Guardian 25029

[slowmotion]

Help, please. 3dn: N?N?E "Chapel rather than church for the time being?"

[bibblebub]

nonce

[slowmotion]

Thanks. Does "time" refer to prison? "Nonce" is a prison term, isn't it?

[bibblebub]

no, nonce just means the present time http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/nonce nothing to do with prisons whatsoever

[bibblebub]

the prison slang definition is given here http://www.urbandicti...define.php?term=nonce

[bathtub]

The explanations for the latter definition are completely faniciful, btw. Other theories include 'non C', ie non-criminal/convict. The term is also used in the US to mean a prisoner who ingratiates himself with warders and grasses on fellow inmates. There's a Stephen King story that contains that usage - possibly Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption?