Note

n. [Lat. nota, from noscere, notum, to know; Fr. note, Pr., It., & Sp. nota.] 1. Something by which a thing may be known; a mark or token; a visible sign; a symbol. They who appertain to the visible church have all the notes of external profession. Hooker.

2. A mark, or sign, made to call attention, to point out something to notice, or the like; a sign, or token, proving or giving evidence.
3. A brief writing intended to assist the memory; a memorandum; a minute.
4. (pl.) Hence, a writing intended to be spoken from; memoranda to assist a speaker, being either a synopsis, or the full text of what is to be said; as, to preach from notes.
5. A brief remark; a marginal comment or explanation; hence, an annotation on a text or author; a comment; a critical, explanatory, or illustrative observation.

The best writers have been perplexed with notes, and obscured with illustrations. Felton.

6. A short letter; a billet; a written communication to a person not distant, taking the place of a personal communication; also, a diplomatic paper.
7. A written or printed paper acknowledging a debt, and promising payment; as, a promissory note; a bank-note; a note of hand; a negotiable note.
8. (Mus.) (a.) A character, variously formed, to indicate the length of a tone, and variously placed upon the staff to indicate its pitch. (b.) Hence, a musical sound; a tone; an utterance; a tune.

The wakeful bird tunes her nocturnal note. Milton. 9. Observation; notice; heed. Give orders to our servants that they take No note at all of our being absent hence. Shak. 10. Reputation; consequence; distinction. “A bookseller of great note.” Macaulay. There was scarcely a family of note which had not poured out its blood on the field or the scaffold. Prescott.