The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
Chapter 1034
Nig"gard*ish , a. Somewhat niggard.
Niggardliness <Xpage=975>
Nig"gard*li*ness (?) , n. The quality or state of being niggard; meanness in giving or spending; parsimony; stinginess.
Niggardliness is not good husbandry. Addison.
Niggardly <Xpage=975>
Nig"gard*ly , a. Meanly covetous or avarcious in dealing with others; stingy; niggard.
Where the owner of the house will be bountiful, it is not for the steward to be niggardly . Bp. Hall.
Syn. -- Avarcious; covetous; parsimonious; sparing; miserly; penurios; sordid; stingy. See Avaricious .
Niggardly <Xpage=975>
Nig"gard*ly , adv. In a niggard manner.
Niggardness <Xpage=975>
Nig"gard*ness , n. Niggardliness.
Sir P. Sidney.
Niggardous <Xpage=975>
Nig"gard*ous (?) , a. Niggardly. [Obs.]
Covetous gathering and niggardous keeping. Sir T. More.
Naggardship <Xpage=975>
Nag"gard*ship , n. Niggardliness. [Obs.]
Sir T. Elyot.
Niggardy <Xpage=975>
Nig"gard*y (?) , n. Niggardliness. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
nigged <Xpage=975>
nigged (?) , n. [Prov. E. nig to clip money.] (Masonry) Hammer-dressed; -- said of building stone.
Nigger <Xpage=975>
Nig"ger (?) , n. A negro; -- in vulgar derision or depreciation.
Niggish <Xpage=975>
Nig"gish (?) , a. [See Niggard .] Niggardly. [Obs.]
Niggle <Xpage=975>
Nig"gle (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Niggled (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Niggling (?) .] [Dim. of Prov. E. nig to clip money; cf. also Prov. E. nig a small piece.] To trifle with; to deceive; to mock. [Obs.]
Beau. & Fl.
Niggle <Xpage=975>
Nig"gle , v. t. 1. To trifle or play.
Take heed, daughter, You niggle not with your conscience and religion. Massinger.
2. To act or walk mincingly. [Prov. Eng.]
3. To fret and snarl about trifles. [Prov. Eng.]
Niggler <Xpage=975>
Nig"gler (?) , n. One who niggles.
Nigh <Xpage=975>
Nigh (?) , a. [ Compar. Nigher (?) ; superl. Nighest , or Next (<?/) .] [OE. nigh , neigh , neih , AS. ne\'a0h , n<?/h ; akin to D. na , adv., OS. n\'beh , a., OHG. n\'beh , G. nah , a., nach to, after, Icel. n\'be (in comp.) nigh, Goth. n<?/hw , n<?/hwa , adv., nigh. Cf. Near , Neighbor , Next .] 1. Not distant or remote in place or time; near.
The loud tumult shows the battle nigh . Prior.
2. Not remote in degree, kindred, circumstances, etc.; closely allied; intimate. " Nigh kinsmen."
Knolles.
Ye ... are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Eph. ii. 13.
Syn. -- Near; close; adjacent; contiguous; present; neighboring.
Nigh <Xpage=975>
Nigh , adv. [AS. ne\'a0h , n<?/h . See Nigh , a. ] 1. In a situation near in place or time, or in the course of events; near.
He was sick, nigh unto death. Phil. ii. 27.
He drew not nigh unheard; the angel bright, Ere he drew nigh , his radiant visage turned. Milton.
2. Almost; nearly; as, he was nigh dead .
Nigh <Xpage=975>
Nigh , v. t. & i. To draw nigh (to); to approach; to come near. [Obs.]
Wyclif (Matt. iii. 2).
Nigh <Xpage=975>
Nigh , prep. Near to; not remote or distant from. "was not this nigh shore?"
Shak.
Nighly <Xpage=975>
Nigh"ly , adv. In a near relation in place, time, degree, etc.; within a little; almost. [Obs.]
A cube and a sphere ... nighly of the same bigness. Locke.
Nighness <Xpage=975>
Nigh"ness , n. The quality or state of being nigh. [R.] " Nighness of blood."
Holished.
Night <Xpage=975>
Night (?) , n. [OE. night , niht , AS. neaht , niht ; akin to D. nacht , OS. & OHG. naht , G. nacht , Icel. n<?/tt , Sw. natt , Dan. nat , Goth. nachts, Lith. naktis , Russ. noche , W. nos , Ir. nochd , L. nox , noctis , gr. <?/, <?/, Skr. nakta , nakti . &root; 265. Cf. Equinox , Nocturnal .] 1. That part of the natural day when the sun is beneath the horizon, or the time from sunset to sunrise; esp., the time between dusk and dawn, when there is no light of the sun, but only moonlight, starlight, or artificial light.
And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night . Gen. i. 5.
2. Hence: (a) Darkness; obscurity; concealment.
Nature and nature's laws lay hid in night . Pope.
(b) Intellectual and moral darkness; ignorance . (c) A state of affliction; adversity; as, a dreary night of sorrow . (d) The period after the close of life; death .
She closed her eyes in everlasting night . Dryden.
(e) A lifeless or unenlivened period, as when nature seems to sleep. "Sad winter's night ".
Spenser.
&hand; Night is sometimes used, esp. with participles, in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, night -blooming, night -born, night -warbling, etc.
Night by night , Night after night , nightly; many nights.
So help me God, as I have watched the night, Ay, night by night , in studying good for England. Shak.
-- Night bird . (Zo\'94l.) (a) The moor hen ( Gallinula chloropus ). (b) The Manx shearwater ( Puffinus Anglorum ). -- Night blindness . (Med.) See Hemeralopia . -- Night cart , a cart used to remove the contents of privies by night. -- Night churr , (Zo\'94l.) , the nightjar. -- Night crow , a bird that cries in the night. -- Night dog , a dog that hunts in the night, -- used by poachers. -- Night fire . (a) Fire burning in the night. (b) Ignis fatuus; Will-o'-the-wisp; Jask-with-a-lantern . -- Night flyer (Zo\'94l.) , any creature that flies in the night, as some birds and insects. -- night glass , a spyglass constructed to concentrate a large amount of light, so as see objects distinctly at night. Totten. -- Night green , iodine green. -- Night hag , a witch supposed to wander in the night. -- Night hawk (Zo\'94l.) , an American bird ( Chordeiles Virginianus ), allied to the goatsucker. It hunts the insects on which it feeds toward evening, on the wing, and often, diving down perpendicularly, produces a loud whirring sound, like that of a spinning wheel. Also sometimes applied to the European goatsuckers. It is called also bull bat . -- Night heron ( Zo\'94l .), any one of several species of herons of the genus Nycticorax , found in various parts of the world. The best known species is Nycticorax griseus , or N. nycticorax , of Europe, and the American variety (var. n\'91vius ). The yellow-crowned night heron ( Nycticorax violaceus ) inhabits the Southern States. Called also qua-bird , and squawk . -- Night house , a public house, or inn, which is open at night. -- Night key , a key for unfastening a night latch. -- Night latch , a kind of latch for a door, which is operated from the outside by a key. -- Night monkey (Zo\'94l.) , an owl monkey. -- night moth (Zo\'94l.) , any one of the noctuids. -- Night parrot (Zo\'94l.) , the kakapo. -- Night piece , a painting representing some night scene, as a moonlight effect, or the like. -- Night rail , a loose robe, or garment, worn either as a nightgown, or over the dress at night, or in sickness. [Obs.] -- Night raven (Zo\'94l.) , a bird of ill omen that cries in the night; esp., the bittern. -- Night rule . (a) A tumult, or frolic, in the night; -- as if a corruption, of night revel . [Obs.] (b) Such conduct as generally rules, or prevails, at night.
What night rule now about this haunted grove? Shak.
-- Night sight . (Med.) See Nyctolopia . -- Night snap , a night thief. [Cant]
Beau. & Fl.
-- Night soil , human excrement; -- so called because in cities it is collected by night and carried away for manure. -- Night spell , a charm against accidents at night. -- Night swallow (Zo\'94l.) , the nightjar. -- Night walk , a walk in the evening or night. -- Night walker . (a) One who walks in his sleep; a somnambulist; a noctambulist. (b) One who roves about in the night for evil purposes; specifically, a prostitute who walks the streets . -- Night walking . (a) Walking in one's sleep; somnambulism; noctambulism. (b) Walking the streets at night with evil designs . -- Night warbler (Zo\'94l.) , the sedge warbler ( Acrocephalus phragmitis ); -- called also night singer . [prov. Eng.] -- Night watch . (a) A period in the night, as distinguished by the change of watch. (b) A watch, or guard, to aford protection in the night . -- Night watcher , one who watches in the night; especially, one who watches with evil designs. -- Night witch . Same as Night hag , above.
Night-blooming <Xpage=975>
Night"-bloom`ing (?) , a. Blooming in the night.
Night-blooming cereus . (Bot.) See Note under Cereus .
Nightcap <Xpage=975>
Night"cap` (?) , n. 1. A cap worn in bed to protect the head, or in undress.
2. A potion of spirit drank at bedtime. [Cant]
Wright.
Nightdress <Xpage=975>
Night"dress` (?) , n. A nightgown.
Nighted <Xpage=975>
Night"ed , a. 1. Darkness; clouded. [R.]
Shak.
2. Overtaken by night; belated.
Beau. & Fl.
Nightertale <Xpage=975>
Night"er*tale (?) , n. [Cf. Icel. n\'bettarpel .] period of night; nighttime. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Night-eyed <Xpage=975>
Night"-eyed` (?) , a. Capable of seeing at night; sharp-eyed. "Your night-eyed Tiberius."
B. Jonson.
Nightfall <Xpage=975>
Night"fall` (?) , n. The close of the day.
Swift.
Night-faring <Xpage=975>
Night"-far`ing (?) , a. Going or traveling in the night.
Gay.
Nightgown <Xpage=975>
Night"gown` (?) , n. A loose gown used for undress; also, a gown used for a sleeping garnment.
Nightingale <Xpage=975>
Night"in*gale (?) , n. [OE. nihtegale , nightingale , AS. nihtegale ; niht night + galan to sing, akin to E. yell ; cf. D. nachtegaal , OS. nahtigala , OHG. nahtigala , G. nachtigall , Sw. n\'84ktergal , Dan. nattergal . See Night , and Yell .] 1. (Zo\'94l.) A small, plain, brown and gray European song bird ( Luscinia luscinia ). It sings at night, and is celebrated for the sweetness of its song.
2. (Zo\'94l.) A larger species ( Lucinia philomela ), of Eastern Europe, having similar habits; the thrush nightingale. The name is also applied to other allied species.
Mock nightingale . (Zo\'94l.) See Blackcap , n. , 1 (a) .
Nightish <Xpage=975>
Night"ish , a. Of or pertaining to night.
Nightjar <Xpage=975>
Night"jar` (?) , n. A goatsucker, esp. the European species. See Illust . of Goatsucker .
Nightless <Xpage=975>
Night"less , a. Having no night.
Nightlong <Xpage=975>
Night"long` (?; 115) , a. Lasting all night.
Nightly <Xpage=975>
Night"ly , a. Of or pertaining to the night, or to every night; happening or done by night, or every night; as, nightly shades; he kept nightly vigils.
Nightly <Xpage=975>
Night"ly , adv. At night; every night.
Nightman <Xpage=975>
Night"man (?) , n. ; pl. Nightmen (<?/) . One whose business is emptying privies by night.
<page="976"> Page 976
Nightmare <Xpage=976>
Night"mare` (?) , n. [ Night + mare incubus. See Mare incubus.] 1. A fiend or incubus formerly supposed to cause trouble in sleep.
2. A condition in sleep usually caused by improper eating or by digestive or nervous troubles, and characterized by a sense of extreme uneasiness or discomfort (as of weight on the chest or stomach, impossibility of motion or speech, etc.), or by frightful or oppressive dreams, from which one wakes after extreme anxiety, in a troubled state of mind; incubus.
Dunglison.
3. Hence, any overwhelming, oppressive, or stupefying influence.
Nightshade <Xpage=976>
Night"shade` (?) , n. [AS. nichtscadu .] (Bot.) A common name of many species of the genus Solanum , given esp. to the Solanum nigrum , or black nightshade, a low, branching weed with small white flowers and black berries reputed to be poisonous.
Deadly nightshade . Same as Belladonna (a) . -- Enchanter's nightshade . See under Enchanter . -- Stinking nightshade . See Henbane . -- Three-leaved nightshade . See Trillium .
Nightshirt <Xpage=976>
Night"shirt` (?) , n. A kind of nightgown for men.
Nighttime <Xpage=976>
Night"time` (?) , n. The time from dusk to dawn; -- opposed to daytime .
Nightward <Xpage=976>
Night"ward (?) , a. Approaching toward night.
Nigraniline <Xpage=976>
Ni*gran"i*line (? ∨ ?) , n. [L. niger black + E. aniline .] (Chem.) The complex, nitrogenous, organic base and dyestuff called also aniline black .
Nigrescent <Xpage=976>
Ni*gres"cent (?) , a. [L. nigrescens , p.pr. of nigrescere to grow black, fr. niger black. See Negro .] Growing black; changing to a black color; approaching to blackness.
Johnson.
Nigrification <Xpage=976>
Nig`ri*fi*ca"tion (?) , n. [L. nigrificare to blacken; niger black + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See -fy .] The act or process of making black. [R.]
Johnson.
Nigrine <Xpage=976>
Ni"grine (?) , n. [L. niger black: cf. F. nigrine .] (Min.) A ferruginous variety of rutile.
Nigritude <Xpage=976>
Nig"ri*tude (?) , n. [L. nigritudo , fr. niger black.] Blackness; the state of being black.
Lamb.
Nigromancie <Xpage=976>
Nig"ro*man`cie (?) , n. Necromancy. [Obs.]
Nigromancien <Xpage=976>
Nig"ro*man`cien (?) , n. A necromancer. [Obs.]
These false enchanters or nigromanciens . Chaucer.
Nigrosine <Xpage=976>
Ni"gro*sine (? ∨ ?) , n. [From L. niger black.] (Chem.) A dark blue dyestuff, of the induline group; -- called also azodiphenyl blue .
Nigua <Xpage=976>
Ni"gua (?) , n. [Sp.] (Zo\'94l.) The chigoe.
Nihil <Xpage=976>
Ni"hil (?) , n. [L.] Nothing.
Nihil album [L., white nothing] (Chem.) , oxide of zinc. See under Zinc . -- Nihil debet [L., he owes nothing] (Law) , the general issue in certain actions of debt. -- Nihil dicit [L., he says nothing] (Law) , a declinature by the defendant to plead or answer.
Tomlins.
Nihilism <Xpage=976>
Ni"hil*ism (?) , n. [L. nihil nothing: cf. F. nihilisme . See Annihilate .] 1. Nothingness; nihility.
2. The doctrine that nothing can be known; scepticism as to all knowledge and all reality.
3. (Politics) The theories and practices of the Nihilists.
Nihilist <Xpage=976>
Ni"hil*ist , n. [Cf. F. nihiliste . See Nihilism .] 1. One who advocates the doctrine of nihilism; one who believes or teaches that nothing can be known, or asserted to exist.
2. (Politics) A member of a secret association (esp. in Russia), which is devoted to the destruction of the present political, religious, and social institutions.
Nihilistic <Xpage=976>
Ni`hil*is"tic (?) , a. Of, pertaining to, or characterized by, nihilism.
Nihility <Xpage=976>
Ni*hil"i*ty (?) , n. [Cf. F. nihilit\'82 . See Nihilism .] Nothingness; a state of being nothing.
Nil <Xpage=976>
Nil (?) . [See Nill , v. t. ] Will not. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Nil <Xpage=976>
Nil , n. & a. [L., a contr. of nihil .] Nothing; of no account; worthless; -- a term often used for canceling, in accounts or bookkeeping.
A. J. Ellis.
<-- (computers) A special value used in certain computer languages to mean "no value", to be distinguished from the value zero. -->
Nile <Xpage=976>
Nile (?) , n. [L. Nilus , gr. <?/.] The great river of Egypt.
Nile bird . (Zo\'94l.) (a) The wryneck . [Prov. Eng.] (b) The crocodile bird. -- Nile goose (Zo\'94l.) , the Egyptian goose. See Note under Goose , 2.
Nilgau <Xpage=976>
Nil"gau (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) see Nylghau .
Nill <Xpage=976>
Nill (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Nilled (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Nilling .] [AS. nilan , nyllan ; ne not + willan to will. See No , and Will .] Not to will; to refuse; to reject. [Obs.]
Certes, said he, I nill thine offered grace. Spenser.
Nill <Xpage=976>
Nill , v. i. To be unwilling; to refuse to act.
The actions of the will are "velle" and "nolle," to will and nill . Burton.
Will he, nill he , whether he wills it or not. <-- contracted to willy-nilly -->
Nill <Xpage=976>
Nill , n. [Cf. Ir. & Gael. neul star, light. Cf. Nebula .] 1. Shining sparks thrown off from melted brass.
2. Scales of hot iron from the forge.
Knight.
Nilometer <Xpage=976>
Ni*lom"e*ter (?) , n. [Gr. <?/; <?/ the Nile + <?/ measure: cf. F. nilom\'8atre .] An instrument for measuring the rise of water in the Nile during its periodical flood.
Niloscope <Xpage=976>
Ni"lo*scope (?) , n. [Gr. <?/; <?/ the Nile + <?/ to observe.] A Nilometer.
Nilotic <Xpage=976>