Dictionary: NESS – NET'TLE-RASH

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NESS, n. [a termination of names, signifies a promontory, from the root of nose, which see.]

NEST, n.1 [Sax. nest, G. and D. nest; Sw. näste; W. nyth; L. nidus; Fr. nid; It. and Sp. nido; Arm. neiz; Ir. nead; Russ. gnizdo; Gr. νεοσσος, νεοσσια, νεοττια, unless the latter are from νεος. In Persic, nisim is a nest, nashiman, mansion, and nishashtan, to sit down, to dwell or remain.]

  1. The place or bed formed or used by a bird for incubation or the mansion of her young, until they are able to fly. The word is used also for the bed in which certain insects deposit their eggs.
  2. Any place where irrational animals are produced. Bentley.
  3. An abode; a place of residence; a receptacle of numbers, or the collection itself; usually in an ill sense; as, a nest of rogues.
  4. A warm close place of abode; generally in contempt. Spenser.
  5. A number of boxes, cases or the like, inserted in each other.

NEST, n.2

In geology, a term applied to detached included masses of a particular mineral or rock. Percival.

NEST, v.i.

To build and occupy a nest. The king of birds nested with its leaves. Howell.

NEST'EGG, n.

An egg left in the nest to prevent the hen from forsaking it. Hudibras.

NEST'LE, v.i. [nes'l.]

  1. To settle; to harbor; to lie close and snug, as a bird in her nest. The king-fisher nestles in hollow banks. L'Estrange. Their purpose was to fortify in some strong place of the wild country, and there nestle till succors came. Bacon.
  2. To move about in one's seat, like a bird when forming her nest; as, a child nestles.

NEST'LE, v.t. [nes'l.]

  1. To house, as in a nest Donne.
  2. To cherish, as a bird her young. Chapman.

NEST'LED, pp.

Housed, as in a nest; snugged closely.

NEST'LING, a.

Newly hatched; being yet in the nest. Barrington.

NEST'LING, n.

  1. A young bird in the nest, or just taken from the nest.
  2. A nest. [Not used.]

NEST'LING, ppr.

Lying close and snug.

NES-TO'RI-AN, n.

A follower of Nestorius, a heretic of the fifth century, who taught that Christ was divided into two persons.

NET, a. [Fr. net; It. netto. See Neat.]

  1. Neat; pure; unadulterated. [Little used.]
  2. Being without flaw or spot. [Little used.]
  3. Being beyond all charges or outlay; as, net profit.
  4. Being clear of all tare and tret, or all deductions as, net weight. It is sometimes written nett, but improperly. Net is properly a mercantile appropriation of neat.

NET, n. [Sax. net, nyt; D. and Dan. net; G. netz; Sw. nät, not; Goth. nati, from the root of knit, Sax. cnyttan, whence knot; L. nodus.]

  1. An instrument for catching fish and fowls, or wild beasts, formed with twine or thread interwoven with meshes.
  2. A cunning device; a snare. Micah vii.
  3. Inextricable difficulty. Job xviii.
  4. Severe affections. Job xix.

NET, v.t.1

To make a net or net-work; to knot. Seward.

NET, v.t.2

To produce clear profit.

NETH'ER, a. [Sax. neother; G. nieder; D. and Dan. neder. This word is of the comparative degree; the positive occurs only in composition, as in beneath, Sax. neothan. It is used only in implied comparison, as in the nether part, the nether millstone; but we never say, one part is nether than another.]

  1. Lower; lying or being beneath or in the lower part; opposed to upper; as, the nether millstone. Distorted all my nether shape thus grew / Transformed. Milton.
  2. In a lower place. 'Twixt upper, nether, and surrounding fires. Milton.
  3. Belonging to the regions below. Dryden.

NETH'ER-MOST, a.

Lowest; as, the nethermost hell; the nethermost abyss. South. Milton.

NETH'IN-IM, n. [plur.]

Among the Jews, servants of the priests and Levites.

NET'TING, n. [from net.]

  1. A piece of net-work.
  2. A complication of ropes fastened across each other, to be stretched along the upper part of a ship's quarter to contain hammocs. Netting is also employed to hold the draw fore and main top-mast sails when stowed. Netting is also extended along a ship's gunwale in engagements, to prevent the enemy from boarding. Mar. Dict.

NET'TLE, n. [net'l; Sax. netl, netele; D. netel; G. nessel; Sw. nässla; Gr. κνιδη, from the root of κνιζω, κναω, to scratch.]

A plant of the genus Urtica, whose prickles fret the skin and occasion very painful sensations. And near the noisome nettle blooms the rose. Rambler, motto.

NET'TLE, v.t.

To fret or sting; to irritate or vex; to excite sensations of displeasure or uneasiness, not amounting to wrath or violent anger. The princes were nettled at the scandal of this affront. L'Estrange.

NET'TLED, pp.

Fretted; irritated.

NET'TLER, n.

One that provokes, stings or irritates. Milton.

NET'TLE-RASH, n.

An eruptive disease resembling the sting of a nettle.