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An American Dictionary of the English Language

by Noah Webster

Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)

Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865

Entries
95,912
Pages
1,538
Illustrations
2,133

Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.

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  1. Nīght'-snăp, n.p. 886A night thief. [Cant.] Beau. & Fl.
  2. Nīght'-soil, n.p. 886The contents of necessaries; — so called because collected in cities, and carried away, as a manure, by night.
  3. Nīght'-spĕll, n.p. 886A charm against accidents at night.
  4. Nīght'-trĭp'ping, a.p. 886Tripping about in the night; as, a night-tripping fairy. Shak.
  5. Nīght'-walk, n.p. 886A walk in the evening or night.
  6. 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.
  7. Nīght'-walk'ing, n.p. 886Walking in one's sleep; somnambulism; noctambulism. 2. A roving in the streets at night with evil designs.
  8. Nīght'ward, a.p. 886Approaching toward night.
  9. 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.
  10. Nīght'-watch'er, n.p. 886One who watches in the night; especially, one who watches with evil designs.
  11. Nīght'-witch, n.p. 886A night-hag; a witch that appears in the night.
  12. Nī-grĕs'çent, a.p. 886Growing black; changing to a black color; approaching to blackness.
  13. Nĭg'ri-fi-cā'tion, n.p. 886The act of making black. [Rare.]
  14. Nī'grīne, n.p. 886An ore of titanium, found in black grains or rolled pieces. [Written also nigrin.] Ure.
  15. 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…
  16. 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.
  17. Nī'hil-ĭst'ic, a.p. 886Pertaining to, or partaking of, nihilism.
  18. Nī-hĭl'i-ty, n.p. 886Nothingness; a state of being nothing.
  19. 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…
  20. Nĭll, v. t.p. 886Not to will; to refuse; to reject. [Obs.] Spenser.
  21. 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.
  22. Nĭll, n.p. 886Shining sparks thrown off from melted brass. 2. A nail; also, a needle. Halliwell.
  23. Nī-lŏm'e-ter, n.p. 886An instrument for measuring the rise of water in the Nile during its periodical flood.
  24. Nī'lo-scōpe, n.p. 886An instrument for observing, or measuring, the height of the waters of the Nile; a Nilometer.
  25. Nī-lŏt'ic, a.p. 886Pertaining to the River Nile, in Egypt.
  26. 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.
  27. Nĭm-bĭf'er-oŭs, a.p. 886Serving to bring clouds or stormy weather.
  28. 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…
  29. 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…
  30. Nĭm'bless, n.p. 887Nimbleness. [Obs.] Spenser.
  31. Nim'bly, adv.p. 887In a nimble manner; with agility; with light, quick motion. He capers nimbly in a lady's chamber. Shak.
  32. Nim-bōse', a.p. 887Cloudy; stormy.
  33. 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…
  34. Ni-mi'e-ty, n.p. 887State of being in excess. [R.] There is a nimiety, a too-much-ness, in all Germans. Coleridge.
  35. Nīm'i-oûs, a.p. 887Excessive; extravagant; inordinate. [Obs.]
  36. Nim'mer, n.p. 887A thief. [Obs.]
  37. Nin'com-poop, n.p. 887A silly fool; a blockhead; a trifling dotard. [Low.]
  38. Nīne, a.p. 887One more than eight, or one less than ten; five and four added; as, nine miles.
  39. 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.
  40. Nīne'fōld, a.p. 887Nine times repeated.
  41. Nine'-hōles, n.p. 887A game in which nine holes are made in the ground, into which a ball is to be bowled.
  42. Nine'-kill'er, n.p. 887(Ornith.) The northern butcher-bird; — popularly so called.
  43. Nine'-mén's-môr/ris, n.p. 887See MORRIS.
  44. Nine'pence, n.p. 887A silver coin of the value of nine pence.
  45. 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…
  46. Nīne'-scōre, a.p. 887Noting nine times twenty, or one hundred and eighty. See SCORE.
  47. Nīne'-scōre, n.p. 887The number of nine times twenty.
  48. Nīne'teen, a.p. 887Nine and ten; one more than eighteen, and one less than twenty; as, nineteen months.
  49. Nīne'teen, n.p. 887The number greater by one than eighteen; the sum of ten and nine. 2. A symbol representing nineteen units, as 19 or xix.
  50. Nīne'teenth, a.p. 887Following the eighteenth and preceding the twentieth; coming after eighteen of the same class. 2. Constituting or being one of nineteen equal parts into which any thing is divided.
  51. Nine'teenth, n.p. 887The quotient of a unit divided by nineteen; one of nineteen equal parts. 2. The next in order after the eighteenth; the ninth after the tenth. 3. (Mus.) An interval comprising two octaves and a…
  52. Nine'ti-eth, a.p. 887Next in order after the eighty-ninth. 2. Constituting or being one of ninety equal parts.
  53. Nīne'ti-eth, n.p. 887The quotient of a unit divided by ninety; one of ninety equal parts. 2. The next in order after the eighty-ninth; the tenth after the eightieth.
  54. Nīne'ty, a.p. 887Nine times ten; one more than eighty-nine; as, ninety men.
  55. Nīne'ty, n.p. 887The sum of nine times ten. 2. A symbol representing ninety units, as 90 or xc.
  56. Nĭn'ny, n.p. 887A fool; a simpleton; a dolt.
  57. Nin'ny-hăm'mer, n.p. 887A simpleton. Arbuthnot.
  58. Nin’sin, n.p. 887(Med.) A bitter root possessing medicinal qualities similar to those of ginseng. [Written also ninzin.] Dunglison.
  59. Ninth, a.p. 887Following the eighth and preceding the tenth; coming after eight of the same class. 2. Constituting or being one of nine equal parts into which any thing is divided.
  60. Ninth, n.p. 887The quotient of a unit divided by nine; one of nine equal parts. 2. (Mus.) (a.) An interval containing an octave and a second. (b.) A chord consisting of the common chord, with the eighth advanced…