Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Nū'cūle, n. p. 895A very small nut; especially, a minute, nut-like growth on some plants, connected with their reproduction.Nu-dā'tion, n. p. 895The act of stripping, or making bare, or naked.Nŭd'dle, v. i. p. 895To walk quickly with the head bent forward;—followed by along. [Rare.] Ainsworth.Nūde, a. p. 895Bare; naked; uncovered; as, a nude statue. 2. (Law.) Of no force; void; as, a nude contract or compact. See NUDUM PACTUM. Blackstone.Nŭdge, v. t. p. 895To touch gently, as with the elbow, in order to call attention or convey intimation.Nŭdge, n. p. 895A gentle push, as with the elbow.Nū'di-brāch'i-ate, a. p. 895(Zoöl.) Having arms without vibratile cilia, as certain polyps. Carpenter.Nū'di-brăn'chi-ate, a. p. 895(Zoöl.) Pertaining to an order of molluscous animals having no shell whatever.Nū'di·brăn'chi-ate, n. p. 895(Zoöl.) One of an order of mollusks having no shell, the branchiæ being exposed upon the back. Brande.Nū'di-caul, a. p. 895(Bot.) Having the stems leafless. Henslow.Nū'di-fi-cā'-tion, n. p. 895The act of making nude, or naked.Nū'dil, n. p. 895(Med.) A kind of plaster. [Obs.]Nū'di-ty, n. p. 895Quality or condition of being nude; nakedness. 2. That which is nude or naked; naked part; undraped or unclothed portion; especially (Fine Arts), the nude human figure, or a nude portion of the same…Nū'dum Pāc'tum p. 896(Law.) A bare, naked contract, without any consideration. Tomlins.Nū-găc'i-ty, n. p. 896Futility; trifling talk or behavior. [Obs.] More.Nu-gā'tion, n. p. 896The act or practice of trifling. [Obs.] Bacon.Nū'ga-to-ry, a. p. 896Trifling; vain; futile; insignificant. 2. Of no force; inoperative; ineffectual. If all are pardoned, and pardoned are mere act of clemency, the very substance of government is made nugatory. I.…Nū'gi-fy, v. t. p. 896To render trifling or futile; to make silly. [Rare.] “The stultifying, nugifying effect of a blind and uncritical study of the Fathers.” Coleridge.Nŭg'get, n. p. 896A lump; a mass, especially of a precious metal; as, a nugget of gold. ☞ This word is probably a revival of the old word nigot, which was simply an inversion of ingot. Trench.Nūi'sance, n. p. 896That which annoys or gives trouble and vexation; that which is offensive or noxious. 2. (Law.) That which incommodes or annoys; something that produces inconvenience or damage. ☞ Nuisances are public…Nūi′san-cer, n. p. 896(Law.) One who makes or causes a nuisance.Nūl, a. p. 896(Law.) No; not any; as, nul disseizin; nul tiel record; nul tort.Nŭll, v. t. p. 896To annul; to deprive of validity; to destroy. See ANNUL. [Rare.] Milton.Nūll, a. p. 896Of no legal or binding force or validity; of no efficacy; invalid; void; nugatory; useless; of no account or significance. Faultily faultless, icily regular, splendidly null, Dead perfection; no…Nūll, n. p. 896Something that has no force or meaning. 2. That which has no value; a cipher. Bacon.Nūl'lah, n. p. 896An arm of the sea; also, a stream or water-course. [India.] Malcom.Nŭl'li-bī'e-ty, n. p. 896The state or condition of being nowhere. [Obs.]Nŭl'li-fi-cā'tion, n. p. 896The act of nullifying; a rendering void and of no effect, or of no legal effect. Right of nullification (U. S. Hist.), the right claimed in behalf of a state to nullify or make void, by its sovereign…Nŭl'li-fĭd'i-an, a. p. 896Of no faith; of no religion; also, not dependent upon, or trusting to, faith for salvation;—opposed to solifidian. [Obs.] Feltham.Nŭl'li-fĭd'i-an, n. p. 896An unbeliever. [Obs.] I am a nullifidian, if there be not three thirds of a scruple more of sampsuchinum in this confection than ever I put in any. B. Jonson.Nŭl'li-fī'er, n. p. 896One who makes void; one who maintains the right to nullify a contract by one of the parties. 2. An advocate of the political doctrine of nullification. [U. S.]Nūl'li-fȳ, v. t. p. 896To make void; to render invalid; to deprive of legal force or efficacy. Such correspondence would at once nullify the conditions of the probationary system. I. Taylor. Syn.—To abolish; abrogate…Nūl'li-pōre, n. p. 896(Bot.) A kind of marine plant, secreting lime on its surface, and hence resembling coral. It was formerly considered a kind of zoöphyte. Dana.Nŭl'li-ty, n. p. 896The condition or quality of being null or void; nothingness; want of existence or force. 2. That which is null or void in law; any thing void, invalid, or of no efficacy. Was it not absurd to say…Nŭmb, a. p. 896Enfeebled in, or destitute of, the power of sensation and motion; torpid; as, the fingers or limbs are numb with cold. 2. Producing numbness; benumbing; as, the numb, cold night. [Obs.] Shak. Syn.—…Nŭmb, v. t. p. 896To make torpid; to deprive of, or weaken, the power of sensation or motion; to deaden; to benumb; to stupefy. “Like dull narcotics, numbing pain.” Tennyson. For lazy winter numbs the laboring hand.…Nŭmb'ed-ness, n. p. 896The state of being numbed; numbness. [Obs.] If the nerve be quite divided, the pain is little—only a kind of stupor or numbness. Wiseman.Nūm'ber, n. p. 896That which admits of being counted or reckoned; a single unit, considered as part of a series, or two or more of such units; an enumerable aggregate or collection of individuals; an assemblage made…Nŭm'ber, v. t. p. 896To count; to reckon; to ascertain the units of; to enumerate. If a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Gen. xiii. 16. 2. To give the number of; to assign the…Nūm'ber-er, n. p. 896One who numbers.Nŭm'ber-ful, a. p. 896Many in number; numerous. [Obs.]Nŭm'ber-less, a. p. 896Not admitting of being counted; innumerable.Nūm'ber-oŭs, a. p. 896Numerous. [Obs.]Nŭm'bers, n. p. 896The fourth book of the Pentateuch; — so called as containing the census of the Hebrews.Nūmb'-fish, n. p. 896(Ichth.) The torpedo; — so called from the numbness produced by the electric shocks which it gives.Nŭm'blēs, n. pl. p. 896The entrails of a deer. See NOMBLES.Nūmb'ness, n. p. 896The condition of being numb; that state of a living body in which it loses, wholly or in part, the power of feeling or motion.Nū'mer-a-ble, a. p. 896Capable of being numbered or counted.Nū'mer-al, a. p. 896Pertaining to number; consisting of number. The dependence of a long train of numeral progressions. Locke. 2. Expressing number; representing number; as, numeral letters or characters, as X or 10 for…Nū'mer-al, n. p. 896A figure or character used to express a number; as, the Arabic numerals, 1, 2, 3, &c.; the Roman numerals, I, V, X, L, &c. 2. (Gram.) A word expressing number.Nū'mer-al-ly, adv. p. 896According to number; in number.Nū'mer-a-ry, a. p. 896Belonging to a certain number; counting as one of a collection or body. A supernumerary canon, when he obtains a prebend, becomes a numerary canon. Ayliffe.Nū'mer-āte, v. t. p. 896(Arith.) To divide off and read according to the rules of numeration; as, to numerate a row of figures.Nū'mer-ā'tion, n. p. 896The act or art of numbering. Numeration is but still the adding of one unit more, and giving to the whole a new name or sign. Locke. 2. (Arith.) The act or art of dividing off a series of figures…Nū'mer-ā'tor, n. p. 896One who numbers. 2. (Arith.) The term in a vulgar fraction which indicates the number of fractional units that are taken; thus, when a unit is divided into 9 parts, and 5 are taken, it is expressed…Nu-mēr'ic or Nu-mēr'ic-al, a. p. 896Belonging to number; denoting number; consisting in numbers; expressed by numbers, and not letters: as, numerical characters; a numerical equation. 2. The same in number; hence, identically the same…Nu-mēr'ie-al-ly, adv. p. 896In a numerical manner; in numbers; with respect to number, or sameness in number; as, a thing is numerically the same, or numerically different.Nū'mer-ist, n. p. 896One who deals in numbers. [Obs.]Nū'me-ro, n. p. 896Number;—often abbreviated to No.Nū'mer-ŏs'i-ty, n. p. 896The state of being numerous; numerousness; harmony; flow. [Obs.] Broome. The numerosity of the sentence pleased the ear, and the vivacity of the image dazzled the fancy. Dr. Parr.