📖 N — The English dictionary · page 11

ng — Everyday, meaning 1: (phonics) The letter pair «ng» that makes one sound, as at the end of sing, ring and long.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (abbreviation, informal) «no good», as in «that plan is NG».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (abbreviation) A short code for Nigeria (NG) or for «National Guard» or «nanogram» (ng) in science.↗ Example: The words sing, ring and bang all end in «ng».↗ · Can you think of five words with «ng» at the end?↗ · In «finger» you can hear «ng» followed by a «g» sound.↗ · The engineer wrote «NG» on the broken part, meaning no good.↗ · NG is the country code for Nigeria.↗ · A nanogram, written ng, is a billionth of a gram.↗

ni — Everyday, meaning 1: NI is short for Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (UK) NI is short for National Insurance, money taken from wages to pay for state pensions and benefits.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (science) Ni is the chemical symbol for the metal nickel.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: In the old film «Monty Python and the Holy Grail», the Knights Who Say «Ni!» shout it as a silly word.↗ Example: Belfast is the capital of NI.↗ · Every worker in the UK has an NI number.↗ · Ni is the symbol for nickel.↗ · The postcode area BT is in NI.↗ · Coins can contain Ni (nickel).↗ · NI contributions help pay for state pensions.↗ · Klyce (f/ni- verse 1921 para. 43 f) advances the view that zero and infinity are logically identical.↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗ · nB3 mynp nna ni2isn hpa graved by the voice, hewn out :mDipD nti-ens in the air, and fixed in the moutli in five places.↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗

nibble — Everyday, meaning 1: To eat something by taking very small bites.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Of animals or fish: to bite gently: «A fish nibbled my toe».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (noun) A small bite: «take a nibble».↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (nibbles, UK informal) Small snacks at a party, like crisps and nuts.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: Nibble can also be a fond pet name for someone you love, as in "my nibble darling".↗ Example: The mouse nibbled the cheese.↗ · My rabbit nibbles carrots all day.↗ · She nibbled her biscuit slowly.↗ · I felt a fish nibble my toe in the sea.↗ · Can I have a nibble of your chocolate?↗ · Mum put out some nibbles for the guests.↗ · The caterpillar nibbled holes in the leaf.↗ · "Come to me, my nibble darling!" said he.↗

nicaea — Everyday, meaning 1: (history, church) Nicaea was an ancient city in what is now Turkey (today the town of İznik).↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (church) The Council of Nicaea was a famous meeting of Christian bishops held there, called by the Roman emperor Constantine; it wrote the Nicene Creed, a statement of what Christians believe about God.↗ Example: The Council of Nicaea met in an ancient city in Turkey.↗ · Bishops travelled from many lands to Nicaea.↗ · The Nicene Creed is named after Nicaea.↗ · Many churches still say the Nicene Creed on Sundays.↗ · Emperor Constantine called the council at Nicaea.↗ · Nicaea is now a town called İznik.↗

nice — Everyday, meaning 1: Nice means pleasant, enjoyable or good: «a nice day».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Nice means kind and friendly: «She is nice to everyone».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Nice can mean good-looking or attractive.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: Nice can be used to sound sarcastic: «Nice one!» after a mistake.↗ Early Modern English, meaning 1: Exact, fine, or careful; sometimes showing fussiness or foolishness.↗ Example: Have a nice day!↗ · It's nice to meet you.↗ · That was nice of you to help.↗ · She's always nice to the younger children.↗ · It's a nice sunny morning.↗ · The soup is nice and hot.↗ · Your drawing looks really nice.↗ · Try a stronger word than «nice» in your story.↗ · "'You er nice feller, you is!↗ (Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings) · Good little dog--nice little doggie, then!↗ (The Jungle Book) · "Here is a nice clover blossom."↗ (Tanglewood Tales)

nicely — Everyday, meaning 1: In a pleasant, kind or polite way: «ask nicely».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Well, in a good or satisfactory way: «the cake turned out nicely».↗ Example: If you ask nicely, you can have a biscuit.↗ · The children played nicely together.↗ · The plants are growing nicely.↗ · She smiled nicely at the new girl.↗ · My cut is healing nicely.↗ · The room was nicely painted.↗

nicene — Everyday, meaning 1: (church) Nicene describes something connected with Nicaea, an ancient city in what is now Turkey, where Christian leaders met in a great council.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (church) The Nicene Creed is a short statement of what Christians believe about God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit; many churches say it together at services.↗ Example: On Sunday the whole church stood to say the Nicene Creed.↗ · The Nicene Creed begins, "We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty."↗ · Our RE teacher explained that the Nicene Creed was agreed by a council of bishops.↗ · Christians believe what the Nicene Creed says about the Trinity.↗ · Many churches around the world use the Nicene Creed.↗ · Grandma knows the Nicene Creed by heart.↗

niche — Everyday, meaning 1: A niche is a small hollow or alcove built into a wall, often to hold a statue or ornament.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A niche is a job, place or activity that suits someone perfectly: «She found her niche in drama».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (science) An ecological niche is the role and place a living thing has in its habitat: what it eats, where it lives, how it survives.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (informal, business) Niche describes something that only a small group of people like or buy: a niche hobby.↗ Example: A small statue stood in a niche in the church wall.↗ · After trying many sports, he found his niche in swimming.↗ · Owls and hawks hunt at different times, so they fill different niches.↗ · Collecting bottle caps is a niche hobby.↗ · The shop sells niche toys you can't find anywhere else.↗ · Every animal in the pond has its own niche.↗ · Walk on till you come to a niche in a terrace where stands a lighted lamp.↗

nick — Everyday, meaning 1: A nick is a small cut or notch on a surface or the skin.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To nick something is to make a small cut in it.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: In British, Irish, Australian and New Zealand slang, to nick means to steal.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: "In the nick of time" means only just in time.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: "In good nick" (British slang) means in good condition.↗ Everyday, meaning 6: "Old Nick" is an old name for the Devil.↗ Example: I got a nick on my finger from the paper.↗ · Dad nicked his chin while shaving.↗ · Someone nicked my bike from outside the shop.↗ · The firefighters arrived in the nick of time.↗ · The old car is still in good nick.↗ · There's a nick in the edge of the table.↗ · Nick is short for Nicholas.↗

nickel — Everyday, meaning 1: A nickel is a US (and Canadian) coin worth 5 cents.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Nickel is also a hard, silver-coloured metal, a chemical element; magnets pull on it.↗ Example: Sam has 6 nickels.↗ · How many cents are 4 nickels?↗ · She paid with 3 nickels and 2 dimes.↗ · A nickel is worth 5 cents.↗ · Twenty nickels make one dollar.↗ · A nickel is bigger than a dime but worth less.↗ · Nickel is a metal that a magnet can pick up.↗ · He found a nickel under the couch.↗

nickname — Everyday, meaning 1: A short or friendly name used instead of someone's real name, such as "Liz" for Elizabeth.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A name given because of something about a person, place or thing.↗ e.g. "the Big Apple" for New York.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: As a verb, to give a nickname.↗ Example: My nickname is Bea.↗ · Grandpa calls me by a funny nickname.↗ · New York's nickname is the Big Apple.↗ · They nicknamed him "Speedy" because he runs fast.↗ · Don't use a nickname that hurts someone's feelings.↗ · Ask your new friend which name they like.↗ · His face was jolly and round, and because he had red hair he was nicknamed Rufus, or the Red.↗

nicotine — Everyday, meaning 1: A chemical drug found in tobacco plants, cigarettes and vapes; it is poisonous and makes people addicted, so they find it very hard to stop.↗ Example: Cigarettes contain nicotine.↗ · Nicotine makes it very hard for people to stop smoking.↗ · Many vapes have nicotine in them.↗ · Nicotine is harmful to growing brains.↗ · Liquid nicotine is poisonous if swallowed.↗ · Grandpa uses nicotine patches to help him quit smoking.↗ · Shops cannot sell nicotine products to children.↗

niece — Everyday, meaning 1: A daughter of your brother or sister (or of your husband's or wife's brother or sister).↗ Everyday, meaning 2: In a family tree, the girl one generation below you on a sideways branch.↗ Example: My aunt calls me her favourite niece.↗ · Uncle Tom has three nieces and one nephew.↗ · Her niece is coming to stay for the holidays.↗ · I am my mum's brother's niece.↗ · A great-niece is the granddaughter of your brother or sister.↗ · Grandad's niece lives in New Zealand.↗ · There was a sultan, who had three sons and a niece.↗

nigerian — Everyday, meaning 1: Nigerian means from or connected with Nigeria, a large country in West Africa.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (noun) A Nigerian is a person from Nigeria.↗ Example: My best friend's family is Nigerian.↗ · Jollof rice is a famous Nigerian dish.↗ · Lagos is the biggest Nigerian city.↗ · Many Nigerian films are made in Nollywood.↗ · The Nigerian football team are called the Super Eagles.↗ · Nigerian English has its own special words.↗ · Our class learned a Nigerian song.↗

nigerien — Everyday, meaning 1: From or to do with Niger, a country in West Africa.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (noun) A person from Niger.↗ Example: A Nigerien family moved into our street.↗ · Nigerien farmers grow millet in dry soil.↗ · The Nigerien capital is Niamey.↗ · Many Nigeriens speak French and Hausa.↗ · The Nigerien desert has camel caravans.↗ · We read about Nigerien schoolchildren in our geography book.↗

nigh — Everyday, meaning 1: (old) Nigh means near, either in place or in time: «The end is nigh».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Nigh on or well nigh means almost or nearly: «It took nigh on an hour».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (UK, dialect) Some people in parts of England still use «nigh» in everyday speech for near.↗ Early Modern English, meaning 1: Close by, in place or in time.↗ Example: The end is nigh! shouted the man with the sign.↗ · Winter is drawing nigh.↗ · It was well nigh impossible to see in the fog.↗ · We waited nigh on two hours for the bus.↗ · (Bible) «The kingdom of God is nigh at hand.»↗ · The knight rode nigh to the castle.↗ · Bedtime is nigh, so brush your teeth.↗ · Grandad says it's nigh on ten miles to the coast.↗ · After running seven miles or so, Pinocchio was well-nigh exhausted.↗ · When thou drawest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.↗ (Torah DEU.20.10, JPS 1917)↗ · And henceforth the children of Israel shall not come nigh the tent of meeting, lest they bear sin, and die.↗ (Torah NUM.18.22, JPS 1917)↗ · But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.↗ (Torah DEU.30.14, JPS 1917)↗ · Thou art nigh, O LORD; and all Thy commandments are truth.↗ (Writings PSA.119.151, JPS 1917)↗ · They draw nigh that follow after wickedness; they are far from Thy law.↗ (Writings PSA.119.150, JPS 1917)↗ · Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it; ransom me because of mine enemies.↗ (Writings PSA.69.19, JPS 1917)↗ · When thou drawest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.↗ (Torah DEU.20.10, JPS 1917) · Art drew nigh unobserved and brought him low.↗ (Irish Fairy Tales) · And henceforth the children of Israel shall not come nigh the tent of meeting, lest they bear sin, and die.↗ (Torah NUM.18.22, JPS 1917)

night — Everyday, meaning 1: The dark time between evening and morning when the sun cannot be seen.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: The evening, as a time for events.↗ e.g. "a night at the cinema".↗ Everyday, meaning 3: "Good night" is said when going to sleep.↗ Example: The stars shine at night.↗ · Owls hunt at night.↗ · Good night, sleep well.↗ · Last night it rained.↗ · Our side of the Earth faces away from the Sun at night.↗ · Wear a bright jacket when you walk at night.↗ · We stayed at Grandma's for two nights.↗ · Bats are night animals.↗ · That is why there are night-lights.↗ · And they made their father drink wine that night.↗ (Torah GEN.19.33, JPS 1917)↗ · And they made their father drink wine that night also.↗ (Torah GEN.19.35, JPS 1917)↗ · And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night.↗ (Torah GEN.1.5, JPS 1917)↗ · Behold, he winnoweth barley to-night in the threshing-floor.↗ (Writings RUT.3.2, JPS 1917)↗ · Then they rose up, and went away that night.↗ (Prophets 1SA.28.25, JPS 1917)↗ · In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain.↗ (Writings DAN.5.30, JPS 1917)↗

nightcap — Everyday, meaning 1: A soft cloth cap people used to wear in bed to keep their heads warm.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A drink, often alcoholic or a hot milky drink, taken just before going to bed.↗ Example: Wee Willie Winkie ran through the town in his nightcap.↗ · Grandpa had a cup of cocoa as a nightcap.↗ · The old man pulled his nightcap over his ears.↗ · The guests stayed for a nightcap after dinner.↗ · In the picture book the bear wears a striped nightcap.↗ · They were in the nightcap still.↗