Nim (?), v. t. [imp. Nam (?) or Nimmed (&?;); p. p. Nomen (?) or Nome
(&?;).] [AS. niman. √ 7. Cf. Nimble.] To take; to steal; to
filch. [Obs.]
This canon it in his hand nam.
Chaucer.
Nim*bif"er*ous (?), a. [L. nimbifer; nimbus a cloud + ferre to bear.]
Serving to bring clouds or stormy weather.
Nim"ble (?), a. [Compar. Nimbler (?); superl. Nimblest (?).] [OE.
nimel, prob. orig., quick at seizing, fr. nimen to take, AS. niman;
akin to D. nemen, G. nehmen, OHG. neman, Icel. nema, Goth. nima, and
prob. to Gr. &?; to distribute. √ 7. Cf. Nomand, Numb.] Light and
quick in motion; moving with ease and celerity; lively; swift.
Through the mid seas the nimble pinnace sails.
Pope.
Nimble is sometimes used in the formation of self- explaining
compounds; as, nimble-footed, nimble- pinioned, nimble-winged, etc.
Nimble Will (Bot.), a slender, branching, American grass (Muhlenbergia
diffusa), of some repute for grazing purposes in the Mississippi
valley.
Syn. -- Agile; quick; active; brisk; lively; prompt.
Nim"ble*ness, n. The quality of being nimble; lightness and quickness
in motion; agility; swiftness.
Nim"bless (?), n. Nimbleness. [Obs.] Spenser.
Nim"bly, adv. In a nimble manner; with agility; with light, quick
motion.
Nim*bose" (?), a. [L. nimbosus, fr. nimbus cloud.] Cloudy; stormy;
tempestuous.
Nim"bus (?), n.; pl. L. Nimbi (#), E. Nimbuses (#). [L., a rain storm,
a rain cloud, the cloudshaped which enveloped the gods when they
appeared on earth.] 1. (Fine Arts) A circle, or disk, or any indication
of radiant light around the heads of divinities, saints, and
sovereigns, upon medals, pictures, etc.; a halo. See Aureola, and
Glory, n., 5.
"The nimbus is of pagan origin." "As an atribute of power, the nimbus
is often seen attached to the heads of evil spirits." Fairholl.
2. (Meteor.) A rain cloud; one of the four principal varieties of
clouds. See Cloud.
Ni*mi"e*ty (?), n. [L. nimietas, fr. nimius, a., nimis, adv., too
much.] State of being in excess. [R.]
There is a nimiety, a too-muchess, in all Germans.
Coleridge.
Nim"i*ous (?), a. [L. nimius.] Excessive; extravagant; inordinate.
[Obs.]