Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Nēal, v. t. p. 878To temper and reduce to a due consistence by heat; to anneal. [Rare.]Nēal, v. i. p. 878To be tempered by heat. [Rare.] See ANNEAL. Bacon.Nēap, n. p. 878The tongue or pole of a cart, sled, or wagon. 2. A prop or support for the front of a cart, &c.Nēap, a. p. 878Low. Neap tides, tides which happen in the second and last quarters of the moon, when the effects of the sun's and moon's attraction are opposed to each other, and the difference between high and low…Nēap, n. p. 878A neap tide. See NEAP, a.Nēaped, a. p. 878(Naut.) Left aground;—applied to a ship when it is left aground, especially on the height of a spring tide, so that she will not float till the return of the next spring tide.Nē'a-pŏl'i-tan, a. p. 878(Geog.) Of, or pertaining to, the city of Naples in Italy, or its inhabitants.Nē'a-pŏl'i-tan, n. p. 878(Geog.) A native or an inhabitant of the city of Naples.Nēar, a. p. 878Not far distant; not remote; nigh; as, (a.) Not distant in place; close by one; adjacent; neighboring. He served great Hector, and was ever near, Not with his trumpet only, but his spear. Dryden.…Nēar, adv. p. 878At a little distance only, in place or time, in manner or degree; not remote. My wife! my traitress! let her not come near me. Milton. 2. Within a little; almost; well-nigh; nearly. “Near about the…Nēar, v. t. p. 878To approach; to come nearer; as, the ship neared the land.Nēar, v. i. p. 878To draw near; to approach. A speck, a mist, a shape, I wist! And still it neared, and neared. Coleridge.Nēar, prep. p. 878Adjacent to; close by; not far from; as, the ship is near the land. [See Note under NEAR, a.] 2. At; as, the Russian minister near the court of St. James. [A Gallicism.] [Rare.]Nēar'-lĕgged, a. p. 878Traveling with the feet so near together that they interfere. [Rare.]Nēar'ly, adv. p. 878At no great distance; not remotely. 2. Closely; as, two persons nearly related or allied. 3. With a close relation to one's interest or happiness; intimately; pressingly. Nearly now it concerns us to…Nēar'ness, n. p. 878Closeness; small distance; as, the nearness of a place to a market enhances the value of lands. 2. Close alliance by blood; propinquity; as, the nearness of brothers and sisters, parents and…Nēar'-sight'ed, a. p. 878Seeing at small distance only; short-sighted.Nēar'-sight'ed-ness, n. p. 878The state of being short-sighted.Nēat, n. p. 878Cattle of the bovine genus, as bulls, oxen, and cows. “Wherein the herds were keeping of their neat.” Spenser. The steer, the heifer, and the calf Are all called neat. Shak. 2. A single bovine…Nēat, a. p. 878Belonging to the bovine genus; as, neat cattle; also belonging or relating to such cattle.Nēat, a. p. 878Free from that which soils, defiles, or disorders; clean; cleanly; tidy. If you were to see her, you would wonder what poor body it was that was so surprisingly neat and clean. Lau. 2. Free from what…Nēat'-hērd, n. p. 878A person who has the care of cattle; a cow-keeper. Dryden.Nēat'-house, n. p. 878A building for the shelter of neat cattle. [Obs., or Prov. Eng.]Nēat'i-fy, v. t. p. 878To render neat. [Obs.] Holland.Nēat'-lănd, n. p. 878Land rented to yeomanry. Crabb.Nēat'ly, adv. p. 878With neatness; in a neat manner; in a cleanly manner; as, a garment neatly washed. 2. With good taste; without tawdry ornaments; as, a lady neatly dressed. 3. Nicely; handsomely; as, a vessel neatly…Nēat'ness, n. p. 878The condition or quality of being neat; cleanliness; freedom from foul matter; as, the neatness of a floor or of a garment. 2. Freedom from ill chosen words; purity; as, the neatness of style. 3.…Nēat'ress, n. p. 878A female who takes care of cattle. [Rare.]Nēb, n. p. 878The nose; snout; mouth; the beak of a bird; the bill; nib, as of a pen. Shak.Nē'bel, n. p. 878(Mus.) A stringed instrument used by the ancient Hebrews, supposed to have been somewhat triangular in shape, and used especially in the public worship of God. It is called psaltery in the English…Nēb'-nēb, n. p. 878The seed of a leguminous plant (Acacia Nilotica) used by Egyptian tanners.Nĕb'ū-lă or NĒB'Ū-LĒ, n. p. 878(Astron.) A faint, misty appearance seen among the stars, resembling a speck of fog, and, in most cases, shown by the telescope to be composed of innumerable stars. 2. (Med.) (a.) A white spot, or a…Nĕb'ū-lar, a. p. 878Pertaining to nebulæ.Nebular hypothesis p. 878an hypothesis, framed by Laplace, to explain the process of formation of the solar system. It supposed the matter of the system to have existed originally in the form of a vast diffused, revolving…Nĕb'ūle, n. p. 878A little cloud; a cloud. [Obs.] 2. (Arch.) An ornament used in Norman and Gothic architecture, having a border consisting of a series of regular, tooth-like projections, which, as well as the spaces…Nĕb'ū-lōse, a. p. 878Nebulous; cloudy. [Obs.] Derham.Nēb'ū-lōs'i-ty, n. p. 878The state of being nebulous; cloudiness; haziness. 2. (Astron.) The faint, misty appearance surrounding certain stars.Nēb'ū-lous, a. p. 878Cloudy; hazy. See NEBULA. 2. (Astron.) Pertaining to, or having the appearance of, a nebula; nebular.Nĕb'ū-ly, a. p. 878Covered or ornamented with wavy lines.Nĕc'es-sā'ri-an, n. p. 878An advocate for the doctrine of philosophical necessity: a necessitarian.Nēç'es-sā'ri-an, a. p. 878Relating to necessarianism.Nĕç'es-sā'ri-an-īsm, n. p. 878The doctrine of philosophical necessity.Nēç'es-sa-ri-ly, adv. p. 878In a necessary manner; by necessity; unavoidably; indispensably.Nĕc'es-sa-ri-ness, n. p. 878The state or quality of being necessary.Nĕc'es-sa-ry, a. p. 878Such as must be; impossible to be otherwise; not to be avoided; inevitable. Death, a necessary end, Will come when it will come. Shak. 2. Impossible to be otherwise without preventing the purpose…Nĕc'es-sa-ry, n. p. 878A thing indispensable to some purpose; a requisite; an essential;—used chiefly in the plural. 2. A privy; a water-closet.Ne-cĕs'si-tā'ri-an, n. p. 878One who maintains the doctrine of philosophical necessity in regard to the origin and existence of things, especially as applied to the actings or choices of the will;—opposed to libertarian.Ne-çēs'si-tāte, v. t. p. 878To make necessary or indispensable; to render unavoidable. Sickness might necessitate his removal from court. South. 2. To reduce to the necessity of; to force; to compel. The Marquis of Newcastle…Ne-cĕs'si-tā'tion, n. p. 878The act of making necessary, or the state of being made necessary; compulsion. [Rare.] Bramhall.Ne-çēs'si-tied, a. p. 878In a state of want; necessitous. [Obs.] Shak.Ne-cĕs'si-tōŭs, a. p. 878Very needy or indigent; pressed with poverty. There are multitudes of necessitous heirs and penurious parents. Arbuthnot. 2. Narrow; destitute; pinching; as, necessitous circumstances.Ne-çĕs'si-tōus-ly, adv. p. 879In a necessitous manner.Ne-çēs'si-tōus-ness, n. p. 879Extreme poverty or destitution of the means of living; pressing want.Ne-cĕs'si-tūde, n. p. 879Necessitousness; want. [Obs.] Hale. 2. Necessary connection or relation. Between kings and their people, parents and their children, there is so great a necessitude, propriety, and intercourse of…Ne-cēs'si-ty, n. p. 879The quality of being necessary or absolutely requisite; inevitableness; indispensableness. “Urge the necessity and state of times.” Shak. 2. The condition of being needy or necessitous; pressing…Nēck, n. p. 879The part of an animal’s body connecting the head and the trunk, and which in man and many other animals is more slender than the trunk. 2. Any part corresponding to a neck; the long, slender part of…Nĕck'a-tē', n. p. 879A neckerchief. [Obs.]Nĕck'-beef, n. p. 879Coarse flesh of the neck of cattle, sold at a low price. “Cheap as neck-beef.” Swift.Nĕck'cloth, n. p. 879A piece of cloth worn on the neck.Nĕcked, a. p. 879Having a neck;—chiefly used in composition, as in stiff-necked.