NONCE

nonce. Nonce, n. a purpose, intent, design, drift, ob.

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Nonce (nŏns), n. [[For the nonce, OE. for the nones, a corruption of for then ones, where n. in then is a relic of AS. m in ðam, dat. of the article and demonstrative pronoun, E. the. See For, Once, and The.]] The one or single occasion; the present call or purpose; — chiefly used in the phrase for the nonce. The miller was a stout carl for the nones. Chaucer. And that he calls for drink, I 'll have prepared him A chalice for the nonce. Shak. Nonce word, “a word apparently employed only for the nonce”. Murray (New English Dict.).