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.
Nŭm'mu-līte, n. p. 897(Palæon.) A fossil of a flattened form, resembling a small coin, belonging to the tribe of Rhizopoda or Polythalamia, and common in the early tertiary period. Dana.Nūm'mu-lit'ic, a. p. 897Composed of, or containing, nummulites.Nūmp or Nūmps, n. p. 897A dolt; a blockhead. [Obs.] Parker.Nŭm'skŭll, n. p. 897A dunce; a dolt; a stupid fellow. [Colloq.]Nūn'skūlled, a. p. 897Dull in intellect; stupid; doltish. [Colloq.]Nūn, n. p. 897A woman devoted to a religious life, who lives in a cloister or nunnery, secluded from the world, under a vow of perpetual chastity. The holy time is quiet as a nun. Breathless with adoration. —…Nūn'-buŏy, n. p. 897A buoy large in the middle and tapering to each end.Nūn’chion, n. p. 897A portion of food taken at or after noon, usually between meals; a luncheon. [Written also noon-shun.] Laying by their swords and truncheons, They took their breakfasts or their nunchions. Hudibras.…Nūn'ci-ate, n. p. 897One who announces; a messenger; a nuncio. [Obs.]Nŭn'ci-a-tūre, n. p. 897The office of a nuncio. [Obs.] Clarendon.Nŭn'ci-o, n. p. 897A messenger; one who brings intelligence. 2. An embassador from the pope to an emperor or king.Nŭn'cu-pāte, v. t. p. 897To declare publicly or solemnly. [Obs.] In whose presence did he nuncupate it? Barrow. 2. To dedicate by declaration; to inscribe. You should, on my advice, have nuncupated this handsome monument of…Nŭn'cu-pā'tion, n. p. 897The act of nuncupating, or of publicly naming or dedicating. [Obs.]Nun-cū'pa-tive or Nŭn'cu-pā'tive or Nun-cū'pa-to-ry or Nŭn'cu-pa-to-ry, a. p. 897Nun-cū'pa-to-ry, or Nŭn'cu-pa-to-ry } [It. nuncupativo, Sp. nuncupativo, nuncupatorio, Pr. nuncupatif, Fr. nuncupatif. See supra.] 1. Publicly or solemnly declaratory. 2. Nominal; existing only in…Nūn'di-nal, n. p. 897A nundinal letter.Nŭn′di-nal or Nŭn′di-na-ry, a. p. 897Pertaining to a fair, or to a market day. Nundinal letter, among the Romans, one of the first eight letters of the alphabet, which were repeated successively from the first to the last day of the…Nŭn’di-nāte, v. i. p. 897To buy and sell at fairs. [Obs.]Nŭn/dĭ-nā/tion, n. p. 897Traffic in fairs; marketing. [Obs.] “Common nundination of pardons.” Bp. Bramhall.Nŭng, n. p. 897A large package or bale, especially of cloves. Simmonds.Nun-nā'tion, n. p. 897(Arabic Gram.) The pronunciation of n at the end of words.Nŭn'ner-y, n. p. 897A house in which nuns reside; a cloister in which females reside for life, under a vow of chastity and devotion to religion. Syn.—See CLOISTER.Nŭn'nish, a. p. 897Of, pertaining to, or resembling, a nun. [Rare.]Nūn’nish-ness, n. p. 897The habits or manners of nuns. [Obs.] Fox.Nūp, n. p. 897A fool;—the same as NUPSON. [Obs.]Nŭ'phar, n. p. 897(Bot.) A genus of plants found in the fresh-water ponds, or lakes, of Europe, Asia, and North America; the yellow water-lily. Baird.Nāp'son, n. p. 897A simpleton; a fool. [Obs.] B. Jonson.Nŭp'tial, a. p. 897Pertaining to marriage; done at a wedding; as, nuptial rites and ceremonies. Then, all in heat, They light the nuptial torch. Milton. 2. Constituting marriage; as, the nuptial knot or band. The Bible…Nāp'tial, n. p. 897Marriage; wedding; nuptial ceremony;—almost only in the plural. In celebration of that nuptial, which We two have sworn shall come. Shak. Splendid preparations were instantly commenced for the…Nūr, n. p. 897A knot in wood; also, a hard, compact knob of wood used by boys in playing hockey. I think I'm as hard as a nur, and as tough as whit-leather. Howitt. 2. The head. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.Nûrse, n. p. 897One who nourishes; a person who supplies food, tends, or brings up; as, (a.) A woman who has the care of young children; especially, one who suckles an infant not her own. (b.) A person, especially a…Nûrse, v. t. p. 897To nourish; to cherish; to foster; as, (a.) To nourish at the breast; to suckle. (b.) To tend, as a sick person; to take care of, as an invalid; to attend upon. “Sons wont to nurse their parents in…Nûrse'-child, n. p. 897A child which is nursed; a nursing.Nûrs'er, n. p. 897One who cherishes, or encourages, growth.Nûrs'er-y, n. p. 897The act of nursing. “Her kind nursery.” [Obs.] Shak. 2. The place where nursing is carried on; as, (a.) The place, or apartment, in a house, appropriated to the care of children. (b.) A place where…Nûrs'er-y-man, n. p. 897One who keeps, cultivates, or has charge of, a nursery.Nûrse'-māid, n. p. 897A girl who takes care of children.Nûrse'-pŏnd, n. p. 897A pond for feeding fish. Walton.Nûrs'ling, n. p. 897One who, or that which, is nursed; an infant; a child. I was his nursling once, and choice delight. Milton.Nûrs'tle, v. t. p. 897To nourish; to bring up; to nurse. [Obs.]Nûrt'ūre, n. p. 897The act of nourishing or nursing; tender care; education; instruction. “A man neither by nature nor by nurture wise.” Milton. 2. That which nourishes; food; diet.Nûrt'ūre, v. t. p. 897To feed; to nourish. 2. To educate; to bring or train up. He was nurtured where he was born. Wotton. Syn.—To nourish; nurse; cherish; bring up; educate; tend.—To NURTURE, NOURISH, CHERISH. Nourish…Nŭs'tle, v. t. p. 897To fondle; to cherish. [Obs.]Nŭt, n. p. 897The fruit of certain trees and shrubs, consisting of a hard shell inclosing a kernel. 2. A small block, of metal or wood, containing a concave or female screw, used for retaining or tightening a…Nŭt, v. i. p. 897To gather nuts.Nū'tant, a. p. 897Nodding; having the top bent downward.Nu-tā'tion, n. p. 897The act of nodding. [Rare.] So from the midmost the nutation spreads, Round and more round, o'er all the sea of heads. Pope. 2. (Astron.) A vibratory motion of the earth's axis, by which its…Nūt'-bōne, n. p. 898(Far.) A sesamoid bone at the posterior side of the pastern-joint.Nūt'-breāk'er, n. p. 898The nut-hatch. See NUT-HATCH.Nūt'-brown, a. p. 898Brown as a nut long kept and dried. “The spicy nut-brown ale.” Milton.Nūt'-crāck'er, n. p. 898An instrument for cracking nuts. 2. (Ornith.) A European bird (Nucifraga cariocatactes), belonging to the crow family, but having many of the habits of the woodpecker. It feeds on nuts, insects, &c.Nūt'-gall, n. p. 898An excrescence of the oak. See GALL.Nūt'-hătch, n. p. 898(Ornith.) A small bird (Sitta Europæa). It resembles the woodpecker in burrowing in wood, but swings the whole body to strike. It feeds on nuts as well as insects; — called also nut-breaker…Nūt'-hōok, n. p. 898A pole with a hook at the end, to pull down boughs for gathering the nuts. 2. A thief who steals by means of a hook; also, a bailiff who hooks, or seizes, malefactors. Shak.Nūt'-jōb'ber, n. p. 898The same as NUT-HATCH, q. v.Nūt'mēg, n. p. 898(Bot.) The kernel of the fruit of the tree called Myristica moschata, or M. aromatica, a native of the Molucca islands, but cultivated in many parts of the East Indies. This fruit is a nearly…Nūt'-pīne, n. p. 898(Bot.) A species of pine (Pinus monophyllus) found in the Rocky Mountains, bearing in its cones nutritious seeds. Simmonds.Nū'tri-ā, n. p. 898(Com.) The fur of the Myopotamus Bonariensis, or M. coypus, a rodent quadruped about the size and shape of the beaver, but having a round tail like the rat. It is found along the streams of Brazil.Nū'tri-cā'tion, n. p. 898The manner of feeding or being fed. [Obs.]Nū'tri-ent, a. p. 898Promoting growth; nourishing; nutritious.Nū'tri-ent, n. p. 898Any substance which nourishes by promoting growth or repairing waste.