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.
Nī'sey, n. p. 887A simpleton; a fool. “To win applause from gaping niseys.” Hudibras Redivivus, 1707.Nī'sī, conj. p. 887Unless; if not. ☞ In legal proceedings, this word is used to indicate that any order, &c., shall take effect at a given time, unless before that time the order, &c., is modified, or something else is…Nisi prius p. 887unless before:—a phrase applied to terms of court, held generally by a single judge, with a jury, for the trial of jury causes. The term originated in a legal fiction. An issue of fact being made up…Nĭt, n. p. 887The egg of a louse or other small insect.Ni'ten-cy, n. p. 887Brightness; luster. 2. [From Lat. nitens, p. pr. of niti, to strive.] Endeavor; effort. Boyle.Ni'ter or Ni'tre, n. p. 887(Chem.) A white, crystalline, semi-transparent salt, nitrate of potassa, having a pungent, saline taste. It occurs in nature as a crust of minute, silky crystals, and often as the result of the…Nith'ing, n. p. 887A coward; a dastard; a poltroon. [Obs.]Nĭt'id, a. p. 887Bright; lustrous; shining. Boyle. 2. Gay; spruce; fine; — said of persons. [Rare.] Reeve.Ni'trate, n. p. 887(Chem.) A salt formed by the union of nitric acid with a base. Nitrate of silver, lunar caustic. See under LUNAR.—Nitrate of soda. See under NITER.Ni'trā-ted, a. p. 887Combined with nitric acid. 2. (Photog.) Prepared with nitrate of silver.Nĭ'tra-tīne, n. p. 887(Min.) A mineral occurring in transparent crystals, usually of a white, sometimes of a reddish, gray, or lemon-yellow color; native nitrate of soda. Dana.Nĭ'tre, n. p. 887See NITER.Nĭ'tri-a-ry, n. p. 887An artificial bed of decomposing animal matter for the manufacture of niter.Nī'tric, a. p. 887(Chem.) Pertaining to, or containing, nitrogen. Nitric acid, a powerful, corrosive acid, containing five equivalents of oxygen and one of nitrogen. — Nitric oxide, an acid composed of oxygen and…Nī′/tri-fi-cā′/tion, n. p. 887The process of forming niter by the decomposition of animal matter. 2. The process of converting into niter.Nĭ'tri-fy, v. t. p. 887To convert into niter.Nī'trite, n. p. 887(Chem.) A salt formed by the combination of nitrous acid with a base.Nī'tro-ā-ē'ri-al, a. p. 888Containing, or consisting of, niter and air. Ray.Nī'tro-bēn'zole, n. p. 888(Chem.) A liquid formed by treating benzole with nitric acid, and used as a substitute for the essence of bitter almonds in perfumery.Nī'tro-gen, n. p. 888(Chem.) A gaseous element, without taste, odor, or color, forming nearly four fifths of common air, and incapable of supporting life; azote. It is almost inert, chemically, but forms, by combination…Nī'tro-gen-īze, v. t. p. 888To imbue with nitrogen.Nī-trō'g'e-noŭs, a. p. 888Pertaining to, or containing, nitrogen.Nī'tro-leū'eate, n. p. 888(Chem.) A salt formed by the combination of nitroleucic acid with a base.Nī'tro-leū'çic, a. p. 888(Chem.) Pertaining to, or derived from, nitric acid and leucine; as, nitro-leucic acid.Nī-trōm'e-ter, n. p. 888(Chem.) An instrument for ascertaining the quality or value of niter.Nī'tro-mū-ri-āt'ic, a. p. 888(Chem.) Pertaining to, or composed of, nitric acid and muriatic acid; — said of an acid formed by mixing nitric and muriatic (or hydrochloric) acid, and which was formerly called aqua regia, from its…Nī-trōse', a. p. 888Pertaining to, or containing, niter; nitrous.Nī'troŭs, a. p. 888Pertaining to, or containing, niter; partaking of the qualities of niter, or resembling it. Nitrous acid (Chem.), an acid composed of nitrogen and oxygen, in which the oxygen is in a lower proportion…Nī'try, a. p. 888Nitrous; pertaining to niter; producing niter.Nĭt'er, n. p. 888The horse-louse; an insect that deposits nits on horses.Nĭt'ti-ly, adv. p. 888Lousily. [Obs.]Nĭt'ty, a. p. 888Full of nits; abounding with nits.Nĭt'ty, a. p. 888Shining; elegant; spruce. “O sweet, nitty youth.” Marston.Nī'val, a. p. 888Abounding with snow; snowy. [Obs.]Nīv'e-oŭs, a. p. 888Snowy; resembling snow; partaking of the qualities of snow. [Rare.] Broome.Nī-vōse', n. p. 888The fourth month of the French republican calendar, dating from Sept. 22, 1792. It commenced Dec. 21 or 22, and ended Jan. 19 or 20. See VENDEMIAIRE.Nī-zām', n. p. 888The title of the native sovereigns of Hyderabad, in India, derived from Nizam-ul-Mulk, who, after the death of Aurungzebe, obtained possession of the Mohammedan conquests in the Deccan, and whose…Nī'zey, n. p. 888The same as NISEY.Nō, adv. p. 888Nay;—a word of denial or refusal, expressing a negative. Before an adjective or adverb in the comparative degree, it is used instead of not, for in no respect or degree, or not at all; as, no longer…Nō, a. p. 888Not any; not one; none. Let there be no strife between me and thee. Gen. xiii. 8. That goodness is no name, and happiness no dream. Byron.Nō, n. p. 888A refusal by use of the word no; a denial. 2. A negative vote; one who votes in the negative; as, to call for the ayes and noes; the noes have it.No-ā'chi-an, a. p. 888Pertaining to Noah, the patriarch, or to his time.Nŏb, n. p. 888The head. [Low.] 2. Hence, a person in a superior position in life; a nobleman. [Slang.] 3. One who holds out for higher wages in a strike. [Eng.] Thackeray.Nōb'bler, n. p. 888A wine-glass of spirits. [Eng.]No-bĭl'ia-ry, n. p. 888A history of noble families. [Obs.]No-bil'i-fy, v. t. p. 888To make noble; to dignify; to exalt; to nobilitate. [Obs.]No-bil'i-tāte, v. t. p. 888To make noble; to ennoble. [Obs.]No-bil'i-tā'tion, n. p. 888The act of making noble. [Obs.] More.No-bil'i-ty, n. p. 888The quality of being noble; as, (a.) Dignity; greatness; grandeur; elevation; superiority of mind or of quality; commanding excellence; eminence. Though she hated Amphialus, yet the nobility of her…Nō'ble, a. p. 888Possessing eminence, elevation, dignity, or the like; exalted; superior; above whatever is low, mean, degrading, or dishonorable; as, a noble mind; a noble heart; the noblest part of the body.…Nō'ble, n. p. 888A person of rank above a commoner; a nobleman; a peer. 2. A money of account, and, formerly, a gold coin, of the value of 6s. 8d. sterling, or about $1.61. 3. (Ichth.) A small marine fish…Nō'ble, v. t. p. 888To make noble; to ennoble. [Obs.] “Nobled by fame.” Surrey.Nō'ble-man, n. p. 888One of the nobility; a noble; a peer; one who enjoys rank above a commoner, either by virtue of birth, by office, or by patent.Nō'ble-ness, n. p. 888The quality of being noble; greatness; dignity; ingenuousness; magnanimity; elevation of mind or of station; nobility. His purposes are full of honesty, nobleness, and integrity. Bp. Taylor.…No-blĕss' or Nō'bless or No-blĕssé or Nō'blesse, n. p. 888No-blĕssé, or Nō'blesse } 1. Dignity; greatness; noble birth or condition. [Obs.] Spenser. B. Jonson. 2. The nobility; persons of noble rank collectively, including males and females. Dryden.Nō'ble-wom'an, n. p. 888A female of noble rank.Nō'bly, adv. p. 888Of noble extraction; descended from a family of rank; as, nobly born or descended. 2. With greatness of soul; heroically; with magnanimity; as, a deed nobly done. 3. Splendidly; magnificently. When…Nō'bŏd-y, n. p. 888No person; no one; not any body. 2. Hence, a person of no influence or importance; an insignificant or contemptible person. [Colloq.]Nō'cake, n. p. 888A kind of food used by the American Indians, consisting of Indian corn parched, beaten to powder, and mixed with water so as to form a sort of paste.Nō'cent, a. p. 888Doing hurt, or having a tendency to hurt; hurtful; mischievous; as, nocent qualities. Watts. 2. Guilty; wicked; — the opposite of innocent. [Obs.]