nowhen adv.

(in time-travel contexts): in or at no time

OED records the sense ‘at no time; never’ from 1767, labelled ‘Chiefly regional and literary’; it is also found in philosophical writings.

Time Travel

  • [1943 in Astounding Science-Fiction Aug. 143 (editorial introduction to Malcolm Jameson’s When Is When?) page image Malcolm Jameson bibliography

    It’s pretty hard for a man to get into real trouble with a time machine on hand to yank him out of it. But Anachron Inc. was missing several groups of agents—agents that vanished into nowhen!]

  • [1950 J. Blish Bindlestiff in Astounding Scinece Fiction Dec. 34/1 page image James Blish bibliography

    In Astronomy, Jake was as usual peering wistfully at a nebula somewhere out on the marches of no[-]when, trying to make ellipses out of spirals without recourse to the Calculator.]

  • [1971 P. & K. Anderson A Feast for the Gods in Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction Nov. 14/2 page image Poul Anderson Karen Anderson bibliography

    Never had he been more remote…. Nowhere, nowhen had he met an eeriness like that which encompassed him.]

  • 1982 T. Cummins Dancer in the Ruins in Amazing Stories June 109 page image Tom Cummins bibliography

    Otherwise you'll phase out in the middle of nowhere. Then you'll really be nowhere. And nowhen.

  • 1991 P. M. Grunwell Relocation in Interzone Apr. 39/2 page image Paul M. Grunwell bibliography

    I began the hours of darkness thinking about the [time] machine; about where I went wrong. I've slipped into a crack in time; I'm nowhen any more.

  • 2013 N. Spinrad On Books in Asimov’s Science Fiction Apr.–May 186/2 page image Norman Spinrad

    Railsea takes place on some planet, somewhere, somewhen—or rather nowhere and nowhen except on a purely literary ‘plane’ in Miéville’s for the most part purely literary multiverse.

Research requirements

antedating 1982

Last modified 2024-07-03 12:30:03
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.