Emily Dickinson Lexicon

NIGH, a. ni. [Sax. neah, neahg, neh, for nig; G. nape, nigh. This is the G. nach, na, a preposition signifying to, on or after, that is, approaching, pressing on, making toward; D. naaken, to approach; W. nig, strait, narrow.]

1. Near; not distant or remote in place or time. The loud tumult shows the battle nigh. Prior. When the fig-tree putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh. Matth. xxiv.
2. Closely allied by blood; as, a nigh kinsman. Knolles.
3. Easy to be obtained or learnt; of easy access. The word is very nigh to thee. Deut. xxx.
4. Ready to support, to forgive, or to aid and defend. The Lord Is nigh to them.'who are of a broken heart. Ps. xxxiv.
5. Close in fellowship; intimate in relation. Ye are made nigh by the blood of Christ Eph.
6. Near in progress or condition. Heb. vi.

NIGH, adv. ni.

1. Near; at a small distance in place or time, or in the course of events. Ho was sick, nigh to death. Phil.
2. Near to a place. He drew nigh. Milton.
3. Almost; near. He was nigh dead. Nigh is never a proposition. In the phrase, "nigh this recent, with terror they survey," there is an ellipsis of to. They nigh to this recess, survey, dec.

NIGH, v.i. ni.

To approach; to advance or draw near. [Not used.] Hubberd.

NIGH-LY, adv. nily.

Nearly; within a little. A cube and a sphere nighty of the same bigness. [Not used.] Locke.

NIGH-NESS, n. ni'neas.

Nearness; proximity in place time or degree.

NIGHT, n. nite. [Sax. niht; Goth. nahts; D. nagt; G nacht; Sw. natt; Dan. nat, contracted; L. nox; Gr. {foreign}; Sp. noche; Port. nbite; It. none; Fr. nuit; Ir. neat; Russ; noch; Slay. notch; Sans. nischa. The sense map he dark, black, or it may be the decline of the day, from declining, departing, like the Shemitic {foreign}.]

1. That part of the natural day when the sun is beneath the, horizon, or the time from sunset to sunrise.
2. The time after the close of life; death. John ix. She closed her eyes ia everlasting night. Dryden.
3. A state of ignorance; intellectual and moral darkness; heathenish ignorance. Rom. xiii.
4. Adversity; a state of affliction and distress. Is. xxi.
5. Obscurity; a state of concealment from the eye or the mind; unintelligibleness. Nature and nature's works lay hid in night. Pope. In the night, suddenly; unexpectedly. Luke in. To-night, in this night. To-night the moon will be eclipsed.

NIGHT-AN-GLING, n.

The angling for or catching fish in the night. Encyc.

NIGHT-BIRD, n.

A bird that flies only in the night. Hall.

NIGHT-BORN, a.

Produced in darkness.

NIGHT-BRAWL-ER, n.

One who excites brawls or makes a tumult at night. Shak.

NIGHT-CAP,

A cap worn in bed or in undress. Swift.

NIGHT-CROW, n.

fowl that cries in the night. Shak.

NIGHT-DEW, n.

The dew formed in the night. Dryden.

NIGHT-DOG, n.

A dog that hunts in the night; used by deer-stealers. Shak.

NIGHT-DRESS, n.

A dress worn at night. Pope.

NIGHT-ED, a.

Darkened; clouded; black. [Little used.] Shak.

NIGHT-FALL, n.

The close of the day; evening. Swift.

NIGHT-FAR-ING, a.

Traveling in the night. Gay.

NIGHT-FIRE, n.

1. Ignis fatuus; Will with a wisp; Jack with a lantern. Herbert.
2. Fire burning in the night. Irving.

NIGHT-FLY, n.

An insect that flies in the night. Shak.

NIGHT-FLY-ER, n.

An insect that flies in the night.

NIGHT-FOUN-DER-ED, a.

Lost or distressed in the night Milton.

NIGHT-GOWN, n.

A loose gown used for undress. Addison.

NIGHT-HAG, n.

A witch supposed to wander in the night. Milton.

NIGHT-IN-GALE, n. [Sax. nihtegale; Sw. nachtergal; D. negtegaal; G. nachtigall; Dan. nattergal; composed of night and Sax. galan, to sing.]

1. A small bird that sings at night, of the genus Motacilla; Philomela or Philomel. Shak. Waller.
2. A word of endearment. Shak.