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Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary.

Part 3.

by Various.

CHAMBERS'S TWENTIETH CENTURY DICTIONARY.

N the fourteenth letter and eleventh consonant of our alphabet, a nasal-dental: (_chem._) the symbol for nitrogen: (_math._) an indefinite constant whole number, esp. the degree of a quantic or an equation: as a numeral, formerly, N=90, and ([=N])=90,000.

NA, na, a Scotch form of _no_.

NAB, nab, _v.t._ to seize suddenly:--_pr.p._ nab'bing; _pa.p._ nabbed. [Sw.

_nappa_; Dan. _nappe_, to catch.]

NAB, nab, _n._ a hill-top: the projecting cavity fixed to the jamb of a door to receive the latch or bolt: (_obs._) a hat. [For _knab_=_knap_.]

NABATaeAN, nab-a-t[=e]'an, _adj._ of or pertaining to a once powerful Arab people who formerly dwelt on the east and south-east of Palestine, identified by some with the _Nebaioth_ of Isa. lx. 7, the _Nabathites_ of 1 Maccab. v. 25.--Also NABATH[=E]'AN.

NABK, nabk, _n._ one of the plants in the crown of thorns (_Zizyphus Spina-Christi_). [Prob. Ar.]

NABOB, n[=a]'bob, _n._ a deputy or governor under the Mogul Empire: a European who has enriched himself in the East: any man of great wealth.

[Corr. of Hind. _nawwab_, a deputy, from Ar. _naww[=a]b_, pl. (used as sing.) of _n[=a]ib_, a deputy.]

NACARAT, nak'a-rat, _n._ a light-red colour, scarlet: a fabric of this colour. [Fr.]

NACKET, nak'et, _n._ (_Scot._) a small cake, luncheon.

NACRE, n[=a]'kr, _n._ mother-of-pearl.--_adj._ iridescent.--_adj._ N[=A]'CREOUS, consisting of nacre: having a pearly lustre. [Fr.,--Ar.

_nak[=i]r_, hollowed.]

NADIR, n[=a]'dir, _n._ the point of the heavens diametrically opposite to the zenith: the lowest point of anything. [Fr.,--Ar. _naz[=i]r_, from _nazara_, to be like.]

NaeVUS, n[=e]'vus, _n._ a birth-mark: a congenital growth strictly on a part of the skin, whether a _pigmentary naevus_ or mole, or a _vascular naevus_ or overgrowth of capillary blood-vessels--also _Mother-spot_ or _Birth-mark_--also NaeVE, NEVE:--_pl._ Nae'V[=I].--_adjs._ Nae'VOID, Nae'VOUS, Nae'VOSE. [L.]

NAG, nag, _n._ a horse, but particularly a small one--(_Scot._) NAIG: (_Shak._) a jade. [M. E. _nagge_--Mid. Dut. _negge_, _negghe_ (mod. Dut.

_negge_); cf. _Neigh._]

NAG, nag, _v.t._ to worry or annoy continually: to tease or vex: to find fault with constantly:--_pr.p._ nag'ging; _pa.p._ nagged.--_n._ NAG'GER.

[Cf. _Gnaw_.]

NAGA, na'ga, _n._ the name of deified serpents in Hindu mythology.

NAGARI. See DEVA-NAGARI.

NAIAD, n[=a]'yad, _n._ a water-nymph or a goddess, presiding over rivers and springs:--_pl._ NAI'ADES. [L. and Gr. _naias_, _naiados_, from _naein_, to flow.]

NAIANT, n[=a]'yant, _adj._ floating: (_her._) swimming, as a fish placed horizontally across a shield. [L. _nans_, _nantis_, pr.p. of _nat[=a]re_, to swim.]

NAF, na-[=e]f', NAVE, na-[=e]v', _adj._ with natural or unaffected simplicity, esp. in thought, manners, or speech: artless: ingenuous.--_adv._ NAVE'LY.--_n._ NAVETe (na-[=e]v-t[=a]'), natural simplicity and unreservedness of thought, manner, or speech. [Fr. _naf_, fem, _nave_--L. _nativus_, native--_nasci_, _natus_, to be born.]

NAIL, n[=a]l, _n._ one of the flattened, elastic, horny plates placed as protective coverings on the dorsal surface of the terminal phalanges of the fingers and toes: the claw of a bird or other animal: a thin pointed piece of metal for fastening wood: a measure of length (2 inches):--_v.t._ to fasten with nails: to make certain: to confirm, pin down, hold fast: to catch or secure through promptitude; to trip up or expose.--_ns._ NAIL'-BRUSH, a small brush for cleaning the nails; NAIL'ER, one whose trade is to make nails; NAIL'ERY, a place where nails are made.--_adj._ NAIL'-HEAD'ED, having a head like that of a nail: formed like nail-heads, said of ornamental marks on cloth and on certain kinds of mouldings (_dog-tooth_).--_n._ NAIL'-ROD, a strip cut from an iron plate to be made into nails: a trade name for a strong kind of manufactured tobacco.--NAIL TO THE COUNTER, to expose publicly as false, from the habit of nailing a counterfeit coin to a shop counter.--DRIVE A NAIL IN ONE'S COFFIN (see COFFIN); HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD, to touch the exact point; ON THE NAIL, on the spot: immediately: without delay. [A.S. _naegel_; Ger. _nagel_.]

NAINSELL, n[=a]n'sel, _n._ own self--_Highland Scotch_.

NAINSOOK, n[=a]n's[=oo]k, _n._ a kind of muslin like jaconet, both plain and striped. [Hind.]

NAISSANT, n[=a]s'sant, _adj._ (_her._) rising or coming forth, as an animal newly born or about to be born. [Fr., pr.p. of _naitre_--L. _nasci_, _natus_, to be born.]

NAVE. See NAF.

NAKED, n[=a]'ked, _adj._ without clothes: uncovered: open to view: unconcealed: evident: unarmed: defenceless: unprovided: without addition or ornament: simple: artless: (_bot._) without the usual covering.--_adv._ N[=A]'KEDLY.--_n._ N[=A]'KEDNESS.--NAKED EYE, the eye unassisted by glasses of any kind; NAKED LADY, the meadow-saffron.--STARK NAKED, entirely naked.

[A.S. _nacod_; Ger. _nackt_.]

NAKER, n[=a]'ker, _n._ a kettledrum. [O. Fr.,--Ar.]

NAM, nam, _n._ an obsolete law term for distraint.--_n._ NAM[=A]'TION.

[A.S. _niman_, pa.t. _nam_, to take.]

NAMBY-PAMBY, nam'bi-pam'bi, _n._ silly talking or writing.--_adj._ sentimental, affectedly pretty.--_v.t._ to coddle. [H. Carey's nickname for _Ambrose_ Philips (1671-1749), from his childish odes to children.]

NAME, n[=a]m, _n._ that by which a person or a thing is known or called: a designation: that which is said of a person: reputed character: reputation: fame: celebrity: remembrance: a race or family: appearance, not reality: authority: behalf: assumed character of another: (_gram._) a noun.--_v.t._ to give a name to: to designate: to speak of or to call by name: to mention for a post or office: to nominate: to mention formally by name a person in the House of Commons as guilty of disorderly conduct.--_adjs._ NAM'ABLE, NAME'ABLE; NAME'LESS, without a name: undistinguished: indescribable; NAME'WORTHY, distinguished.--_adv._ NAME'LESSLY.--_n._ NAME'LESSNESS.--_adv._ NAME'LY, by name: that is to say.--_ns._ NAME'-PLATE, a plate of metal having on it the name of a person, usually affixed to a door or a gate; NAM'ER; NAME'SAKE, one bearing the same name as another for his sake.--NAME THE DAY, to fix a day, esp. for a marriage.--CALL NAMES, to nickname; CHRISTIAN NAME (see CHRISTIAN); IN NAME OF, on behalf of: by the authority of; PROPER NAME, a name given to a particular person, place, or thing; TAKE A NAME IN VAIN, to use a name lightly or profanely. [A.S. _nama_; Ger. _name_; L. _nomen_.]

NANCY, nan'si, _n._ an effeminate young man, often a 'Miss Nancy.'--NANCY PRETTY, a corruption of _none so pretty_, the _Saxifraga umbrosa_.

NANDINE, nan'din, _n._ a small West African paradoxure, with spotted sides.

NANDU, NANDOO, nan'd[=oo], _n._ the South American ostrich.

NANISM, n[=a]'nizm, _n._ dwarfishness.--_n._ NANIS[=A]'TION, the artificial dwarfing of trees.--_adj._ N[=A]'NOID. [Fr.,--L.,--Gr. _nanos_, a dwarf.]

NANKEEN, nan-k[=e]n', _n._ a buff-coloured cotton cloth first made at _Nankin_ in China: (_pl._) clothes, esp. breeches, made of nankeen.--Also NANKIN'.

NANNY, nan'i, _n._ a female goat.--Also NANN'Y-GOAT.

NAP, nap, _n._ a short sleep.--_v.i._ to take a short sleep: to feel drowsy and secure:--_pr.p._ nap'ping; _pa.p._ napped.--CATCH NAPPING, to come upon unprepared. [A.S. _hnappian_; cf. Ger. _nicken_, to nod.]

NAP, nap, _n._ the woolly substance on the surface of cloth: the downy covering of plants.--_v.t._ to raise a nap on.--_ns._ NAP'-M[=E]'TER, a machine for testing the wearing strength of cloth; NAP'PINESS.--_adj._ NAP'PY. [M. E. _noppe_: the same as _knop_.]

NAP, nap, _n._ a game of cards--_Napoleon_ (q.v.).

NAP, nap, _v.t._ to seize, to take hold of, steal.

NAPE, n[=a]p, _n._ the back upper part of the neck, perhaps so called from the knob or projecting point of the neck behind. [_Knap_, _knob_.]

NAPERY, n[=a]'per-i, _n._ linen, esp. for the table: table-cloths, napkins, &c. [O. Fr.,--Low L. _naparia_--_napa, a cloth_--L. _mappa_, a napkin.]

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