nicker 
in Air/,-, old M<-/: (s,-<- A7, >), mid in i/ir' and 
nixyl, borrowed from G., are soniit.J A ilennm 
of the water; a water-sprite; a nix or nixy. 
rnnH)it. I'nrr., p. :i">H. 
"Now tell me, Prince [said the Amal], you are old 
enough to In- our f;ittni , ami did you ever see a nicer ? " 
"My Inoili. i xiw one. in tin- Northern sea, three fathoms 
long, with the Itody of a Mann-hull, and the head of a cat, 
and ttic hciml of ;i man, and tu-k- an ell long lying down 
(in i(n breast, watt-hint; fur llnhi'niii-n." 
' 
nicker- (nik'er), n. [< w/cA-i + -erl.] 1. One 
wlio or tliat which nicks. Specifically (o) A wood- 
pecker. See nicker-pecker. (6) The cutting-point at the 
outer edge of a center-bit, serving to rut the circle of the 
hole as the tool advances. 
2f. One of a company of brawlers who in the 
early part of the eighteenth century roamed 
about London by night, amusing themselves 
with breaking people s windows. 
Did not Pythagoras stop a company of drunken bullies 
from storming a civil house, by chunking the strain of the 
pipe to the sober spondceus? And yet your modern mu- 
sicians want art to defend their windows from common 
nickers. Martinwt Scriblerwi. 
Now is the time that Rakes their Revells keep ; 
Kindlers of Riot, Enemies of Sleep. 
His scatter'd Pence the flying Nicker flings, 
And with the Copper Show'r the Casement rings. 
Gay, Trivia, ill. 323. 
3f. A kind of marble for children's play. 
nicker 3 (nik'er), v. i. [Formerly also nicliff, 
neii/lier; freq. of neigh 1 .] 1. To neigh. 
I'll giethee all these milk whyt stelds, 
That prance and nicher at a speir. 
Johnie Armstrong (Child's Ballads, VI. 46). 
Mounted on nags that nicker at the clash of a sword as 
If it were the clank of the lid of a corn chest. 
Scott, Monastery, \\\iii. 
The horses came to him in a body. One with a small 
head . . . nickered low and gladly at sight of him. 
L. Wallace, Ben Hur, p. 288. 
2. To laujjh with half-suppressed catches of the 
voice; snigger. [Scotch.] 
nicker 3 (nik er), H. [< nickcrS, r.] A neigh; also, 
a vulgar laugh. 
When she came to the Harper's door, 
There she gae mony a nicher and snear. 
Lochmaben Harper (Child's Ballads, VI. 6X 
nicker-nuts (nik'er-nuts), n. pi. Same as bon- 
due-seeds. 
nicker-pecker (nik'er-pek'er). n. A wood- 
pecker ; especially, the green woodpecker, Geci- 
riridin. Also called nickle. [Prov. Eng.] 
nicker-tree (nik'er-tre), n. The name of two 
climbing shrubs, Ca-salpinia Sondncella and r. 
Honduc, found in the tropics of both hemi- 
spheres. Their seeds, called nicter-nuto, bonduc-teeds, 
or Molucca beam, are carried by ocean current* to remote 
parts. In India these, as also the root, are used as a tonic 
and febrifuge. Bee bonduc-needg. Also written nickar-tree. 
nicking-fiie (nik'ing-fil). . A thin file for 
making the nicks in screw-heads. E. If. Knight. 
nicking-saw (nik'ing-sa), n. A small circular 
saw for making the nicks in screw-heads, etc. 
nickle (nik'l), . [Var. of nic-kcr^.] Same as 
nickcr-peckcr. 
nicknack (nik'nak), . 1. Sec knickknaek. 
The furniture, the draperies, and the hundred and one 
nicknaflrit lying around on tables and e^tagercs showed the 
touch of a tasteful woman's hand. 
T. B. Aldrich, Ponkapog to Pcsth, p. 64. 
2f. A repast to which all present contributed. 
James. I am afraid I can't come to cards ; but shall be 
sure to attend the repast. A nick-nack, I suppose? 
Conx. Yes, yes ; we all contribute, as usual. 
Foote, The Nabob, i. 
nicknackery, . See knickknuckcri/. 
nicknacket (nlk'nak-et), n. [< nicknack + -ft.'] 
A little knickknack. 
This comes of carrying popish nitknacktts about you. 
Scott, Abbot, ax. 
nickname (nik'nam), H. [< ME. nekniani'-. 
prop. ckcniimc (mi rkrinime being misdivided 
a nfkcnanic) (= Icel. aiikncfui = Sw. oknanin 
= Dan. (igenavn; also = LG. ekct-, el'cr-nainc = 
D. oekernamc (corrupt forms), LG. also as verb, 
nicknanicn; prob. after E.); < eke + name. In 
the F. nom dc >ii</itf, a nickname, nique is appar. 
< G. nicker, nod: sec nick%.] 1. A name given 
to a person in contempt, derision, or reproach; 
an opprobrious or contemptuous appellation. 
lie is iipliraidinely called a poet, as if it were a contemp- 
tible nickmi/i" . B. Jowton. 
Christian. Is not your name Mr. By-ends, of Fair Speech? 
By-endn. This is not my name, but indeed it is a nickname 
that is givrn me by some that cannot abide me; and I 
must be content to bear it as a reproach. 
Bunyan, Pilgrim's Progress, i. 
2. A familiar or diminutive name. 
From i'<'(-imini<irnurscnainescametlMM(, . . it is but 
my conjecture) [Bill and Will for William. Clem for ( Icin 
ent, etc.]. Catnden, Remains, Surnames. 
A wery good name it [Job) is ; only one I know that ain't 
L'nt :c /./,;,,/,, t,, it. Dickent, Pickwick, xvl 
nickname (nik'nam), t>. t.\ pret. and pp. nirk- 
iniiiiiil; ]>i>r. nicknaming, [< nickname, n.] To 
give a nickname to. (a) To call by an Improper or 
opprobrious appellation. 
You nickname virtue ; vice yon should have spoke. 
Khak., L. L. L, v. -Z. 349. 
And, Instructed In the art of display, they utter with an 
air of plausibility thia jargon, which they nick-name meta- 
physics. ' Wkitby, Kive Point*, Advertisement. 
('<) To apply a familiar or diminutive name to : as, John, 
nicknamed Jack. 
nick-stick (nik'stik), . A notched stick used 
as a tally or reckoning. [Scotch and prov. 
Eng.] 
He was In an unco klppage when we sent him a book 
instead o' the mck-ntiekt, whllk, he said, were the true an- 
cient way o' counting between tradesmen and customers. 
Scott, Antiquary. 
nickum (nik'um), w. [Appar. < \ielc* + -urn, 
a mere addition.] A rogue ; one given to mis- 
chievous tricks. [Scotch.] 
nicol (nik'ol), . [Short for Ximl prism; named 
after the inventor, William \icol of Edinburgh 
(died 1851): gee prom.] A Nicol prism. See 
iiri.>i/H. Crossed nlcolg. Sec polarization. 
Nicolaitan (nik-o-la'i-tan), n. [< 'Xicolaite (< 
LL. Nicolaita', < Gr. NMoXoinu, pi., a sect prob. 
so called from a person named Xicolaug, Gr. 
Nocittaof, > L. A'icolaiut) + -an.'] One of an an- 
tinpmian sect mentioned in Rev. ii. 6, 15, of 
which little is known. 
nicolo (nik'o-16), n. [It.] A kind of large bom- 
bardon, a reed-instrument used in the seven- 
teenth century, one of the forms from which 
the oboe and bassoon were developed. 
nicort, . See nicker*-. 
NicothoS (ni-koth'o-e), n. [NL.] A genus of 
parasitic siphoiiostomous crustaceans; lobster- 
lice. 
nicotia (ni-ko'shia), n. [NI^., < JVtco (see tiico- 
tinn) + -in.] Nicotine. 
nicotian (ni-ko'shi-an), n. and a. [= It. ni- 
co;inna, < F. nicotiane (Nlj. nicoliana), tobacco, 
so called after Jean Xicot. a French ambassa- 
dor to Portugal, who sent a species of the 
plant from Lisbon to Catherine de Medicis, 
about 1560.] I. n. If. Tobacco. 
To these I mayassociat and joynour adulterat Nicotian 
or tobaco, so called of the kn. sir Sicot, that first brought 
It over, which is the spirits incubus, that begets many 
ugly and deformed phantasies in the brain. 
Optick Glajtue of Humours (1639). (Hares.) 
And for your green wound your Balsamum and your 
St. John's wort are all mere gulleries and trash to it, es- 
pecially your Trinldado ; your Xicotian is good too. 
B. Joneon, Every Man in his Humour, ill. 2. 
2. One who smokes or chews tobacco. [Rare.] 
It isn't for me to throw stones, though, who have been 
a Nicotian a good deal more than half my days. 
O. W. Helmet, Poet at the Breakfast-table, v. 
Il.t Pertaining to or derived from tobacco. 
What shall I say more? this gourmand . . . wbiffeshim- 
selfc away in Nicotian Incense to the idol of his vain in- 
temperance. Bp. Hall, St. Paul's Combat, 1st sermon. 
Nicotiana 1 (ui-ko-shi-a'na), n. [NL. (Tourne- 
fort, 1700), < F. nicotiane, tobacco: see nicotian."] 
A genus of narcotic plants of the order Solanacew 
and the tribe Centrineir, known by the many- 
seeded capsule and cleft calyx. The species are 
estimated at from 35 to 60, mostly American, with a few 
I, BowerinR branch of .\icttiana Tatfacttm ; y, a leaf from the stem ; 
a. the fruit ; #, transverse section of a fruit. 
In Australasia and the Pacific Islands ; they are mainly 
In M iis. a few shrubs, and one a small tree. They have un- 
iliviilnl l.;iu^. anil \\hitr. yellowish, greenish, or purplid) 
flowers in panicles or racemes. This Is the tobacco genus, 
the common species being A" Tabacvm, See tobacco. 
nidder 
nicotiana- (ni-ko-shi-a'na), w. /il. [< nicotian) 
+ -linn. ] The literature of tobacco. 
nicotianin (ni-ko'shi-an-in), . [< nicotian + 
in-.] A concrete oil extracted from the leaves 
of tobacco. It has the smell of tobacco-smoke, 
and affords nicotine. 
nicotina (nik-o-ti'nS), n. [NL.] Same as m'co- 
ti in-. 
nicotine (iiik'o-tin),n. [=] 
/<,< XL. nicotina, tobacco, < -V/r 
+ -ina 1 .] A volatile alkaloid base (CjnH^NQJ 
obtained from tobacco. It forms a colorless clear 
oily liquid, which has a weak odor of tobacco, except 
when ammonia is present, In which case the smell Is pow- 
erful. It Is highly poisonous, and combines with acids, 
forming acrid and pungent salts. 
nicotined (nik'o-tind), . [< nicotine + -cif 1 .] 
Saturated or poisoned with nicotine. 
nicotinism (nik'o-tin-izm), n. [< nicotine + 
-ism.] The various morbid effects of the ex- 
cessive use of tobacco. 
nicotinize (nik'o-tin-iz), r. t. ; pret. and pp. 
nicotinized, ppr. nifotiniting. [< nicotine + -ize.] 
To impregnate with nicotine. 
nicotyiiat (nik-o-til'i-S), . [< nicot(ian) + -yl 
+ -in.] Same as nicotine. 
nictate (nik'tat), r. i. ; pret. and pp. nictated, 
ppr. nictating. [< L. nictatus, pp. of nictare, 
wink: see niclc*.] To wink; nictitate. 
Neither is it to be esteemed any defect or imperfection 
in the eyes of man that they want the seventh muscle, or 
the nictatiny membrane, which the eyes of many other 
animals are furnished withal. Itay, Works of Creation, ii. 
nictation (nik-ta'shon), n. [< L. nictatio(n-), 
a winking, < nictare, wink : see nictate.] Same 
as nictitation. 
Not only our nictationf for the most part when we are 
awake, but also our nocturnal volutations in sleep, are 
performed with very little or no consciousness. 
CtttfHwrtA, Intellectual System, p. 161. 
nictitans (nik'ti-tanz), n.; pi. nielitantes (nik- 
ti-tan'tez). [NL.,sc. membrana: seenictitant.] 
The winker ; the third eyelid or nictitating mem- 
brane of many animals : more fully called mem- 
hrnna nictitans. 
nictitant (nik'ti-tant). a. [< L. nictitan(t-)s. 
Epr. otnictitare, wink: seo nictitate.] Inentom.. 
aving the central spot or pupil lunate insteaa 
of round : said of an ocellated spot, 
nictitate (nik'ti-tat), r. i. ; pret. and pp. nicti- 
tated, ppr. nictitating. [< L. nictitatua, pp. of 
nictitare, freq. of nictare, wink: see nictate.] 
To wink Nictitating membrane. See membrane. 
Nictitating spasm, in pathol., a variety of histrionic 
apasm consisting in persistent winking or clonic spasm of 
the orWi-ularis palpebrarum. 
nictitation (nik-ti-ta'shon), n. [< nictitate + 
-ion.] The act of winking. Also nictation. 
The eye Is sensitive even to the near approach of mis- 
chief, and resents a hostile demonstration, the quickness 
of nictitation exceeding even that of vision itself. 
Bibliutlieca Sacra, XLV. 12. 
nidamental (nid-a-men'tal), a. [< nidantcnttim 
+ -al.] Protec- 
tive of eggs.cm- 
bryos, or young; 
covering or con- 
taining such ob- 
jects; secreting 
an egg-case or 
capsule: thus, a 
bird's nest is 
nidamental with 
respect tO the Nidamental Capsule of the Common 
eggs and youiig SSf^Sr^Sfi""*" "" "**"' 
Nidamental 
capsule. See capmile. Nidamental glands, tee gland. 
Nidamental ribbon, the string of eggs of some mol- 
lusks, covered and connected hy the secretion of the nida- 
mental gland. 
nidamentum (nid-a-men'tum), n.; pi. nidamen- 
ta (-ta). [L., the materials for a nest, a nest, 
< nidus, a nest: see;iirfe.] Anegg-case; a pro- 
tret ive case or covering of ova. 
The eggs . . . are usually deposited In aggregate maoirt. 
each enclosed in a common protective envelope or nida- 
mentum. W. B. Carpenter, Micros., | 581. 
nidaryt (nid'a-ri), n. [< L. nidus, a nest, + 
-ary.] A collection of nests. 
In this rupellary nidary does the female lay eggs and 
breed. Btelyn. 
nidation (ni-da'shon), n. [< L. nidus, a nest 
(see nide, m'<?it), + -atioa.] The development 
of the endometrial epithelium in the intermen- 
strual periods. 
nidder (nid'er), r. f. [A dial, form of nether*, 
r.] 1. To keep down or under. 
Sair are we nidder'd. Rom, Helenore, p. 51. (.lamieton.) 
2. To press hard upon; straighten: applied to 
bounds. Jamieson. 3. To pinch or starve with 
