nibs
An important or self-important person.
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nibs
Self. His NIBS, means any one who may be referred to. As, "I told his NIBS," or "stag his NIBS." "Your NIBS," yourself.
nic
nicotine
nica
Nicaraguan.
nice and easy
Pleasantly simple or effortless
nice as pie
Very nice.
nice guy
A man who is kind and pleasant to be around
nice guys finish last
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
nicen up
To nicen.
Nicene Creed
The Creed formulated at the great Council of Nice (325). It is used in the Holy Communion Service of the Church of England, and was first adopted in the Roman Church in 1014. In the Eastern Church it was first introduced in 471, and still forms part of the Baptism Service as well as of the Eucharist.
nick
Old nick; the Devil.
nick
Or OLD NICK, the devil.—Scandinavian, KNICKAR, one of the names of Odin, as the destroying or evil principle.
nick-nack
A trifle.—Originally Cant.
Nicka-Nan Night
The night preceding Shrove Tuesday is so called in Cornwall, because bp.ys play tricks and practical jokes on that night.
nicked
Stolen.
nickel and dime
To constantly ask for or spend small amounts of money
nickel nurser
Someone extremely frugal or stingy
nickel tour
a brief and informal tour or introduction
nicknacks
Toys, baubles, or curiosities.
nickname
A name given in ridicule or contempt: from the French nom de niqne. Niqne is a movement of the head to mark a contempt for any person or thing.
nicodemused into nothing
To have one's prospects in life ruined by^ a silly name; according to the proverb, "Give a dog a bad name and hang him." U is from Sterne's Tristram Shandy (vol.
nig
The clippings of money. Nigging; clipping. Nigler, a clipper. Cant.
nigger nose
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
nigger rich
having a lot of money but lacking refinement or culture
niggling
Cutting awkwardly, trifling; also accompanying with a woman.
niggling
Trifling, or idling; taking short steps in walking.—North.
night in, night out
Happening or done every night, consistently and repeatedly
night out
An evening spent socializing or having fun outside the home
night owl
A person who is most active at night
night person
Someone who is most active or productive at night
night-hunter
A poacher.—North. Also a London prostitute. Sometimes in the latter capacity varied to night-hawk.
nightcap
A glass of "warm with" taken the last thing at night.
nightingale
A soldier who, as the term is, sings out at the halberts. It is a point of honour in some regiments, among the grenadiers, never to cry out, become nightingales, whilst under the discipline of the cat of nine tails; to avoid which, they chew a bullet.
nightman
One whose business it is to empty necessary houses in London, which is always done in the night; the operation is called a wedding. See WEDDING.
nightstick
The penis.
nigmenog
A very silly fellow.
Niki Lauda
Cocaine.
nikon choir
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
nil
Half; half profits, &c.
nil desperandum
Never say die; never give up in despair; another tag from Horace (Carmen, I, vii, 27) : —
Nile is so called by Dr
Johnson in his Rasselas. The epithet Father is not uncommonly applied to rivers, especially those on which cities are built.
nilly-willy
I.e., NILL YE, WILL YE, whether you will or no; a familiar version of the Latin, NOLENS VOLENS. Generally written now, WILLY-NILLY.
nimble as ninepence
Silver ninepences were common till the year 1696, when all unmilled coin was called in. These ninepences were very pliable or "nimble," and, being bent, were given as love tokens, the usual formula of presentation being To my love, from my love. There is an old proverb, A nimble ninepence is better than a slow shilling.
nimgimmer
A physician or surgeon, particularly those who cure the venereal disease.
nimming
Stealing. Old English, NIM, to take. Motherwell, the Scotch poet, thought the old word NIM (to snatch or pick up) was derived from nam, nam, the tiny words or cries of an infant, when eating anything which pleases its little palate. A negro proverb has the word:—
nimp
A nymph.
nincompoop
A fool, a hen-pecked husband, a "Jerry Sneak."—Corruption of non compos mentis.
nine corns
A pipeful of tobacco.
nine lives
Cats are said to have nine lives, and women ten cats lives.
nine shillings
Cool audacity; most probably derived from the French, NONCHALANCE.
nine tailors make a man
Many insignificant people together can accomplish something
nine times out of ten
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
nine times out of ten
Far more often than not; in a great preponderance. Possession is nine points of the law. It is every advantage a person can have short of actual right.
nine-day wonder
Something that causes a brief, intense sensation or interest
ninepence
"nice as NINEPENCE," all right, right to a nicety. A correspondent says:—"This most undoubtedly should be NINE-PINS. For at the game of that name, in fairness to both parties, the nine pins must always be set up with great accuracy. There is no nicety in NINEPENCE!" Evidently this correspondent does not know how nice it is to have ninepence, after being without money. At all events the phrase is "nice as NINEPENCE."
nines
"dressed up to the NINES," in a showy or recherché manner. Up to the NINES, up to the dodges and "wrinkles" of life.
ning-nang
Horse-coupers’ term for a worthless thoroughbred.
ninnyhammer
A foolish, ignorant person. Generally shortened to NINNY. NINNY is also short for nincompoop.
nip
A cheat. Bung nipper; a cutpurse.
nip
To steal, to take up quickly. See NAP and NIB.