nary

American  

[nair-ee] / ˈnɛər i /

adjective

Older Use.

1. not any; no; never a.

   nary a sound.

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nary British  

/ ˈnɛərɪ /

adverb

1. dialect not; never

   nary a man was left

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Etymology

Origin of nary

First recorded in 1740–50; variant of ne'er a never a

Example Sentences

By the time we covered the walls and windows of the Clark Street room with dark fabrics and draperies, nary a ray of sunlight could penetrate inside.

From Literature

Madame Pernelle, too, worships at the shrine of Tartuffe, but has nary a good word, and many a bad one, for anyone else.

From The Wall Street Journal

Her production of “Ragtime,” with its sumptuous score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, had nary a weak link in a cast of characters among the most expansive in the recent annals of musicals.

From The Wall Street Journal

She knew very well that the Swanburne Academy was kept spit-spot; nary a shred of ivy was allowed to grow anywhere near the walls.

From Literature

And though nary a ghost has been sighted — yet — that doesn’t mean I haven’t gotten all the proof I’ve been looking for.

From Salon