Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
- Pages
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- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
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.Nīght'-snăp, n. p. 886A night thief. [Cant.] Beau. & Fl.Nīght'-soil, n. p. 886The contents of necessaries; — so called because collected in cities, and carried away, as a manure, by night.Nīght'-spĕll, n. p. 886A charm against accidents at night.Nīght'-trĭp'ping, a. p. 886Tripping about in the night; as, a night-tripping fairy. Shak.Nīght'-walk, n. p. 886A walk in the evening or night.Nīght'-walk'er, n. p. 886One who walks in his sleep; a somnambulist; a noctambulist. 2. One who roves about in the night for evil purposes.Nīght'-walk'ing, n. p. 886Walking in one's sleep; somnambulism; noctambulism. 2. A roving in the streets at night with evil designs.Nīght'ward, a. p. 886Approaching toward night.Nīght'watch, n. p. 886A period in the night, as distinguished by the change of watch. 2. A watch, or guard, to afford protection in the night.Nīght'-watch'er, n. p. 886One who watches in the night; especially, one who watches with evil designs.Nīght'-witch, n. p. 886A night-hag; a witch that appears in the night.Nī-grĕs'çent, a. p. 886Growing black; changing to a black color; approaching to blackness.Nĭg'ri-fi-cā'tion, n. p. 886The act of making black. [Rare.]Nī'grīne, n. p. 886An ore of titanium, found in black grains or rolled pieces. [Written also nigrin.] Ure.Nī'hil, n. p. 886Nothing. Nihil album (i. e., white nothing) (Chem.), the white oxide or flowers of zinc, a woolly-looking, white matter, formed by the combustion of zinc, and so minutely divided as to be carried up…Nī'hil-ĭsm, n. p. 886Nothingness; nihility. 2. The doctrine that nothing can be known; skepticism carried to the denial of all knowledge and all reality.Nī'hil-ĭst'ic, a. p. 886Pertaining to, or partaking of, nihilism.Nī-hĭl'i-ty, n. p. 886Nothingness; a state of being nothing.Nĭl, n. p. 886Nothing; — a term often used for canceling, in accounts or book-keeping, meaning pass over, or take no notice of, that to which it refers. Simmonds. The change in the Spanish orthography is of very…Nĭll, v. t. p. 886Not to will; to refuse; to reject. [Obs.] Spenser.Nĭll, v. i. p. 886To be unwilling; to refuse to act. The actions of the will are “velle” and “nolle,” to will and nill. Burton. For would they, nill they, their king should be of his choosing. Latimer.Nĭll, n. p. 886Shining sparks thrown off from melted brass. 2. A nail; also, a needle. Halliwell.Nī-lŏm'e-ter, n. p. 886An instrument for measuring the rise of water in the Nile during its periodical flood.Nī'lo-scōpe, n. p. 886An instrument for observing, or measuring, the height of the waters of the Nile; a Nilometer.Nī-lŏt'ic, a. p. 886Pertaining to the River Nile, in Egypt.Nĭm, v. t. p. 886To take; to steal; to filch. [Obs.] Every one who had nimmed a church-bell did not ring it out for all to hear the sound thereof. Fuller.Nĭm-bĭf'er-oŭs, a. p. 886Serving to bring clouds or stormy weather.Nĭm'ble, a. p. 886Light and quick in motion; moving with ease and celerity; lively; swift. Through the mid seas the nimble pinnace sails. Pope. ☞ Nimble is sometimes used in the formation of self-explaining compounds…Nim'ble-ness, n. p. 887The quality of being nimble; lightness and agility in motion; quickness; celerity; speed; swiftness. The stag thought it better to trust to the nimbleness of his feet. Sidney. Ovid ranged over…Nĭm'bless, n. p. 887Nimbleness. [Obs.] Spenser.Nim'bly, adv. p. 887In a nimble manner; with agility; with light, quick motion. He capers nimbly in a lady's chamber. Shak.Nim-bōse', a. p. 887Cloudy; stormy.Nim’bus, n. p. 887(Fine Arts.) A circle, or disk, of rays of light around the heads of divinities, saints, and sovereigns, upon medals, pictures, and the like; a halo. When limited to the head only, it is termed…Ni-mi'e-ty, n. p. 887State of being in excess. [R.] There is a nimiety, a too-much-ness, in all Germans. Coleridge.Nīm'i-oûs, a. p. 887Excessive; extravagant; inordinate. [Obs.]Nim'mer, n. p. 887A thief. [Obs.]Nin'com-poop, n. p. 887A silly fool; a blockhead; a trifling dotard. [Low.]Nīne, a. p. 887One more than eight, or one less than ten; five and four added; as, nine miles.Nīne, n. p. 887The number next following eight and preceding ten; the sum of five and four. 2. A symbol representing nine units, as 9 or ix. The Nine, the nine Muses.Nīne'fōld, a. p. 887Nine times repeated.Nine'-hōles, n. p. 887A game in which nine holes are made in the ground, into which a ball is to be bowled.Nine'-kill'er, n. p. 887(Ornith.) The northern butcher-bird; — popularly so called.Nine'-mén's-môr/ris, n. p. 887See MORRIS.Nine'pence, n. p. 887A silver coin of the value of nine pence.Nīne'-pĭns, n. p. 887A play, originally with nine pins or pieces of wood set on end, at which a bowl is rolled for throwing them down; as, to play at nine-pins, or a game at nine-pins. ☞ In the United States, ten pins…