N (continued 5)
Reading edition
NOTWITHSTANDING Not`with*stand"ing, adv. or conj. Etym: [Originally the participle of withstand, with not prefixed.]
Defn: Nevertheless; however; although; as, I shall go, notwithstanding it rains. I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. Notwithstanding, in thy days I will not do it. 1 Kings xi. 11, 12. They which honor the law as an image of the wisdom of God himself, are, notwithstanding, to know that the same had an end in Christ. Hooker. You did wisely and honestly too, notwithstanding She is the greatest beauty in the parish. Fielding. Notwithstanding that, notwithstanding; although. These days were ages to him, notwithstanding that he was basking in the smiles of the pretty Mary. W. Irving.
NOUCH Nouch, n. Etym: [See Ouch.]
Defn: An ouch; a jewel. [Obs.] Chaucer.
NOUGAT Nou`gat", n. Etym: [F.]
Defn: A cake, sweetmeat, or confectión made with almonds or other nuts.
NOUGHT Nought, n. & adv.
Defn: See Naught. Chaucer.
NOULD Nould. Etym: [Contr. fr. ne would.]
Defn: Would not. [Obs.] "By those who nould repent." Fairfax.
NOULE Noule, n. Etym: [See Noll.]
Defn: The top of the head; the head or noll. [Obs.] Spenser.
NOUMENAL Nou"me*nal, a. (Metaph.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the noumenon; real; — opposed to phenomenal. G. H. Lewes.
NOUMENON Nou"me*non, n. Etym: [NL. fr. Gr. (Metaph.)
Defn: The of itself unknown and unknowable rational object, or thing in itself, which is distinguished from the Ant: phenomenon through which it is apprehended by the senses, and by which it is interpreted and understood; — so used in the philosophy of Kant and his followers.
NOUN Noun, n. Etym: [OF. noun, nun, num, non, nom, F. nom, fr. L. nomen name. See Name.] (Gram.)
Defn: A word used as the designation or appellation of a creature or thing, existing in fact or in thought; a substantive.
Note: By some grammarians the term noun is so used as to include adjectives, as being descriptive; but in general it is limited to substantives.
NOUNAL Noun"al, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to a noun. Verbs which in whole or in part have shed their old nounal coat. Earle.
NOUNIZE Noun"ize, v. t.
Defn: To change (an adjective, verb, etc.) into a noun. Earle.
NOURICE Nour"ice, n.
Defn: A nurse. [Obs.] Spenser.
NOURISH Nour"ish, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Nourished; p. pr. & vb. n. Nourishing.] Etym: [OE. norisen, norischen, OF. nurir, nurrir, norir, F. norrir, fr. L. nutrire. Cf. Nurse, Nutriment, and see -ish.]
1. To feed and cause to grow; to supply with matter which increases bulk or supplies waste, and promotes health; to furnish with nutriment. He planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it. Is. xliv. 14.
2. To support; to maintain. Whiles I in Ireland nourish a mighty band. Shak.
3. To supply the means of support and increase to; to encourage; to foster; as, to nourish rebellion; to nourish the virtues. "Nourish their contentions." Hooker.
4. To cherish; to comfort. Ye have nourished your hearts. James v. 5.
5. To educate; to instruct; to bring up; to nurture; to promote the growth of in attainments. Chaucer. Nourished up in the words of faith. 1 Tim. iv. 6.
Syn. — To cherish; feed; supply. See Nurture.
NOURISH Nour"ish, v. i.
1. To promote growth; to furnish nutriment. Grains and roots nourish more than their leaves. Bacon.
2. To gain nourishment. [R.] Bacon.
NOURISH Nour"ish, n.
Defn: A nurse. [Obs.] Hoolland.
NOURISHABLE Nour"ish*a*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. nourrissable.]
1. Capable of being nourished; as, the nourishable parts of the body. Grew.
2. Capable of giving nourishment. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.
NOURISHER Nour"ish*er, n.
Defn: One who, or that which, nourishes. Milton.
NOURISHING Nour"ish*ing, a.
Defn: Promoting growth; nutritious,
NOURISHINGLY Nour"ish*ing*ly, adv.
Defn: Nutritively; cherishingly.
NOURISHMENT Nour"ish*ment, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. norrissement.]
1. The act of nourishing, or the state of being nourished; nutrition.
2. That which serves to nourish; nutriment; food. Learn to seek the nourishment of their souls. Hooker.
NOURITURE Nour"i*ture, n.
Defn: Nurture. [Obs.] Spenser.
NOURSLE Nour"sle, v. t. Etym: [Freq., fr. OE. nourse. See Nurse.]
Defn: To nurse; to rear; to bring up. [Obs.] [Written also nosel, nousel, nousle, nowsle, nusle, nuzzle, etc.] She noursled him till years he raught. Spenser.
NOUS Nous, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr.
Defn: Intellect; understanding; talent; — used humorously.
NOUSEL; NOUSLE Nous"el, Nou"sle, v. t. Etym: [See Noose.]
Defn: To insnare; to entrap. [Obs.] Johnson.
NOUTHE; NOWTHE Nou"the, Now"the, adv. Etym: [Now + the.]
Defn: Just now; at present. [Obs.] But thereof needeth not to speak as nouthe. Chaucer.
NOUVEAU RICHE; NOUVELLE RICHE Nou`veau" riche", m., Nou`velle" riche", f.; pl. m. Noveaux riches (#), f. Nouvelles riches (#). [F.]
Defn: A person newly rich.
NOVA No"va (no"va), n.; pl. L. Novæ (-ve), E. Novas (-vaz). [L., fem. sing. of novus new.] (Astron.)
Defn: A new star, usually appearing suddenly, shining for a brief period, and then sinking into obscurity. Such appearances are supposed to result from cosmic collisions, as of a dark star with interstellar nebulosities. The most important modern novæ are: — No"va Co*ro"næ Bo`re*a"lis [1866]; No"va Cyg"ni [1876]; No"va An*dro"me*dæ [1885]; No"va Au*ri"gæ [1891-92]; No"va Per"se*i [1901]. There are two novæ called Nova Persei. They are: (a) A small nova which appeared in 1881. (b) An extraordinary nova which appeared in Perseus in 1901. It was first sighted on February 22, and for one night (February 23) was the brightest star in the sky. By July it had almost disappeared, after which faint surrounding nebulous masses were discovered, apparently moving radially outward from the star at incredible velocity.
NOVACULITE No*vac"u*lite, n. Etym: [L. novacula a sharp knife, razor: cf. F. novaculite.] (Min.)
Defn: A variety of siliceous slate, of which hones are made; razor stone; Turkey stone; hone stone; whet slate.
NOVATIAN No*va"tian, n. (Eccl. Hist.)
Defn: One of the sect of Novatius, or Novatianus, who held that the lapsed might not be received again into communion with the church, and that second marriages are unlawful.
NOVATIANISM No*va"tian*ism, n.
Defn: The doctrines or principles of the Novatians. Milner.
NOVATION No*va"tion, n. Etym: [L. novatio; novus new: cf. F. novation.]
1. Innovation. [Obs.] I shall easily grant that novations in religion are a main cause of distempers in commonwealths. Laud.
2. (Law)
Defn: A substitution of a new debt for an old one; also, the remodeling of an old obligation.
NOVATOR No*va"tor, n.
Defn: An innovator. [Obs.]
NOVEL Nov"el, a. Etym: [OF. novel, nuvel, F. nouvel, nouveau, L. novellus, dim. of novus new. See New.]
Defn: Of recent origin or introduction; not ancient; new; hence, out of the ordinary course; unusual; strange; surprising.
Note: In civil law, the novel or new constitutions are those which are supplemental to the code, and posterior in time to the other books. These contained new decrees of successive emperors. Novel assignment (Law), a new assignment or specification of a suit.
Syn. — New; recent; modern; fresh; strange; uncommon; rare; unusual. — Novel, New . Everything at its first occurrence is new; that is novel which is so much out of the ordinary course as to strike us with surprise. That is a new sight which is beheld for the first time; that is a novel sight which either was never seen before or is seen but seldom. We have daily new inventions, but a novel one supposes some very peculiar means of attaining its end. Novel theories are regarded with distrust, as likely to prove more ingenious than sound.
NOVEL Nov"el, n. Etym: [F. nouvelle. See Novel, a.]
1. That which is new or unusual; a novelty.
2. pl.
Defn: News; fresh tidings. [Obs.] Some came of curiosity to hear some novels. Latimer.
3. A fictitious tale or narrative, professing to be conformed to real life; esp., one intended to exhibit the operation of the passions, and particularly of love. Dryden.
4. Etym: [L. novellae (sc. constitutiones): cf. F. novelles.] (Law)
Defn: A new or supplemental constitution. See the Note under Novel, a.
NOVELETTE Nov`el*ette", n. Etym: [Dim. of novel, n. See Novel.]
Defn: A short novel.
NOVELISM Nov"el*ism, n.
Defn: Innovation. [Obs.]
NOVELIST Nov"el*ist, n.
1. An innovator; an asserter of novelty. [Obs.] Cudworth.
2. Etym: [Cf. F. nouvelliste, It. novellista.]
Defn: A writer of news. [Obs.] Tatler (178).
3. Etym: [Cf. F. nouvelliste.]
Defn: A writer of a novel or novels.
NOVELIZE Nov"el*ize, v. i.
Defn: To innovate. [Obs.]
NOVELIZE Nov"el*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Novelized; p. pr. & vb. n. Novelizing.]
1. To innovate. [Obs.]
2. To put into the form of novels; to represent by fiction. "To novelize history." Sir J. Herschel.
NOVELRY Nov"el*ry, n. Etym: [OF. novelerie.]
Defn: Novelty; new things. [Obs.] Chaucer.
NOVELTY Nov"el*ty, n.; pl. Novelties. Etym: [OF. novelté, F. nouveauté, L. novellitas.]
1. The quality or state of being novel; newness; freshness; recentness of origin or introduction. Novelty is the great parent of pleasure. South.
2. Something novel; a new or strange thing.
NOVEMBER No*vem"ber, n. Etym: [L. November, or Novembris (sc. mensis), the ninth month of the old Roman year, which began with March, fr. novem nine: cf. F. Novembre. See Nine.]
Defn: The eleventh month of the year, containing thirty days.
NOVENARY Nov"e*na*ry, a. Etym: [L. novenarius, from novem nine.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to the number nine.
NOVENARY Nov"e*na*ry, n.
Defn: The number of nine units; nine, collectively.
NOVENE No"vene, a. Etym: [L. novenus nine each, in LL., ninth, fr. L. novem nine.]
Defn: Relating to, or dependent on, the number nine; novenary. [R.] The triple and novene division ran throughout. Milman.
NOVENNIAL No*ven"ni*al, a. Etym: [L. novennis of nine years; novem nine + annus year.]
Defn: Done or recurring every ninth year.
NOVERCAL No*ver"cal, a. Etym: [L. novennis of nine years; novem nine + annus year.]
Defn: Done or recurring every ninth year.
NOVERCAL No*ver"cal, a. Etym: [L. novercalis, from noverca a stepmother.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to a stepmother; suitable to, or in the manner of, a stepmother. Derham.
NOVICE Nov"ice, n. Etym: [F., from L. novicius, novitius, new, from novus new. See New, and cf. Novitious.]
1. One who is new in any business, profession, or calling; one unacquainted or unskilled; one yet in the rudiments; a beginner; a tyro. I am young; a novice in the trade. Dryden.
2. One newly received into the church, or one newly converted to the Christian faith. 1 Tim. iii. 6.
3. (Eccl.)
Defn: One who enters a religious house, whether of monks or nuns, as a probationist. Shipley. No poore cloisterer, nor no novys. Chaucer.
NOVICE Nov"ice, a.
Defn: Like a novice; becoming a novice. [Obs.]
NOVICESHIP Nov"ice*ship, n.
Defn: The state of being a novice; novitiate.
NOVILUNAR No`vi*lu"nar, a. Etym: [L. novus new + luna the moon.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to the new moon. [R.]
NOVITIATE No*vi"ti*ate, n. Etym: [LL. novitiatus: cf. F. noviciat.]
1. The state of being a novice; time of initiation or instruction in rudiments.
2. Hence: Time of probation in a religious house before taking the vows.
3. One who is going through a novitiate, or period of probation; a novice. Addison.
4. The place where novices live or are trained. [R.]
NOVITIOUS No*vi"tious, a. Etym: [L. novitius, novicius.]
Defn: Newly invented; recent; new. [Obs.] Bp. Pearson.
NOVITY Nov"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. novitas, fr. novus new.]
Defn: Newness; novelty. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
NOVUM No"vum, n.
Defn: A game at dice, properly called novem quinque (L., nine five), the two principal throws being nine and five. [Obs.] Shak.
NOW Now, adv. Etym: [OE. nou, nu, AS. nu, nu; akin to D., OS., & OHG. nu, G. nu, nun, Icel., nu, Dan., Sw., & Goth. nu, L. nunc, Gr. nu, nu. *193. Cf. New.]
1. At the present time; at this moment; at the time of speaking; instantly; as, I will write now. I have a patient now living, at an advanced age, who discharged blood from his lungs thirty years ago. Arbuthnot.
2. Very lately; not long ago. They that but now, for honor and for plate, Made the sea blush with blood, resign their hate. Waller.
3. At a time contemporaneous with something spoken of or contemplated; at a particular time referred to. The ship was now in the midst of the sea. Matt. xiv. 24.
4. In present circumstances; things being as they are; — hence, used as a connective particle, to introduce an inference or an explanation. How shall any man distinguish now betwixt a parasite and a man of honor L'Estrange. Why should he live, now nature bankrupt is Shak. Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now, Barabbas was a robber. John xviii. 40. The other great and undoing mischief which befalls men is, by their being misrepresented. Now, by calling evil good, a man is misrepresented to others in the way of slander. South. Now and again, now and then; occasionally. — Now and now, again and again; repeatedly. [Obs.] Chaucer. — Now and then, at one time and another; indefinitely; occasionally; not often; at intervals. "A mead here, there a heath, and now and then a wood." Drayton. — Now now, at this very instant; precisely now. [Obs.] "Why, even now now, at holding up of this finger, and before the turning down of this." J. Webster (1607). — Now . . . now, alternately; at one time . . . at another time. "Now high, now low, now master up, now miss." Pope.
NOW Now, a.
Defn: Existing at the present time; present. [R.] "Our now happiness." Glanvill.
NOW Now, n.
Defn: The present time or moment; the present. Nothing is there to come, and nothing past; But an eternal now does ever last. Cowley.
NOWADAYS Now"a*days`, adv. Etym: [For now on (OE. an) days. See A-, 1.]
Defn: In these days; at the present time. What men of spirit, nowadays, Come to give sober judgment of new plays Garrick.
NOWAY; NOWAYS No"way`, No"ways`, adv. Etym: [No, a. + way. Cf. -wards.]
Defn: In no manner or degree; not at all; nowise. But Ireland will noways allow that name unto it. Fuller.
NOWCH Nowch, n.
Defn: See Nouch. [Obs.] Chaucer.
NOWD Nowd, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The European gray gurnard (Trigla gurnardus). [Written also knoud.]
NOWED Now"ed, a. Etym: [F. noué, p. p. of nouer to knot, fr. L. nodare. See Nodated.] (Her.)
Defn: Knotted; tied in a knot, as a serpent.
NOWEL Now"el, n. Etym: [See Noel.] [Written also noël.]
1. Christmas; also, a shout of joy at Christmas for the birth of the Savior. [Obs.]
2. (Mus.)
Defn: A kind of hymn, or canticle, of mediæval origin, sung in honor of the Nativity of our Lord; a Christmas carol. Grove.
NOWEL Now"el, n. Etym: [F. noyau, prop., a kernel. See Noyau, Newel a post.] (Founding) (a) The core, or the inner part, of a mold for casting a large hollow object. (b) The bottom part of a mold or of a flask, in distinction from the cope; the drag.
NOWES Nowes, n. pl. Etym: [From OF. nous. See Noose, Node.]
Defn: The marriage knot. [Obs.] Crashaw.
NOWHERE No"where`, adv. Etym: [AS. nahwær. See No, and Where.]
Defn: Not anywhere; not in any place or state; as, the book is nowhere to be found.
NOWHITHER No"whith`er, adv. Etym: [No + whither.]
Defn: Not anywhither; in no direction; nowhere. [Archaic] "Thy servant went nowhither." 2 Kings v. 25.
NOWISE No"wise`, adv. Etym: [For in no wise. See Wise, n.]
Defn: Not in any manner or degree; in no way; noways. Others whose case is nowise different. Earle.
NOWT Nowt, n. pl. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Neat cattle.
NOWTHE Now"the.
Defn: See Nouthe. [Obs.] Chaucer.
NOXIOUS Nox"ious, a. Etym: [L. noxius, fr. noxa harm; akin to nocere to harm, hurt. Cf. Nuisance, Necromancy.]
1. Hurtful; harmful; baneful; pernicious; injurious; destructive; unwholesome; insalubrious; as, noxious air, food, or climate; pernicious; corrupting to morals; as, noxious practices or examples. Too frequent an appearance in places of public resort is noxious to spiritual promotions. Swift.
2. Guilty; criminal. [R.] Those who are noxious in the eye of the law. Abp. Bramhall.
Syn. — Noisome; hurtful; harmful; injurious; destructive; pernicious; mischievous; corrupting; baneful; unwholesome; insalubrious. See Noisome. — Nox"ious*ly, adv. — Nox"ious*ness, n.
NOY Noy, v. t. Etym: [See Annoy.]
Defn: To annoy; to vex. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Piers Plowman. All that noyed his heavy spright. Spenser.
NOY Noy, n.
Defn: That which annoys. [Obs.] Piers Plowman.
NOYADE No`yade", n. [F., fr. noyer to drown, L. necare to kill.]
Defn: A drowning of many persons at once, — a method of execution practiced at Nantes in France during the Reign of Terror, by Jean Baptiste Carrier.
NOYANCE Noy"ance
Defn: , Annoyance. [Obs.] Spenser.
NOYAU Noy`au", n. Etym: [F., prop., the stone or nut of a fruit, fr. L. nucalis like a nut. See Newel a post.]
Defn: A cordial of brandy, etc., flavored with the kernel of the bitter almond, or of the peach stone, etc.
NOYER Noy"er, n.
Defn: An annoyer. [Obs.] Tusser.
NOYFUL Noy"ful, a.
Defn: Full of annoyance. [Obs.] Chaucer.
NOYLS Noyls, n. pl.
Defn: See Noils.
NOYOUS Noy"ous, a.
Defn: Annoying; disagreeable. [Obs.] Watch the noyous night, and wait for Spenser.
NOZLE No"zle, n.
Defn: Nozzle. [Obs.]
NOZZLE Noz"zle, n. Etym: [A dim. of nose. sq. root261] [Written also nosle.]
1. The nose; the snout; hence, the projecting vent of anything; as, the nozzle of a bellows.
2. Specifically: (a) A short tube, usually tapering, forming the vent of a hose or pipe. (b) A short outlet, or inlet, pipe projecting from the end or side of a hollow vessel, as a steam-engine cylinder or a steam boiler.
NUANCE Nu`ance", n. Etym: [F.]
Defn: A shade of difference; a delicate gradation.
NUB Nub, v. t. Etym: [Cf. Knob.]
Defn: To push; to nudge; also, to beckon. [Prov. Eng.]
NUB Nub, n.
Defn: A jag, or snag; a knob; a protuberance; also, the point or gist, as of a story. [Colloq.]
NUBBIN Nub"bin, n.
Defn: A small or imperfect ear of maize. [Colloq. U. S.]
NUBBLE Nub"ble, v. t. Etym: [Cf. LG. nubben to knock, cuff.]
Defn: To beat or bruise with the fist. [Obs.] Ainsworth.
NUBECULA Nu*bec"u*la, n.; pl. Nubeculæ (-le). Etym: [L., dim. of nubes cloud.]
1. (Astron.) (a) A nebula. (b) pl.
Defn: Specifically, the Magellanic clouds.
2. (Med.) (a) A slight spot on the cornea. (b) A cloudy object or appearance in urine. Dunglison.
NUBIA Nu"bi*a, n. Etym: [From L. nubes cloud.]
Defn: A light fabric of wool, worn on the head by women; a cloud.
NUBIAN Nu"bi*an, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to Nubia in Eastern Africa. — n.
Defn: A native of Nubia.
NUBIFEROUS Nu*bif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. nubifer; nubes cloud + ferre to bear: cf. F. nubifère.]
Defn: Bringing, or producing, clouds.
NUBIGENOUS Nu*big"e*nous, a. Etym: [L. nubes cloud + -genous.]
Defn: Born of, or produced from, clouds. [R.]
NUBILATE Nu"bi*late, v. t. Etym: [L. nubilatus, p. p. of nubilare to cloud, fr. nubes cloud.]
Defn: To cloud. [Obs.]
NUBILE Nu"bile, a. Etym: [L. nubilis, fr. nubere to marry: cf. F. nubile. See Nuptial.]
Defn: Of an age suitable for marriage; marriageable. Prior.
NUBILITY Nu*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. nubilité .]
Defn: The state of being marriageable. [R.]
NUBILOSE; NUBILOUS Nu"bi*lose`, Nu"bi*lous, a. Etym: [L. nubilosus, nubilus, fr. nubes cloud.]
Defn: Cloudy. [R.]
NUCAMENT Nu"ca*ment, n. Etym: [L. nucamenta fir cones, fr. nux, nucis, a nut.] (Bot.)
Defn: A catkin or ament; the flower cluster of the hazel, pine, willow, and the like.
NUCAMENTACEOUS Nu`ca*men*ta"ceous, a. Etym: [See Nucament.] (Bot.)
Defn: Like a nut either in structure or in being indehiscent; bearing one-seeded nutlike fruits. [Written also nucumentaceous.]
NUCELLUS Nu*cel"lus, n.; pl. Nucelli. Etym: [NL., dim. of nux, nucis, a nut.] (Bot.)
Defn: See Nucleus, 3 (a).
NUCHA Nu"cha, n.; pl. Nuch. Etym: [LL.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The back or upper part of the neck; the nape.
NUCHAL Nu"chal, a. Etym: [Cf. F. nucal.] (Anat.)
Defn: Of, pertaining to, or in the region of, the back, or nape, of the neck; — applied especially to the anterior median plate in the carapace of turtles.
NUCIFEROUS Nu*cif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. nux, nucis, nut + -ferous.]
Defn: Bearing, or producing, nuts.
NUCIFORM Nu"ci*form, a. Etym: [L. nux, nucis, nut + -form.] (Bot.)
Defn: Shaped like a nut; nut-shaped.
NUCIN Nu"cin, n. Etym: [L. nux, nucis, a nut.] (Chem.)
Defn: See Juglone.
NUCLEAL; NUCLEAR Nu"cle*al, Nu"cle*ar, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to a nucleus; as, the nuclear spindle (see Illust. of Karyokinesis) or the nuclear fibrils of a cell; the nuclear part of a comet, etc.
NUCLEATE Nu"cle*ate, a. Etym: [L. nucleatus having a kernel.]
Defn: Having a nucleus; nucleated.
NUCLEATE Nu"cle*ate, v. t. Etym: [Cf. L. nucleare to become kernelly.]
Defn: To gather, as about a nucleus or center.
NUCLEATED Nu"cle*a`ted, a.
Defn: Having a nucleus; nucleate; as, nucleated cells.
NUCLEIFORM Nu*cle"i*form, a. Etym: [L. nucleus kernel + -form.]
Defn: Formed like a nucleus or kernel.
NUCLEIN Nu"cle*in, n. (Physiol. Chem.)
Defn: A constituent of the nuclei of all cells. It is a colorless amorphous substance, readily soluble in alkaline fluids and especially characterized by its comparatively large content of phosphorus. It also contains nitrogen and sulphur.
NUCLEOBRANCH Nu"cle*o*branch, a. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Belonging to the Nucleobranchiata. — n.
Defn: One of the Nucleobranchiata.
NUCLEOBRANCHIATA Nu`cle*o*bran`chi*a"ta, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Nucleus, and Branchia] (Zoöl.)
Defn: See Heteropoda.
NUCLEOIDIOPLASMA Nu`cle*o*id`i*o*plas"ma, n. Etym: [NL. See Nucleus, and Idioplasma.] (Biol.)
Defn: Hyaline plasma contained in the nucleus of vegetable cells.
NUCLEOLAR Nu*cle"o*lar, a. (Biol.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the nucleolus of a cell.
NUCLEOLATED Nu"cle*o*la`ted, a.
Defn: Having a nucleole, or second inner nucleus.
NUCLEOLE Nu"cle*ole, n. Etym: [See Nucleolus.]
Defn: The nucleus within a nucleus; nucleolus.
NUCLEOLUS Nu*cle"o*lus, n.; pl. Nucleoli. Etym: [L., a little nut, dim. of nucleus.]
1. A little nucleus.
2. (Biol.)
Defn: A small rounded body contained in the nucleus of a cell or a protozoan.
Note: It was termed by Agassiz the entoblast. In the protozoa, where it may be situated on one side of the nucleus, it is sometimes called the endoplastule, and is supposed to be concerned in the male part of the reproductive process. See Nucleus.
NUCLEOPLASM Nu"cle*o*plasm, n. Etym: [Nucleus + -plasm.] (Biol.)
Defn: The matter composing the nucleus of a cell; the protoplasm of the nucleus; karyoplasma.
NUCLEOPLASMIC Nu`cle*o*plas"mic, a. (Biol.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to nucleoplasm; — esp. applied to a body formed in the developing ovum from the plasma of the nucleus of the germinal vesicle.
NUCLEUS Nu"cle*us, n.; pl. E. Nucleuses, L. Nuclei. Etym: [L., a kernel, dim. fr. nux, nucis, nut. Cf. Newel post.]
1. A kernel; hence, a central mass or point about which matter is gathered, or to which accretion is made; the central or material portion; — used both literally and figuratively. It must contain within itself a nucleus of truth. I. Taylor.
2. (Astron.)
Defn: The body or the head of a comet.
3. (Bot.) (a) An incipient ovule of soft cellular tissue. (b) A whole seed, as contained within the seed coats.
4. (Biol.)
Defn: A body, usually spheroidal, in a cell or a protozoan, distinguished from the surrounding protoplasm by a difference in refrangibility and in behavior towards chemical reagents. It is more or less protoplasmic, and consists of a clear fluid (achromatin) through which extends a network of fibers (chromatin) in which may be suspended a second rounded body, the nucleolus (see Nucleoplasm). See Cell division, under Division.
Note: The nucleus is sometimes termed the endoplast or endoblast, and in the protozoa is supposed to be concerned in the female part of the reproductive process. See Karyokinesis.
5. (Zoöl.) (a) The tip, or earliest part, of a univalve or bivalve shell. (b) The central part around which additional growths are added, as of an operculum. (c) A visceral mass, containing the stomach and other organs, in Tunicata and some mollusks.
NUCULA Nu"cu*la, n. Etym: [L., little nut, dim. of nux, nucis, a nut.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A genus of small marine bivalve shells, having a pearly interior.
NUCULE Nu"cule, n. Etym: [L. nucula a small nut.] (Bot.)
Defn: Same as Nutlet.
NUCUMENTACEOUS Nu`cu*men*ta"ceous, a. (Bot.)
Defn: See Nucamentaceous.
NUDATION Nu*da"tion, n. Etym: [L. nudatio, fr. nudare to make naked, fr. nudus naked. See Nude.]
Defn: The act of stripping, or making bare or naked.
NUDDLE Nud"dle, v. i.
Defn: To walk quickly with the head bent forward; — often with along. [Prov. Eng.]
NUDE Nude, a. Etym: [L. nudus. See Naked.]
1. Bare; naked; unclothed; undraped; as, a nude statue.
2. (Law)
Defn: Naked; without consideration; void; as, a nude contract. See Nudum pactum. Blackstone. The nude, the undraped human figure in art. — Nude"ly, adv.- Nude"ness, n.
NUDGE Nudge, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Nudge; p. pr. & vb. n. Nudging.] Etym: [Cf. Prov. G. knütschen to squeeze, pinch, E. Knock.]
Defn: To touch gently, as with the elbow, in order to call attention or convey intimation.
NUDGE Nudge, n.
Defn: A gentle push, or jog, as with the elbow.
NUDIBRACHIATE Nu`di*brach"i*ate, a. Etym: [L. nudus naked + brachium an arm.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: Having tentacles without vibratile cilia. Carpenter.
NUDIBRANCH Nu"di*branch, a. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the Nudibranchiata. — n.
Defn: One of the Nudibranchiata.
NUDIBRANCHIATA Nu`di*bran`chi*a"ta, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Nude, and Branchia.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A division of opisthobranchiate mollusks, having no shell except while very young. The gills are naked and situated upon the back or sides. See Ceratobranchia.
NUDIBRANCHIATE Nu`di*bran"chi*ate, a. & n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Same as Nudibranch.
NUDICAUL Nu"di*caul, a. Etym: [L. nudus naked + caulis stem.] (Bot.)
Defn: Having the stems leafless.
NUDIFICATION Nu`di*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. nudus naked + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See -fy.]
Defn: The act of making nude.
NUDITY Nu"di*ty, n.; pl. Nudities. Etym: [Cf. F. nudité .]
1. The quality or state of being nude; nakedness.
2. That which is nude or naked; naked part; undraped or unclothed portion; esp. (Fine Arts), the human figure represented unclothed; any representation of nakedness; — chiefly used in the plural and in a bad sense. There are no such licenses permitted in poetry any more than in painting, to design and color obscene nudities. Dryden.
NUDUM PACTUM Nu"dum pac"tum. Etym: [L., a nude pact.] (Law)
Defn: A bare, naked contract, without any consideration. Tomlins.
NUGACITY Nu*gac"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. nugacitas, fr. nugax, -acis, trifling.]
Defn: Futility; trifling talk or behavior; drollery. [R.] Dr. H. More.
NUGAE Nu"gæ, n. pl. Etym: [L.]
Defn: Trifles; jests.
NUGATION Nu*ga"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. nugation.]
Defn: The act or practice of trifling. [R.] Bacon.
NUGATORY Nu"ga*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. nugatorius, fr. nugari to trifle, nugae jests, trifles.]
1. Trifling; vain; futile; insignificant.
2. Of no force; inoperative; ineffectual. If all are pardoned, and pardoned as a mere act of clemency, the very substance of government is made nugatory. I. Taylor.
NUGGET Nug"get, n. Etym: [Earlier niggot, prob. for nigot, an ingot. See Ingot.]
Defn: A lump; a mass, esp. a native lump of a precious metal; as, a nugget of gold.
NUGIFY Nu"gi*fy, v. t. Etym: [L. nuggae trifles + -fy.]
Defn: To render trifling or futile; to make silly. [R.] Coleridge.
NUISANCE Nui"sance, n. Etym: [OE. noisance, OF. noisance, nuisance, fr. L. nocentia guilt, fr. nocere to hurt, harm; akin to necare to kill. Cf Necromancy, Nocent, Noxious, Pernicious.]
Defn: That which annoys or gives trouble and vexation; that which is offensive or noxious.
Note: Nuisances are public when they annoy citizens in general; private, when they affect individuals only.
NUISANCER Nui"san*cer, n. (Law)
Defn: One who makes or causes a nuisance.
NUL Nul, a. Etym: [F. See Null, a.] (Law)
Defn: No; not any; as, nul disseizin; nul tort.
NULL Null, a. Etym: [L. nullus not any, none; ne not + ullus any, a dim. of unus one; cf. F. nul. See No, and One, and cf. None.]
Defn: Of no legal or binding force or validity; of no efficacy; invalid; void; nugatory; useless. Faultily faultless, icily regular, splendidly null, Dead perfection; no more. Tennyson.
NULL Null, n.
1. Something that has no force or meaning.
2. That which has no value; a cipher; zero. Bacon. Null method (Physics.), a zero method. See under Zero.
NULL Null, v. t. Etym: [From null, a., or perh. abbrev. from annul.]
Defn: To annul. [Obs.] Milton.
NULL Null, n. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain.]
Defn: One of the beads in nulled work.
NULLAH Nul"lah, n. [Hind. nala, fr. Skr. nala tube.]
Defn: A water course, esp. a dry one; a gully; a gorge; — orig. an East Indian term. E. Arnold.
NULLED Nulled, a.
Defn: Turned so as to resemble nulls. Nulled work (Cabinetwork), ornamental turned work resembling nulls or beads strung on a rod.
NULLIBIETY Nul`li*bi"e*ty, n. Etym: [L. nullibi nowhere.]
Defn: The state or condition of being nowhere. [Obs.]
NULLIFICATION Nul`li*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. nullificatio contempt. See Nullify.]
Defn: The act of nullifying; a rendering void and of no effect, or of no legal effect. Right of nullification (U. S. Hist.), the right claimed in behalf of a State to nullify or make void, by its sovereign act or decree, an enactment of the general government which it deems unconstitutional.
NULLIFIDIAN Nul`li*fid"i*an, a. Etym: [L. nullus none + fide faith.]
Defn: Of no faith; also, not trusting to faith for salvation; — opposed to Ant: solifidian. Feltham.
NULLIFIDIAN Nul`li*fid"i*an, n.
Defn: An unbeliever. B. Jonson.
NULLIFIER Nul"li*fi`er, n.
Defn: One who nullifies or makes void; one who maintains the right to nullify a contract by one of the parties.
NULLIFY Nul"li*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Nullified; p. pr. & vb. n. Nullifying.] Etym: [L. nullificare; nullus none + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See Null, a., and -fy.]
Defn: To make void; to render invalid; to deprive of legal force or efficacy. Such correspondence would at once nullify the conditions of the probationary system. I. Taylor.
Syn. — To abrogate; revoke; annul; repeal; invalidate; cancel. See Abolish.
NULLIPORE Nul"li*pore, n. Etym: [L. nullus none + porus pope.] (Bot.)
Defn: A name for certain crustaceous marine algæ which secrete carbonate of lime on their surface, and were formerly thought to be of animal nature. They are now considered corallines of the genera Melobesia and Lithothamnion.
NULLITY Nul"li*ty, n.; pl. Nullities. Etym: [LL. nullitias, fr. L. nullus none: cf. F. nullité . See Null.]
1. The quality or state of being null; nothingness; want of efficacy or force.
2. (Law)
Defn: Nonexistence; as, a decree of nullity of marriage is a decree that no legal marriage exists.
3. That which is null. Was it not absurd to say that the convention was supreme in the state, and yet a nullity Macaulay.
NUMB Numb, a. Etym: [OE. nume, nome, prop., seized, taken, p. p. of nimen to take, AS. niman, p. p. numen. *7. See Nimble, Nomad, and cf. Benumb.]
1. Enfeebled in, or destitute of, the power of sensation and motion; rendered torpid; benumbed; insensible; as, the fingers or limbs are numb with cold. "A stony image, cold and numb." Shak.
2. Producing numbness; benumbing; as, the numb, cold night. [Obs.] Shak.
NUMB Numb, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Numbed; p. pr. & vb. n. Numbing.]
Defn: To make numb; to deprive of the power of sensation or motion; to render senseless or inert; to deaden; to benumb; to stupefy. For lazy winter numbs the laboring hand. Dryden. Like dull narcotics, numbing pain. Tennyson.
NUMBEDNESS Numb"ed*ness, n.
Defn: Numbness. [Obs.] Wiseman.
NUMBER Num"ber, n. Etym: [OE. nombre, F. nombre, L. numerus; akin to Gr. Numb, Nomad, and cf. Numerate, Numero, Numerous.]
1. That which admits of being counted or reckoned; a unit, or an aggregate of units; a numerable aggregate or collection of individuals; an assemblage made up of distinct things expressible by figures.
2. A collection of many individuals; a numerous assemblage; a multitude; many. Ladies are always of great use to the party they espouse, and never fail to win over numbers. Addison.
3. A numeral; a word or character denoting a number; as, to put a number on a door.
4. Numerousness; multitude. Number itself importeth not much in armies where the people are of weak courage. Bacon.
5. The state or quality of being numerable or countable. Of whom came nations, tribes, people, and kindreds out of number. 2 Esdras iii. 7.
6. Quantity, regarded as made up of an aggregate of separate things.
7. That which is regulated by count; poetic measure, as divisions of time or number of syllables; hence, poetry, verse; — chiefly used in the plural. I lisped in numbers, for the numbers came. Pope.
8. (Gram.)
Defn: The distinction of objects, as one, or more than one (in some languages, as one, or two, or more than two), expressed (usually) by a difference in the form of a word; thus, the singular number and the plural number are the names of the forms of a word indicating the objects denoted or referred to by the word as one, or as more than one.
9. (Math.)
Defn: The measure of the relation between quantities or things of the same kind; that abstract species of quantity which is capable of being expressed by figures; numerical value. Abstract number, Abundant number, Cardinal number, etc. See under Abstract, Abundant, etc. — In numbers, in numbered parts; as, a book published in numbers.
NUMBER Num"ber, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Numbered; p. pr & vb. n. Numbering.] Etym: [OE. nombren, noumbren, F. nombrer, fr. L. numerare, numeratum. See Number, n.]
1. To count; to reckon; to ascertain the units of; to enumerate. If a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Gen. xiii. 16.
2. To reckon as one of a collection or multitude. He was numbered with the transgressors. Is. liii. 12.
3. To give or apply a number or numbers to; to assign the place of in a series by order of number; to designate the place of by a number or numeral; as, to number the houses in a street, or the apartments in a building.
4. To amount; to equal in number; to contain; to consist of; as, the army numbers fifty thousand. Thy tears can not number the dead. Campbell. Numbering machine, a machine for printing consecutive numbers, as on railway tickets, bank bills, etc.
Syn. — To count; enumerate; calculate; tell.
NUMBERER Num"ber*er, n.
Defn: One who numbers.
NUMBERFUL Num"ber*ful, a.
Defn: Numerous. [Obs.]
NUMBERLESS Num"ber*less, a.
Defn: Innumerable; countless.
NUMBEROUS Num"ber*ous, a.
Defn: Numerous. [Obs.] Drant.
NUMBERS Num"bers, n. pl.
Defn: of Number. The fourth book of the Pentateuch, containing the census of the Hebrews.
NUMBFISH Numb"fish`, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The torpedo, which numbs by the electric shocks which it gives.
NUMBLESS Num"bless, n. pl.
Defn: See Nombles.
NUMBNESS Numb"ness, n.
Defn: The condition of being numb; that state of a living body in which it loses, wholly or in part, the power of feeling or motion.
NUMERABLE Nu"mer*a*ble, a. Etym: [L. numerabilis. See Number, v. t.]
Defn: Capable of being numbered or counted.
NUMERAL Nu"mer*al, a. Etym: [L. numeralis, fr. numerus number: cf. F. numéral. See Number, n.]
1. Of or pertaining to number; consisting of number or numerals. A long train of numeral progressions. Locke.
2. Expressing number; representing number; as, numeral letters or characters, as X or 10 for ten.
NUMERAL Nu"mer*al, n.
1. A figure or character used to express a number; as, the Arabic numerals, 1, 2, 3, etc.; the Roman numerals, I, V, X, L, etc.
2. A word expressing a number.
NUMERALLY Nu"mer*al*ly, adv.
Defn: According to number; in number; numerically.
NUMERARY Nu"mer*a*ry, a. Etym: [LL. numerarius: cf. F. numéraire.]
Defn: Belonging to a certain number; counting as one of a collection or body. A supernumerary canon, when he obtains a prebend, becomes a numerary canon. Ayliffe.
NUMERATE Nu"mer*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Numerated; p. pr. & vb. n. Numerating.] Etym: [L. numeratus, p. p. of numerare to count. See Number, v.] (Arith.)
Defn: To divide off and read according to the rules of numeration; as, to numerate a row of figures.
NUMERATION Nu`mer*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. numeratio a counting out: cf. F. numération.]
1. The act or art of numbering. Numeration is but still the adding of one unit more, and giving to the whole a new name or sign. Locke.
2. The act or art of reading numbers when expressed by means of numerals. The term is almost exclusively applied to the art of reading numbers written in the scale of tens, by the Arabic method. Davies & Peck.
Note: For convenience in reading, numbers are usually separated by commas into periods of three figures each, as 1,155,465. According to what is called the "English" system, the billion is a million of millions, a trillion a million of billions, and each higher denomination is a million times the one preceding. According to the system of the French and other Continental nations and also that of the United States, the billion is a thousand millions, and each higher denomination is a thousand times the preceding.
NUMERATIVE Nu"mer*a*tive, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to numeration; as, a numerative system. Eng. Cyc.
NUMERATOR Nu"mer*a"tor, n. Etym: [L. numerator: cf. F. numérateur.]
1. One who numbers.
2. (Math.)
Defn: The term in a fraction which indicates the number of fractional units that are taken.
Note: In a vulgar fraction the numerator is written above a line; thus, in the fraction 5/9 (five ninths) 5 is the numerator; in a decimal fraction it is the number which follows the decimal point. See Fraction.
NUMERIC; NUMERICAL Nu*mer"ic, Nu*mer"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. numérique. See Number, n.]
1. Belonging to number; denoting number; consisting in numbers; expressed by numbers, and not letters; as, numerical characters; a numerical equation; a numerical statement.
Note: Numerical, as opposed to algebraical, is used to denote a value irrespective of its sign; thus, -5 is numerically greater than -3, though algebraically less.
2.2. The same in number; hence, identically the same; identical; as, the same numerical body. [Obs.] South. Would to God that all my fellow brethren, which with me bemoan the loss of their books, . . . might rejoice for the recovery thereof, though not the same numerical volumes. Fuller. Numerical equation (Alg.), an equation which has all the quantities except the unknown expressed in numbers; — distinguished from literal equation. — Numerical value of an equation or expression, that deduced by substituting numbers for the letters, and reducing.
NUMERIC Nu*mer"ic, n. (Math.)
Defn: Any number, proper or improper fraction, or incommensurable ratio. The term also includes any imaginary expression like m + nsq. root-1, where m and n are real numerics.
NUMERICALLY Nu*mer"ic*al*ly, adv.
Defn: In a numerical manner; in numbers; with respect to number, or sameness in number; as, a thing is numerically the same, or numerically different.
NUMERIST Nu"mer*ist, n.
Defn: One who deals in numbers. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
NUMERO Nu"me*ro, n. Etym: [It., or F. numéro ; both fr. L. numerus number.]
Defn: Number; — often abbrev. No.
NUMEROSITY Nu`mer*os"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. numerositas.]
1. The state of being numerous; numerousness. [Obs.]
2. Rhythm; harmony; flow. [Obs.] The numerosity of the sentence pleased the ear. S. Parr.
NUMEROUS Nu"mer*ous, a. Etym: [L. numerosus. See Number.]
1. Consisting of a great number of units or individual objects; being many; as, a numerous army. Such and so numerous was their chivalry. Milton.
2. Consisting of poetic numbers; rhythmical; measured and counted; melodious; musical. [Obs.] Such prompt eloquence Flowed from their lips, in prose or numerous verse. Milton. — Nu"mer*ous*ly, adv. — Nu"mer*ous*ness, n.
NUMIDIAN Nu*mid"i*an, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to ancient Numidia in Northern Africa. Numidian crane. (Zoöl.) See Demoiselle, 2.
NUMISMATIC; NUMISMATICAL Nu`mis*mat"ic, Nu`mis*mat"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. numisma, nomisma, a piece of money, coin, fr. Gr. numismatique. See Nomad.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to coins; relating to the science of coins or medals.
NUMISMATICS Nu`mis*mat"ics, n. Etym: [Cf. F. numismatique.]
Defn: The science of coins and medals.
NUMISMATIST Nu*mis"ma*tist, n.
Defn: One skilled in numismatics; a numismatologist.
NUMISMATOGRAPHY Nu*mis`ma*tog"ra*phy, n. Etym: [L. numisma, -atis (Gr. -graphy.]
Defn: A treatise on, or description of, coins and medals.
NUMISMATOLOGIST Nu*mis`ma*tol"o*gist, n.
Defn: One versed in numismatology.
NUMISMATOLOGY Nu*mis`ma*tol"o*gy, n. Etym: [L. numisma, -atis + -logy.]
Defn: The science which treats of coins and medals, in their relation to history; numismatics.
NUMMARY Num"ma*ry, a. Etym: [L. nummarius, from nummus a coin.]
Defn: Of or relating to coins or money.
NUMMULAR; NUMMULARY Num"mu*lar, Num"mu*la*ry, a. Etym: [L. nummularius, fr. nummulus, dim. of nummus a coin: cf. F. nummulaire.]
1. Of or pertaining to coin or money; pecuniary; as, the nummulary talent.
2. (Pathol.)
Defn: Having the appearance or form of a coin. "Nummular sputa." Sir T. Watson.
NUMMULATION Num`mu*la"tion, n. (Physiol.)
Defn: The arrangement of the red blood corpuscles in rouleaux, like piles of coins, as when a drop of human blood is examined under the microscope.
NUMMULITE Num"mu*lite, n. Etym: [L. nummus a coin + -lite: cf. F. nummulite.] (Paleon.)
Defn: A fossil of the genus Nummulites and allied genera.
NUMMULITES Num`mu*li"tes, n. Etym: [NL. See Nummulite.] (Paleon.)
Defn: A genus of extinct Tertiary Foraminifera, having a thin, flat, round shell, containing a large number of small chambers arranged spirally.
NUMMULITIC Num`mu*lit"ic, a.
Defn: Of, like, composed of, containing, nummulites; as, nummulitic beds.
NUMPS Numps, n. Etym: [Cf. Numb.]
Defn: A dolt; a blockhead. [Obs.] Bp. Parker.
NUMSKULL Num"skull`, n. Etym: [Numb + skull.]
Defn: A dunce; a dolt; a stupid fellow. [Colloq.] They have talked like numskulls. Arbuthnot.
NUMSKULLED Num"skulled`, a.
Defn: Stupid; doltish. [Colloq.]
NUN Nun, n. Etym: [OE. nunne, AS. nunne, fr. L. nonna nun, nonnus monk; cf. Gr. Nunnery.]
1. A woman devoted to a religious life, who lives in a convent, under the three vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. They holy time is quiet as a nun Breathless with adoration. Wordsworth.
2. (Zoöl.) (a) A white variety of domestic pigeons having a veil of feathers covering the head. (b) The smew. (c) The European blue titmouse. Gray nuns (R. C. Ch.), the members of a religious order established in Montreal in 1745, whence branches were introduced into the United States in 1853; — so called from the color or their robe, and known in religion as Sisters of Charity of Montreal. — Nun buoy. See under Buoy.
NUNATAK Nu"na*tak, n.; pl. -taks (#) (the pl. form Nunatakker is Swedish). [Eskimo nunættak.]
Defn: In Greenland, an insular hill or mountain surrounded by an ice sheet.
NUNC DIMITTIS Nunc" di*mit"tis. [L. nunc now + dimittis thou lettest depart.] (Eccl.)
Defn: The song of Simeon (Luke ii. 29-32), used in the ritual of many churches. It begins with these words in the Vulgate.
NUNCHION Nun"chion, n. Etym: [OE. nonechenche, for noneschenche, prop., a noon drink; none noon + schenchen, schenken, skinken, to pour, AS. scencan. See Noon, and Skink, v. i.]
Defn: A portion of food taken at or after noon, usually between full meals; a luncheon. [Written also noonshun.] Hudibras.
NUNCIATE Nun"ci*ate, n.
Defn: One who announces; a messenger; a nuncio. [Obs.] Hoole.
NUNCIATURE Nun"ci*a*ture, n. Etym: [L. nunciare, nuntiare, to announce, report, fr. nuncius, nuntius, messenger: cf. F. nonciature, It. nunziatura. See Nuncio.]
Defn: The office of a nuncio. Clarendon.
NUNCIO Nun"ci*o, n.; pl. Nuncios. Etym: [It. nunzio, nuncio, fr. L. nuncius, nuntius, messenger; perh. akin to novus new, E. new, and thus, one who brings news. Cf. Announce.]
1. A messenger. [Obs.] Shak.
2. The permanent official representative of the pope at a foreign court or seat of government. Distinguished from a legate a latere, whose mission is temporary in its nature, or for some special purpose. Nuncios are of higher rank than internuncios.
NUNCIUS Nun"ci*us, n.; pl. Nuncii. Etym: [L.] (Roman & Old Eng. Law) (a) A messenger. (b) The information communicated.
NUNCUPATE Nun"cu*pate, v. t. Etym: [L. nuncupatus, p. p. of nuncupare to nuncupate, prob. fr. nomen name + capere to take.]
1. To declare publicly or solemnly; to proclaim formally. [Obs.] In whose presence did St. Peter nuncupate it Barrow.
2. To dedicate by declaration; to inscribe; as, to nuncupate a book. [Obs.] Evelyn.
NUNCUPATION Nun`cu*pa"tion, n. Etym: [L. nuncupatio.]
Defn: The act of nuncupating. [Obs.]
NUNCUPATIVE Nun*cu"pa*tive, a. Etym: [L. nuncupativus nominal: cf. F. nuncupatif.]
1. Publicly or solemnly declaratory. [Obs.]
2. Nominal; existing only in name. [Obs.]
3. Oral; not written. Nuncupative will or testament, a will or testament made by word of mouth only, before witnesses, as by a soldier or seaman, and depending on oral testimony for proof. Blackstone.
NUNCUPATORY Nun*cu"pa*to*ry, a.
Defn: Nuncupative; oral.
NUNDINAL Nun"di*nal, n.
Defn: A nundinal letter.
NUNDINAL; NUNDINARY Nun"di*nal, Nun"di*na*ry, a. Etym: [L. nundinalis, nundinarius, fr. nundinae the market day, the weekly market, prop., the ninth day, fr. nundinus belonging to nine days; novem nine + dies day: cf. F. nundinal.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to a fair, or to a market day. Nundinal letter, among the Romans, one of the first eight letters of the alphabet, which were repeated successively from the first to the last day of the year. One of these always expressed the market day, which returned every nine days (every eight days by our reckoning).
NUNDINATE Nun"di*nate, v. i. Etym: [L. nundinatus, p. p. of nundinary to attend fairs, to traffic. See Nundinal, a.]
Defn: To buy and sell at fairs or markets. [Obs.]
NUNDINATION Nun`di*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. nundinatio.]
Defn: Traffic at fairs; marketing; buying and selling. [Obs.] Common nundination of pardons. Abp. Bramhall.
NUNNATION Nun*na"tion, n. Etym: [From nun, the Arabic name of the letter n: cf. NL. nunnatio, F. nunnation.] (Arabic Gram.)
Defn: The pronunciation of n at the end of words.
NUNNERY Nun"ner*y, n.; pl. Nunneries. Etym: [OE. nonnerie, OF. nonerie, F. nonnerie, fr. nonne nun, L. nonna. See Nun.]
Defn: A house in which nuns reside; a cloister or convent in which women reside for life, under religious vows. See Cloister, and Convent.
NUNNISH Nun"nish, a.
Defn: Of, pertaining to, or resembling a nun; characteristic of a nun. — Nun"nish*ness, n.
NUP Nup, n.
Defn: Same as Nupson. [Obs.]
NUPHAR Nu"phar, n. Etym: [Per. n.] (Bot.)
Defn: A genus of plants found in the fresh-water ponds or lakes of Europe, Asia, and North America; the yellow water lily. Cf. Nymphaea.
NUPSON Nup"son, n. Etym: [Of doubtful origin.]
Defn: A simpleton; a fool. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
NUPTIAL Nup"tial, a. Etym: [L. nuptialis, fr. nuptiae marriage, wedding, fr. nubere, nuptum, prop., to cover, to veil, hence, to marry, as the head of the bride was covered with a veil; cf. Gr. nuptial.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to marriage; done or used at a wedding; as, nuptial rites and ceremonies. Then, all in heat, They light the nuptial torch. Milton.
NUPTIAL Nup"tial, n.; pl. Nuptials (.
Defn: Marriage; wedding; nuptial ceremony; — now only in the plural. Celebration of that nuptial, which We two have sworn shall come. Shak. Preparations . . . for the approaching nuptials. Prescott.
NUR Nur, n. Etym: [Cf. Knur.]
Defn: A hard knot in wood; also, a hard knob of wood used by boys in playing hockey. I think I'm as hard as a nur, and as tough as whitleather. W. Howitt.
NURAGHE; NURAGH Nu*ra"ghe, n.; It. pl. -ghi. Also Nu"ragh, etc. [It. dial. (Sardinia) nuraghe).]
Defn: One of the prehistoric towerlike structures found in Sardinia.
The so-called nuraghi, conical monuments with truncated summits, 30- 60 ft. in height, 35-100 ft. in diameter at the base, constructed sometimes of hewn, and sometimes of unhewn blocks of stone without mortar. They are situated either on isolated eminences or on the slopes of the mountains, seldom on the plains, and usually occur in groups. They generally contain two (in some rare instances three) conically vaulted chambers, one above the other, and a spiral staircase constructed in the thick walls ascends to the upper stories. Baedeker.
NURL Nurl, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Nurled; p. pr. & vb. n. Nurling.] Etym: [Cf. Knurl.]
Defn: To cut with reeding or fluting on the edge of, as coins, the heads of screws, etc.; to knurl.
NURSE Nurse, n. Etym: [OE. nourse, nurice, norice, OF. nurrice, norrice, nourrice, F. nourrice, fr. L. nutricia nurse, prop., fem. of nutricius that nourishes; akin to nutrix, -icis, nurse, fr. nutrire to nourish. See Nourish, and cf. Nutritious.]
1. One who nourishes; a person who supplies food, tends, or brings up; as: (a) A woman who has the care of young children; especially, one who suckles an infant not her own. (b) A person, especially a woman, who has the care of the sick or infirm.
2. One who, or that which, brings up, rears, causes to grow, trains, fosters, or the like. The nurse of manly sentiment and heroic enterprise. Burke.
3. (Naut.)
Defn: A lieutenant or first officer, who is the real commander when the captain is unfit for his place.
4. (Zoöl.) (a) A peculiar larva of certain trematodes which produces cercariæ by asexual reproduction. See Cercaria, and Redia. (b) Either one of the nurse sharks. Nurse shark. (Zoöl.) (a) A large arctic shark (Somniosus microcephalus), having small teeth and feeble jaws; — called also sleeper shark, and ground shark. (b) A large shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum), native of the West Indies and Gulf of Mexico, having the dorsal fins situated behind the ventral fins. — To put to nurse, or To put out to nurse, to send away to be nursed; to place in the care of a nurse. — Wet nurse, Dry nurse. See Wet nurse, and Dry nurse, in the Vocabulary.
NURSE Nurse, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Nursed; p. pr. & vb. n. Nursing.]
1. To nourish; to cherish; to foster; as: (a) To nourish at the breast; to suckle; to feed and tend, as an infant. (b) To take care of or tend, as a sick person or an invalid; to attend upon. Sons wont to nurse their parents in old age. Milton. Him in Egerian groves Aricia bore, And nursed his youth along the marshy shore. Dryden.
2. To bring up; to raise, by care, from a weak or invalid condition; to foster; to cherish; — applied to plants, animals, and to any object that needs, or thrives by, attention. "To nurse the saplings tall." Milton. By what hands [has vice] been nursed into so uncontrolled a dominion Locke.
3. To manage with care and economy, with a view to increase; as, to nurse our national resources.
4. To caress; to fondle, as a nurse does. A. Trollope. To nurse billiard balls, to strike them gently and so as to keep them in good position during a series of caroms.
NURSEHOUND Nurse"hound`, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: See Houndfish.
NURSEMAID Nurse"maid`, n.
Defn: A girl employed to attend children.
NURSEPOND Nurse"pond`, n.
Defn: A pond where fish are fed. Walton.
NURSER Nurs"er, n.
Defn: One who nurses; a nurse; one who cherishes or encourages growth.
NURSERY Nurs"er*y, n.; pl. Nurseries. Etym: [Cf. F. nourricerie.]
1. The act of nursing. [Obs.] "Her kind nursery." Shak.
2. The place where nursing is carried on; as: (a) The place, or apartment, in a house, appropriated to the care of children. (b) A place where young trees, shrubs, vines, etc., are propagated for the purpose of transplanting; a plantation of young trees. (c) The place where anything is fostered and growth promoted. "Fair Padua, nursery of arts." Shak. Christian families are the nurseries of the church on earth, as she is the nursery of the church in heaven. J. M. Mason.
(d) That which forms and educates; as, commerce is the nursery of seamen.
3. That which is nursed. [R.] Milton.
NURSERYMAN Nurs"er*y*man, n.; pl. Nurserymen (.
Defn: One who cultivates or keeps a nursery, or place for rearing trees, etc.
NURSING Nurs"ing, a.
Defn: Supplying or taking nourishment from, or as from, the breast; as, a nursing mother; a nursing infant.
NURSLING Nurs"ling, n. Etym: [Nurse + -ling.]
Defn: One who, or that which, is nursed; an infant; a fondling. I was his nursling once, and choice delight. Milton.
NURSTLE Nurs"tle, v. t.
Defn: To nurse. See Noursle. [Obs.]
NURTURE Nur"ture, n. Etym: [OE. norture, noriture, OF. norriture, norreture, F. nourriture, fr. L. nutritura a nursing, suckling. See Nourish.]
1. The act of nourishing or nursing; thender care; education; training. A man neither by nature nor by nurture wise. Milton.
2. That which nourishes; food; diet. Spenser.
NURTURE Nur"ture, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Nurtured; p. pr. & vb. n. Nurturing.]
1. To feed; to nourish.
2. To educate; to bring or train up. He was nurtured where he had been born. Sir H. Wotton.
Syn. — To nourish; nurse; cherish; bring up; educate; tend. — To Nurture, Nourish, Cherish. Nourish denotes to supply with food, or cause to grow; as, to nourish a plant, to nourish rebellion. To nurture is to train up with a fostering care, like that of a mother; as, to nurture into strength; to nurture in sound principles. To cherish is to hold and treat as dear; as, to cherish hopes or affections.
NUSTLE Nus"tle, v. t. Etym: [Cf. Nuzzle.]
Defn: To fondle; to cherish. [Obs.]
NUT Nut, n. Etym: [OE. nute, note, AS. hnutu; akin to D. noot, G. nuss, OHG. nuz, Icel. hnot, Sw. nöt, Dan. nöd.]
1. (Bot.)
Defn: The fruit of certain trees and shrubs (as of the almond, walnut, hickory, beech, filbert, etc.), consisting of a hard and indehiscent shell inclosing a kernel.
2. A perforated block (usually a small piece of metal), provided with an internal or female screw thread, used on a bolt, or screw, for tightening or holding something, or for transmitting motion. See Illust. of lst Bolt.
3. The tumbler of a gunlock. Knight.
4. (Naut.)
Defn: A projection on each side of the shank of an anchor, to secure the stock in place. Check nut, Jam nut, Lock nut, a nut which is screwed up tightly against another nut on the same bolt or screw, in order to prevent accidental unscrewing of the first nut. — Nut buoy. See under Buoy. — Nut coal, screened coal of a size smaller than stove coal and larger than pea coal; — called also chestnut coal. — Nut crab (Zoöl.), any leucosoid crab of the genus Ebalia as, Ebalia tuberosa of Europe. — Nut grass (Bot.), a plant of the Sedge family (Cyperus rotundus, var. Hydra), which has slender rootstocks bearing small, nutlike tubers, by which the plant multiplies exceedingly, especially in cotton fields. — Nut lock, a device, as a metal plate bent up at the corners, to prevent a nut from becoming unscrewed, as by jarring. — Nut pine. (Bot.) See under Pine. — Nut rush (Bot.), a genus of cyperaceous plants (Scleria) having a hard bony achene. Several species are found in the United States and many more in tropical regions. — Nut tree, a tree that bears nuts. — Nut weevil (Zoöl.), any species of weevils of the genus Balaninus and other allied genera, which in the larval state live in nuts.
NUT Nut, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Nutted; p. pr. & vb. n. Nutting.]
Defn: To gather nuts.
NUTANT Nu"tant, a. Etym: [L. nutans, p. pr. of nutare to nod, v. intens. fr. nuere (in comp.) to nod; cf. Gr.
Defn: Nodding; having the top bent downward.
NUTATION Nu*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. nutatio a nodding, fr. nutare to nod: cf. F. nutation.]
1. The act of nodding. So from the midmost the nutation spreads, Round and more round, o'er all the sea of heads. Pope.
2. (Astron.)
Defn: A very small libratory motion of the earth's axis, by which its inclination to the plane of the ecliptic is constantly varying by a small amount.
3. (Bot.) (a) The motion of a flower in following the apparent movement of the sun, from the east in the morning to the west in the evening. (b) Circumnutation.
NUTBREAKER Nut"break`er, n. (Zoöl.) (a) The European nuthatch. (b) The nutcracker.
NUT-BROWN Nut"-brown`, a.
Defn: Brown as a nut long kept and dried. "The spicy nutbrown ale." Milton.
NUTCRACKER Nut"crack`er, n.
1. An instrument for cracking nuts.
2. (Zoöl.) (a) A European bird (Nucifraga caryocatactes), allied to the magpie and crow. Its color is dark brown, spotted with white. It feeds on nuts, seeds, and insects. (b) The American, or Clarke's, nutcracker (Picicorvus Columbianus) of Western North America.
NUTGALL Nut"gall`, n.
Defn: A more or less round gall resembling a nut, esp. one of those produced on the oak and used in the arts. See Gall, Gallnut.
NUTHATCH Nut"hatch`, n. Etym: [OE. nuthake. See 2d Hack.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any one of several species of birds of the genus Sitta, as the European species (Sitta Europæa). The white-breasted nuthatch (S. Carolinensis), the red-breasted nuthatch (S. Canadensis), the pygmy nuthatch (S. pygmæa), and others, are American.
NUTHOOK Nut"hook`, n.
1. A hook at the end of a pole to pull down boughs for gathering the nuts.
2. A thief who steals by means of a hook; also, a bailiff who hooks or seizes malefactors. Shak.
NUTJOBBER Nut"job`ber, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The nuthatch. [Prov. Eng.]
NUTLET Nut"let, n. (Bot.)
Defn: A small nut; also, the stone of a drupe.
NUTMEG Nut"meg, n. Etym: [OE. notemuge; note nut + OF. muge musk, of the same origin as E. musk; cf. OF. noix muguette nutmeg, F. noix muscade. See Nut, and Musk.] (Bot.)
Defn: The kernel of the fruit of the nutmeg tree (Myristica fragrans), a native of the Molucca Islands, but cultivated elsewhere in the tropics.
Note: This fruit is a nearly spherical drupe, of the size of a pear, of a yellowish color without and almost white within. This opens into two nearly equal longitudinal valves, inclosing the nut surrounded by its aril, which is mace The nutmeg is an aromatic, very grateful to the taste and smell, and much used in cookery. Other species of Myristica yield nutmegs of inferior quality. American, Calabash, or Jamaica, nutmeg, the fruit of a tropical shrub (Monodora Myristica). It is about the size of an orange, and contains many aromatic seeds imbedded in pulp. — Brazilian nutmeg, the fruit of a lauraceous tree, Cryptocarya moschata. — California nutmeg, tree of the Yew family (Torreya Californica), growing in the Western United States, and having a seed which resembles a nutmeg in appearance, but is strongly impregnated with turpentine. — Clove nutmeg, the Ravensara aromatica, a laura ceous tree of Madagascar. The foliage is used as a spice, but the seed is acrid and caustic. — Jamaica nutmeg. See American nutmeg (above). — Nutmeg bird (Zoöl.), an Indian finch (Munia punctularia). — Nutmeg butter, a solid oil extracted from the nutmeg by expression. — Nutmeg flower (Bot.), a ranunculaceous herb (Nigella sativa) with small black aromatic seeds, which are used medicinally and for excluding moths from furs and clothing. — Nutmeg liver (Med.), a name applied to the liver, when, as the result of heart or lung disease, it undergoes congestion and pigmentation about the central veins of its lobules, giving it an appearance resembling that of a nutmeg. — Nutmeg melon (Bot.), a small variety of muskmelon of a rich flavor. — Nutmeg pigeon (Zoöl.), any one of several species of pigeons of the genus Myristicivora, native of the East Indies and Australia. The color is usually white, or cream-white, with black on the wings and tail. — Nutmeg wood (Bot.), the wood of the Palmyra palm. — Peruvian nutmeg, the aromatic seed of a South American tree (Laurelia sempervirens). — Plume nutmeg (Bot.), a spicy tree of Australia (Atherosperma moschata).
NUTMEGGED Nut"megged, a.
Defn: Seasoned with nutmeg.
NUTPECKER Nut"peck`er, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The nuthatch.
NUTRIA Nu"tri*a, n. Etym: [Sp. nutria an otter, fr. L. lutra, lytra.]
Defn: The fur of the coypu. See Coypu.
NUTRICATION Nu`tri*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. nutricatio, fr. nutricare, nutricari, to suckle, nourish, fr. nutrix a nurse.]
Defn: The act or manner of feeding. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
NUTRIENT Nu"tri*ent, a. Etym: [L. nutriens, p. pr. of nutrire. See Nourish.]
Defn: Nutritious; nourishing; promoting growth. — n.
Defn: Any substance which has nutritious qualities, i. e., which nourishes or promotes growth.
NUTRIMENT Nu"tri*ment, n. Etym: [L. nutrimentum, fr. nutrire to nourish. See Nourish.]
1. That which nourishes; anything which promotes growth and repairs the natural waste of animal or vegetable life; food; aliment. The stomach returns what it has received, in strength and nutriment diffused into all parts of the body. South.
2. That which promotes development or growth. Is not virtue in mankind The nutriment that feeds the mind Swift.
NUTRIMENTAL Nu`tri*men"tal, a.
Defn: Nutritious.
NUTRITIAL Nu*tri"tial, a.
Defn: Pertaining to, or connected with, nutrition; nutritious. [Obs.] Chapman.
NUTRITION Nu*tri"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. nutrition. See Nutritious.]
1. (Physiol.)
Defn: In the broadest sense, a process or series of processes by which the living organism as a whole (or its component parts or organs) is maintained in its normal condition of life and growth.
Note: In this wide sense it comprehends digestion, absorption, circulation, assimilation, etc., in fact all of the steps by which the nutritive matter of the food is fitted for incorporation with the different tissues, and the changes which it undergoes after its assimilation, prior to its excretion. See Metabolism.
2. (Physiol.)
Defn: In a more limited sense, the process by which the living tissues take up, from the blood, matters necessary either for their repair or for the performance of their healthy functions.
3. That which nourishes; nutriment. Fixed like a plant, on his peculiar spot, To draw nutrition, propagate, and rot. Pope.
NUTRITIONAL Nu*tri"tion*al, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to nutrition; as, nutritional changes.
NUTRITIOUS Nu*tri"tious, a. Etym: [L. nutricius, nutritius, from nutrix, -icis, a nurse, nutrire to nourish. See Nurse, Nourish.]
Defn: Nourishing; promoting growth, or preventing decay; alimental. — Nu*tri"tious*ly, adv. — Nu*tri"tious*ness, n.
NUTRITIVE Nu"tri*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. nutritif.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to nutrition; as, the nutritive functions; having the quality of nourishing; nutritious; nutrimental; alimental; as, nutritive food or berries. Nutritive plasma. (Biol.) See Idioplasma. — Nutritive polyp (Zoöl.), any one of the zooids of a compound hydroid, or coral, which has a mouth and digestive cavity. — Nu"tri*tive*ly, adv. — Nu"tri*tive*ness, n.
NUTRITURE Nu"tri*ture, n. Etym: [L. nutritura, fr. nutrir to nourish.]
Defn: Nutrition; nourishment. [Obs.] Harvey.
NUTSHELL Nut"shell`, n.
1. The shell or hard external covering in which the kernel of a nut is inclosed.
2. Hence, a thing of little compass, or of little value.
3. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A shell of the genus Nucula. To be, or lie, in a nutshell, to be within a small compass; to admit of very brief or simple determination or statement. "The remedy lay in a nutshell." Macaulay.
NUTTER Nut"ter, n.
Defn: A gatherer of nuts.
NUTTING Nut"ting, n.
Defn: The act of gathering nuts.
NUTTY Nut"ty, a.
1. Abounding in nuts.
2. Having a flavor like that of nuts; as, nutty wine.
NUX VOMICA Nux` vom"i*ca. Etym: [NL., fr. L. nux vomere to vomit.]
Defn: The seed of Strychnos Nuxvomica, a tree which abounds on the Malabar and Coromandel coasts of the East Indies. From this seed the deadly poisons known as strychnine and brucine are obtained. The seeds are sometimes called Quaker buttons.
NUZZLE Nuz"zle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Nuzzied;p. pr. & vb. n. Nuzzling.] Etym: [See Noursle.]
1. To noursle or nurse; to foster; to bring up. [Obs.] The people had been nuzzled in idolatry. Milton.
2. Etym: [Perh. a corruption of nestle. Cf. Nustle.]
Defn: To nestle; to house, as in a nest.
NUZZLE Nuz"zle, v. i. Etym: [Dim. fr. nose. See Nozzle.]
1. To work with the nose, like a swine in the mud. And nuzzling in his flank, the loving swine Sheathed, unaware, the tusk in his soft groin. Shak. He charged through an army of lawyers, sometimes . . . nuzzling like an eel in the mud. Arbuthnot.
2. To go with head poised like a swine, with nose down. Sir Roger shook his ears, and nuzzled along. Arbuthnot.
3. Etym: [Cf. Nuzzle, v. t., 2.]
Defn: To hide the head, as a child in the mother's bosom; to nestle.
4. To loiter; to idle. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.
NY Ny. Etym: [Contr. fr. ne I.]
Defn: Not I; nor I. [Obs.]
NY; NYE Ny, Nye, a. & adv.
Defn: Nigh. [Obs.] Chaucer.
NYAS Ny"as, n.
Defn: See Nias.
NYCTALOPIA Nyc`ta*lo"pi*a, n. Etym: [L. nyctalopia, fr. nyctalops a nyctalops, Gr. (Med.) (a) A disease of the eye, in consequence of which the patient can see well in a faint light or at twilight, but is unable to see during the day or in a strong light; day blindness. (b) See Moonblink.
Note: Some writers (as Quain) use the word in the opposite sense, night blindness. See Hemeralopia.
NYCTALOPS Nyc"ta*lops, n. Etym: [L., from Gr.
Defn: One afflicted with nyctalopia.
NYCTALOPY Nyc"ta*lo`py, n.
Defn: Same as Nyctalopia.
NYCTHEMERON Nyc*the"me*ron, n. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: The natural day and night, or space of twenty-four hours.
NYCTIBUNE Nyc"ti*bune, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A South American bird of the genus Nyctibius, allied to the goatsuckers.
NYCTITROPIC Nyc`ti*trop"ic, a. Etym: [From Gr. (Bot.)
Defn: Turning or bending at night into special positions.
Note: Nyctitropic movements of plants usually consist in a folding or drooping of the leaves, the advantage being in lessening the radiation of heat.
NYCTITROPISM Nyc*tit"ro*pism, n. [From Gr. , , night + to turn.] (Plant Physiol.)
Defn: The tendency of certain plant organs, as leaves, to assume special "sleeping" positions or make curvatures under the influence of darkness. It is well illustrated in the leaflets of clover and other leguminous plants.
NYCTOPHILE Nyc"to*phile, n. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any Australian bat of the genus Nyctophilus, having a very simple nasal appendage.
NYE Nye, n. Etym: [Prob. fr. F. nid nest, brood, L. nidus nest. See Nest, and cf. Eye brood, Nide.]
Defn: A brood or flock of pheasants.
NYENTEK Ny*en"tek, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A carnivorous mannual (Helictis moscatus, or H. orientalis), native of Eastern Asia and the Indies. It has a dorsal white stripe, and another one across the shoulders. It has a strong musky odor.
NYLGHAU; NYLGAU Nyl"ghau, Nyl"gau, n. Etym: [Hind. & Per. nilgaw, prop., a blue cow; Per. nil blue + gaw cow. See Lilac, and Cow the animal.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A large Asiatic antelope (Boselaphus, or Portax, tragocamelus), found in Northern India. It has short horns, a black mane, and a bunch of long hair on the throat. The general color is grayish brown. [Written also neelghau, nilgau, and nylghaie.]
NYMPH Nymph, n. Etym: [L. nympha nymph, bride, young woman, Gr. nymphe. Cf. Nuptial.]
1. (Class. Myth.)
Defn: A goddess of the mountains, forests, meadows, or waters. Where were ye, nymphs, when the remorseless deep Closed o'er the head of your loved Lycidas Milton.
2. Hence: A lovely young girl; a maiden; a damsel. Nymph, in thy orisons Be all my sins remembered. Shak.
3. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The pupa of an insect; a chrysalis.
4. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any one of a subfamily (Najades) of butterflies including the purples, the fritillaries, the peacock butterfly, etc.; — called also naiad.
NYMPHA Nym"pha, n.; pl. Nymph. Etym: [L. See Nymph a goddess.]
1. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Same as Nymph, 3.
2. pl. (Anat.)
Defn: Two folds of mucous membrane, within the labia, at the opening of the vulva.
NYMPHAEA Nym*phæ"a, n. Etym: [L., the water lily, Gr. (Bot.)
Defn: A genus of aquatic plants having showy flowers (white, blue, pink, or yellow, often fragrant), including the white water lily and the Egyptia lotus.
Note: Recent critics have endeavored to show that this genus should be called Castalia, and the name Nymphæa transferred to what is now known as Nuphar.
NYMPHAL Nymph"al, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to a nymph or nymphs; nymphean.
NYMPHALES Nym*pha"les, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: An extensive family of butterflies including the nymphs, the satyrs, the monarchs, the heliconias, and others; — called also brush-footed butterflies.
NYMPHEAN Nym*phe"an, a. Etym: [Gr. Nymph.]
Defn: Of, pertaining to, or appropriate to, nymphs; inhabited by nymphs; as, a nymphean cave.
NYMPHET Nymph"et, n.
Defn: A little or young nymph. [Poetic] "The nymphets sporting there." Drayton.
NYMPHIC; NYMPHICAL Nymph"ic, Nymph"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: Of or pertaining to nymphs.
NYMPHIPAROUS Nym*phip"a*rous, a. Etym: [Nymph + L. parere to produce.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: Producing pupas or nymphs.
NYMPHISH Nymph"ish, a.
Defn: Relating to nymphs; ladylike. "Nymphish war." Drayton.
NYMPHLIKE; NYMPHLY Nymph"like`, Nymph"ly, a.
Defn: Resembling, or characteristic of, a nymph.
NYMPHOLEPSY Nym"pho*lep`sy, n. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: A species of demoniac enthusiasm or possession coming upon one who had accidentally looked upon a nymph; ecstasy. [R.] De Quincey. The nympholepsy of some fond despair. Byron.
NYMPHOLEPTIC Nym`pho*lep"tic, a.
Defn: Under the influence of nympholepsy; ecstatic; frenzied. [Poetic]
NYMPHOMANIA Nym`pho*ma"ni*a, n. Etym: [Gr. (Med.)
Defn: Morbid and uncontrollable sexual desire in women, constituting a true disease.
NYMPHOMANY Nym"pho*ma`ny, n. Etym: [Cf. F. nymphomanie.] (Med.)
Defn: Same as Nymphomania.
NYMPHOTOMY Nym*phot"o*my, n. Etym: [Nympha + Gr. (Med.)
Defn: Excision of the nymphæ.
NYS Nys.
Defn: Is not. See Nis. Chaucer. Spenser.
NYSTAGMUS Nys*tag"mus, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)
Defn: A rapid involuntary oscillation of the eyeballs.
NYULA Ny*u"la, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A species of ichneumon (Herpestes nyula). Its fur is beautifully variegated by closely set zigzag markings.