) person, rank → adlig; to be of noble birth → adlig sein, von edler or adliger Geburt sein
(= fine, distinguished) person, deed, thought etc → edel, nobel; appearance → vornehm; monument → stattlich, prächtig; stag also → kapital; (= brave) resistance → heldenhaft, wacker; the noble art of self-defence → die edle Kunst der Selbstverteidigung; that was a noble attempt → das war ein heldenhafter Versuch; the noble savage (Liter) → der edle Wilde
metal → edel
noble
:noble gas
n → Edelgas nt
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
noble
[ˈnəʊbl]1. adj (-r (comp) (-st (superl))) → nobile; (also) (iro) → generoso/a
of noble birth → di nobili natali
of noble birth → di nobili natali
2. n → nobile m/f
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
noble
(ˈnəubl) adjective1. honourable; unselfish. a noble mind; a noble deed.
2. of high birth or rank. a noble family; of noble birth.
noun a person of high birth. The nobles planned to murder the king.
noˈbility (-ˈbi-) noun1. the state of being noble. the nobility of his mind/birth.
2. nobles ie dukes, earls etc. The nobility supported the king during the revolution.
ˈnobly adverbHe worked nobly for the cause of peace.
ˈnobleman – feminine ˈnoblewoman – noun a noble. The king was murdered by a nobleman at his court.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.