Emily Dickinson Lexicon

NAR'WAL, or NAR'WHAL, n. [G. narwall.]

The Monodon monoceros, a cetaceous mammal found in the northern seas, which grows to twenty feet in length. The spiracle of this animal is on the anterior part of the skull. When young it has two tusks, but when old it has but one, which projects from the upper jaw and is straight. From this circumstance of its having one tusk only, it has obtained the name of the sea unicorn or unicorn fish. Pennant. Encyc.

NAR'WHAL, n.

A cetaceous mammal of the genus Narwhalus, sometimes called sea-unicorn. [1841 Addenda only.]

NAS, v. [for ne has, has not. Obs.]

Spenser.

NA'SAL, a. [s as z. L. nasus, nose; It. nasale.]

Pertaining to the nose; formed or affected by the nose; as, a nasal sound; a nasal letter.

NA'SAL, n. [s as z.]

1. A letter whose sound is affected by the nose.
2. A medicine that operates through the nose; an errhine, Barton.

NA'SAL-IZE, v.t.

To render nasal, as sound.

NA'SAL-LY, adv.

In a nasal manner; by the nose.

NAS'CAL, n.

A kind of pessary. Ferrand. A pessary made of wool or cotton, to raise the nose when compressed. Parr.

NAS'CENCY, n.

The beginning of production.

NAS'CENT, a. [L. nascens, nascor, to be born.]

Beginning to exist or to grow; coming into being. Black.

NASE'BER-RY, n.

The fruit, of a species of the genus Sloanea. Fam. of Plants.

NAS'I-COR-NOUS, a. [L. nasus, nose, and cornu, horn.]

Having a horn growing on the nose. Brown.

NAS'TI-LY, adv. [from nasty.]

1. In a nasty manner; filthily; dirtily.
2. Obscenely.

NAS'TI-NESS, n.

1. Extreme filthiness; dirtiness; filth.
2. Obscenity; ribaldry. South.

NAS-TUR'TION, n. [L. nasturtium; quod nasum torqueat. Varro.]

A plant of the genus Tropæolum; Indian cresses.

NAS'TY, a. [origin unknown. Qu. G. nass, wet.]

1. Disgustingly filthy; very dirty, foul or defiled; nauseous. Atterbury.
2. Obscene.

NA'SUS, n.

A fresh-water fish, about nine inches in length, resembling the chub. It is found in the Danube, Rhine and other large rivers of Germany. Dict. Nat. Hist.

NA'SUTE, a. [L. nasutus.]

Critically nice; captious. Bp. Gauden.

NA'TAL, a. [L. natalis, from nascor, to be born.]

Pertaining to birth. The natal day is the day of birth or nativity. So we say, natal hour; natal place. Camden. Prior.

NA-TAL-I'TIAL, or NA-TAL-I'TIOUS, a. [L. natalitius, from nascor, to be born.]

Pertaining to one's birth or birth-day, or consecrated to one's nativity. Evelyn.

NA'TALS, n. [plu.]

Time and place of nativity.

NA'TANT, a. [L. natans, from nato, to swim.]

In botany, swimming; floating on the surface of water; as the leaf of an aquatic plant. Lee. Martyn.

NA'TANT-LY, adv.

Swimmingly; floatingly.

NA-TA'TION, n. [L. natatio, from nato, to swim.]

A swimming; the act of floating on the water. [Little used.] Brown.

NA'TA-TO-RY, a.

Enabling to swim. Brit. Crit.