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.
Niēce, n. p. 885Formerly, a relative in general, as an aunt; but especially a descendant, whether male or female. [Obs.] B. Jonson. Wycliffe. Shak. 2. The daughter of a brother or sister. ☞ “This word . . . is now…Niēf, n. p. 885See NEAF.Nĭ-ĕl'lo, n. p. 885A style of ornamentation applied to metal before the invention of engraving. The process consisted in drawing upon gold, silver, &c., a design, which was then cut out with a pointed instrument, and…Nĭf'le, n. p. 885A trifle. [Obs.] Chaucer.Nĭ-ġĕl'lȧ, n. p. 885(Bot.) A genus of plants; fennel-flower;—so called from its black seeds. Gray.Nĭg'gard, n. p. 885A person meanly close and covetous; a sordid wretch who saves every cent, or spends grudgingly; a miser. Serve him as a grudging master, As a penurious niggard of his wealth. Milton. Be niggards of…Nīg'gard, a. p. 885Meanly covetous; sordidly parsimonious; miserly. Nor rude is he, Nor niggard of his cheer. Byron. 2. Sparing; wary; chary.Nig'gard, v. t. p. 885To stint; to supply sparingly. [Rare.] Shak.Nĭg'gard-īse, n. p. 885Niggardliness. [Obs.] Spenser.Nĭg'gard-ĭsh, a. p. 885Somewhat covetous or niggardly.Nĭg'gard-li-ness, n. p. 885The state of being niggardly; mean covetousness; sordid parsimony; extreme avarice manifested in sparing expense. Niggardliness is not good husbandry. Addison.Nĭg'gard-ly, a. p. 885Meanly covetous or avaricious in dealing with others; sordidly parsimonious; extremely sparing of expense. Where the owner of the house will be bountiful, it is not for the steward to be niggardly.…Nig'gard-ly, adv. p. 885With cautious parsimony; sparingly.Nig'gard-ness, n. p. 885Niggardliness. [Obs.] Sidney.Nig'gard-oūs, a. p. 885Niggardly. [Obs.] “Covetous gathering and niggardous keeping.” Sir T. More.Nig'gard-ship, n. p. 885Niggardliness; stinginess. [Obs.] In a noble man, much pinching and niggardship of meat and drink is to be discommended. Sir T. Elyot.Nig'gard-y, n. p. 885Niggardliness. [Obs.]Nig'ger, n. p. 885A negro;— in derision or depreciation.Nĭg'gish, a. p. 885Niggardly; meanly covetous; sparing. [Obs.] Be not ye niggish and slothful distributors of the doctrine that I give you, but put it forth lavishly. Udal, Mark iv.Nĭg'gle, v. t. p. 885To trifle with; to deceive; to mock. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.Nĭg'gle, v. i. p. 886To trifle or play. Take heed, daughter, You niggle not with your conscience and religion. Massinger. 2. To act or walk mincingly. [Prov. Eng.] 3. To squeeze out with care or difficulty. Nares. 4. To…Nĭg'gler, n. p. 886One who niggles; a deceiver; a cheat.Nigh (nī), a. p. 886Not distant or remote in place or time; near. The loud tumult shows the battle nigh. Prior. 2. Not remote in degree, kindred, circumstances, &c.; closely allied; intimate. Ye . . . are made nigh by…Nigh, adv. p. 886In a situation near in place or time, or in the course of events. He was sick, nigh unto death. Phil. ii. 27. He drew not nigh unheard; the angel bright, Ere he drew nigh, his radiant visage turned.…Nigh, v. t. p. 886To draw nigh to; to approach; to near. [Obs.]Nigh, v. i. p. 886To come nigh; to approach; to advance or draw near. [Obs.]Nigh, prep. p. 886Near to; not remote or distant from. [See Note under NEAR, a.] Nigh this recess with terror they survey Where Death maintains his dread tyrannic sway. Garth.Nigh'ly, adv. p. 886In a near relation in place, time, and the like; within a little; almost. [Obs.] A cube and a sphere nighly of the same bigness. Locke.Nigh'ness, n. p. 886The quality or state of being nigh; nearness; proximity in place, time, or degree. [Rare.]Night, n. p. 886That part of the natural day when the sun is beneath the horizon, or the time from sunset to sunrise. God has set Labor and rest, as day and night, to men, Successive. Milton. 2. Hence, in figurative…Night'-cāp, n. p. 886A cap worn in bed or in undress. 2. A glass of warm liquor before going to bed. [Cant.] Wright.Night'-cārt, n. p. 886A cart used to remove the contents of privies by night. Simmonds.Night'-crōw, n. p. 886A bird that cries in the night.Night'-dŏg, n. p. 886A dog that hunts in the night, used by deer-stealers.Night'ed, a. p. 886Darkened; clouded; black. [Rare.] Shak. 2. Overtaken by night; belated; benighted. Now to horse; I shall be nighted. Beau. & Fl.Night'-eyed, a. p. 886Capable of seeing at night; sharp-eyed. “Your night-eyed Tiberius.” B. Jonson.Night'-fall, n. p. 886The close of the day; evening. Swift.Night'-fār'ing, a. p. 886Traveling in the night. Gay.Night'-fire, n. p. 886Ignis fatuus; Will-with-a-wisp; Jack-with-a-lantern. 2. Fire burning in the night.Night'-flī'er, n. p. 886An insect that flies in the night.Night'-glass, n. p. 886A spy-glass constructed to concentrate a large amount of light, so as to see objects distinctly at night. Totten.Night'-gown, n. p. 886A loose gown used for undress.Night'-hāg, n. p. 886A witch supposed to wander in the night.Night'-hawk, n. p. 886(Ornith.) A bird allied to the goat sucker, a native of the United States. It hunts its prey toward evening, and often, diving down perpendicularly, produces a whirring sound, like that of a…Night'-hēr'on, n. p. 886(Ornith.) A wading bird (Nycticorax Gardeni), allied to the bittern, but having a stouter bill. It is common in the United States.Night'-house, n. p. 886A public house, or inn, which is open at night.Night'in-gale, n. p. 886O. Eng. night-gale, A.-S. nihtegale, fr. A.-S. niht, night, and galan, to sing, gale, songster; O. Sax. nahtigala, O. H. Ger. nahtigala, nahtegala, M. H. Ger. nahtegale, nahtegali, N. H. Ger.…Night'ish, a. p. 886Pertaining to night, or attached to the night.Night'-jār, n. p. 886(Ornith.) A British bird, allied to the night-hawk (Caprimulgus Europaeus), distinguished by the wide gape of its beak; the goat-sucker. It hunts its prey in the dusk, and is remarkable for the loud…Night'less, a. p. 886Having no night.Night'ly, a. p. 886Done by night; happening in the night, or appearing in the night. 2. Done every night; as, the watch goes his nightly round.Night'ly, adv. p. 886By night; in the night. Thee, Sion, and the flowery brooks beneath, Nightly I visit. Milton 2. Every night.Night'-man, n. p. 886One who empties privies, in cities, by night.Night'māre, n. p. 886A sensation in sleep as of the pressure of a weight on the chest or stomach, and of an impossibility of motion, speech, or respiration, from which one wakes after extreme anxiety, in a troubled state…Night'-piēce, n. p. 886A piece of painting representing some night-scene, or so colored as to be exhibited to the best advantage by candle-light.Night'-rail, n. p. 886A loose robe, or garment, worn over the dress at night, or in sickness. [Obs.]Night'-rā'ven, n. p. 886A bird of ill omen that cries in the night; the night-heron.Night'-rule, n. p. 886A tumult, or frolic, in the night; — as if a corruption of night-revel. [Obs.] 2. Such conduct as generally rules, or prevails, at night. What night-rule now about this haunted grove? Shak.Nīght'shāde, n. p. 886(Bot.) A plant of the genus Solanum. S. nigrum is the common nightshade, a low, branching, annual plant, having very small, white flowers, and small, round berries. Deadly-nightshade, a plant of the…Nīght'-shirt, n. p. 886A plain, loose shirt, for sleeping in; a night-gown.