Nary, nary red

Nary is a corruption of “ne’er a,” or “never a,” as in the A.V. Cf. ARY. Nary red, ne’er a red cent. See Appendix VIII.

1821.  He asked her whether she was most fond of writing prose or poetry. “Nary one,” says she, “I writes small hand.”—Mass. Spy, Feb. 14.

1852.  I guess few can beat him in potry or a-prosin’, nary one.—Knick. Mag., xl. 546 (Dec.).

1853.  Eleven go into ten no times, and nary one over.—Daily Morning Herald, St. Louis, Jan. 14.

1855.  There’s nary horse that was ever foaled durn fool enough to lope over such a place.—Oregon Weekly Times, May. 12.

1855.  Judge Strong, his brother, and family came out free of charge. A pleasant, agreeable, and happy time they must have had of it. Out “nary red”—uneasy “nary time”—troubled “nary bit.”—Olympia (W.T.) Pioneer, June 8.

1856.  There’s nara hinge left, and not a staple to hook to.—W. G. Simms, ‘Eutaw,’ p. 13 (N.Y.).

1856.  ‘Aint you gwine for to give us three dollars?’ ‘Nary a red!’ sung out Hart.—Knick. Mag., xlvii. 99 (Jan.).

1856.  He had also met with a tax-gatherer, who informed him that there were whole counties in [New] Jersey where the entire vocabulary of the natives consisted of only six words, namely: ‘Go to h—l,’ and ‘Nary a red.’—Id., xlviii. 183 (Aug.).

1857.  I arose early next morning, and left before breakfast. And I did n’t buy ‘nary cattle.’—Id., l. 444 (Nov.).

1857.  The collector vamosed from the market, having collected “nary red.”—San Francisco Call, April 21.

1858.  

1862.  The man came back with the to be expected report of “nary deer.”—Rocky Mountain News, April 26.

1862.  For myself, I have nary gold mine nor silver mine in the territory [of Arizona].—Mr. John A. Gurley of Ohio, House of Repr., May 8: Cong. Globe, p. 2028/2.

1864.  

1878.  They take every thing, and nary dollar do you ever git.—J. H. Beadle, ‘Western Wilds,’ p. 206.

1909.