X me no Xs

X me no Xs is a literary device common in literature from the 16th to the 18th centuries, in which the speaker is asking that something not be provided to him, often as a pun incorporating the use of a particular word both as a verb and as a noun. Quotes But me no buts. Susanna Centlivre, The Busie Body (1709); Henry Fielding, Rape upon Rape (1730), act ii, scene 2. Also in Aaron Hill, Snake in the Grass, sc. 1. Cause me no causes. Philip Massinger, A New Way to Pay Old Debts (1625), act i, scene 3. Cook me no cooks. Felix Benguiat, Ugly Hilda (1909), p. 515. Clerk me no clerks. Sir Walter Scott, Ivanhoe (1819), chapter xx. Diamond me no diamonds! prize me no prizes! Alfred Tennyson, Idylls of the King (c. 1842–1885). End me no ends. Philip Massinger, A New Way to Pay Old Debts (1625), act v, scene 1. Fool me no fools. Edward Bulwer-Lytton, Last Days of Pompeii (1834), book iii, chapter vi. Front me no fronts. John Ford, The Lady's Trial (1638), act ii, scene 1. Gift me no Gifts; I have none for thee. Theocritus, The Idylls (c. 3rd century BC), translated by James Henry Hallard (1901), p. 104. Use of this literary device was likely introduced by the translator; an earlier translation by C.S. Calvery has the same character, Amycus, responding to Polydeuces' offer to "[v]isit our land, take gifts from us, and go" by saying "I seek naught from thee and can naught bestow". Grace me no grace, nor uncle me no uncle. William Shakespeare, Richard II. (1595), act ii, scene 3. Madam me no madam. John Dryden, The Wild Gallant (1663), act ii, scene 2. Map me no maps. Henry Fielding, Rape upon Rape (1730), act i, scene 5. Midas me no Midas. John Dryden, The Wild Gallant (1663), act ii, scene 1. O me no O's. Ben Jonson, The Case Is Altered (c. 1609), act v, scene 1. Parish me no parishes. George Peele, The Old Wives' Tale (c. 1595). Petition me no petitions. Henry Fielding, Tom Thumb (1730), act i, scene 2. Play me no plays. Samuel Foote, The Knights (1748), act ii. Plot me no plots. Francis Beaumont, The Knight of the Burning Pestle (1611), act ii, scene 5. Poem me no poems. Rose Macaulay, quoted in Poetry Review (Autumn 1963). Thank me no thanks, nor proud me no prouds. William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (1597), act iii, scene 5. Tut me no tuts. James Thurber, The White Deer (1945), chapter 6, p. 89. Virgin me no virgins. Philip Massinger, A New Way to Pay Old Debts (1625), act iii, scene 2. Vow me no vows. Beaumont and Fletcher, Wit Without Money (1614), act iv, scene 4. Cody me no Codys about America. Jack Kerouac, Visions of Cody (1972), Part Three, p. 427. Tennessee me no Tennessees. Jack Kerouac, Visions of Cody (1972), Part Three, p. 427. Lyrics Matchmaker, matchmaker, plan me no plans.I'm in no rush. maybe I've learnedPlaying with matches a girl can get burned.So bring me no ring, groom me no groom,Find me no find, catch me no catch.Unless he's a matchless match! "Matchmaker", Fiddler on the Roof (1964). These lyrics appear at the end of the song, countering the protagonist's original (uninformed) plea that the matchmaker "find me a find, catch me a catch". External links The Snowclone Database: X me no Xs. Category:Memes