3. The points of a pen; also, the pointed part of a pen; a short pen
adapted for insertion in a holder.
4. One of the handles which project from a scythe snath; also, [Prov.
Eng.], the shaft of a wagon.
Nib, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Nebbed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Nibbing.] To
furnish with a nib; to point; to mend the point of; as, to nib a pen.
Nibbed (?), a. Having a nib or point.
Nib"ble (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Nibbled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Nibbling
(?).] [Cf. Nip.] To bite by little at a time; to seize gently with the
mouth; to eat slowly or in small bits.
Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep.
Shak.
Nib"ble, v. t. To bite upon something gently or cautiously; to eat a
little of a thing, as by taking small bits cautiously; as, fishes
nibble at the bait.
Instead of returning a full answer to my book, he manifestly falls
a-nibbling at one single passage.
Tillotson.
Nib"ble, n. A small or cautious bite.
Nib"bler (?), n. One who, or that which, nibbles.
Nib"bling*ly (?), adv. In a nibbling manner; cautiously.
Nib"lick (?), n. A kind of golf stick used to lift the ball out of
holes, ruts, etc.
||Ni*ca"gua (?), n. (Zoöl.) The laughing falcon. See under laughing.
Nic`a*ra"gua wood` (?). Brazil wood.
Nic"co*lite (?), n. [from NL. niccolum nickel.] (Min.) A mineral of a
copper-red color and metallic luster; an arsenide of nickel; -- called
also coppernickel, kupfernickel.
Nice (?), a. [Compar. Nicer (?); superl. Nicest.] [OE., foolish, fr.
OF. nice ignorant, fool, fr. L. nescius ignorant; ne not + scius
knowing, scire to know. perhaps influenced by E. nesh delicate, soft.
See No, and Science.] 1. Foolish; silly; simple; ignorant; also, weak;
effeminate. [Obs.] Gower.
But say that we ben wise and nothing nice.
Chaucer.