Nick"el*ous (?), a. (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, those
compounds of nickel in which, as contrasted with the nickelic
compounds, the metal has a lower valence; as, nickelous oxide.
Frankland.
Nick"er (?), n. [From Nick, v. t.] 1. One of the night brawlers of
London formerly noted for breaking windows with half- pence. [Cant]
Arbuthnot.
2. The cutting lip which projects downward at the edge of a boring bit
and cuts a circular groove in the wood to limit the size of the hole
that is bored.
Nick"er nut` (?). A rounded seed, rather smaller than a nutmeg, having
a hard smooth shell, and a yellowish or bluish color. The seeds grow in
the prickly pods of tropical, woody climbers of the genus Cæsalpinia.
C. Bonduc has yellowish seeds; C. Bonducella, bluish gray. [Spelt also
neckar nut, nickar nut.]
Nick"er tree` (?). (Bot.) The plant producing nicker nuts. [Written
also neckar tree and nickar tree.]
Nick"ing, n. [From Nick, v. t.] (Coal Mining) (a) The cutting made by
the hewer at the side of the face. (b) pl. Small coal produced in
making the nicking.
Nic"kle (?), n. (Zoöl.) The European woodpecker, or yaffle; -- called
also nicker pecker.
Nick"nack` (?), n. See Knickknack.
Nick"nack`er*y (?), n. See Knickknackery.
Nick"name` (?), n. [OE. ekename surname, hence, a nickname, an ekename
being understood as a nekename, influenced also by E. nick, v. See Eke,
and Name.] A name given in contempt, derision, or sportive familiarity;
a familiar or an opprobrious appellation.
Nick"name`, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Nicknamed (#); p. pr. & vb. n.
Nicknaming.] To give a nickname to; to call by a nickname.
You nickname virtue; vice you should have spoke.
Shak.
I altogether disclaim what has been nicknamed the doctrine of
finality.
Macaulay.
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Ni`co*la"i*tan (?), n. [So called from Nicolas of Antioch, mentioned in
Acts vi. 5.] (Eccl. Hist.) One of certain corrupt persons in the early
church at Ephesus, who are censured in rev. ii. 6, 15.
Ni*co"tian (?), n. [F. nicotiane; -- so called from Nicot, who
introduced it into France, a. d. 1560.] Tobacco. [R.] B. Jonson.
Ni*co"tian, a. Pertaining to, or derived from, tobacco. [R.] Bp. Hall.
||Ni*co`ti*a"na (?), n. [NL. See Nicotian.] (Bot.) A genus of American
||and Asiatic solanaceous herbs, with viscid foliage and funnel-shaped
||blossoms. Several species yield tobacco. See Tobacco.
Ni*co"ti*a*nine (? or ?), n. [F. nicotianine. See Nicotian.] (Chem.) A
white waxy substance having a hot, bitter taste, extracted from tobacco
leaves and called also tobacco camphor.
Ni*cot"ic (?), a. (Chem.) Nicotinic.
Ni*cot"i*dine (? or ?), n. [Nicotine + pyridine.] (Chem.) A complex,
oily, nitrogenous base, isomeric with nicotine, and obtained by the
reduction of certain derivatives of the pyridine group.
Nic"o*tine (? or ?), n. [F. nicotine. See Nicotian.] (Chem.) An
alkaloid which is the active principle of tobacco. It is a colorless,
transparent, oily liquid, having an acrid odor, and an acrid burning
taste. It is intensely poisonous. Ure.
Nic`o*tin"ic (?), a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or derived from, nicotine;
nicotic; -- used specifically to designate an acid related to pyridine,
obtained by the oxidation of nicotine, and called nicotinic acid.
Nic"tate (?), v. i. [L. nictare, nictatum, from nicere to beckon.] To
wink; to nictitate.
Nic*ta"tion (?), n. [L. nictatio &?; cf. F. nictation.] the act of
winking; nictitation.
Nic"ti*tate (?), v. i. [See Nictate.] To wink; to nictate.
Nictitating membrane (Anat.), a thin membrane, found in many animals at
the inner angle, or beneath the lower lid, of the eye, and capable of
being drawn across the eyeball; the third eyelid; the haw.
Nic`ti*ta"tion (?), n. The act of winking.
Nid`a*men"tal (?), a. [L. nidamentum materials for a nest, fr. nidus
nest. See Nest.] (Zoöl.) Of, pertaining to, or baring, eggs or egg
capsules; as, the nidament capsules of certain gastropods; nidamental
glands. See Illust. of Dibranchiata.
Ni"da*ry (?), n. [L. nidus a nest.] A collection of nests. [R.] velyn.
Nide (?), n. [L. nidus a nest: cf. F. nid.] A nestful; a brood; as, a
nide of pheasants. [Obs.]
Ni"der*ing (?), a. [See Niding.] Infamous; dastardly. [Obs.] Sir W.
Scott.
Nidg"er*y (?), n. [See Nidget.] A trifle; a piece of foolery. [Obs.]
Skinner.
Nidg"et (?), n. [Written also nigget, nigeot.] [Cf. F. nigaud a booby,
fool, OF. niger to play the fool.] A fool; an idiot, a coward. [Obs.]
Camden.
Nid"i*fi*cate (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Nidificated (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Nidificating.] [L. nidificare, nidificatum; nidus nest + -ficare (in
comp.) to make. See -fy, and cf. nest.] To make a nest.
Where are the fishes which nidificated in trees?
Lowell.
Nid`i*fi*ca"tion (?), n. [Cf. F. nidification.] The act or process of
building a nest.
Ni"ding (n"dng), n. [Written also nithing.] [AS. nðing, fr. nð
wickness, malice, hatred.] A coward; a dastard; -- a term of utmost
opprobrium. [Obs.]
He is worthy to be called a niding.
Howell.
Ni"dor (?), n. [L.] Scent or savor of meat or food, cooked or cooking.
[Obs.] Jer. Taylor.
Ni"dor*ose` (?), a. Nidorous. [R.] Arbuthnot.
Ni"dor*ous (?), a. [L. nidorosus steaming, reeking: cf. F. nidoreux.
See Nidor.] Resembling the smell or taste of roast meat, or of corrupt
animal matter. [R.]
Nid"u*lant (?), a. [L. nidulans, p. pr.: cf. F. Nidulant.] 1. Nestling,
as a bird in its nest.
2. (Bot.) Lying loose in pulp or cotton within a berry or pericarp, as
in a nest.
Nid"u*late (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Nidulated (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Nidulating.] [L. nidulari, fr. nidulus, dim. of nidus a nest.] To make
a nest, as a bird. [R.] Cockeram.
Nid`u*la"tion (?), n. The time of remaining in the nest. [R.] Sir T.
Browne.
Nid"u*lite (?), n. [L. nidulus a little nest.] (Paleon.) A Silurian
fossil, formerly supposed to consist of eggs.
||Ni"dus (?), n.; pl. nidi (#). [L. See Nidi, Nest.] A nest: a
||repository for the eggs of birds, insects, etc.; a breeding place;
||esp., the place or substance where parasites or the germs of a
||disease effect lodgment or are developed.
Niece (?), n. [OE. nece, F. nièce, LL. neptia, for L. neptis a
granddaughter, niece, akin to nepos. See Nephew.] 1. A relative, in
general; especially, a descendant, whether male or female; a
granddaughter or a grandson. [Obs.] B. Jonson. Wyclif. Shak.
2. A daughter of one's brother or sister, or of one's brother-in-law or
sister-in-law.
Nief (?), n. See Neif, the fist.
Ni*el"list (?), n. One who practices the style of ornamentation called
niello.
Ni*el"lo (?), n. [It. niello, LL. nigellum a black of blackish enamel,
fr. L. nigellus, dim. of niger black. See Negro, and cf. Anneal.] 1. A
metallic alloy of a deep black color.
2. The art, process, or method of decorating metal with incised designs
filled with the black alloy.