# Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary 1908/Nickname Nyula

fāte, fär; mē, hėr; mīne; mōte; mūte; mōōn; then.
Nickname, nik′nām, n. a name given in contempt or sportive familiarity.—v.t. to give a nickname to. [M. E. neke-name, with intrusive initial n from eke-name, surname; from eke and name.]
Nicotine, nik′o-tin, n. a poisonous, volatile, alkaloid base, obtained from tobacco.—adj. Nicō′tian, pertaining to tobacco, from Jean Nicot (1530-1600), the benefactor who introduced it into France in 1560.—n. a smoker of tobacco.—n.pl. Nicotiā′na, the literature of tobacco.—n. Nic′otinism, a morbid state induced by excessive misuse of tobacco.
Nictate, nik′tāt, v.i. to wink—also Nic′titate.—ns. Nic′tātion, Nictitā′tion.—Nictitating membrane, a thin movable membrane covering the eyes of birds. [L. nictāre, -ātum.]
Nidder, nid′ėr, v.t. (Scot.) to keep under: to pinch with cold or hunger: to molest.
Niddle-noddle, nid′l-nod′l, adj. vacillating.—v.i. to wag the head.
Niderling, nid′ėr-ling, n. a wicked fellow—also Nid′ering, Nith′ing.—n. Nidd′ering, a noodle.
Nidge, nij, v.t. to dress the face of (a stone) with a sharp-pointed hammer.
Nidging, nij′ing, adj. trifling.—n. Nidg′et, a fool.
Nidification, nid-i-fi-kā′shun, n. the act or art of building a nest, and the hatching and rearing of the young.—adj. Nidament′al, pertaining to nests or what protects eggs.—n. Nidament′um, an egg-case.—vs.i. Nid′ificate, Nid′ify.—adjs. Nid′ulant, Nid′ulate, lying free in a cup-shaped body, or in pulp.—n. Nidulā′tion, nest-building. [L. nidus, a nest, facĕre, to make.]
Nidor, nī′dor, n. odour, esp. of cooked food.—adjs. Nī′dorose, Nī′dorous, Nī′dose. [L.]
Nidus, nī′dus, n. a place, esp. in an animal body, in which a germ lodges and begins to develop. [L.]
Niece, nēs, n. (fem. of Nephew) the daughter of a brother or sister: (orig.) a granddaughter. [O. Fr.,—Low L. nepta—L. neptis, a granddaughter, niece.]
Niello, ni-el′lo, n. a method of ornamenting silver or gold plates by engraving the surface, and filling up the lines with a black composition, to give clearness and effect to the incised design: a work produced by this method: an impression taken from the engraved surface before the incised lines have been filled up: the compound used in niello-work.—v.t. to decorate with niello.—n. Niell′ure, the process, also the work done. [It. niello—Low L. nigellum, a black enamel—L. nigellus, dim. of niger, black.]
Niersteiner, nēr′stī-ner, n. a variety of Rhine wine, named from Nierstein, near Mainz.
Niffer, nif′ėr, v.t. (Scot.) to barter.—n. an exchange.
Niffle, nif′l, v.t. (prov.) to pilfer.—n. Niff′naff, a trifle.—adj. Niff′naffy, fastidious.
Niflheim, nifl′hīm, n. (Scand. myth.) a region of mist, ruled over by Hel.
Nifty, nif′ti, adj. (slang) stylish.
Nigella, nī-jel′a, n. a genus of ranunculaceous plants, with finely dissected leaves, and whitish, blue, or yellow flowers, often almost concealed by their leafy involucres—Nigella damascena, called Love-in-a-mist, Devil-in-a-bush, and Ragged Lady.
Niggard, nig′ard, n. a person who is unwilling to spend or give away: a miser.—adjs. Nigg′ard, Nigg′ardly, having the qualities of a niggard: miserly; Nigg′ardish, rather niggardly.—n. Nigg′ardliness, meanness in giving or spending—(Spens.) Nigg′ardise.—adv. Nigg′ardly. [Ice. hnöggr, stingy; Ger. genau, close.]
Nigger, nig′ėr, n. a black man, a negro: a native of the East Indies or one of the Australian aborigines: a black caterpillar: a Cornish holothurian.—v.t. to exhaust soil by cropping it year by year without manure.—n. Nigg′erdom, niggers collectively.—adjs. Nigg′erish, Nigg′ery.—ns. Nigg′er-kill′er, a scorpion; Nigg′erling, a little nigger.
Niggle, nig′l, v.i. to trifle, busy one's self with petty matters: to cramp.—v.t. to fill with excessive detail: to befool.—n. small cramped handwriting.—ns. Nigg′ler, one who trifles; Nigg′ling, fussiness, finicking work.—adj. mean: fussy. [Freq. of nig, which may be a variant of nick.]
Nigh, nī, adj. near: not distant in place or time: not far off in degree, kindred, &c.: close.—adv. nearly: almost.—prep. near to: not distant from.—adv. Nigh′ly, nearly: within a little.—n. Nigh′ness, the state or quality of being nigh: nearness. [A.S. néah, néh; Dut. na, Ger. nahe.]
Night, nīt, n. the end of the day: the time from sunset to sunrise: darkness: ignorance, affliction, or sorrow: death.—ns. Night′-bell, a bell for use at night—of a physician, &c.; Night′-bird, a bird that flies only at night, esp. the owl: the nightingale, as singing at night; Night′-blind′ness, inability to see in a dim light, nyctalopia; Night′-brawl′er, one who raises disturbances in the night; Night′cap, a cap worn at night in bed (so Night′dress, -shirt, &c.): a dram taken before going to bed: a cap drawn over the face before hanging; Night′-cart, a cart used to remove the contents of privies before daylight; Night′-chair, a night-stool; Night′-churr, or -jar, the British species of goat-sucker, so called from the sound of its cry.—n.pl. Night′-clothes, garments worn in bed.—ns. Night′-crow, a bird that cries in the night; Night′-dog (Shak.), a dog that hunts in the night.—adj. Night′ed, benighted: (Shak.) darkened, clouded.—ns. Night′fall, the fall or beginning of the night: the close of the day: evening; Night′faring, travelling by night; Night′fire, a fire burning in the night: a will-o'-the-wisp; Night′-fish′ery, a mode of fishing by night, or a place where this is done; Night′-fly, a moth that flies at night; Night′-foe, one who makes his attack by night; Night′-foss′icker, one who robs a digging by night.—adj. Night′-foun′dered, lost in the night.—ns. Night′-fowl, a night-bird; Night′-glass, a spy-glass with concentrating lenses for use at night; Night′-gown, a long loose robe for sleeping in, for men or women; a loose gown for wearing in the house; Night′-hag, a witch supposed to be abroad at night; Night′-hawk, a species of migratory goat-sucker, common in America; Night′-her′on, a heron of nocturnal habit; Night′-house, a tavern allowed to be open during the night; Night′-hunt′er, a degraded woman who prowls about the streets at night for her prey; Night′-lamp, or -light, a light left burning all night.—adj. Night′less, having no night.—n. Night′-line, a fishing-line set overnight.—adj. and adv. Night′long, lasting all night.—adj. Night′ly, done by night: done every night.—adv. by night: every night.—ns. Night′-man, a night-watchman or scavenger; Night′-owl, an owl of exclusively nocturnal habits: one who sits up very late; Night′-pal′sy, a numbness of the lower limbs, incidental to women; Night′piece, a picture or literary description of a night-scene: a painting to be seen best by artificial light; Night′-por′ter, a porter in attendance during the night at hotels, railway stations, &c.; Night′-rail, a night-gown: a 17th-century form of head-dress; Night′-rav′en (Shak.), a bird that cries at night, supposed to be of ill-omen; Night′-rest, the repose of the night; Night′-rule (Shak.), a frolic at night.—adv. Nights (obs.), by night.—ns. Night′-school, a school held at night, esp. for those at work during the day; Night′-sea′son, the time of night; Night′shade, a name of several plants of the genus Solanum, having narcotic properties, often found in damp shady woods; Night′-shriek, a cry in the night; Night′-side, the dark, mysterious, or gloomy side of anything; Night′-sing′er, any bird like the nightingale, esp. the Irish sedge-warbler; Night′-soil, the contents of privies, cesspools, &c., generally carried away at night; Night′-spell, a charm against accidents by night; Night′-steed, one of the horses in the chariot of Night; Night′-stool, a close-stool for use in a bedroom; Night′-tā′per, a night-light burning slowly.—n.pl. Night′-terr′ors, the sudden starting from sleep of children in a state of fright.—p.adj. Night′-trip′ping (Shak.), tripping about in the night.—ns. Night′-wak′ing, watching in the night; Night′-walk, a walk in the night; Night′-walk′er, one who walks in his sleep at night, a somnambulist: one who walks about at night for bad purposes, esp. a prostitute; Night′-walk′ing, walking in one's sleep, somnambulism: roving about at night with evil designs; Night′-wan′derer, one who wanders by night.—adjs. Night′-war′bling, singing in the night; Night′ward, toward night.—ns. Night′-watch, a watch or guard at night: time of watch in the night; Night′-watch′man, one who acts as a watch during the night; Night′-work, work done at night. [A.S. niht; Ger. nacht, L. nox.]
Nightingale, nīt′in-gāl, n. a small sylviine bird, of the Passerine family, widely distributed in the Old World, celebrated for the rich love-song of the male heard chiefly at night. [A.S. nihtegale—niht, night, galan, to sing; Ger. nachtigall.]
Nightingale, nīt′in-gāl, n. a kind of flannel scarf with sleeves, worn by invalids when sitting up in bed. [From the famous Crimean hospital nurse, Florence Nightingale, born 1820.]
Nightmare, nīt′mār, n. a dreadful dream accompanied with pressure on the breast, and a feeling of powerlessness to move or speak—personified as an incubus or evil-spirit.—adj. Night′marish. [A.S. niht, night, mara, a nightmare; cf. Old High Ger. mara, incubus, Ice. mara, nightmare.]
Nigrescent, nī-gres′ent, adj. growing black or dark: approaching to blackness.—n. Nigresc′ence. [L., nigrescĕre, to grow black—niger, black.]
Nigrite, nig′rīt, n. an insulating composition consisting of the impure residuum obtained in the distillation of paraffin. [L. niger, black.]
Nigritian, ni-grish′an, adj. pertaining to Nigritia, Upper Guinea, Senegambia, and the Soudan region generally, the home of the true negroes.—n. a native of this region, a negro.
Nigritude, nig′ri-tūd, n. blackness. [L. nigritudo—niger, black.]
Nigrosine, nig′rō-sin, n. a coal-tar colour prepared from the hydrochloride of violaniline. [L. niger, black.]
Nihil, nī′hil, n. nothing.—ns. Nī′hilism, belief in nothing, extreme scepticism: in Russia, a revolutionary socialistic movement aiming at the overturn of all the existing institutions of society in order to build it up anew on different principles; Nī′hilist, one who professes Nihilism.—adj. Nihilist′ic.—ns. Nihil′ity, nothingness; Nil, nothing. [L.]
Nike, nī′kē, n. the goddess of victory. [Gr.]
Nilgau. See Nyl-ghau.
Nill, nil, v.t. (Spens.) to refuse, to reject.—v.i. to be unwilling. [A.S. nillan—ne, not, willan, to will.]
Nilometer, nī-lom′e-tėr, n. a gauge for measuring the height of water in the river Nile: any river-gauge—also Nī′loscope.—adj. Nilot′ic.
Nim, nim, v.t. to steal, pilfer. [A.S. niman, to take.]
Nimble, nim′bl, adj. light and quick in motion: active: swift.—adjs. Nim′ble-fing′ered, skilful with the fingers, thievish; Nim′ble-foot′ed, swift of foot.—ns. Nim′bleness, Nim′bless (Spens.), quickness of motion either in body or mind.—adj. Nim′ble-wit′ted, quick-witted.—adv. Nim′bly. [M. E. nimel—A.S. niman, to catch; cf. Ger. nehmen.]
Nimbus, nim′bus, n. the raincloud: (paint.) the disc or halo, generally circular or semicircular, which encircles the head of the sacred person represented.—adj. Nimbif′erous, bringing clouds. [L.]
Nimiety, ni-mī′e-ti, n. (rare) state of being too much. [L. nimietas—nimis, too much.]
Niminy-piminy, nim′i-ni-pim′i-ni, adj. affectedly fine or delicate.—n. affected delicacy. [Imit.]
Nimrod, nim′rod, n. the founder of Babel (see Gen. x. 8-10): any great hunter.
Nincompoop, nin′kom-poop, n. a simpleton. [Corr. of L. non compos (mentis), not of sound mind.]
Nine, nīn, adj. and n. eight and one.—n. Nine′-eyes, a popular name for the young lampreys found in rivers.—adj. Nine′fold, nine times folded or repeated.—ns. Nine′holes, a game in which a ball is to be bowled into nine holes in the ground or a board; Nine′pins, a game at bowls, a form of skittles, so called from nine pins being set up to be knocked down by a ball.—adj. Nine′-score, nine times twenty.—n. the number of nine times twenty.—adj. and n. Nine′teen, nine and ten.—adj. Nine′teenth, the ninth after the tenth: being one of nineteen equal parts.—n. a nineteenth part.—adj. Nine′tieth, the last of ninety: next after the eighty-ninth.—n. a ninetieth part.—adj. and n. Nine′ty, nine tens.—adj. Ninth, the last of nine: next after the eighth.—n. one of nine equal parts.—adv. Ninth′ly, in the ninth place.—Nine days' wonder (see Wonder); Nine men's morris (see Morris); Nine worthies, Hector, Alexander the Great, Julius Cæsar, Joshua, David, Judas Maccabæus, Arthur, Charlemagne, Godfrey of Bouillon; The nine, the nine muses (see Muse); To the nines, to perfection, fully, elaborately. [A.S. nigon; Dut. negen, L. novem, Gr. ennea, Sans. navan.]
Ninny, nin′i, n. a simpleton.—Also Ninn′y-hamm′er. [It. ninno, child; Sp. niño, infant.]
Niobe, nī′o-bē, n. daughter of Tantalus, and wife of Amphion, king of Thebes. Proud of her many children, she gloried over Latona, who had but two, Artemis and Apollo. But these killed them all, on which the weeping mother was turned into stone by Zeus.—adj. Niobē′an.
Niobium, nī-ō′bi-um, n. a rare metal, steel-gray in colour, discovered in the mineral Tantalite—sometimes called Columbium.
Nip, nip, n. a sip, esp. of spirits—also Nip′per (U.S.).—v.i. to take a dram.—n. Nip′perkin, a small measure of liquor. [Dut. nippen, to sip.]
Nip, nip, v.t. to pinch: to press between two surfaces: to cut off the edge: to check the growth or vigour of: to destroy: to bite, sting, satirise:—pr.p. nip′ping; pa.t. and pa.p. nipped.—n. a pinch: a seizing or closing in upon: a cutting off the end: a blast: destruction by frost: (min.) a more or less gradual thinning out of a stratum: (naut.) a short turn in a rope, the part of a rope at the place bound by the seizing or caught by jambing.—ns. Nip′-cheese, a stingy fellow: (naut.) the purser's steward; Nip′per, he who, or that which, nips: one of various tools or implements like pincers: one of a pair of automatically locking handcuffs: a chela or great claw, as of a crab: the young bluefish: a boy who attends on navvies: (obs.) a thief: one of the four fore-teeth of a horse: (pl.) small pincers.—v.t. to seize (two ropes) together.—adv. Nip′pingly.—Nip in the bud, to cut off in the earliest stage. [From root of knife; Dut. knijpen, Ger. kneipen, to pinch.]
Nipperty-tipperty, nip′ėr-ti-tip′ėr-ti, adj. (Scot.) silly, frivolous.
Nipple, nip′l, n. the pap by which milk is drawn from the breasts of females: a teat: a small projection with an orifice, as the nipple of a gun.—v.t. to furnish with a nipple.—ns. Nipp′le-shield, a defence for the nipple worn by nursing women; Nipp′le-wort, a small, yellow-flowered plant of remedial use. [A dim. of neb or nib.]
Nippy, nip′i, adj. (Scot.) sharp in taste: curt: parsimonious.
Nipter, nip′tėr, n. the ecclesiastical ceremony of washing the feet—the same as maundy. [Gr. niptēr, a basin—niptein, to wash.]
Nirles, Nirls, nirlz, n. herpes.
Nirvana, nir-vä′na, n. the cessation of individual existence—the state to which a Buddhist aspires as the best attainable. [Sans., 'a blowing out.']
Nis, nis (Spens.), is not. [A contr. of ne is.]
Nis, nis, n. a hobgoblin. [Same as Nix.]
Nisan, nī′san, n. the name given after the Captivity to the Jewish month Abib. [Heb.]
Nisi, nī′sī, conj. unless, placed after the words 'decree' or 'rule,' to indicate that the decree or rule will be made absolute unless, after a time, some condition referred to be fulfilled.—Nisi prius, the name usually given in England to the sittings of juries in civil cases—from the first two words of the old Latin writ summoning the juries to appear at Westminster unless, before the day appointed, the judges shall have come to the county.
Nisus, nī′sus, n. effort, attempt.—Nisus formativus (biol.), formative effort. [L.]
Nit, nit, n. the egg of a louse or other small insect.—adj. Nit′ty, full of nits. [A.S. hnitu; Ger. niss.]
Nithing, nī′thing, adj. wicked, mean.—n. a wicked man. [A.S. níthing; Ger. neiding.]
Nithsdale, niths′dāl, n. a hood which can be drawn over the face. [From the Jacobite Earl of Nithsdale who escaped from the Tower in women's clothes brought in by his wife, in 1716.]
Nitid, nit′id, adj. shining: gay.—n. Nī′tency, brightness. [L. nitidus—nitēre, to shine.]
Nitre, nī′tėr, n. the nitrate of potash—also called Saltpetre.—n. Nī′trāte, a salt of nitric acid.—adjs. Nī′trāted, combined with nitric acid; Nī′tric, pertaining to, formed from, or containing or resembling nitre.—n. Nī′tric ac′id, an acid got by distilling a mixture of sulphuric acid and nitrate of sodium—it acts powerfully on metals, and is known by the name of Aqua-fortis.—adj. Nitrif′erous, nitre-bearing.—n. Nitrificā′tion.—v.t. Nī′trify, to convert into nitre.—v.i. to become nitre:—pr.p. nī′trifying; pa.t. and pa.p. nī′trified.—ns. Nī′trite, a salt of nitrous acid; Nī′tro-ben′zol, a yellow oily fluid, obtained by treating benzol with warm fuming nitric acid—used in perfumery and known as Essence of mirbane; Nī′tro-glyc′erine, a powerfully explosive compound produced by the action of nitric and sulphuric acids on glycerine—sometimes used in minute doses as a medicine.—adjs. Nitrose′, Nī′trous, resembling, or containing, nitre.—n. Nī′trous ox′ide, a combination of oxygen and nitrogen, called also Laughing gas, which causes, when breathed, insensibility to pain.—adj. Nī′try, of or producing nitre.—Cubic nitre, nitrate of soda, so called because it crystallises in cubes. [Fr.,—L. nitrum—Gr. nitron, natron, potash, soda—Ar. nitrún, natrún.]
Nitrogen, nī′tro-jen, n. a gas forming nearly four-fifths of common air, a necessary constituent of every organised body, so called from its being an essential constituent of nitre.—adjs. Nitrogen′ic, Nitrog′enous.—v.t. Nitrog′enise, to impregnate with nitrogen.—n. Nitrom′eter, an apparatus for estimating nitrogen in some of its combinations. [Gr. nitron, and gennaein, to generate.]
Nitter, nit′ėr, n. a bot-fly, the horse-bot.
Nittings, nit′ingz, n.pl. small particles of coal or refuse of any ore.
Nival, nī′val, adj. snowy, growing among snow.—adj. Niv′eous, snowy, white.—n. Nivôse (nē-vōz′), the 4th month of the French revolutionary calendar, Dec. 21-Jan. 19. [L. niveus—nix, nivis, snow.]
Nix, niks, n. (Teut. myth.) a water-spirit, mostly malignant.—Also Nix′ie, Nix′y. [Ger. nix; cf. Nicker.]
Nix, niks, n. nothing: (U.S.) in the postal service, anything unmailable because addressed to places which are not post-offices or to post-offices not existing in the States, &c., indicated in the address—usually in pl. [Ger. nichts, nothing.]
Nix, niks, interj. a roughs' street-cry of warning at the policeman, &c.
Nizam, ni-zam′, n. the title of the sovereign of Hyderabad in India, first used in 1713: sing. and pl. the Turkish regulars, or one of them. [Hind., contr. of Nizam-ul-Mulk=Regulator of the state.]
No, nō, adv. the word of refusal or denial: not at all: never: not so: not.—n. a denial: a vote against or in the negative:—pl. Noes (nōz).—adj. not any: not one: none.—advs. Nō′way, in no way, manner, or degree—also Nō′ways; Nō′wise, in no way, manner, or degree.—No account, worthless; No doubt, surely; No go (see Go); No joke, not a trifling matter. [A.S. ná, compounded of ne, not, and á ever; nay, the neg. of aye, is Scand.]
Noachian, nō-ā′ki-an, adj. pertaining to the patriarch Noah, or to his time—also Noach′ic.—Noah's ark, a child's toy in imitation of the ark of Noah and its inhabitants.
Nob, nob, n. the head: a knobstick.—One for his nob, a blow on the head in boxing: a point at cribbage by holding the knave of trumps. [Knob.]
Nob, nob, n. a superior sort of person.—adv. Nob′bily.—adj. Nob′by, smart, fashionable: good, capital. [A contr. of nobleman.]
Nobble, nob′l, v.t. (slang) to get hold of dishonestly, to steal: to baffle or circumvent dexterously: to injure, destroy the chances of, as a racer.—n. Nobb′ler, a finishing-stroke: a thimble-rigger's confederate: a dram of spirits.
Nobility, no-bil′i-ti, n. the quality of being noble: high rank: dignity: excellence: greatness of mind or character: antiquity of family: descent from noble ancestors: the persons holding the rank of nobles.—adj. Nobil′iary, pertaining to the nobility.—v.t. Nobil′itate, to ennoble.—n. Nobilitā′tion.
Noble, nō′bl, adj. illustrious: high in rank or character: of high birth: magnificent: generous: excellent.—n. a person of exalted rank: a peer: an obsolete gold coin=6s. 8d. sterling.—n. Nō′bleman, a man who is noble or of rank: a peer: one above a commoner.—adj. Nō′ble-mind′ed, having a noble mind.—ns. Nōble-mind′edness; Nō′bleness, the quality of being noble: excellence in quality: dignity: greatness by birth or character: ingenuousness: worth; Nobless′, Noblesse′ (Spens.), nobility: greatness: the nobility collectively; Nō′blewoman, the fem. of Nobleman.—adv. Nō′bly.—Noble art, boxing; Noble metals (see Metal).—Most noble, the style of a duke. [Fr.,—L. nobilis, obs. gnobilis—noscĕre (gnoscĕre), to know.]
Nobody, nō′bod-i, n. no body or person: no one: a person of no account, one not in fashionable society.
Nocake, nō′kāk, n. meal made of parched corn, once much used by North American Indians on the march. [Amer. Ind. nookik, meal.]
Nocent, nō′sent, adj. (obs.) hurtful: guilty.—n. one who is hurtful or guilty.—adv. Nō′cently. [L. nocēre, to hurt.]
Nock, nok, n. the forward upper end of a sail that sets with a boom: a notch, esp. that on the butt-end of an arrow for the string. [Cf. Notch.]
Noctambulation, nok-tam-bū-lā′shun, n. walking in sleep.—ns. Noctam′bulism, sleep-walking; Noctam′bulist, one who walks in his sleep. [L. nox, noctis, night, ambulāre, -ātum, to walk.]
Noctilio, nok-til′i-ō, n. a genus of American bats.
Noctiluca, nok-ti-lū′ka, n. a phosphorescent marine Infusorian, abundant around the British coasts, one of the chief causes of the phosphorescence of the waves.—adjs. Noctilū′cent, Noctilū′cid, Noctilū′cous, shining in the dark. [L. nox, noctis, night, lucēre, to shine.]
Noctivagant, nok-tiv′a-gant, adj. wandering in the night.—n. Noctivagā′tion.—adj. Noctiv′agous. [L. nox, noctis, night, vagāri, to wander.]
Noctograph, nok′to-graf, n. a writing-frame for the blind: an instrument for recording the presence of a night-watchman on his beat.—n. Nocturn′ograph, an instrument for recording work done in factories, &c., during the night. [L. nox, Gr. graphein, to write.]
Noctua, nok′tū-a, n. a generic name variously used—giving name to the Noctū′idæ, a large family of nocturnal lepidopterous insects, strong-bodied moths.—n. Noc′tuid.—adjs. Noctū′idous; Noc′tuiform; Noc′tuoid.
Noctuary, nok′tū-ā-ri, n. an account kept of the events or thoughts of night.
Noctule, nok′tūl, n. a vespertilionine bat. [Fr.,—L. nox, noctis, night.]
Nocturn, nok′turn, n. in the early church, a service of psalms and prayers at midnight or at daybreak: a portion of the psalter used at nocturns. [Fr. nocturne—L. nocturnus—nox, noctis, night.]
Nocturnal, nok-tur′nal, adj. pertaining to night: happening by night: nightly.—n. an instrument for observations in the night.—adv. Noctur′nally.
Nocturne, nok′turn, n. a painting showing a scene by night: a piece of music of a dreamy character suitable to evening or night thoughts: a serenade: a reverie. [Fr.; cf. Nocturn.]
Nocuous, nok′ū-us, adj. hurtful.—adv. Noc′uously. [L. nocuus—nocēre, to hurt.]
Nod, nod, v.i. to give a quick forward motion of the head: to bend the head in assent: to salute by a quick motion of the head: to let the head drop in weariness.—v.t. to incline: to signify by a nod:—pr.p. nod′ding; pa.t. and pa.p. nod′ded.—n. a bending forward of the head quickly: a slight bow: a command.—ns. Nod′der; Nod′ding.—adj. inclining the head quickly: indicating by a nod: acknowledged by a nod merely, as a nodding acquaintance: (bot.) having the flower looking downwards.—Land of Nod, the state of sleep. [M. E. nodden, not in A.S.; but cf. Old High Ger. hnōton, to shake, prov. Ger. notteln, to wag.]
Noddle, nod′l, n. properly, the projecting part at the back of the head: the head.—v.i. to nod repeatedly. [A variant of knot; cf. Old Dut. knodde, a knob, Ger. knoten, a knot.]
Noddy, nod′i, n. one whose head nods from weakness: a stupid fellow: a sea-fowl—easily taken: a four-wheeled carriage with a door at the back: an upright flat spring with a weight on the top, forming an inverted pendulum, indicating the vibration of any body to which it is attached. [Nod.]
Node, nōd, n. a knot: a knob: a knot or entanglement: (astron.) one of the two points in which the orbit of a planet intersects the plane of the ecliptic: (bot.) the joint of a stem: the plot of a piece in poetry: (math.) a point at which a curve cuts itself, and through which more than one tangent to the curve can be drawn: a similar point on a surface, where there is more than one tangent-plane.—adjs. Nod′al, pertaining to nodes; Nodāt′ed, knotted.—ns. Nodā′tion, the act of making knots: the state of being knotted; Node′-coup′le, a pair of points on a surface at which one plane is tangent; Node′-cusp, a peculiar kind of curve formed by the union of a node, a cusp, an inflection, and a bitangent.—adjs. Nod′ical, pertaining to the nodes: from a node round to the same node again; Nodif′erous (bot.), bearing nodes; Nō′diform; Nod′ose, full of knots: having knots or swelling joints: knotty.—n. Nodos′ity.—adjs. Nod′ular, of or like a nodule; Nod′ulāted, having nodules.—ns. Nod′ule, Nod′ulus, a little knot: a small lump.—adjs. Nod′uled, having nodules or little knots or lumps; Nodulif′erous; Nod′uliform; Nod′ulose, Nod′ulous (bot.), having nodules or small knots: knotty.—ns. Nod′ulus:—pl. Nod′ulī; Nō′dus:—pl. Nō′dī. [L. nodus (for gnodus), allied to Knot.]
Noël, nō′el, n. Christmas.—Same as Nowel (q.v.).
Noematic, -al, nō-ē-mat′ik, -al, adj. intellectual—also Noet′ic, -al.—adv. Noemat′ically.—n.pl. Noem′ics, intellectual science. [Gr. noēma—noein, to perceive.]
Noetian, nō-ē′shi-an, adj. pertaining to Noë′tus or Noë′tianism, a form of Patripassianism taught by Noëtus of Smyrna about 200 A.D.
Nog, nog, n. a mug, small pot: a kind of strong ale.
Nog, nog, n. a tree nail driven through the heels of the shores, to secure them: one of the pins in the lever of a clutch-coupling: a piece of wood in an inner wall: a cog in mining.
Noggin, nog′in, n. a small mug or wooden cup, or its contents, a dram suitable for one person. [Ir. noigin, Gael. noigean.]
Nogging, nog′ging, n. a partition of wooden posts with the spaces between filled up with bricks: brick-building filling up the spaces between the wooden posts of a partition.
Nohow, nō′how, adv. not in any way, not at all: (coll.) out of one's ordinary way, out of sorts.
Noiance, noi′ans, n. (Shak.). Same as Annoyance.
Noils, noilz, n.pl. short pieces of wool separated from the longer fibres by combing.
Noint, noint, v.t. (Shak.). Same as Anoint.
Noise, noiz, n. sound of any kind: any over-loud or excessive sound, din: frequent or public talk: (Shak.) report: a musical band.—v.t. to spread by rumour.—v.i. to sound loud.—adjs. Noise′ful, noisy; Noise′less, without noise: silent.—adv. Noise′lessly.—n. Noise′lessness.—Make a noise in the world, to attract great notoriety. [Fr. noise, quarrel; prob. from L. nausea, disgust; but possibly from L. noxa, hurt—nocēre, to hurt.]
Noisette, nwo-zet′, n. a variety of rose. [Fr.]
Noisome, noi′sum, adj. injurious to health: disgusting to sight or smell.—adv. Noi′somely.—n. Noi′someness. [M. E. noy, annoyance. Cf. Annoy.]
Noisy, noiz′i, adj. making a loud noise or sound: attended with noise: clamorous: turbulent.—adv. Nois′ily.—n. Nois′iness.
Nokes, nōks, n. a simpleton.
Nolens volens, nōlens vol′ens, unwilling (or) willing: willy-nilly.—n. Noli-me-tangere (nō′lī-mē-tan′je-rē), the wild cucumber: lupus of the nose: a picture showing Jesus appearing to Mary Magdalene, as in John xx.—Nolle prosequi (nol′e pros′e-kwī), a term used in English law to indicate that the plaintiff does not intend to go on with his action. [L. nolle, to be unwilling, velle, to be willing, tangĕre, to touch, prosequi, to prosecute.]
Noll, nol, n. the head.
Nom, nong, n. name.—Nom de plume, 'pen-name:' the signature assumed by an author instead of his own name—not a Fr. phrase, but one of Eng. manufacture from Fr. nom, a name, de, of, plume, a pen.
Nomad, Nomade, nom′ad, n. one of a tribe that wanders about in quest of game, or of pasture for their flocks.—adj. Nomad′ic, of or for the feeding of cattle: pastoral: pertaining to the life of nomads: wandering: unsettled: rude.—adv. Nomad′ically.—v.i. Nom′adise, to lead a nomadic or vagabond life.—n. Nom′adism, the state of being nomadic: habits of nomads. [Gr. nomas, nomados—nomos, pasture—nemein, to drive to pasture.]
Nomancy, nō′man-si, n. divination from the letters in a name.
No-man's-land, nō′-manz-land, n. a region to which no one possesses a recognised claim.
Nomarch, nom′ärk, n. the ruler of a Nome, or division of a province, as in modern Greece.—n. Nom′archy, the district governed by a nomarch. [Gr. nomos, district, archē, rule.]
Nombril, nom′bril, n. (her.) the navel-point.
Nome, nōm, n. See Nomarch.
Nomen, nō′men, n. a name, esp. of the gens or clan, as Caius Julius Cæsar. [L.]
Nomenclator, nō′men-klā-tor, n. one who gives names to things:—fem. Nō′menclatress.—adjs. Nomenclatō′rial, Nō′menclātory, Nō′menclātūral.—n. Nō′menclāture, a system of naming: a list of names: a calling by name: the peculiar terms of a science. [L.,—nomen, a name, calāre, to call.]
Nomial, nō′mi-al, n. (alg.) a single name or term.
Nomic, nom′ik, adj. customary, applied to the common mode of spelling—opp. to Glossic and Phonetic. [Gr. nomos, custom.]
Nominal, nom′in-al, adj. pertaining to a name: existing only in name: having a name.—ns. Nom′inalism, the doctrine that general terms have no corresponding reality either in or out of the mind, being mere words; Nom′inalist, one of a sect of philosophers who held the doctrine of nominalism.—adj. Nominalist′ic, pertaining to nominalism.—adv. Nom′inally. [L. nominalis—nomen, -ĭnis, a name.]
Nominate, nom′in-āt, v.t. to name: to mention by name: to appoint: to propose by name, as for an office or for an appointment.—adv. Nom′inātely, by name.—ns. Nom′inātion, the act or power of nominating: state of being nominated; Nom′inātion-game, in billiards, a game in which the player has to name beforehand what stroke he is leading.—adjs. Nominātī′val; Nom′inātive, naming: (gram.) applied to the case of the subject.—n. the naming case, the case in which the subject is expressed.—adv. Nom′inātively.—n. Nom′inātor, one who nominates.—Nominative absolute, a grammatical construction in which we have a subject (noun or pronoun) combined with a participle, but not connected with a finite verb or governed by any other words, as 'All being well, I will come.' [L. nomināre, -ātum, to name—nomen.]
Nominee, nom-in-ē′, n. one who is nominated by another: one on whose life an annuity or lease depends: one to whom the holder of a copyhold estate surrenders his interest.
Nomistic, nō-mis′tik, adj. pertaining to laws founded on a sacred book. [Gr. nomos, a law.]
Nomocracy, nō-mok′ra-si, n. a government according to a code of laws. [Gr. nomos, law, kratia—kratein, to rule.]
Nomogeny, nō-moj′e-ni, n. the origination of life according to natural law, not miracle—opp. to Thaumatogeny. [Gr. nomos, law, geneia—genēs, producing.]
Nomography, nō-mog′ra-fi, n. the art of drawing up laws in proper form.—n. Nomog′rapher, one versed in this art. [Gr. nomos, law, graphein, to write.]
Nomology, no-mol′ō-ji, n. the science of the laws of the mind.—adj. Nomolog′ical.—n. Nomol′ogist. [Gr. nomos, law, logia, discourse—legein, to speak.]
Nomos, nom′os, n. in modern Greece, a nome.
Nomothetic, nom-ō-thet′ik, adj. legislative: founded on a system of laws, or by a lawgiver. [Gr. nomothetēs, a lawgiver, one of a body of heliasts or jurors in ancient Athens, charged with the decision as to any proposed change in legislation.]
Non, non, adv. not, a Latin word used as a prefix, as in ns. Non-abil′ity, want of ability; Non-accept′ance, want of acceptance: refusal to accept; Non-ac′cess (law), absence of opportunity for marital commerce; Non-acquaint′ance, want of acquaintance; Non-acquiesc′ence, refusal of acquiescence; Non-admiss′ion, refusal of admission: failure to be admitted; Non-alienā′tion, state of not being alienated: failure to alienate; Non-appear′ance, failure or neglect to appear, esp. in a court of law; Non-arrī′val, failure to arrive; Non-attend′ance, a failure to attend: absence; Non-atten′tion, inattention; Non′-claim, a failure to make claim within the time limited by law; Non-com′batant, any one connected with an army who is there for some other purpose than that of fighting, as a surgeon, &c.: a civilian in time of war.—adjs. Non-commiss′ioned, not having a commission, as an officer in the army below the rank of commissioned officer—abbrev. Non-com′.; Non-commit′tal, unwilling to commit one's self to any particular opinion or course of conduct, free from any declared preference or pledge.—ns. Non-commū′nicant, one who abstains from joining in holy communion, or who has not yet communicated; Non-commūn′ion; Non-complī′ance, neglect or failure of compliance.—adj. Non-comply′ing.—n. Non-concur′rence, refusal to concur.—adj. Non-conduct′ing, not conducting or transmitting: not allowing a fluid or a force to pass along, as glass does not conduct electricity.—n. Non-conduct′or, a substance which does not conduct or transmit certain properties or conditions, as heat or electricity.—adj. Nonconform′ing, not conforming, esp. to an established church.—n. and adj. Nonconform′ist, one who does not conform: esp. one who refused to conform or subscribe to the Act of Uniformity in 1662—abbrev. Non-con′.—n. Nonconform′ity, want of conformity, esp. to the established church.—adj. Non-contā′gious, not infectious.—ns. Non′-content, one not content: in House of Lords, one giving a negative vote; Non-deliv′ery, failure or neglect to deliver.—adj. Non-effect′ive, not efficient or serviceable: unfitted for service.—n. a member of a force who is not able, for some reason, to take part in active service.—adj. Non-effic′ient, not up to the mark required for service.—n. a soldier who has not yet undergone the full number of drills.—n. Non-ē′go, in metaphysics, the not-I, the object as opposed to the subject, whatever is not the conscious self.—adjs. Non-egois′tical; Non-elas′tic, not elastic; Non-ēlect′, not elect.—n. one not predestined to salvation.—n. Non-ēlec′tion, state of not being elected.—adjs. Non-elec′tric, -al, not conducting the electric fluid; Non-emphat′ic; Non-empir′ical, not empirical, not presented in experience; Non-epis′copal.—n. Non-episcopā′lian.—adj. Non-essen′tial, not essential: not absolutely required.—n. something that may be done without.—n. Non-exist′ence, negation of existence: a thing that has no existence.—adj. Non-exist′ent.—n. Non-exportā′tion.—adj. Non-for′feiting, of a life insurance policy not forfeited by reason of non-payment.—ns. Non-fulfil′ment; Non-importā′tion.—adj. Non-import′ing.—ns. Non-interven′tion, a policy of systematic non-interference by one country with the affairs of other nations; Non-intru′sion, in Scottish Church history, the principle that a patron should not force an unacceptable clergyman on an unwilling congregation; Non-intru′sionist.—adj. Non-iss′uable, not capable of being issued: not admitting of issue being taken on it.—n. Non-join′der (law), the omitting to join all the parties to the action or suit.—adj. Nonjur′ing, not swearing allegiance.—n. Nonjur′or, one of the clergy in England and Scotland who would not swear allegiance to William and Mary in 1689, holding themselves still bound by the oath they had taken to the deposed king, James II.—adjs. Non-lū′minous; Non-manufact′uring; Non-marr′ying, not readily disposed to marry; Non-metal′lic, not consisting of metal: not like the metals; Non-mor′al, involving no moral considerations; Non-nat′ural, not natural: forced or strained.—n. in ancient medicine, anything not considered of the essence of man, but necessary to his well-being, as air, food, sleep, rest, &c.—ns. Non-obē′dience; Non-observ′ance, neglect or failure to observe; Non-pay′ment, neglect or failure to pay; Non-perform′ance, neglect or failure to perform.—adjs. Non-placent′al; Non-pon′derous.—n. Non-produc′tion.—adj. Non-profess′ional, not done by a professional man, amateur: not proper to be done by a professional man, as unbecoming conduct in a physician, &c.—ns. Non-profic′ient, one who has made no progress in the art or study in which he is engaged; Non-regard′ance, want of due regard; Non-res′idence, failure to reside, or the fact of not residing at a certain place, where one's official or social duties require one to reside.—adj. Non-res′ident, not residing within the range of one's responsibilities.—n. one who does not do so, as a landlord, clergyman, &c.—n. Non-resist′ance, the principle of not offering opposition: passive or ready obedience.—adjs. Non-resist′ant, Non-resist′ing; Non-sex′ual, sexless, asexual; Non-socī′ety, not belonging to a society, esp. of a workman not attached to a trades-union, or of a place in which such men are employed.—n. Non-solū′tion.—adjs. Non-sol′vent; Non-submis′sive.—n. Non′suit, a legal term in England, which means that where a plaintiff in a jury trial finds he will lose his case, owing to some defect or accident, he is allowed to be nonsuited, instead of allowing a verdict and judgment to go for the defendant.—v.t. to record that a plaintiff drops his suit.—n. Non′-term, a vacation between two terms of a law-court.—adj. Non-un′ion (see Non-society).—ns. Non-ū′sager (see Usage); Non-ū′ser (law), neglect of official duty: omission to take advantage of an easement, &c.—adj. Non-vī′able, not viable, of a fœtus too young for independent life.
Nonage, non′āj, n. legal infancy, minority: time of immaturity generally.—adj. Non′aged. [L. non, not, and age.]
Nonagenarian, non-a-je-nā′ri-an, n. one who is ninety years old.—adj. relating to ninety.—adj. Nonages′imal, belonging to the number ninety.—n. that point of the ecliptic 90 degrees from its intersection by the horizon. [L. nonagenarius, containing ninety—nonaginta, ninety.]
Nonagon, non′a-gon, n. (math.) a plane figure having nine sides and nine angles. [L. novem, nine, nonus, ninth, gōnia, angle.]
Nonce, nons, n. (only in phrase 'for the nonce') the present time, occasion.—Nonce-word, a word specially coined, like Carlyle's gigmanity. [The substantive has arisen by mistake from 'for the nones,' originally for then ones, meaning simply 'for the once.']
Nonchalance, non′shal-ans, n. unconcern: coolness: indifference.—adj. Nonchalant (non′sha-lant).—adv. Non′chalantly. [Fr., non, not, chaloir, to care for—L. calēre, to be warm.]
Nondescript, non′de-skript, adj. novel: odd.—n. anything not yet described or classed: a person or thing not easily described or classed. [L. non, not, descriptus, describĕre, to describe.]
None, nun, adj. and pron. not one: not any: not the smallest part.—adv. in no respect: to no extent or degree.—n. None′-so-prett′y, or London Pride, Saxifraga umbrosa, a common English garden-plant.—adj. None′-spar′ing (Shak.), all-destroying. [M. E. noon, non—A.S. nán—ne, not, án, one.]
Nonentity, non-en′ti-ti, n. want of entity or being: a thing not existing: a person of no importance.
Nones, nōnz, n.pl. in the Roman calendar, the ninth day before the Ides (both days included)—the 5th of Jan., Feb., April, June, Aug., Sept., Nov., Dec., and the 7th of the other months: the Divine office for the ninth hour, or three o'clock. [L. nonæ—nonus for novenus, ninth—novem, nine.]
Non est, non est, adj. for absent, being a familiar shortening of the legal phrase non est inventus=he has not been found (coll).
Nonesuch, nun′such, n. a thing like which there is none such: an extraordinary thing.
Nonet, nō-net′, n. (mus.) a composition for nine voices or instruments.
Non-feasance, non-fē′zans, n. omission of something which ought to be done, distinguished from Misfeasance, which means the wrongful use of power or authority. [Pfx. non, not, O. Fr. faisance, doing—faire—L. facĕre, to do.]
Nonillion, nō-nil′yun, n. the number produced by raising a million to the ninth power.
Nonino. See Nonny.
Nonny, non′i, n. a meaningless refrain in Old English ballads, &c., usually 'hey, nonny'—often repeated nonny-nonny, nonino, as a cover for obscenity.
Nonpareil, non-pa-rel′, n. a person or thing without equal or unique: a fine apple: a printing-type forming about twelve lines to the inch, between emerald (larger) and ruby (smaller).—adj. without an equal: matchless. [Fr.,—non, not, pareil, equal—Low L. pariculus, dim. of par, equal.]
Nonplus, non′plus, n. a state in which no more can be done or said: great difficulty.—v.t. to perplex completely, to puzzle:—pr.p. non′plussing; pa.t. and pa.p. non′plussed. [L. non, not, plus, more.]
Non possumus, non pos′ū-mus, we are not able: we cannot, a plea of inability. [L., 1st pl. pres. ind. of posse, to be able.]
Nonsense, non′sens, n. that which has no sense: language without meaning: absurdity: trifles.—adj. Nonsens′ical, without sense: absurd.—ns. Nonsensical′ity, Nonsens′icalness.—adv. Nonsens′ically.—Nonsense name, an arbitrarily coined name, for mnemonic purposes, &c.; Nonsense verses, verses perfect in form but without any connected sense, being merely exercises in metre, &c.: verses intentionally absurd, like that of the Jabberwock in Through the Looking-glass.
Non sequitur, non sek′wi-tur, it does not follow: a wrong conclusion: one that does not follow from the premises. [L. non, not, and 3d sing. pres. ind. of sequi, to follow.]
Noodle, nōōd′l, n. a simpleton: a blockhead.—n. Nood′ledom. [Noddy.]
Noodle, nōōd′l, n. dried dough of wheat-flour and eggs, used in soup or as a baked dish.
Nook, nōōk, n. a corner: a narrow place formed by an angle: a recess: a secluded retreat.—adjs. Nook′-shot′ten, full of nooks and corners; Nook′y. [Gael. and Ir. niuc; Scot. neuk.]
Noology, no-ol′o-ji, n. the science of the phenomena of the mind, or of the facts of intellect. [Gr. noos, the mind, logia, discourse.]
Noon, nōōn, n. the ninth hour of the day in Roman and ecclesiastical reckoning, three o'clock P.M.: afterwards (when the church service for the ninth hour, called Nones, was shifted to midday) midday: twelve o'clock: middle: height.—adj. belonging to midday: meridional.—v.i. to rest at noon.—n. Noon′day, midday: the time of greatest prosperity.—adj. pertaining to midday: meridional.—ns. Noon′ing, a rest about noon: a repast at noon; Noon′tide, the tide or time of noon: midday.—adj. pertaining to noon: meridional. [A.S. nón-tíd (noontide)—L. nona (hora), the ninth (hour).]
Noose, nōōs, or nōōz, n. a running knot which ties the firmer the closer it is drawn: a snare or knot generally.—v.t. to tie or catch in a noose. [Prob. O. Fr. nous, pl. of nou (Fr. nœud)—L. nodus, knot.]
Nor, nor, conj. and not, a particle introducing the second part of a negative proposition—correlative to neither. [Contr. of nother=neither.]
Noria, nō′ri-a, n. a water-raising apparatus in Spain, Syria, and elsewhere, by means of a large paddle-wheel having fixed to its rim a series of buckets, a flush-wheel. [Sp.,—Ar.]
Norimon, nor′i-mon, n. a kind of sedan-chair used in Japan. [Jap. nori, ride, mono, thing.]
Norland, nor′land, n. the same as Northland.
Norm, norm, n. a rule: a pattern: an authoritative standard: a type or typical unit.—n. Nor′ma, a rule, model: a square for measuring right angles.—adj. Nor′mal, according to rule: regular: exact: perpendicular.—n. a perpendicular.—ns. Normalisā′tion, Normal′ity.—v.t. Nor′malise.—adv. Nor′mally.—adj. Nor′mative, establishing a standard.—Normal school, a training-college for teachers in the practice of their profession. [L. norma, a rule.]
Norman, nor′man, n. a native or inhabitant of Normandy: one of that Scandinavian race which settled in northern France about the beginning of the 10th century, founded the Duchy of Normandy, and conquered England in 1066—the Norman Conquest.—adj. pertaining to the Normans or to Normandy.—v.t. Nor′manise, to give a Norman character to.—Norman architecture, a round-arched style, a variety of Romanesque, prevalent in England from the Norman Conquest (1066) till the end of the 12th century, of massive simplicity, the churches cruciform with semicircular apse and a great tower rising from the intersection of nave and transept, deeply recessed doorways, windows small, round-headed, high in wall; Norman French, a form of French spoken by the Normans, which came into England at the Norman Conquest, modified the spelling, accent, and pronunciation of Anglo-Saxon, and enriched it with a large infusion of new words relating to the arts of life, &c. [Northmen.]
Norman, nor′man, n. (naut.) a bar inserted in a windlass, on which to fasten or veer a rope or cable.
Norn, norn, n. (Scand. myth.) one of the three fates—Urd, Verdande, and Skuld.—Also Norn′a.
Norroy, nor′roi, n. (her.) the third of the three English kings-at-arms, or provincial heralds, whose jurisdiction lies north of the Trent. [Fr. nord, north, roy, roi, king.]
Norse, nors, adj. pertaining to ancient Scandinavia.—n. the language of ancient Scandinavia—also Old Norse.—n. Norse′man, a Scandinavian or Northman. [Ice. Norskr; Norw. Norsk.]
North, north, n. the point opposite the sun at noon: one of the four cardinal points of the horizon: the side of a church to the left of one facing the principal altar: that portion of the United States north of the former slave-holding states—i.e. north of Maryland, the Ohio, and Missouri.—adv. to or in the north.—ns. North′-cock, the snow bunting; North′-east, the point between the north and east, equidistant from each.—adj. belonging to or from the north-east.—n. North′-east′er, a wind from the north-east.—adjs. North′-east′erly, toward or coming from the north-east; North′-east′ern, belonging to the north-east: being in the north-east, or in that direction.—adv. North′-east′ward, toward the north-east.—ns. North′er (th), a wind or gale from the north, esp. applied to a cold wind that blows in winter over Texas and the Gulf of Mexico; North′erliness (th), state of being toward the north.—adj. North′erly (th), being toward the north: coming from the north.—adv. toward or from the north.—adj. North′ern (th), pertaining to the north: being in the north or in the direction toward it: proceeding from the north.—n. an inhabitant of the north.—n. North′erner (th), a native of, or resident in, the north, esp. of the northern United States.—adjs. North′ernmost (th), North′most, situate at the point farthest north.—ns. North′ing, motion, distance, or tendency northward: distance of a heavenly body from the equator northward: difference of latitude made by a ship in sailing northward: deviation towards the north; North′man, one of the ancient Scandinavians; North′-pole, the point in the heavens, or beneath it on the earth's surface, ninety degrees north of the equator; North′-star, the north polar star; Northum′brian, a native of the modern Northumberland, or of the ancient kingdom of Northumbria, stretching from the Humber to the Forth: that variety of English spoken in Northumbria before the Conquest—also adj.—adjs. North′ward, North′wardly, being toward the north.—adv. toward the north—also North′wards.—n. North′-west, the point between the north and west, equidistant from each.—adj. pertaining to or from the north-west.—adjs. North′-west′erly, toward or coming from the north-west; North′-west′ern, belonging to the north-west: pertaining to, or being in, the north-west or in that direction.—North water, the space of open sea left by the winter pack of ice moving southward.—North-east Passage, a passage for ships along the north coasts of Europe and Asia to the Pacific, first made by Nordenskiöld in 1878-79; Northern lights, the aurora borealis (q.v.); North-west Passage, a sea-way for ships from the Atlantic into the Pacific along the northern coast of America, first made by Sir Robert M‘Clure, 1850-54. [A.S. north; cf. Ger. nord.]
Norwegian, nor-wē′ji-an, adj. pertaining to Norway—(Shak.) Norwē′yan.—n. a native of Norway: a kind of fishing-boat on the Great Lakes.
Nose, nōz, n. the organ of smell: the power of smelling: sagacity: the projecting part of anything resembling a nose, as the spout of a kettle, &c.: a drip, a downward projection from a cornice: (slang) an informer.—v.t. to smell: to oppose rudely face to face: to sound through the nose.—ns. Nose′bag, a bag for a horse's nose, containing oats, &c.; Nose′-band, the part of the bridle coming over the nose, attached to the cheek-straps.—adjs. Nosed, having a nose—used in composition, as bottle-nosed, long-nosed, &c.; Nose′-led, led by the nose, ruled and befooled completely; Nose′less, without a nose.—ns. Nose′-leaf, a membranous appendage on the snouts of phyllostomine and rhinolophine bats, forming a highly sensitive tactile organ; Nose′-of-wax, an over-pliable person or thing; Nose′-piece, the outer end or point of a pipe, bellows, &c.: the extremity of the tube of a microscope to which the objective is attached: a nose-band: the nasal in armour; Nose′-ring, an ornament worn in the septum of the nose or in either of its wings; Nos′ing, the projecting rounded edge of the step of a stair or of a moulding.—Aquiline nose, a prominent nose, convex in profile; Bottle nose, a name given to certain species of cetaceans: an eruption on the nose such as is produced by intemperate drinking; Pug nose, a short turned-up nose; Roman nose, an aquiline nose.—Hold, Keep, or Put one's nose to the grindstone (see Grindstone); Lead by the nose, to cause to follow blindly; Put one's nose out of joint, to bring down one's pride or sense of importance: to push out of favour; Thrust one's nose into, to meddle officiously with anything; Turn up one's nose (at), to express contempt for a person or thing. [A.S. nosu; Ger. nase, L. nasus.]
Nosegay, nōz′gā, n. a bunch of fragrant flowers: a posy or bouquet. [From nose and gay (adj.).]
Nosocomial, nos-ō-kō′mi-al, adj. relating to a hospital. [Gr. nosos, sickness, komein, to take care of.]
Nosography, nō-sog′ra-fi, n. the description of diseases.—adj. Nosograph′ic. [Gr. nosos, disease, graphein, to write.]
Nosology, nos-ol′o-ji, n. the science of diseases: the branch of medicine which treats of the classification of diseases.—adj. Nosolog′ical.—n. Nosol′ogist. [Gr. nosos, disease, logia, discourse.]
Nosonomy, nō-son′o-mi, n. the classification of diseases. [Gr. nosos, a disease, onoma, a name.]
Nosophobia, nos-o-fō′bi-a, n. morbid dread of disease. [Gr. nosos, a disease, phobia, fear.]
Nostalgia, nos-tal′ji-a, n. home-sickness, esp. when morbid.—adj. Nostal′gic. [Gr. nostos, a return, algos, pain.]
Nostoc, nos′tok, n. a genus of Algæ, found in moist places.—Also Witches' butter, Spittle of the stars, Star-jelly, &c. [Ger. nostoch.]
Nostology, nos-tol′o-ji, n. the science of the phenomena of extreme old age or senility in which there is ever seen a return to the characteristics of the youthful stage.—adj. Nostolog′ic. [Gr. nostos, return, logia—legein, to speak.]
Nostradamus, nos-tra-dā′mus, n. any quack doctor or charlatan—from the French astrologer (1503-66).
Nostril, nos′tril, n. one of the openings of the nose. [M. E. nosethirl—A.S. nosthyrl—nosu, nose, thyrel, opening. Cf. Drill, to pierce, and Thrill.]
Nostrum, nos′trum, n. any secret, quack, or patent medicine: any favourite remedy or scheme. [L., 'our own,' from nos, we.]
Not, not, adv. a word expressing denial, negation, or refusal.—Not in it (coll.), having no part in some confidence or advantage. [Same as Naught, from A.S. ná, wiht, a whit.]
Notable, nō′ta-bl, adj. worthy of being known or noted: remarkable: memorable: distinguished: notorious: capable, clever, industrious.—n. a person or thing worthy of note, esp. in pl. for persons of distinction and political importance in France in pre-Revolution times.—n.pl. Notabil′ia, things worthy of notice: noteworthy sayings.—ns. Notabil′ity, the being notable: a notable person or thing; Nō′tableness.—adv. Nō′tably.
Notæum, nō-tē′um, n. the upper surface of a bird's trunk—opp. to Gastræum: a dorsal buckler in some gasteropods. [Gr. nōtos, the back.]
Notalgia, nō-tal′ji-a, n. pain in the back.—adj. Notal′gic. [Gr. nōtos, the back, algos, pain.]
Notanda, nō-tan′da, n.pl. something to be specially noted or observed:—sing. Notan′dum. [L. pl. ger. of notāre, to note.]
Notary, nō′ta-ri, n. an officer authorised to certify deeds, contracts, copies of documents, affidavits, &c.—generally called a Notary public—anciently one who took notes or memoranda of others' acts.—adj. Notā′rial.—adv. Notā′rially.—Apostolical notary, the official who despatches the orders of the Pope; Ecclesiastical notary, in the early church, a secretary who recorded the proceedings of councils, &c. [L. notarius.]
Notation, nō-tā′shun, n. the act or practice of recording by marks or symbols: a system of signs or symbols.—adj. Nō′tate (bot.), marked with coloured spots or lines.—Chemical notation (see Chemistry). [L.,—notāre, -ātum, to mark.]
Notch, noch, n. a nick cut in anything: an indentation, incision, incisure: a narrow pass in a rock, or between two mountains.—v.t. to cut a hollow into.—n. Notch′-board, the board which receives the ends of the steps of a staircase—also Bridge-board.—adjs. Notch′-eared, having emarginate ears, as the notch-eared bat; Notched, nicked.—n. Notch′ing, a method of joining framing-timbers, by halving, scarfing, or caulking. [From a Teut. root, as in Old Dut. nock. Cf. Nick, a notch.]
Notchel, Nochel, noch′el, v.t. (prov.) to repudiate.
Note, nōt, n. that by which a person or thing is known: a mark or sign calling attention: a brief explanation: a short remark: a brief report, a catalogue, a bill: a memorandum: a short letter: a diplomatic paper: a small size of paper used for writing: (mus.) a mark representing a sound, also the sound itself, air, tune, tone, also a digital or key of the keyboard: a paper acknowledging a debt and promising payment, as a bank-note, a note of hand: notice, heed, observation: reputation: fame.—v.t. to make a note of: to notice: to attend to: to record in writing: to furnish with notes.—n. Note′-book, a book in which notes or memoranda are written: a bill-book.—adj. Not′ed, marked: well known: celebrated: eminent: notorious.—adv. Not′edly.—n. Not′edness.—adj. Note′less, not attracting notice.—ns. Note′-pā′per, folded writing-paper for letters (commercial, 5 × 8 in.; octavo, 4½ × 7; billet, 4 × 6; queen, 3½ × 5⅜; packet, 5½ × 9; Bath, 7 × 8); Not′er, one who notes or observes: one who makes notes, an annotator; Note′-shav′er (U.S.), a money-lender.—adj. Note′worthy, worthy of note or of notice.—Note a bill, to record on the back of it a refusal of acceptance, as a ground of protest. [Fr.,—L. nota, noscĕre, notum, to know.]
Note, nōt (Spens.), wot or knew not (a contr. of ne wot): could not (a contr. of ne mote).
Nothing, nuth′ing, n. no thing: non-existence: absence of being: a low condition: no value or use: not anything of importance, a trifle: utter insignificance, no difficulty or trouble: no magnitude: a cipher.—adv. in no degree: not at all.—adj. and n. Nothingā′rian, believing nothing.—ns. Nothingā′rianism; Noth′ing-gift (Shak.), a gift of no value; Noth′ingism, nihility; Noth′ingness, state of being nothing or of no value: a thing of no value.—Nothing but, no more than: only; Nothing less than, equal to: as much as.—Come to nothing, to have no result: to turn out a failure; Make nothing of, to consider as of no difficulty or importance; Neck or nothing (see Neck); Next to nothing, almost nothing. [No and thing.]
Notice, nōt′is, n. act of noting or observing: attention: observation: information: warning: a writing containing information: public intimation: civility or respectful treatment: remark.—v.t. to mark or see: to regard or attend to: to mention: to make observations upon: to treat with civility.—adj. Not′iceable, that can be noticed: worthy of notice: likely to be noticed.—adv. Not′iceably.—n. Not′ice-board, a board on which a notice is fixed.—Give notice, to warn beforehand: to inform. [Fr.,—L. notitia—noscĕre, notum, to know.]
Notify, nō′ti-fī, v.t. to make known: to declare: to give notice or information of:—pa.t. and pa.p. nō′tified.—adj. Nō′tifiable, that must be made known.—n. Notificā′tion, the act of notifying: the notice given: the paper containing the notice. [Fr.,—L. notificāre, -ātum—notus, known, facĕre, to make.]
Notion, nō′shun, n. the art of forming a conception in the mind of the various marks or qualities of an object: the result of this act, a conception: opinion: belief: judgment: a caprice or whim: any small article ingeniously devised or invented, usually in pl.—adj. Nō′tional, of the nature of a notion: ideal: fanciful.—adv. Nō′tionally, in notion or mental apprehension: in idea, not in reality.—n. Nō′tionist, one who holds ungrounded opinions. [Fr.,—L. notion-em—noscĕre, notum, to know.]
Notitia, nō-tish′i-a, n. a roll, list, register: a catalogue of public functionaries, with their districts: a list of episcopal sees. [L.; cf. Notice.]
Notobranchiate, nō-tō-brang′ki-āt, adj. and n. having dorsal gills, belonging to Notobranchiā′ta, an order of worms having such. [Gr. nōtos, the back, brangchia, gills.]
Notochord, nō′tō-kord, n. a simple cellular rod, the basis of the future spinal column, persisting throughout life in many lower vertebrates, as the amphioxus, &c.—adj. Nō′tochordal. [Gr. nōtos, the back, chordē, a string.]
Notodontiform, nō-tō-don′ti-form, adj. resembling a tooth-back or moth of the family Notodontidæ. [Gr. nōtos, back, odous, tooth, L. forma, form.]
Notonectal, nō-tō-nek′tal, adj. swimming on the back, as certain insects: related to the Notonectidæ, a family of aquatic bugs, the boat-flies or water-boatmen. [Gr. nōtos, the back, nēktēs, a swimmer.]
Notopodal, nō-top′ō-dal, adj. pertaining to the Notop′oda, a division of decapods, including the dromioid crabs, &c.—Also Notop′odous. [Gr. nōtos, the back, pous, podos, the foot.]
Notopodium, nō-tō-pō′di-um, n. the dorsal or upper part of the parapodium of an annelid, a dorsal oar.—adj. Notopō′dial. [Gr. nōtos, the back, pous, podos, the foot.]
Notorious, no-tō′ri-us, adj. publicly known (now used in a bad sense): infamous.—n. Notorī′ety, state of being notorious: publicity: public exposure.—adv. Notō′riously.—n. Notō′riousness. [Low L. notorius—notāre, -ātum, to mark—noscĕre.]
Notornis, nō-tor′nis, n. a genus of gigantic ralline birds, with wings so much reduced as to be incapable of flight, which have within historical times become extinct in New Zealand, &c. [Gr. nōtos, the south, ornis, a bird.]
Nototherium, nō-tō-thē′ri-um, n. a genus of gigantic fossil kangaroo-like marsupials, found in Australia. [Gr. nōtos, the south, thērion, a wild beast.]
Nototrema, nō-tō-trē′ma, n. the pouch-toads, a genus of Hylidæ.—adj. Nototrem′atous. [Gr. nōtos, the back, trēma, a hole.]
Notour, no-tōōr′, adj. (Scot.) well known, notorious.
Nott-headed, not′-hed′ed, adj. (Shak.) having the hair cut bare.—Nott′-pat′ed. [A.S. hnot, shorn.]
Notum, nō′tum, n. the dorsal aspect of the thorax in insects. [Gr. nōtos, the back.]
Notus, nō′tus, n. the south or south-west wind. [L.]
Notwithstanding, not-with-stand′ing, prep. in spite of.—conj. in spite of the fact that, although.—adv. nevertheless, however, yet. [Orig. a participial phrase in nominative absolute=L. non obstante.]
Nougat, nōō-gä′, n. a confection made of a sweet paste filled with chopped almonds or pistachio-nuts. [Fr. (cf. Sp. nogado, an almond-cake)—L. nux, nucis, a nut.]
Nought, nawt, n. not anything: nothing.—adv. in no degree.—Set at nought, to despise. [Same as Naught.]
Noul, nōl, n. (Spens.) the top of the head. [A.S. hnoll, top or summit.]
Nould, nōōld (Spens.), would not. [A contr. of ne would.]
Noumenon, nōō′me-non, n. an unknown and unknowable substance or thing as it is in itself—opp. to Phenomenon, or the form through which it becomes known to the senses or the understanding:—pl. Nou′mena.—adj. Nou′menal. [Gr. noumenon, pa.p. of noein, to perceive—nous, the mind.]
Noun, nown, n. (gram.) the name of any person or thing.—adj. Noun′al. [O. Fr. non (Fr. nom)—L. nomen, name.]
Nourice, nur′is, n. (Spens.) a nurse. [Nurse.]
Nourish, nur′ish, v.t. to suckle: to feed or bring up: to support: to help forward growth in any way: to encourage: to cherish: to educate.—adjs. Nour′ishable, able to be nourished.—n. Nour′isher.—adj. Nour′ishing, giving nourishment.—n. Nour′ishment, the act of nourishing or the state of being nourished: that which nourishes: nutriment. [O. Fr. norir (Fr. nourrir)—L. nutrīre, to feed.]
Noursle, nurs′l, v.t. to nurse: to bring up.—Also Nous′le. [Nuzzle.]
Nous, nows, n. intellect: talent: common-sense. [Gr.]
Novaculite, nō-vak′ū-līt, n. a hone-stone.
Novalia, nō-vā′li-a, n.pl. (Scots law) waste lands newly reclaimed.
Novatian, nō-vā′shi-an, adj. of or pertaining to Novatianus, who had himself ordained Bishop of Rome in opposition to Cornelius (251), and headed the party of severity against the lapsed in the controversy about their treatment that arose after the Decian persecution.—ns. Novā′tianism; Novā′tianist.
Novation, nō-vā′shun, n. the substitution of a new obligation for the one existing: innovation.
Novel, nov′el, adj. new: unusual: strange.—n. that which is new: a new or supplemental constitution or decree, issued by certain Roman emperors, as Justinian, after their authentic publications of law (also Novell′a): a fictitious prose narrative or tale presenting a picture of real life, esp. of the emotional crises in the life-history of the men and women portrayed.—n. Novelette′, a small novel.—v.t. Nov′elise, to change by introducing novelties: to put into the form of novels.—v.i. to make innovations.—n. Nov′elist, a novel-writer: an innovator.—adj. Novelist′ic.—n. Nov′elty, newness: unusual appearance: anything new, strange, or different from anything before:—pl. Nov′elties. [O. Fr. novel (Fr. nouveau)—L. novellus—novus.]
November, nō-vem′bėr, n. the eleventh month of our year. [The ninth month of the Roman year; L., from novem, nine.]
Novena, nō-vē′na, n. a devotion lasting nine days, to obtain a particular request, through the intercession of the Virgin or some saint. [L. novenus, nine each, novem, nine.]
Novenary, nov′en-a-ri, adj. pertaining to the number nine.—adj. Novene′, going by nines. [L. novenarius—novem, nine.]
Novennial, nō-ven′yal, adj. done every ninth year. [L. novennis—novem, nine, annus, a year.]
Novercal, nō-vėr′kal, adj. pertaining to or befitting a stepmother. [L. novercalis—noverca, a stepmother.]
Noverint, nov′e-rint, n. a writ—beginning with the words noverint universi—let all men know. [3d pers. pl. perf. subj. of noscĕre, to know.]
Novice, nov′is, n. one new in anything: a beginner: one newly received into the church: an inmate of a convent or nunnery who has not yet taken the vow.—ns. Nov′iceship; Novi′ciate, Novi′tiate, the state of being a novice: the period of being a novice: a novice. [Fr.,—L. novitius—novus, new.]
Novum, nō′vum, n. (Shak.) a certain game at dice, in which the chief throws were nine and five.
Novus homo, nov′us hom′o, n. a new man: one who has risen from a low position to a high dignity.
Now, now, adv. at the present time: at this time or a little before.—conj. but: after this: things being so.—n. the present time.—advs. Now′adays, in days now present.—Now—now, at one time—at another time. [A.S. nú; Ger. nun, L. nunc, Gr. nun.]
Nowel, Noël, nō′el, n. Christmas: a joyous shout or song at Christmas: a Christmas carol. [O. Fr. nowel, noel (mod. Fr. noël; cf. Sp. natal, It. natale)—L. natalis, belonging to one's birthday.]
Nowhere, nō′hwār, adv. in no where or place: at no time.—adv. Nō′whither, not any whither: to no place: in no direction: nowhere.
Nowl, nowl, n. (Shak.). Same as Noul.
Nowt, nowt, n. (Scot.) cattle.—Also Nout. [Neat.]
Nowy, now′i, adj. (her.) having a convex curvature near the middle.—Also Nowed. [O. Fr. noue—L. nudatus, knotted.]
Noxious, nok′shus, adj. hurtful: unwholesome: injurious: destructive: poisonous.—adj. Nox′al, relating to wrongful injury.—adv. Nox′iously.—n. Nox′iousness. [L. noxius—noxa, hurt—nocēre, to hurt.]
Noy, noi, v.t. (Spens.). Same as Annoy.
Noyade, nwa-yad′, n. an infamous mode of drowning by means of a boat with movable bottom, practised by Carrier at Nantes, 1793-94. [Fr.,—noyer, to drown.]
Noyance, noi′ans, n. Same as Annoyance.
Noyau, nwo-yō′, n. a liqueur flavoured with kernels of bitter almonds or of peach-stones. [Fr., the stone of a fruit—L. nucalis, like a nut—nux, nucis, a nut.]
Noyous, noi′us, adj. (Spens.) serving to annoy: troublesome: hurtful. [Annoy.]
Noysome, noi′sum, adj. (Spens.) noisome (q.v.).
Nozzle, noz′l, n. a little nose: the snout: the extremity of anything: the open end of a pipe or tube, as of a bellows, &c. [Dim. of nose.]
Nuance, nū-ans′, n. a delicate degree or shade of difference perceived by any of the senses, or by the intellect. [Fr.,—L. nubes, a cloud.]
Nub, nub, v.t. (prov.) to push: beckon: hang.
Nub, nub, n. a knob, knot: point, gist.—adjs. Nub′bly, full of knots; Nub′by, lumpy, dirty.
Nubble, nub′l, v.t. to beat with the fist.
Nubecula, nū-bek′ū-la, n. a light film on the eye: a cloudy appearance in urine:—pl. Nubec′ulæ.
Nubiferous, nū-bif′e-rus, adj. bringing clouds.—adjs. Nūbig′enous, produced by clouds; Nū′bilous, cloudy, overcast—(obs.) Nū′bilose.
Nubile, nū′bil, adj. marriageable.—n. Nubil′ity. [L. nubilis—nubĕre, to veil one's self, hence to marry.]
Nucellus, nū-sel′us, n. the nucleus of the ovule.
Nuchal, nū′kal, adj. pertaining to the Nū′cha or nape.
Nuciform, nūs′i-form, adj. nut-shaped.—adj. Nucif′erous, nut-bearing. [L. nux, nucis, nut, forma, form.]
Nucifraga, nū-sif′ra-ga, n. a genus of corvine birds, between crows and jays, the nutcrackers.
Nucleus, nū′klē-us, n. the central mass round which matter gathers: (astron.) the head of a comet:—pl. Nuclei (nū′klē-ī).—adjs. Nū′clēal, Nū′clēar, pertaining to a nucleus.—v.t. Nū′clēāte, to gather into or around a nucleus.—adjs. Nū′clēate, -d, having a nucleus; Nū′clēiform.—ns. Nū′clēin, a colourless amorphous proteid, a constituent of cell-nuclei; Nū′cleobranch, one of an order of molluscs which have the gills packed in the shell along with the heart:—pl. Nucleobranchiă′ta; Nū′clēōle, a little nucleus: a nucleus within a nucleus—also Nuclē′olus:—pl. Nuclē′oli. [L.,—nux, nucis, a nut.]
Nucule, nūk′ūl, n. a little nut: in Characeæ the female sexual organ. [L. nucula, dim. of nux, nucis, a nut.]
Nude, nūd, adj. naked: bare: without drapery, as a statue: void, as a contract.—n. Nūdā′tion, act of making bare.—adv. Nūde′ly.—ns. Nūde′ness, Nū′dity, nakedness: want of covering: anything laid bare.—adjs. Nudiflō′rous, having the flowers destitute of hairs, glands, &c.; Nūdifō′lious, having bare or smooth leaves; Nūdiros′trate, having the rostrum naked.—n.pl. Nū′dities, naked parts: figures divested of drapery.—The nude, the undraped human figure as a branch of art. [L. nudus, naked.]
Nudge, nuj, n. a gentle push.—v.t. to push gently. [Cf. Knock, Knuckle; Dan. knuge.]
Nudibranch, nū′di-brangk, n. one of an order of gasteropods having no shell, and with the gills exposed on the surface of the body:—pl. Nudibranchiā′ta. [L. nudus, naked, branchiæ, gills.]
Nugatory, nū′ga-tor-i, adj. trifling: vain: insignificant: of no power: ineffectual. [L. nugatorius,—nugæ, jokes, trifles.]
Nugget, nug′et, n. a lump or mass, as of a metal. [Prob. ingot, with the n of the article.]
Nuisance, nū′sans, n. that which annoys or hurts: that which troubles: that which is offensive.—n. Nū′isancer. [Fr.,—L. nocēre, to hurt.]
Null, nul, adj. of no legal force: void: invalid: of no importance.—n. something of no value or meaning, a cipher: a bead-like raised work.—v.t. to annul, nullify.—v.i. to kink: to form nulls, or into nulls, as in a lathe.—Nulled work, woodwork turned by means of a lathe so as to form a series of connected knobs—for rounds of chairs, &c. [L. nullus, not any, from ne, not, ullus, any.]
Nullah, nul′a, n. a dry water-course.
Nulla-nulla, nul′a-nul′a, n. an Australian's hard-wood club.
Nullifidian, nul-i-fid′i-an, adj. having no faith.—n. a person in such a condition. [L. nullus, none, fides, faith.]
Nullify, nul′i-fī, v.t. to make null: to annul: to render void or of no force:—pr.p. null′ifying; pa.t. and pa.p. null′ified.—ns. Nullificā′tion, a rendering void or of none effect, esp. (U.S.) of a contract by one of the parties, or of a law by one legislature which has been passed by another; Null′ifier; Null′ity, the state of being null or void: nothingness: want of existence, force, or efficacy.
Nullipara, nul-lip′a-ra, n. a woman who has never given birth to a child, esp. if not a virgin.—adj. Nullip′arous.
Nullipennate, nul-i-pen′āt, adj. having no flight-feathers, as a penguin.
Nullipore, nul′i-pōr, n. a small coral-like seaweed.—adj. Null′iporous.
Numb, num, adj. deprived of sensation or motion: powerless to feel or act: stupefied: motionless: (Shak.) causing numbness.—v.t. to make numb: to deaden: to render motionless:—pr.p. numbing (num′ing); pa.p. numbed (numd).—adj. Numb′-cold (Shak.), numbed with cold: causing numbness.—n. Numb′ness, state of being numb: condition of living body in which it has lost the power of feeling: torpor. [A.S. numen, pa.p. of niman, to take; so Ice. numinn, bereft.]
Number, num′bėr, n. that by which things are counted or computed: a collection of things: more than one: a unit in counting: a numerical figure: the measure of multiplicity: sounds distributed into harmonies: metre, verse, esp. in pl.: (gram.) the difference in words to express singular or plural: (pl.) the fourth book of the Old Testament.—v.t. to count: to reckon as one of a multitude: to mark with a number: to amount to.—n. Num′berer.—adj. Num′berless, without number: more than can be counted.—ns. Numerabil′ity, Nū′merableness.—adj. Nū′merable, that may be numbered or counted.—adv. Nū′merably.—adj. Nū′meral, pertaining to, consisting of, or expressing number.—n. a figure or mark used to express a number, as 1, 2, 3, &c.: (gram.) a word used to denote a number.—adv. Nū′merally, according to number.—adj. Nū′merary, belonging to a certain number: contained within or counting as one of a body or a number—opp. to Supernumerary.—v.t. Nū′merāte, to point off and read as figures: (orig.) to enumerate, to number.—ns. Nūmerā′tion, act of numbering: the art of reading numbers, and expressing their values; Nū′merātor, one who numbers: the upper number of a vulgar fraction, which expresses the number of fractional parts taken.—adjs. Nūmer′ic, -al, belonging to, or consisting in, number: the same both in number and kind.—adv. Nūmer′ically.—n. Nūmeros′ity, numerousness: harmonious flow.—adj. Nū′merous, great in number: being many.—adv. Nū′merously.—n. Nū′merousness. [Fr. nombre—L. numerus, number.]
Numbles, num′bls, n.pl. the entrails of a deer. See Umbles.
Numerotage, nū-me-rō-täzh′, n. the numbering of yarns so as to denote their fineness. [Fr.]
Numismatic, nū-mis-mat′ik, adj. pertaining to money, coins, or medals.—n.sing. Nūmismat′ics, the science of coins and medals.—ns. Nūmis′matist, one having a knowledge of coins and medals; Nūmismatog′raphy, description of coins; Numismatol′ogist, one versed in numismatology; Nūmismatol′ogy, the science of coins and medals in relation to history. [L. numisma—Gr. nomisma, current coin—nomizein, to use commonly—nomos, custom.]
Nummary, num′a-ri, adj. relating to coins or money.—adjs. Numm′iform, shaped like a coin; Numm′ūlar, Numm′ūlary, Numm′ūlāted, Numm′ūline, pertaining to coins: like a coin in shape; Numm′ūliform.—n. Numm′ūlite, a fossil shell resembling a coin.—adj. Nummulit′ic. [L. nummus, a coin.]
Numskull, num′skul, n. a stupid fellow: a blockhead.—adj. Num′skulled. [From numb and skull.]
Nun, nun, n. a female who, under a vow, secludes herself in a religious house, to give her time to devotion: (zool.) a kind of pigeon with the feathers on its head like the hood of a nun.—ns. Nun′-buoy, a buoy somewhat in the form of a double cone; Nun′nery, a house for nuns.—adj. Nun′nish.—ns. Nun′nishness; Nun's′-veil′ing, a woollen cloth, soft and thin, used by women for veils and dresses. [A.S. nunne—Low L. nunna, nonna, a nun, an old maiden lady, the orig. sig. being 'mother;' cf. Gr. nannē, aunt, Sans. nanā, a child's word for 'mother.']
Nunc dimittis, nungk di-mit′tis, n. 'now lettest thou depart:' the name given to the song of Simeon (Luke, ii. 29-32) in the R.C. Breviary and the Anglican evening service—from the opening words.
Nuncheon, nun′shun, n. a luncheon. [Prob. a corr. of luncheon, with some reference to noon.]
Nuncio, nun′shi-o, n. a messenger: one who brings tidings: an ambassador from the Pope to an emperor or a king.—n. Nun′ciātūre, the office of a nuncio. [It.,—L. nuncius, a messenger, one who brings news—prob. a contr. of noventius; cf. novus, new.]
Nuncle, nung′kl, n. (Shak.) a contr. of mine uncle.
Nuncupative, nung′kū-pā-tiv, adj. declaring publicly or solemnly: (law) verbal, not written, as a will—also Nun′cūpātory.—v.t. and v.i. Nun′cupate, to declare solemnly: to declare orally.—n. Nuncūpā′tion. [Fr.,—Low L. nuncupativus, nominal—L. nuncupāre, to call by name—prob. from nomen, name, capĕre, to take.]
Nundinal, nun′di-nal, adj. pertaining to a fair or market.—Also Nun′dinary. [L. nundinæ, the market-day, properly the ninth day—i.e. from the preceding market-day, both days inclusive—novem, nine, dies, a day.]
Nuphar, nū′fär, n. a genus of yellow water-lilies, the Nymphæa.
Nuptial, nup′shal, adj. pertaining to marriage: constituting marriage.—n.pl. Nup′tials, marriage: wedding ceremony. [Fr.,—L. nuptialis—nuptiæ, marriage—nubĕre, nuptum, to marry.]
Nur, nur, n. a knot or knob in wood. See Knurr.
Nurl, nurl, v.t. to mill or indent on the edge.—ns. Nurl′ing, the milling of a coin: the series of indentations on the edge of some screw-heads: zigzag ornamental engraving; Nurl′ing-tool.
Nurse, nurs, n. a woman who nourishes an infant: a mother while her infant is at the breast: one who has the care of infants or of the sick: (hort.) a shrub or tree which protects a young plant.—v.t. to tend, as an infant or a sick person: to bring up: to cherish: to manage with care and economy: to play skilfully, as billiard-balls, in order to get them into the position one wants.—adj. Nurse′like (Shak.), like or becoming a nurse.—ns. Nurse′maid, a girl who takes care of children; Nurs′er, one who nurses: one who promotes growth; Nurs′ery, place for nursing: an apartment for young children: a place where the growth of anything is promoted: (hort.) a piece of ground where plants are reared; Nurs′ery-gov′erness; Nurs′erymaid, a nurse-maid; Nurs′eryman, a man who owns or works a nursery: one who is employed in cultivating plants, &c., for sale; Nurs′ing-fa′ther (B.), a foster-father; Nurs′ling, that which is nursed: an infant. [O. Fr. norrice (Fr. nourrice)—L. nutrix—nutrīre, to nourish.]
Nurture, nurt′ūr, n. act of nursing or nourishing: nourishment: education: instruction.—v.t. to nourish: to bring up: to educate.—n. Nurt′urer. [O. Fr. noriture (Fr. nourriture)—Low L. nutritura—L. nutrīre, to nourish.]
Nut, nut, n. the name popularly given to all those fruits which have the seed enclosed in a bony, woody, or leathery pericarp, not opening when ripe: (bot.) a one-celled fruit, with a hardened pericarp, containing, when mature, only one seed: often the hazel-nut, sometimes the walnut: a small block of metal for screwing on the end of a bolt.—v.i. to gather nuts:—pr.p. nut′ting; pa.p. nut′ted.—adj. Nut′-brown, brown, like a ripe old nut.—ns. Nut′cracker, an instrument for cracking nuts: a genus of birds of the family Corvidæ; Nut′-gall, an excrescence, chiefly of the oak; Nut′hatch, a genus of birds of the family Sittidæ, agile creepers—also Nut′jobber, Nut′pecker; Nut′-hook, a stick with a hook at the end for pulling down boughs that the nuts may be gathered: a bailiff, a thief who uses a hook; Nut′meal, meal made from the kernels of nuts; Nut′-oil, an oil obtained from walnuts; Nut′-pine, one of several pines with large edible seeds; Nut′shell, the hard substance that encloses the kernel of a nut: anything of little value; Nut′ter, one who gathers nuts; Nut′tiness; Nut′ting, the gathering of nuts; Nut′-tree, any tree bearing nuts, esp. the hazel.—adj. Nut′ty, abounding in nuts: having the flavour of nuts.—n. Nut′-wrench, an instrument for fixing on nuts or removing them from screws.—A nut to crack, a difficult problem to solve; Be nuts on (slang), to be very fond of; In a nutshell, in small compass. [A.S. hnutu; Ice. hnot, Dut. noot, Ger. nuss.]
Nutant, nū′tant, adj. nodding: (bot.) having the top of the stem of the flower-cluster bent downward.—n. Nūtā′tion, a nodding: (astron.) a periodical and constant change of the angle made by the earth's axis, with the ecliptic, caused by the attraction of the moon on the greater mass of matter round the equator: (bot.) the turning of flowers towards the sun. [L. nutāre, to nod.]
Nutmeg, nut′meg, n. the aromatic kernel of an East Indian tree, much used as a seasoning in cookery.—adj. Nut′megged; Nut′meggy. [M. E. notemuge, a hybrid word formed from nut, and O. Fr. muge, musk—L. muscus, musk.]
Nutria, nū′tri-a, n. the fur of the coypou, a South American beaver. [Sp.,—L. lutra, an otter.]
Nutriment, nū′tri-ment, n. that which nourishes: that which helps forward growth or development: food.—adj. Nū′trient, nourishing.—n. anything nourishing.—adj. Nū′trimental, having the quality of nutriment or food: nutritious.—n. Nūtri′tion, act of nourishing: process of promoting the growth of bodies: that which nourishes: nutriment.—adjs. Nūtri′tional; Nūtri′tious, nourishing: promoting growth.—adv. Nūtri′tiously.—n. Nūtri′tiousness.—adjs. Nū′tritive, Nū′tritory, nourishing: concerned in nutrition.—adv. Nū′tritively.—ns. Nū′tritiveness; Nūtritō′rium, the nutritive apparatus. [L. nutrimentum—nutrīre, to nourish.]
Nux vomica, nuks vom′ik-a, n. the seed of an East Indian tree, from which the powerful poison known as strychnine is obtained. [L. nux, a nut, vomicus, from vomĕre, to vomit.]
Nuzzer, nuz′ėr, n. a present made to a superior. [Ind.]
Nuzzle, nuz′l, v.i. to rub the nose against: to fondle closely, to cuddle: to nurse or rear.—v.t. to touch with the nose: to go with the nose toward the ground.—Also Nous′le. [A freq. verb from nose.]
Nyanza, ni-an′za, n. a sheet of water, marsh, the river feeding a lake. [Afr.]
Nyas. See Eyas.
Nyctala, nik′ta-la, n. a genus of owls of family Strigidæ.
Nyctalopia, nik-ta-lō′pi-a, n. the defective vision of persons who can see in a faint light but not in bright daylight: sometimes applied to the opposite defect, inability to see save in a strong daylight—also Nyc′talopy.—n. Nyc′talops, one affected with nyctalopia. [Gr. nyktalōps, seeing by night only—nyx, nyktos, night, ōps, vision.]
Nyctitropism, nik′ti-trō-pizm, n. the so-called sleep of plants, the habit of taking at night certain positions unlike those during the day.—adj. Nyctitrop′ic. [Gr. nyx, night, tropos, a turn.]
Nylghau, nil′gaw, n. a large species of antelope, in North Hindustan, the males of which are of a bluish colour. [Pers. níl gáw—níl, blue, gáw, ox, cow.]
Nymph, nimf, n. a young and beautiful maiden: (myth.) one of the beautiful goddesses who inhabited mountains, rivers, trees, &c.—adjs. Nymph′al, relating to nymphs; Nymphē′an, pertaining to nymphs: inhabited by nymphs; Nymph′ic, -al, pertaining to nymphs; Nymph′ish, Nymph′ly, nymph-like; Nymph′-like.—ns. Nymph′olepsy, a species of ecstasy or frenzy said to have seized those who had seen a nymph; Nymph′olept, a person in frenzy.—adj. Nympholept′ic.—ns. Nymphomā′nia, morbid and uncontrollable sexual desire in women; Nymphomā′niac, a woman affected with the foregoing.—adjs. Nymphomā′niac, -al. [Fr.,—L. nympha—Gr. nymphē, a bride.]
Nymph, nimf, Nympha, nimf′a, n. the pupa or chrysalis of an insect.—n.pl. Nymphæ (nimf′ē), the labia minora.—adj. Nymphip′arous, producing pupæ.—ns. Nymphī′tis, inflammation of the nymphæ; Nymphot′omy, the excision of the nymphæ.
Nymphæa, nim-fē′a, n. a genus of water-plants, with beautiful fragrant flowers, including the water-lily, Egyptian lotus, &c. [L. nympha, a nymph.]
Nys, nis (Spens.), none is. [Ne, not, and is.]
Nystagmus, nis-tag′mus, n. a spasmodic, lateral, oscillatory movement of the eyes, found in miners, &c. [Gr., nystazein, to nap.]
Nyula, ni-ū′la, n. an ichneumon.