The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
Chapter 1021
Nar"ra*tive , n. That which is narrated; the recital of a story; a continuous account of the particulars of an event or transaction; a story.
Cyntio was much taken with my narrative . Tatler.
Syn. -- Account; recital; rehearsal; relation; narration; story; tale. See Account .
Narratively <Xpage=963>
Nar"ra*tive*ly , adv. In the style of narration.
Narrator <Xpage=963>
Nar*ra"tor (?) , n. [L.] One who narrates; one who relates a series of events or transactions.
Narratory <Xpage=963>
Nar"ra*to*ry (?) , a. Giving an account of events; narrative; as, narratory letters .
Howell.
Narre <Xpage=963>
Narre (?) , a. Nearer. [Obs.]
Spenser.
Narrow <Xpage=963>
Nar"row (?) , a. [ Compar. Narrower (?) ; superl. Narrowest .] [OE. narwe , naru , AS. nearu ; akin to OS. naru , naro .] 1. Of little breadth; not wide or broad; having little distance from side to side; as, a narrow board; a narrow street; a narrow hem.
Hath passed in safety through the narrow seas. Shak.
2. Of little extent; very limited; circumscribed.
The Jews were but a small nation, and confined to a narrow compass in the world. Bp. Wilkins.
3. Having but a little margin; having barely sufficient space, time, or number, etc.; close; near; -- with special reference to some peril or misfortune; as, a narrow shot; a narrow escape; a narrow majority.
Dryden.
4. Limited as to means; straitened; pinching; as, narrow circumstances .
5. Contracted; of limited scope; illiberal; bigoted; as, a narrow mind; narrow views. "A narrow understanding."
Macaulay.
6. Parsimonious; niggardly; covetous; selfish.
A very narrow and stinted charity. Smalridge.
7. Scrutinizing in detail; close; accurate; exact.
But first with narrow search I must walk round This garden, and no corner leave unspied. Milton.
8. (Phon.) Formed (as a vowel) by a close position of some part of the tongue in relation to the palate; or (according to Bell) by a tense condition of the pharynx; -- distinguished from wide ; as \'c7 (\'c7ve) and &oomac; (f&oomac;d), etc., from \'cc (\'ccll) and &oocr; (f&oocr;t), etc. See Guide to Pronunciation , § 13.
&hand; Narrow is not unfrequently prefixed to words, especially to participles and adjectives, forming compounds of obvious signification; as, narrow -bordered, narrow -brimmed, narrow -breasted, narrow -edged, narrow -faced, narrow -headed, narrow -leaved, narrow -pointed, narrow -souled, narrow -sphered, etc.
Narrow gauge . (Railroad) See Note under Gauge , n. , 6.
Narrow <Xpage=963>
Nar"row (?) , n. ; pl. Narrows (<?/) . A narrow passage; esp., a contracted part of a stream, lake, or sea; a strait connecting two bodies of water; -- usually in the plural; as, The Narrows of New York harbor .
Near the island lay on one side the jaws of a dangerous narrow . Gladstone.
Narrow <Xpage=963>
Nar"row , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Narrowed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Narrowing .] [AS. nearwian .] 1. To lessen the breadth of; to contract; to draw into a smaller compass; to reduce the width or extent of.
Sir W. Temple.
2. To contract the reach or sphere of; to make less liberal or more selfish; to limit; to confine; to restrict; as, to narrow one's views or knowledge; to narrow a question in discussion.
Our knowledge is much more narrowed if we confine ourselves to our own solitary reasonings. I. Watts.
3. (Knitting) To contract the size of, as a stocking, by taking two stitches into one.
Narrow <Xpage=963>
Nar"row , v. i. 1. To become less broad; to contract; to become narrower; as, the sea narrows into a strait .
2. (Man.) Not to step out enough to the one hand or the other; as, a horse narrows .
Farrier's Dict.
3. (Knitting) To contract the size of a stocking or other knit article, by taking two stitches into one.
Narrower <Xpage=963>
Nar"row*er (?) , n. One who, or that which, narrows or contracts.
Hannah More.
Narrowing <Xpage=963>
Nar"row*ing , n. 1. The act of contracting, or of making or becoming less in breadth or extent.
2. The part of a stocking which is narrowed.
Narrowly <Xpage=963>
Nar"row*ly , adv. [AS. nearulice .] 1. With little breadth; in a narrow manner.
2. Without much extent; contractedly.
3. With minute scrutiny; closely; as, to look or watch narrowly ; to search narrowly .
4. With a little margin or space; by a small distance; hence, closely; hardly; barely; only just; -- often with reference to an avoided danger or misfortune; as, he narrowly escaped .
5. Sparingly; parsimoniously.
<-- construe narrowly? -->
Narrow-minded <Xpage=963>
Nar"row-mind`ed (?) , a. Of narrow mental scope; illiberal; mean. -- Nar"row-mind`ed*ness , n.
Narrowness <Xpage=963>
Nar"row*ness , n. [AS. nearunes .] The condition or quality of being narrow.
Nart <Xpage=963>
Nart (?) . [For ne art .] Art not. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Narthex <Xpage=963>
Nar"thex (?) , n. [L., giant fennel, Gr. <?/.] 1. (Bot.) A tall umbelliferous plant ( Ferula communis ). See Giant fennel , under Fennel .
2. (Arch.) The portico in front of ancient churches; sometimes, the atrium or outer court surrounded by ambulatories; -- used, generally, for any vestibule, lobby, or outer porch, leading to the nave of a church.
Narwal <Xpage=963>
Nar"wal (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) See Narwhal .
Narwe <Xpage=963>
Nar"we (?) , a. Narrow. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Narwhal <Xpage=963>
Nar"whal (?) , n. [Sw. or Dan. narvhal ; akin to Icel. n\'behvalr , and E. whale . the first syllable is perh. from Icel. n\'ber corpse, dead body, in allusion to the whitish color its skin. See Whale .] [Written also narwhale .] (Zo\'94l.) An arctic cetacean ( Monodon monocerous ), about twenty feet long. The male usually has one long, twisted, pointed canine tooth, or tusk projecting forward from the upper jaw like a horn, whence it is called also sea unicorn , unicorn fish , and unicorn whale . Sometimes two horns are developed, side by side.
Nas <Xpage=963>
Nas (?) . [For ne was .] Was not . [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Nas. <Xpage=963>
Nas. [Contr. fr. ne has .] Has not. [Obs.]
Spenser.
Nasal <Xpage=963>
Na"sal (?) , a. [F., from L. nasus the nose. See Nose .] 1. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the nose.
2. (Phon.) Having a quality imparted by means of the nose; and specifically, made by lowering the soft palate, in some cases with closure of the oral passage, the voice thus issuing (wholly or partially) through the nose, as in the consonants m , n , ng (see Guide to Pronunciation , §§ 20, 208); characterized by resonance in the nasal passage; as, a nasal vowel; a nasal utterance.
Nasal bones (Anat.) , two bones of the skull, in front of the frontals. -- Nasal index (Anat.) , in the skull, the ratio of the transverse the base of the aperture to the nasion, which latter distance is taken as the standard, equal to 100.
Nasal <Xpage=963>
Na"sal , n. 1. An elementary sound which is uttered through the nose, or through both the nose and the mouth simultaneously.
2. (Med.) A medicine that operates through the nose; an errhine. [Archaic]
3. (Anc. Armor) Part of a helmet projecting to protect the nose; a nose guard.
4. (Anat.) One of the nasal bones.
5. (Zo\'94l.) A plate, or scale, on the nose of a fish, etc.
Nasality <Xpage=963>
Na*sal"i*ty (?) , n. [Cf. F. nasalit\'82 .] The quality or state of being nasal.
Nasalization <Xpage=963>
Na`sal*i*za"tion (?) , n. The act of nasalizing, or the state of being nasalized.
Nasalize <Xpage=963>
Na"sal*ize (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Nasalized (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Nasalizing (?) .] To render nasal, as sound; to insert a nasal or sound in.
Nasalize <Xpage=963>
Na"sal*ize , v. t. To utter words or letters with a nasal sound; to speak through the nose.
Nasally <Xpage=963>
Na"sal*ly , adv. In a nasal manner; by the nose.
Nascal <Xpage=963>
Nas"cal (?) , n. [F. nascale .] (Med.) A kind of pessary of medicated wool or cotton, formerly used.
Nascency <Xpage=963>
Nas"cen*cy (?) , n. [L. nascentia . See Nascent .] State of being nascent; birth; beginning; origin.
Nascent <Xpage=963>
Nas"cent (?) , a. [L. nascens , -entis , p.pr. nasci to be born. See Nation , and cf. Naissant .] 1. Commencing, or in process of development; beginning to exist or to grow; coming into being; as, a nascent germ .
Nascent passions and anxieties. Berkley.
2. (Chem.) Evolving; being evolved or produced.
Nascent state (Chem.) , the supposed instantaneous or momentary state of an uncombined atom or radical just separated from one compound acid, and not yet united with another, -- a hypothetical condition implying peculiarly active chemical properties; as, hydrogen in the nascent state is a strong reducer .
Naseberry <Xpage=963>
Nase"ber`ry (?) , n. [Sp. nispero medlar and naseberry tree, fr. L. mespilus . See Medlar .] (Bot.) A tropical fruit. See Sapodilla . [Written also nisberry .]
Nash <Xpage=963>
Nash (?) , a. [Etymol. uncertain.] Firm; stiff; hard; also, chilly. [Prov. Eng.]
Halliwell.
Nasicornous <Xpage=963>
Nas`i*cor"nous (?) , a. [L. nasus nose + cornu horn: cf. F. nasicorne .] (Zo\'94l.) Bearing a horn, or horns, on the nose, as the rhinoceros.
Nasiform <Xpage=963>
Nas"i*form (?) , a. [L. nasus nose + -form . See Nose , and cf. Nariform .] Having the shape of a nose.
Nasion <Xpage=963>
Na*si*on (?) , n. [Nl., fr. L. nasus nose.] (Anat.) The middle point of the nasofrontal suture.
Naso- <Xpage=963>
Na"so- (<?/) . [L. nasus nose.] (Anat.) A combining form denoting pertaining to , or connected with , the nose ; as, naso frontal .
Nasobuccal <Xpage=963>
Na"so*buc"cal (?) , a. [ Naso + buccal .] (Anat.) Connected with both the nose and the mouth; as, the nasobuccal groove in the skate .
Nasofrontal <Xpage=963>
Na`so*fron"tal (?) , a. [ Naso- + frontal .] (Anat.) of or pertaining to the nose and the front of the head; as, the embryonic nasofrontal process which forms the anterior boundary of the mouth .
Nasolachrymal <Xpage=963>
Na`so*lach"ry*mal (?) , a. [ Naso- + lachrymal .] (Anat.) Connected with the lachrymal apparatus and the nose; as, the nasolachrymal , or lachrymal duct .
Nasopalatal, Nasopalatine <Xpage=963>
Na`so*pal"a*tal (?) , Na`so*pal"a*tine (?) , a. [ Naso- + palatal .] (Anat.) Connected with both the nose and the palate; as, the nasopalatine or incisor, canal connecting the mouth and the nasal chamber in some animals; the nasopalatine nerve.
Nasopharyngeal <Xpage=963>
Na`so*phar`yn*ge"al (? ∨ <?/) , a. [ Naso- + pharyngeal .] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to both throat and nose; as, a nasopharyngeal polypus .
Nasoseptal <Xpage=963>
Na`so*sep"tal (?) , a. [ Naso- + septal .] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the internasal septum.
Nasoturbinal <Xpage=963>
Na`so*tur"bi*nal (?) , a. [ Naso- + turbinal .] (Anat.) Connected with, or near, both the turbinal and the nasal bones; as, the nasalturbinal bone, made up of the uppermost lammel\'91 of the ethmoturbinal, and sometimes united with the nasal . -- n. The nasoturbinal bone.
Nassa <Xpage=963>
Nas"sa (?) , n. ; pl. E. Nassas (#) , L. Nass\'92 (#) . [From L. nassa a kind of basket, in allusion to the reticulation of some species.] (Zo\'94l.) Any species of marine gastropods, of the genera Nassa , Tritia , and other allied genera of the family Nassid\'91 ; a dog whelk. See Illust . under Gastropoda .
-- nas"soid (#) , a.
Nastily <Xpage=963>
Nas"ti*ly (?) , adv. In a nasty manner.
Nastiness <Xpage=963>
Nas"ti*ness , n. The quality or state of being nasty; extreme filthness; dirtiness; also, indecency; obscenity.
The nastiness of Plautus and Aristophanes. Dryden.
Nasturtion <Xpage=963>
Nas*tur"tion (?) , n. [See Nasturtium .] (Bot.) Same as Nasturtium .
Nasturtium <Xpage=963>
Nas*tur"tium (?) , n. [L. nasturtium , for nasitortium , fr. nasus nose + torquere , tortum , to twist, torture, in allusion to the causing one to make a wry face by its pungent taste. See Nose of the face, and Torture .] 1. (Bot.) A genus of cruciferous plants, having white or yellowish flowers, including several species of cress. They are found chiefly in wet or damp grounds, and have a pungent biting taste.
2. (Bot.) Any plant of the genus Trop\'91olum , geraniaceous herbs, having mostly climbing stems, peltate leaves, and spurred flowers, and including the common Indian cress ( Trop\'91olum majus ), the canary-bird flower ( T. peregrinum ), and about thirty more species, all natives of South America. The whole plant has a warm pungent flavor, and the fleshy fruits are used as a substitute for capers, while the leaves and flowers are sometimes used in salads.
<page="964"> Page 964
Nasty <Xpage=964>
Nas"ty (?) , a. [ Compar. Nastier (<?/) ; superl. Nastiest .] [For older nasky ; cf. dial. Sw. naskug , nasket .] 1. Offensively filthy; very dirty, foul, or defiled; disgusting; nauseous.
2. Hence, loosely: Offensive; disagreeable; unpropitious; wet; drizzling; as, a nasty rain, day, sky .
3. Characterized by obcenity; indecent; indelicate; gross; filthy.
Syn. -- Nasty , Filthy , Foul , Dirty . Anything nasty is usually wet or damp as well as filthy or dirty, and disgusts by its stickness or odor; but filthy and foul imply that a thing is filled or covered with offensive matter, while dirty describes it as defiled or sullied with dirt of any kind; as, filthy clothing, foul vapors, etc.
Nasute <Xpage=964>
Na"sute (?) , a. [L. nasutus , fr. nasus the nose.] 1. Having a nice sense of smell. [Obs.]
Evelyn.
2. Critically nice; captious. [Obs.]
auden.
Nasutness <Xpage=964>
Na"sut*ness , n. Quickness of scent; hence, nice discernment; acuteness. [Obs.]
Dr. H. More.
Nat <Xpage=964>
Nat (?) , adv. Not . [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Nat <Xpage=964>
Nat [For ne at .] Not at; nor at. [Obs.]
haucer.
Natal <Xpage=964>
Na"tal (?) , a. [L. natalis , fr. natus , p.p. of nasci to be born: cf. F. natal . See Nation , and cf. Noel .] 1. Of or pertaining to one's birth; accompying or dating from one's birth; native.
Princes' children took names from their natal places. Camden.
Propitious star, whose sacred power Presided o'er the monarch's natal hour. Prior.
2. (Actrol.) Presiding over nativity; as, natal Jove .
Syn. -- Native, natural. See Native .
Natalitial, Natalitious <Xpage=964>
Na`ta*li"tial (?) , Na`ta*li"tious (?) , a. [L. natalitius , from natalis . See Natal .] Of or pertaining to one's birth or birthday, or one's nativity. [Obs.] " Natalitial poplar." Evelyn. " Natalitious fire." W. Cartwright.
Nataloin <Xpage=964>
Na*tal"o*in (?) , n. [From Natal alo es.] (Chem.) A bitter crystalline substance constituting the essential principle of Natal aloes. Cf. Aloon .
Natal plum <Xpage=964>
Na*tal" plum` (?) . (Bot.) The drupaceous fruit of two South African shrubs of the genus Arduina ( A. bispinosa and A. grandiflora ).
Natals <Xpage=964>
Na"tals (?) , n. pl. One's birth, or the circumstances attending it. [Obs.]
Fitz-Geffry.
Natant <Xpage=964>
Na"tant (?) , a. [L. natans , -antis , from swim, v. intens. fr. nare to swim: cf. F. natant .] 1. (Bot.) Floating in water, as the leaves of water lilies, or submersed, as those of many aquatic plants.
2. (Her.) Placed horizontally across the field, as if swimmimg toward the dexter side; said of all sorts of fishes except the flying fish.
Natantly <Xpage=964>
Na"tant*ly (?) , adv. In a floating manner; swimmingly.
Natation <Xpage=964>
Na*ta"tion (?) , n. [L. natatio , fr. natare to swim: cf. F. natation . See Natant .] The act of floating on the water; swimming.
Sir T. Browne.
Natatores <Xpage=964>
Na`ta*to"res (?) , n. pl. [L. natator a swimmer.] (Zo\'94l.) The swimming birds.
&hand; They were formerly united into one order, which is now considered an artifical group.
Natatorial <Xpage=964>
Na`ta*to"rial (?) , a. Inclined or adapted to swim; swimming; as, natatorial birds .
Natatorious <Xpage=964>
Na`ta*to"ri*ous (?) , a. (Zo\'94l.) Adapted for swimming; -- said of the legs of certain insects.
Natatorium <Xpage=964>
Na`ta*to"rium (?) , n. [L.] A swimming bath.
Natatory <Xpage=964>
Na"ta*to*ry (?) , a. [L. natatorius .] Adapted for swimming or floating; as, natatory organs .