Emily Dickinson Lexicon

NID'I-FI-CATE, v.i. [L. nidifico, from nidu:, a nest.]

To make a nest.

NID-I-FI-CATION, n.

The act or operation of building a nest, and the hatching and feeding of young in the nest. Derham.

NID'ING, n. [Sax. nithing; Dan. and Sw. niding.]

A despicable coward; a dastard. [Obs.]

NI'DOR, n. [L.]

A Scent; savor. Bp. Taylor.

NI-DOR-OS'I-TY, n.

Eructation with the taste of undigested roast meat. Floyer.

NI'DOR-OUS, a.

Resembling the smell or taste of roasted meat. Bacon.

NID'U-LANT, a. [L. nidulor, from nidus, nest.]

In botany, nestling; lying loose in pulp or cotton, within a berry or pericarp. Martyn. Lee.

NID-U-LA'TION, n.

The time of remaining in the nest; as of a bird. Brown.

NI'DUS, n. [L.]

A nest; a repository for the eggs of birds, insects, &c.

NIECE, n. nese. [Fr. niece; Arm. nizes, nyes; W. nith; qu. The The D. has nigt, and the G. nichte.]

The daughter of a brother or sister.

NI-ELLO, n.

A species of work used by the Romans and the modern Italians, somewhat resembling damask-work, made by enchasing a mixture of silver and lead into cayties in wood and metals. Elmes.

NIFLE, n. [Norm.]

A trifle. [Obs.] Chaucer.

NIGGARD, a.

1. Miserly; meanly covetous; sordidly parsimonious. Dryden.
2. Sparing; wary. Moat free of question, but to our demands. Niggard in his reply. Shak.

NIGGARD, n. [W. nig, straight, narrow, or G. knicker, a niggard, and a nod or nodding; knirkern, to haggle, to be sordidly parsimonious; Dan. gnier, for gniker or gniger, a niggard. This word seems to belong to the family of D. knikken, G. sicken, Dan. nikker, to nod, and this to Dan. knikker, to crack; exhibiting analogies similar to those of wretch, wreck and haggle. Ard is a termination, as in dotard.]

A miser; a person meanly close and covetous; a sordid wretch who saves every cent, or spends grudgingly. Serve him as a grudging master, As a penurious niggard of his wealth. Milton. Be niggards of advice on no pretense. Pope.

NIGGARD, v.t.

To stint; to supply sparingly. [Little used.] Shak.

NIG'GARD-ISE, n.

Niggardliness. [Not in use.] Spenser.

NIGGARD-ISH, a.

Somewhat covetous or niggardly. Johnson.

NIG'GARD-LI-NESS, n.

Mean covetousness; sordid parsimony; extreme avarice manifested in sparing expense. Niggardliness is not good husbandry. Addison.

NIGGARD-LY, a.

1. Meanly covetous or avaricious; sordidly parsimonious; extremely sparing of expense. Where the owner of the house will be bountiful, It is not for the steward to be niggardly. Dall.
2. Sparing; wary; cautiously avoiding profusion. Sidney.

NIGGARD-LY, adv.

Sparingly; with cautious parsimony. Shak.

NIGGARD-NESS, n.

Niggardliness. [Not used.] Sidney.

NIG'GAR-DY, n.

Niggardliness. [Not used.]

NIGGLE, v.t.

and i. To mock; to trifle with. [Not in use.] Beaum.

NIGGLED, pp.

Trifled with.

NIG'GLING, ppr.

Mocking.