To-morn

adv. and sb. Now dial. or arch. Forms: α. 1 to morʓ(en)ne, 1–2 to morʓen (to morhʓen), 3 to morȝen, 3–4 to morwen, 4 to morewen, 5 to morowen, to moroun. β. 4–5 tomorne, 4–6 to morne, 4– to-morn; 6, 9 tomorn, 9 dial. to moorn. γ. 1 to merne, to męrʓen, 2 to marȝan, 3 to marȝen, marhen, mærȝen, marwen, marewene. [f. TO prep. 7 + OE. morʓenne, dative of morʓen, męrʓen, MORN, which see for ulterior etymology. The syncopated to morn appears first in northern dial., and is still the vernacular form in a great part of northern England. (In Sc. the morn: see MORN 3 d.)

  Beside tó morʓ(en)ne, OE. had also on morʓne (Beow., 2484), on morne (Bæda’s Hist., II. vi.) in the sense ‘on the morrow.’]

  A.  adv. = TOMORROW adv. 1. Obs. in literary Eng. c. 1500. Revived as poetical archaism c. 1850.

  α.  c. 897.  K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past. C., xliv. 324. Ga, & cum to morʓen [Hatton MS. to morʓenne].

c. 1000.  To-morhʓen [see quot. c. 950 in γ].

c. 1050.  Byrhtferth’s Handboc, in Anglia, VIII. 323. We nyton hwæðer we moton to morʓen.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 278. He to dai, ich to morwen.

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 9081. To morewen schul þey boþe be schent.

13[?].  in Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1866), 222. To morwen y mai beon wiþoute.

1413.  Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton), IV. xxxviii. (1859), 63. Abydeth for to morowen.

  β.  a. 1300.  Cursor M., 11248 (Cott.). Yee ga to morn wen it es dai To bethleem.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, I. 124. Alss weill to-morn as ȝhisterday.

c. 1420.  Anturs of Arth., 437. Yet þou shalt be mached be mydday to morne.

c. 1475.  Rauf Coilȝear, 85. To-morne, on the morning, quhen thow sall on leip.

1483.  Caxton, Gold. Leg., 58 b/1. To morn ye shal see y^e glorye of our lord.

a. 1547.  Surrey, Æneid, IV. 150. To morne as soon as Titan shall ascend.

1855.  Robinson, Whitby Gloss., s.v., ‘I’ll see thee to moorn.’

1856.  Dobell, Lyrics in War Time, Tommy’s Dead. Stop the mill to-morn, boys.

1870.  Morris, Earthly Par., II. III. 125. Bide thou with us to-morn.

  γ.  c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Luke xiii. 32. Hælo ic ðerh-doe … todæʓ & tomerne [c. 1000 Ags. Gosp. to-morhʓen; c. 1160 Hatton to-morʓen].

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Gram., xxxviii. (Z.), 224. Cras, to merʓen.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 21. To marȝan hit [bote] him is awane.

c. 1205.  Lay., 16066. Heo cumeð tomærȝen. Ibid., 23661. Þat scal beon tomarȝen.

a. 1225.  Leg. Kath., 645. Sete, Iesu, swucche sahen i mi muð to marhen.

  b.  In antithesis to today: see TODAY 1 b.

  c.  Followed by day, eve (obs.), by morn, morning, night (dial.). Cf. Sc. the morn’s mornin’, the morn’s nicht.

c. 1205.  Lay., 17732. Ær to marwen eue.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 15343 (Cott.). To morn dai sal i be dempt On rode tre to hang.

1801.  Anderson, Cumberld. Ball., 18. To mworn-o’mworn, i’ this seame pleace, We’ll hae the stwory out.

1855.  Robinson, Whitby Gloss., To Moorn’t moorn, or To Moorn’t moorning, to-morrow morning. Ibid., To Moorn’t neight, to-morrow night.

  B.  sb. = TOMORROW sb. 1.

  Truly substantival uses are late, but they were led up to by uses of the adv. in which it might be taken as sb., e.g., when preceded by till, from; cf. till then, from now.

c. 1205.  Lay., 26393. Nu to-morȝen is þe dæi.

13[?].  Cursor M., 3758 (Fairf.). In þe deu and gresse of thorne Sal be þi blessinge fra to-morne.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, I. 621. Tharwith awysit be, Till to morn, that ȝe be set.

c. 1420.  Avow. Arth., viii. I may haue my leuynge Her tille to-morne atte day.

c. 1440.  York Myst., xxxvi. 276. To-morne is our dere sabott daye.

c. 1450.  St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 2873. To morne haly sonday is.

1870.  Morris, Earthly Par., II. III. 161. Eager, bright-eyed, and careless of tomorn.