Occasionally or from time to time, but not regularly or frequently.
This phrase dates back to the 14th century, originally written as 'now and than.' It represents one of English's oldest ways of expressing intermittent occurrence. The pairing of 'now' (present) with 'then' (past or future) creates a temporal span that suggests irregular repetition across time.
The elegance of this phrase lies in its simplicity—just four small words that capture the complex concept of irregular frequency. It's also interesting how it uses contrasting time markers ('now' vs 'then') to create a sense of scattered occurrence rather than sequence.
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