Nightmare - Nipple

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Nightmare (nītmâr), n. [Night + mare incubus. See incubus.] 1. A fiend or incubus formerly supposed to cause trouble in sleep. [archaic]
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2. A trerrifying or oppressive dream characterized by a sense of helplessness in the face of danger, extreme uneasiness or discomfort (as of weight on the chest or stomach, impossibility of motion or speech, etc.) or extreme anxiety, from which one wakes in a troubled state of mind.
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3. Hence: Any overwhelming, oppressive, or terrifying experience resembling a nightmare{2} especially in the inability to escape from an unpleasant situation.
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nightmarish adj. Terrifying, as if in a nightmare{2}; resembling a nightmare{2}.
Syn. -- bloodcurdling, hair-raising.
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night owl n. A person who likes to be active late at night.
Syn. -- nighthawk, nightbird.
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nightrider n. member of a secret mounted band in the southern U. S. after the Civil War, which committed acts of intimidation and revenge.
Syn. -- night rider.
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nightrobe, night-robe n. 1. A loose dress designed to be worn in bed by women; a nightgown.
Syn. -- nightgown, nightie, nightdress.
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Nightshade (?), n. [AS. nichtscadu.] (Bot.) A common name of many species of the genus Solanum, given esp. to the Solanum nigrum, or black nightshade, a low, branching weed with small white flowers and black berries reputed to be poisonous.
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Coloq. Deadly nightshade . Same as (a). -- Coloq. Enchanter's nightshade . See under . -- Coloq. Stinking nightshade . See . -- Coloq. Three-leaved nightshade . See .
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Nightshirt (?), n. A kind of nightgown for men.
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night-sight n. The ability to see in reduced illumination (as in moonlight); night vision.
Syn. -- night vision.
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nightstick n. A policeman's club.
Syn. -- truncheon, billy, billy club, billystick.
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night-stop n. A pause during a journey, to rest for the night.
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Night terrors. (Med.) A sudden awakening associated with a sensation of terror, occurring in children, esp. those of unstable nervous constitution.
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night vision n. The ability to see in reduced illumination (as in moonlight).
Syn. -- night-sight.
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Nighttime (?), n. The time from dusk to dawn; -- opposed to daytime.
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Nightward (?), a. Approaching toward night.
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Nigraniline (? or ?), n. [L. niger black + E. aniline.] (Chem.) The complex, nitrogenous, organic base and dyestuff called also aniline black.
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Nigrescent (?), a. [L. nigrescens, p. pr. of nigrescere to grow black, fr. niger black. See .] Growing black; changing to a black color; approaching to blackness. Johnson.
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Nigrification (?), n. [L. nigrificare to blacken; niger black + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See .] The act or process of making black. [R.] Johnson.
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Nigrine (?), n. [L. niger black: cf. F. nigrine.] (Min.) A ferruginous variety of rutile.
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Nigritic (?), a. (Ethnol.) Pertaining to, or having the characteristics of, negroes, or of the Negritos, Papuans, and the Melanesian races; negritic.
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Nigritude (?), n. [L. nigritudo, fr. niger black.] Blackness; the state of being black. Lamb.
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Nigromancie (?), n. Necromancy. [Obs.]
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Nigromancien (?), n. A necromancer. [Obs.]
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These false enchanters or nigromanciens. Chaucer.
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Nigrosine (? or ?), n. [From L. niger black.] (Chem.) A dark blue dyestuff, of the induline group; -- called also azodiphenyl blue.
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Nigua (?), n. [Sp.] (Zoöl.) The chigoe.
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Ni-hard, Ni-hard iron n. Cast iron to which nickel has been added to make it resist abrasion.
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Nihil (?), n. [L.] Nothing.
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Coloq. Nihil album [L., white nothing] (Chem.), oxide of zinc. See under . -- Coloq. Nihil debet [L., he owes nothing] (Law), the general issue in certain actions of debt. -- Coloq. Nihil dicit [L., he says nothing] (Law), a declinature by the defendant to plead or answer. Tomlins.
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Nihilism (?), n. [L. nihil nothing: cf. F. nihilisme. See .] 1. Nothingness; nihility.
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2. The doctrine that nothing can be known; scepticism as to all knowledge and all reality.
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3. (Politics) The theories and practices of the Nihilists.
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Nihilist, n. [Cf. F. nihiliste. See .] 1. One who advocates the doctrine of nihilism; one who believes or teaches that nothing can be known, or asserted to exist.
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2. (Politics) A member of a secret association (esp. in Russia), which is devoted to the destruction of the present political, religious, and social institutions.
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Nihilistic (?), a. Of, pertaining to, or characterized by, nihilism.
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Nihility (?), n. [Cf. F. nihilité. See .] Nothingness; a state of being nothing.
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-nik (nĭk) suff. [Yiddish, fr. Slavik suffix -nik indicating a person.] A suffix attached to other words indicating a person with certain characteristics or associated with a certain group or behavior; as, beatnik, kibbutznik; it is sometimes used derogatorily; as in no-goodnik, peacenik.
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Nike prop. n. (Greek Mythology) [Gr., victory.] The Greek winged goddess of victory; identified with Roman Victoria.
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Nil (?). [See , v. t.] Will not. [Obs.] Chaucer.
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Nil, n. & a. [L., a contr. of nihil.] Nothing; of no account; worthless; -- a term often used for canceling, in accounts or bookkeeping. A. J. Ellis.
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Nil, n. (computers) A special value for a variable used in certain computer languages to mean no assigned value, to be distinguished from the value zero.
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Nile (nīl), n. [L. Nilus, Gr. Nei^los.] The great river of Egypt.
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Coloq. Nile bird . (Zoöl.) (a) The wryneck. [Prov. Eng.] (b) The crocodile bird. -- Coloq. Nile goose (Zoöl.), the Egyptian goose. See Note under , 2.
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Nilgau (?), n. (Zoöl.) see .
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Nill (nĭl), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Nilled (nĭld); p. pr. & vb. n. Nilling.] [AS. nilan, nyllan; ne not + willan to will. See , and .] Not to will; to refuse; to reject. [Obs.]
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Certes, said he, I nill thine offered grace. Spenser.
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Nill, v. i. To be unwilling; to refuse to act.
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The actions of the will are “velle” and “nolle,” to will and nill. Burton.
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Coloq. Will he, nill he , whether he wills it or not; usually contracted to willy-nilly.
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Nill, n. [Cf. Ir. & Gael. neul star, light. Cf. .] 1. Shining sparks thrown off from melted brass.
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2. Scales of hot iron from the forge. Knight.
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Nilometer (?), n. [Gr. �; Nei^los the Nile + � measure: cf. F. nilomètre.] An instrument for measuring the rise of water in the Nile during its periodical flood.
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Niloscope (?), n. [Gr. Nei^los; Nei^los the Nile + � to observe.] A Nilometer.
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Nilotic (?), a. [L. Niloticus, fr. Nilus the Nile, Gr. �: cf. F. nilotique.] Of or pertaining to the river Nile; as, the Nilotic crocodile.
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Nilt (?). [Contr. fr. ne wilt.] Wilt not. [Obs.]
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Nim (nĭm), v. t. [imp. Nam (näm) or Nimmed (nĭmd); p. p. Nomen (nōm�n) or Nome (nōm).] [AS. niman. √7. Cf. .] To take; to steal; to filch. [Obs.]
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This canon it in his hand nam. Chaucer.
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Nimbiferous (?), a. [L. nimbifer; nimbus a cloud + ferre to bear.] Serving to bring clouds or stormy weather.
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Nimble (nĭmb'l), a. [Compar. Nimbler (nĭmblẽr); superl. Nimblest (nĭmblĕst).] [OE. nimel, prob. orig., quick at seizing, fr. nimen to take, AS. niman; akin to D. nemen, G. nehmen, OHG. neman, Icel. nema, Goth. nima, and prob. to Gr. nemein to distribute. √ 7. Cf. , .] Light and quick in motion; moving with ease and celerity; lively; swift.
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Through the mid seas the nimble pinnace sails. Pope.
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☞ Nimble is sometimes used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, nimble-footed, nimble-pinioned, nimble-winged, etc.
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Coloq. Nimble Will (Bot.), a slender, branching, American grass (Muhlenbergia diffusa), of some repute for grazing purposes in the Mississippi valley.
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Syn. -- Agile; quick; active; brisk; lively; prompt.
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nimble-fingered adj. same as ; thievish; pilfering.
Syn. -- light-fingered.
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Nimbleness, n. The quality of being nimble; lightness and quickness in motion; agility; swiftness.
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Nimbless (?), n. Nimbleness. [Obs.] Spenser.
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Nimbly, adv. In a nimble manner; with agility; with light, quick motion.
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Nimbose (?), a. [L. nimbosus, fr. nimbus cloud.] Cloudy; stormy; tempestuous.
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Nimbus (?), n.; pl. L. Nimbi (#), E. Nimbuses (#). [L., a rain storm, a rain cloud, the cloudshaped which enveloped the gods when they appeared on earth.] 1. (Fine Arts) A circle, or disk, or any indication of radiant light around the heads of divinities, saints, and sovereigns, upon medals, pictures, etc.; a halo. See , and , n., 5.
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☞ “The nimbus is of pagan origin.” “As an attribute of power, the nimbus is often seen attached to the heads of evil spirits.” Fairholl.
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2. (Meteor.) A rain cloud; one of the four principal varieties of clouds. See .
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Nimiety (?), n. [L. nimietas, fr. nimius, a., nimis, adv., too much.] State of being in excess. [R.]
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There is a nimiety, a too-muchness, in all Germans. Coleridge.
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Nimious (?), a. [L. nimius.] Excessive; extravagant; inordinate. [Obs.]
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Nimmer (?), n. [From .] A thief. [Obs.]
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nin (?). [Fr. ne in.] Not in. [Obs.] Chaucer.
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Nina prop. n. (Babylonian mythology) A goddess of the watery deep and daughter of Ea.
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nincompoop (?), n. [A corruption of non compos.] A fool; a silly or stupid person. [Law]
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An old ninnyhammer, a dotard, a nincompoop, is the best language she can afford me. Addison.
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nine (nīn), a. [OE. nine, nihen, AS. nigon, nigan; akin to D. & LG. negen, OS. & OFries. nigun, OHG. niun, G. neun, Icel. nīu, sw. nio, Dan. ni, Goth. niun, Ir. & Gael. naoi, W. naw, L. novem, Gr. 'ennea, Skr. navan; of unknown origin. √307. Cf. .] Eight and one more; one less than ten; as, nine miles.
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Coloq. Nine men's morris . See . -- Coloq. Nine points circle (Geom.), a circle so related to any given triangle as to pass through the three points in which the perpendiculars from the angles of the triangle upon the opposite sides (or the sides produced) meet the sides. It also passes through the three middle points of the sides of the triangle and through the three middle points of those parts of the perpendiculars that are between their common point of meeting and the angles of the triangle. The circle is hence called the nine points circle or six points circle.
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Nine, n. 1. The number greater than eight by a unit; nine units or objects.
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2. A symbol representing nine units, as 9 or ix.
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3. A group of nine people; as, the New York nine (a baseball team).
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Coloq. The Nine , the nine Muses.
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Nine-bark (?), n. (Bot.) A white-flowered rosaceous shrub (Neillia opulifolia, or Spiræa opulifolia), common in the Northern United States. The bark separates into many thin layers, whence the name.
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Nine-eyes (?), n. (Zoöl.) The lamprey.
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Ninefold (?), a. Nine times repeated.
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Nineholes (?), n. pl. A game in which nine holes are made in the ground, into which a ball is bowled.
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Nine-killer (?), n. [So called because it is believed to kill and impale on thorns nine birds, etc., in succession.] (Zoöl.) The northern butcher bird.
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Ninepence (?), n.; pl. Ninepences (�). 1. An old English silver coin, worth nine pence.
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2. A New England name for the Spanish real, a coin formerly current in the United States, as valued at twelve and a half cents.
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ninepenny adj. 1. 2-3/4 in or 7 cm long; -- used of nail size; as, a ninepenny nail.
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2. costing 9 cents (US) or 5 pence (Britain).
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ninepin n. a bowling pin of the type used in (or (in England) skittles).
Syn. -- skittle, skittle pin.
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Ninepins (?), n. pl. A game played with nine pins, or pieces of wood, set on end, at which a wooden ball is bowled to knock them down; bowling.
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☞ In the United States, ten pins are used for this game, which is therefore often called tenpins.
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Ninescore (?), a. Nine times twenty, or one hundred and eighty. -- n. The product of nine times twenty; ninescore units or objects.
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Nineteen (?), a. [AS. nigontȳne, nigontēne. See , and .] Nine and ten; eighteen and one more; one less than twenty; as, nineteen months.
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Nineteen, n. 1. The number greater than eighteen by a unit; the sum of ten and nine; nineteen units or objects.
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2. A symbol for nineteen units, as 19 or xix.
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Nineteenth (?), a. [Cf. AS. nigonteóða.] 1. Following the eighteenth and preceding the twentieth; coming after eighteen others.
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2. Constituting or being one of nineteen equal parts into which anything is divided.
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Nineteenth, n. 1. The quotient of a unit divided by nineteen; one of nineteen equal parts of anything.
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2. The next in order after the eighteenth.
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3. (Mus.) An interval of two octaves and a fifth.
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nineties n. pl. 1. The decade from 1890 to 1899; as, the gay nineties.
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2. The decade from 1990 to 1999; as, they spent a ton of money to solve the Y2K bug in the nineties.
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3. The time of life between ages 90 and 100.
Syn. -- mid-nineties.
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Ninetieth (?), a. 1. Next in order after the eighty-ninth.
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2. Constituting or being one of ninety equal parts.
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Ninetieth, n. 1. The quotient of a unit divided by ninety; one of ninety equal parts of anything.
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2. The next in order after the eighty-ninth.
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Ninety (?), a. [See , and cf. .] Nine times ten; eighty-nine and one more; as, ninety men.
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Ninety, n.; pl. Nineties (�). 1. The sum of nine times ten; the number greater by a unit than eighty-nine; ninety units or objects.
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2. A symbol representing ninety units, as 90 or xc.
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Nineveh prop. n. An ancient Assyrian city.
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Ningal prop. n. (Akkadian mythology) An Akkadian goddess, wife of the moon god Sin.
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Ningirsu prop. n. (Babylonian mythology) The Babylonian god of war and agriculture, in an older pantheon.
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Ningishzida prop. n. (Babylonian mythology) A Babylonian underworld deity, the patron of medicine.
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Ninhursag prop. n. (Sumerian mythology) The great mother goddess in Sumerian mythology, worshipped also as Aruru and Mama and Nintu.
Syn. -- Ninkhursag, Ninkharsag.
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Ninib prop. n. (Sumerian and Babylonian mythology) A solar deity, first-born of Bel and consort was Gula; god of war and the chase and agriculture; sometimes identifed with Biblical Nimrod.
Syn. -- Ninurta.
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Ninigi, Ninigino-Mikoto prop. n. The grandson of Amaterasu and first ruler of Japan.
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Ninkharsag, Ninkhursag prop. n. (Sumerian mythology) Same as Ninhursag.
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Ninny (?), n.; pl. Ninnies (#). [Cf. It. ninno, ninna, a baby, Sp. niño, niña, child, infant, It. ninna, ninna nanna, lullably, prob. fr. ni, na, as used in singing a child to sleep.] A fool; a simpleton. Shak.
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Ninnyhammer (?), n. A simpleton; a silly person. [Colloq.] Addison.
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Ninth (?), a. [From ; cf. AS. nigoða.] 1. Following the eight and preceding the tenth; coming after eight others.
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2. Constituting or being one of nine equal parts into which anything is divided.
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Ninth, n. 1. The quotient of one divided by nine; one of nine equal parts of a thing; the next after the eighth.
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2. (Mus.) (a) An interval containing an octave and a second. (b) A chord of the dominant seventh with the ninth added.
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Ninthly, adv. In the ninth place.
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Ninut (?), n. (Zoöl.) The magpie. [Prov. Eng.]
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Niobate (?), n. [See .] (Chem.) Same as .
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Niobe (?), n. [L. Nioba, Niobe, Gr. �.] (Class. Myth.) The daughter of Tantalus, and wife of Amphion, king of Thebes. Her pride in her children provoked Apollo and Diana, who slew them all. Niobe herself was changed by the gods into stone.
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niobic (?), a. (Chem.) Same as .
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niobite (?), n. (Min.) Same as .
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niobium (?), n. [NL., fr. L. & E. .] (Chem.) The chemical element of atomic number 41. Chemical symbol Nb. Atomic weight 92.91. Previously called columbium. See also .
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Niopo (?), n. A kind of snuff prepared by the natives of Venezuela from the roasted seeds of a leguminous tree (Piptadenia peregrina), thence called niopo tree.
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Nip (?), n. [LG. & D. nippen to sip; akin to Dan. nippe, G. nippen.] A sip or small draught; esp., a draught of intoxicating liquor; a dram.
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Nip, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Nipped (?), less properly Nipt; p. pr. & vb. n. Nipping (?).] [OE. nipen; cf. D. niipen to pinch, also knippen to nip, clip, pinch, snap, knijpen to pinch, LG. knipen, G. kneipen, kneifen, to pinch, cut off, nip, Lith. knebti.] 1. To catch and inclose or compress tightly between two surfaces, or points which are brought together or closed; to pinch; to close in upon.
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May this hard earth cleave to the Nadir hell,
Down, down, and close again, and nip me flat,
If I be such a traitress. Tennyson.
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2. To remove by pinching, biting, or cutting with two meeting edges of anything; to clip.
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The small shoots . . . must be nipped off. Mortimer.
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3. Hence: To blast, as by frost; to check the growth or vigor of; to destroy.
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4. To vex or pain, as by nipping; hence, to taunt.
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And sharp remorse his heart did prick and nip. Spenser.
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Coloq. To nip in the bud , to cut off at the very commencement of growth; to kill in the incipient stage.
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Nip, n. 1. A seizing or closing in upon; a pinching; as, in the northern seas, the nip of masses of ice.
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2. A pinch with the nails or teeth.
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3. A small cut, or a cutting off the end.
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4. A blast; a killing of the ends of plants by frost.
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5. A biting sarcasm; a taunt. Latimer.
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6. (Naut.) A short turn in a rope.
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Coloq. Nip and tuck , a phrase signifying equality in a contest; as, it was nip and tuck right to the last minute of play. [Low, U.S.]
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Nipa prop. n. A monotypic genus of palms of Australasia.
Syn. -- genus Nipa, Nypa, genus Nypa.
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2. from sap of an Australasian palm.
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Nipper (?), n. 1. One who, or that which, nips.
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2. A fore tooth of a horse. The nippers are four in number.
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3. A satirist. [Obs.] Ascham.
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4. A pickpocket; a young or petty thief. [Old Cant]
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5. (Zoöl.) (a) The cunner. (b) A European crab (Polybius Henslowii).
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Nipperkin, n. [See 1st .] A small cup. [Obs.]
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Nippers (?), n. pl. [From 2d .] 1. Small pinchers for holding, breaking, or cutting.
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2. (Mach.) A device with fingers or jaws for seizing an object and holding or conveying it; as, in a printing press, a clasp for catching a sheet and conveying it to the form.
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3. (Naut.) A number of rope-yarns wound together, used to secure a cable to the messenger.
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Nipping (?), a. Biting; pinching; painful; destructive; as, a nipping frost; a nipping wind.
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Nippingly, adv. In a nipping manner.
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Nippitate (?), a. [Cf. 1st .] Peculiarly strong and good; -- said of ale or liquor. [Old Cant]
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'T will make a cup of wine taste nippitate. Chapman.
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Nippitato (?), n. Strong liquor. [Old Cant] Beau. & Fl.
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Nipple (nĭpp'l), n. [Formerly neble, a dim. of neb. See , .] 1. (Anat.) The protuberance through which milk is drawn from the breast or mamma; the mammilla; a teat; a pap.
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2. The orifice at which any animal liquid, as the oil from an oil bag, is discharged. [R.] Derham.
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3. Any small projection or article in which there is an orifice for discharging a fluid, or for other purposes; as, the nipple of a nursing bottle; the nipple of a percussion lock, or that part on which the cap is put and through which the fire passes to the charge.
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4. (Mech.) A pipe fitting, consisting of a short piece of pipe, usually provided with a screw thread at each end, for connecting two other fittings.
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Coloq. Solder nipple , a short pipe, usually of brass, one end of which is tapered and adapted for attachment to the end of a lead pipe by soldering.
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