Emily Dickinson Lexicon

NIC-O-LAI'TAN, n.

One of a sect in the ancient Christian church, so named from Nicolas, a deacon of the church of Jerusalem. They held that all married women should be common, to prevent jealousy. They are not charged with erroneous opinions respecting God, but with licentious practices. Rev. ii.

NI-CO'TIAN, a.

Pertaining to or denoting tobacco; and as a noun, tobacco; so called from Nicot, who first introduced it into France, A. D. 1560.

NIC-O-TIAN'I-NA, or NIC-O-TIA'NINE, n.

A concrete or solid oil obtained from tobacco, and one of its active principles. It smells like tobacco smoke, arid tastes bitterish and slightly aromatic.

NIC'O-TIN, n.

An alkaloid obtained from tobacco, and one of its active principles. In its purest state, it is in small crystaline plates, which rapidly absorb moisture and liquefy. Its taste is very acrid, and continues long in the mouth.

NIC'TATE, v.i. [L. nicto, to wink.]

To wink. Ray.

NIC'TA-TING, or NIC'TI-TA-TING, ppr. [or a.]

Winking. The nictitating membrane is a thin membrane by which the process of winking is performed in certain animals.

NIC-TA'TION, n.

The act of winking.

NIDE, n. [L. nidus, a nest.]

A brood; as, a nide of pheasants. [Not in use.]

NIDG'ET, n.

A dastard. [Not in use.] Camden.

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

To make a nest.

NID-I-FI-CA'TION, 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.]

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. nièce; Arm. nizes, nyes; W. nith; qu. The The D. has nigt, and the G. nichte.]

The daughter of a brother or sister.

NI-EL'LO, 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 cavities in wood and metals. Elmes.

NIF'LE, n. [Norm.]

A trifle. [Obs.] Chaucer.

NIG'GARD, a.

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

NIG'GARD, n. [W. nig, straight, narrow, or G. knicker, a niggard, and a nod or nodding; knickern, 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. nicken, 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.

NIG'GARD, v.t.

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

NIG'GARD-ISE, n.

Niggardliness. [Not in use.] Spenser.