non est
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A contraction of Lat. non est inventus (not to be found). They are the words which the sheriff writes on a writ when the defendant is not to be found in his bailiwick.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “non est” mean?
A contraction of Lat. non est inventus (not to be found). They are the words which the sheriff writes on a writ when the defendant is not to be found in his bailiwick.
Is “non est” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.