Word: nice Part of Speech: adj Etymology: From Middle English nyce, nice, nys, from Old French nice, niche, nisce (“simple, foolish, ignorant”), from Latin nescius (“ignorant, not knowing”); compare nesciō (“to know not, be ignorant of”), from ne (“not”) + sciō (“to know”). Pronunciation: /ˈnaɪ̯s/, /ˈnaːs/, /ˈnɑ̟ɪ̯s/, /ˈnɒ̈ɪ̯s/, /ˈnɑ̟e̝s/ 1. Pleasant, satisfactory, complimentary. Labels: informal Example: You weren’t nice to me this morning. Example: "It's a lot nicer than going round by the road; that is so dusty and hot," said Diana practically, peeping into her dinner basket and mentally calculating if the three juicy, toothsome, raspberry tarts reposing there were divided among ten girls, how many bites each girl would have. 2. Of a person: friendly, attractive. Labels: informal Example: Yes, please tell me how Shillary is the nicest corporate oligarchical servant, and how she will lovingly sell out the people who voted for her to her banker masters, with a twinkle in her fellating eye. 3. Respectable; virtuous. Example: What is a nice person like you doing in a place like this? Example: She was so nice, in fact, that she wouldn't let me put my hand underneath or even on top of her bra, and so I finished with her, although obviously I didn't tell her why. 4. Shows that the given adjective is desirable, or acts as a mild intensifier; pleasantly, quite. Labels: informal Example: The soup is nice and hot. Example: We toted in the wood and got the fire going nice and comfortable. Lord James still set in one of the chairs and Applegate had cabbaged the other and was hugging the stove. 5. Giving a favorable review or having a favorable impression. Labels: informal Example: For Candy Crush Saga, the critics were far nicer than the audience (7.9/10 vs. 3.1/10). 6. Showing refinement or delicacy, proper, seemly Labels: informal Example: a nice way of putting it 7. Silly, ignorant; foolish. Labels: obsolete Example: Old fashions please me best; I am not so nice To change true rules for odd inventions. 8. Particular in one's conduct; scrupulous, painstaking; choosy. Labels: archaic Example: There is nothing he seemed to be more carefull of than of his honesty, and observe a kinde of decencie of his person, and orderly decorum in his habits, were it on foot or on horsebacke. He was exceeding nice in performing his word or promise. Example: Mr Blifil, I am confident, understands himself better than to think of seeing my niece any more this morning, after what hath happened. Women are of a nice contexture; and our spirits, when disordered, are not to be recomposed in a moment. 9. Having particular tastes; fussy, fastidious. Labels: dated Example: Choice, nice in eating; fastidiosus in edendo. 10. Particular as regards rules or qualities; strict. Labels: obsolete Example: “Well, my dear,” he deliberately began, “considering we never saw her before, she seems a very pretty sort of young lady; and I dare say she was very much pleased with you. She speaks a little too quick. A little quickness of voice there is which rather hurts the ear. But I believe I am nice; I do not like strange voices; and nobody speaks like you and poor Miss Taylor. ..." Example: "Good company requires only birth, education and manners, and with regard to education is not very nice. Birth and good manners are essential." 11. Showing or requiring great precision or sensitive discernment; subtle. Example: "It's her own funeral, you know," said Sir Lulworth; "it's a nice point in etiquette how far one ought to show respect to one's own mortal remains." Example: It would be a nice theological point to try and establish whether Ophis is Moslem or gnostic. 12. Easily injured; delicate; dainty. Labels: obsolete 13. Doubtful, as to the outcome; risky. Labels: obsolete Example: [W]ere it good / To ſet the exact wealth of al our ſtates / Al at one caſt? to ſet ſo rich a maine / On the nice hazard of one doubtfull houre? Example: It has been a damned nice thing - the nearest run thing you ever saw in your life.