NIX, niks, _n._ (_Teut. myth._) a water-spirit, mostly malignant.--Also NIX'IE, NIX'Y. [Ger. _nix_; cf. _Nicker_.]
NIX, niks, _n._ nothing: (_U.S._) in the postal service, anything unmailable because addressed to places which are not post-offices or to post-offices not existing in the States, &c., indicated in the address--usually in _pl._ [Ger. _nichts_, nothing.]
NIX, niks, _interj._ a roughs' street-cry of warning at the policeman, &c.
NIZAM, ni-zam', _n._ the title of the sovereign of Hyderabad in India, first used in 1713: _sing._ and _pl._ the Turkish regulars, or one of them.
[Hind., contr. of _Nizam-ul-Mulk_=Regulator of the state.]
NO, n[=o], _adv._ the word of refusal or denial: not at all: never: not so: not.--_n._ a denial: a vote against or in the negative:--_pl._ NOES (n[=o]z).--_adj._ not any: not one: none.--_advs._ N[=O]'WAY, in no way, manner, or degree--also N[=O]'WAYS; N[=O]'WISE, in no way, manner, or degree.--NO ACCOUNT, worthless; NO DOUBT, surely; NO GO (see GO); NO JOKE, not a trifling matter. [A.S. _na_, compounded of _ne_, not, and _a_ ever; _nay_, the neg. of _aye_, is Scand.]
NOACHIAN, n[=o]-[=a]'ki-an, _adj._ pertaining to the patriarch _Noah_, or to his time--also NOACH'IC.--NOAH'S ARK, a child's toy in imitation of the ark of Noah and its inhabitants.
NOB, nob, _n._ the head: a knobstick.--ONE FOR HIS NOB, a blow on the head in boxing: a point at cribbage by holding the knave of trumps. [_Knob._]
NOB, nob, _n._ a superior sort of person.--_adv._ NOB'BILY.--_adj._ NOB'BY, smart, fashionable: good, capital. [A contr. of _nobleman._]
NOBBLE, nob'l, _v.t._ (_slang_) to get hold of dishonestly, to steal: to baffle or circumvent dexterously: to injure, destroy the chances of, as a racer.--_n._ NOBB'LER, a finishing-stroke: a thimble-rigger's confederate: a dram of spirits.
NOBILITY, no-bil'i-ti, _n._ the quality of being noble: high rank: dignity: excellence: greatness of mind or character: antiquity of family: descent from noble ancestors: the persons holding the rank of nobles.--_adj._ NOBIL'IARY, pertaining to the nobility.--_v.t._ NOBIL'ITATE, to ennoble.--_n._ NOBILIT[=A]'TION.
NOBLE, n[=o]'bl, _adj._ illustrious: high in rank or character: of high birth: magnificent: generous: excellent.--_n._ a person of exalted rank: a peer: an obsolete gold coin=6s. 8d. sterling.--_n._ N[=O]'BLEMAN, a man who is noble or of rank: a peer: one above a commoner.--_adj._ N[=O]'BLE-MIND'ED, having a noble mind.--_ns._ N[=O]BLE-MIND'EDNESS; N[=O]'BLENESS, the quality of being noble: excellence in quality: dignity: greatness by birth or character: ingenuousness: worth; NOBLESS', NOBLESSE'
(_Spens._), nobility: greatness: the nobility collectively; N[=O]'BLEWOMAN, the fem. of NOBLEMAN.--_adv._ N[=O]'BLY.--NOBLE ART, boxing; NOBLE METALS (see METAL).--MOST NOBLE, the style of a duke. [Fr.,--L. _nobilis_, obs.
_gnobilis_--_nosc[)e]re_ (_gnosc[)e]re_), to know.]
NOBODY, n[=o]'bod-i, _n._ no body or person: no one: a person of no account, one not in fashionable society.
NOCAKE, n[=o]'k[=a]k, _n._ meal made of parched corn, once much used by North American Indians on the march. [Amer. Ind. _nookik_, meal.]
NOCENT, n[=o]'sent, _adj._ (_obs._) hurtful: guilty.--_n._ one who is hurtful or guilty.--_adv._ N[=O]'CENTLY. [L. _noc[=e]re_, to hurt.]
NOCK, nok, _n._ the forward upper end of a sail that sets with a boom: a notch, esp. that on the butt-end of an arrow for the string. [Cf. _Notch._]
NOCTAMBULATION, nok-tam-b[=u]-l[=a]'shun, _n._ walking in sleep.--_ns._ NOCTAM'BULISM, sleep-walking; NOCTAM'BULIST, one who walks in his sleep.
[L. _nox_, _noctis_, night, _ambul[=a]re_, _-[=a]tum_, to walk.]
NOCTILIO, nok-til'i-[=o], _n._ a genus of American bats.
NOCTILUCA, nok-ti-l[=u]'ka, _n._ a phosphorescent marine Infusorian, abundant around the British coasts, one of the chief causes of the phosphorescence of the waves.--_adjs._ NOCTIL[=U]'CENT, NOCTIL[=U]'CID, NOCTIL[=U]'COUS, shining in the dark. [L. _nox_, _noctis_, night, _luc[=e]re_, to shine.]
NOCTIVAGANT, nok-tiv'a-gant, _adj._ wandering in the night.--_n._ NOCTIVAG[=A]'TION.--_adj._ NOCTIV'AGOUS. [L. _nox_, _noctis_, night, _vag[=a]ri_, to wander.]
NOCTOGRAPH, nok'to-graf, _n._ a writing-frame for the blind: an instrument for recording the presence of a night-watchman on his beat.--_n._ NOCTURN'OGRAPH, an instrument for recording work done in factories, &c., during the night. [L. _nox_, Gr. _graphein_, to write.]
NOCTUA, nok't[=u]-a, _n._ a generic name variously used--giving name to the NOCT[=U]'IDae, a large family of nocturnal lepidopterous insects, strong-bodied moths.--_n._ NOC'TUID.--_adjs._ NOCT[=U]'IDOUS; NOC'TUIFORM; NOC'TUOID.
NOCTUARY, nok't[=u]-[=a]-ri, _n._ an account kept of the events or thoughts of night.
NOCTULE, nok't[=u]l, _n._ a vespertilionine bat. [Fr.,--L. _nox_, _noctis_, night.]
NOCTURN, nok'turn, _n._ in the early church, a service of psalms and prayers at midnight or at daybreak: a portion of the psalter used at nocturns. [Fr. _nocturne_--L. _nocturnus_--_nox_, _noctis_, night.]
NOCTURNAL, nok-tur'nal, _adj._ pertaining to night: happening by night: nightly.--_n._ an instrument for observations in the night.--_adv._ NOCTUR'NALLY.
NOCTURNE, nok'turn, _n._ a painting showing a scene by night: a piece of music of a dreamy character suitable to evening or night thoughts: a serenade: a reverie. [Fr.; cf. _Nocturn_.]
NOCUOUS, nok'[=u]-us, _adj._ hurtful.--_adv._ NOC'UOUSLY. [L.
_nocuus_--_noc[=e]re_, to hurt.]
NOD, nod, _v.i._ to give a quick forward motion of the head: to bend the head in assent: to salute by a quick motion of the head: to let the head drop in weariness.--_v.t._ to incline: to signify by a nod:--_pr.p._ nod'ding; _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ nod'ded.--_n._ a bending forward of the head quickly: a slight bow: a command.--_ns._ NOD'DER; NOD'DING.--_adj._ inclining the head quickly: indicating by a nod: acknowledged by a nod merely, as a nodding acquaintance: (_bot._) having the flower looking downwards.--LAND OF NOD, the state of sleep. [M. E. _nodden_, not in A.S.; but cf. Old High Ger. _hn[=o]ton_, to shake, prov. Ger. _notteln_, to wag.]
NODDLE, nod'l, _n._ properly, the projecting part at the back of the head: the head.--_v.i._ to nod repeatedly. [A variant of _knot_; cf. Old Dut.
_knodde_, a knob, Ger. _knoten_, a knot.]
NODDY, nod'i, _n._ one whose head nods from weakness: a stupid fellow: a sea-fowl--easily taken: a four-wheeled carriage with a door at the back: an upright flat spring with a weight on the top, forming an inverted pendulum, indicating the vibration of any body to which it is attached. [_Nod._]
NODE, n[=o]d, _n._ a knot: a knob: a knot or entanglement: (_astron._) one of the two points in which the orbit of a planet intersects the plane of the ecliptic: (_bot._) the joint of a stem: the plot of a piece in poetry: (_math._) a point at which a curve cuts itself, and through which more than one tangent to the curve can be drawn: a similar point on a surface, where there is more than one tangent-plane.--_adjs._ NOD'AL, pertaining to nodes; NOD[=A]T'ED, knotted.--_ns._ NOD[=A]'TION, the act of making knots: the state of being knotted; NODE'-COUP'LE, a pair of points on a surface at which one plane is tangent; NODE'-CUSP, a peculiar kind of curve formed by the union of a node, a cusp, an inflection, and a bitangent.--_adjs._ NOD'ICAL, pertaining to the nodes: from a node round to the same node again; NODIF'EROUS (_bot._), bearing nodes; N[=O]'DIFORM; NOD'OSE, full of knots: having knots or swelling joints: knotty.--_n._ NODOS'ITY.--_adjs._ NOD'ULAR, of or like a nodule; NOD'UL[=A]TED, having nodules.--_ns._ NOD'ULE, NOD'ULUS, a little knot: a small lump.--_adjs._ NOD'ULED, having nodules or little knots or lumps; NODULIF'EROUS; NOD'ULIFORM; NOD'ULOSE, NOD'ULOUS (_bot._), having nodules or small knots: knotty.--_ns._ NOD'ULUS:--_pl._ NOD'UL[=I]; N[=O]'DUS:--_pl._ N[=O]'D[=I]. [L. _nodus_ (for _gnodus_), allied to _Knot_.]
NOeL, n[=o]'el, _n._ Christmas.--Same as NOWEL (q.v.).
NOEMATIC, -AL, n[=o]-[=e]-mat'ik, -al, _adj._ intellectual--also NOET'IC, -AL.--_adv._ NOEMAT'ICALLY.--_n.pl._ NOEM'ICS, intellectual science. [Gr.
_no[=e]ma_--_noein_, to perceive.]
NOETIAN, n[=o]-[=e]'shi-an, _adj._ pertaining to NOe'TUS or NOe'TIANISM, a form of Patripassianism taught by _Noetus_ of Smyrna about 200 A.D.
NOG, nog, _n._ a mug, small pot: a kind of strong ale.
NOG, nog, _n._ a tree nail driven through the heels of the shores, to secure them: one of the pins in the lever of a clutch-coupling: a piece of wood in an inner wall: a cog in mining.
NOGGIN, nog'in, _n._ a small mug or wooden cup, or its contents, a dram suitable for one person. [Ir. _noigin_, Gael. _noigean_.]
NOGGING, nog'ging, _n._ a partition of wooden posts with the spaces between filled up with bricks: brick-building filling up the spaces between the wooden posts of a partition.
NOHOW, n[=o]'how, _adv._ not in any way, not at all: (_coll._) out of one's ordinary way, out of sorts.
NOIANCE, noi'ans, _n._ (_Shak._). Same as ANNOYANCE.
NOILS, noilz, _n.pl._ short pieces of wool separated from the longer fibres by combing.
NOINT, noint, _v.t._ (_Shak._). Same as ANOINT.
NOISE, noiz, _n._ sound of any kind: any over-loud or excessive sound, din: frequent or public talk: (_Shak._) report: a musical band.--_v.t._ to spread by rumour.--_v.i._ to sound loud.--_adjs._ NOISE'FUL, noisy; NOISE'LESS, without noise: silent.--_adv._ NOISE'LESSLY.--_n._ NOISE'LESSNESS.--MAKE A NOISE IN THE WORLD, to attract great notoriety.
[Fr. _noise_, quarrel; prob. from L. _nausea_, disgust; but possibly from L. _noxa_, hurt--_noc[=e]re_, to hurt.]
NOISETTE, nwo-zet', _n._ a variety of rose. [Fr.]
NOISOME, noi'sum, _adj._ injurious to health: disgusting to sight or smell.--_adv._ NOI'SOMELY.--_n._ NOI'SOMENESS. [M. E. _noy_, annoyance. Cf.
_Annoy_.]
NOISY, noiz'i, _adj._ making a loud noise or sound: attended with noise: clamorous: turbulent.--_adv._ NOIS'ILY.--_n._ NOIS'INESS.