Nineveh 
Nineveht (nin'e-vo). n. [So i-allcd in r-t. In 
Nineveh in the story of Jonah; < LL. \inin, < 
Gr. Niwwi, Niwi"/, usiuilly N'/'rof or Nu'or, Nine- 
veh.] A kind of "motion" or puppet-show, 
representing the story of Jonah and the whale. 
Citizen. Nay. by your leave, Nell, Hinivie was bettor. 
Wife. . . . oh, that was the story of Jone and the wall 
(Jonah and the whale), was it not, George? 
Bean, ami I'/., Knight of Burning Pestle, III 2. 
Ninevite (nin'e-vit), . [< LL. \inirita; < Hi. 
Nm'Mira/, pi.; as JViwwe/i (see def .) + -< 2 .] An 
inhabitant of Nineveh, the ancient capital of 
Assyria. 
The yiiirritm and the Babylonians. 
.irilil.inil, M.li! 7, UK, |.. IK, 
Ninevite fast. See /a*". 
Ninevitical (nin-e-vit'i-kal), . [< 'Xini-ntir 
(< LL. Xiuiritieus, < Xitnritn; Ninevites: see 
\ini i-ili ) + -til.] 1. Of or pertaining to Nine- 
veh, the ancient capital of Assyria. 2. Of 
or pertaining to the old popular puppet-show 
railed Xinrrrh. 
From the masks and triumphs at court and the houses 
of the nobility, . . . down even to the brief but thrilling 
theatrical excitements of Bartholomew Fair anil the Sine- 
rii iful " motions of the puppets, . . . the various sections 
of the theatrical public were tempted aside. 
Eneyc. Brit., VII. 438. 
nineworthinesst (nin'wer'^Hi-ues), n. A mock 
title applied to a person as if he was one of, or 
deserved to be ranked along with, the cele- 
brated nine worthies. See nine. [Rare.] 
The foe. for dread 
Of your iiitii-.n'i'i'tftiiiix, is fled. 
S. Butler, Hudibras, 1. ii. 991. 
Ningala bamboo. A Himalayan bamboo-plant, 
Arundinaria falcata. It grows 40 feet high, Is vari- 
ously useful to the natives, and U hardy enough to bear 
the winters of southern England. 
ninglet, . [A form of ingle'*, with initial n-, 
due to inisdividing mine ingle as my ningle.] 
1. A familiar friend, whether male or female; 
a favorite or friend. See ingle'*. 
Send me and my niayle Hialdo to the wars. 
Middle-ton, Spanish Gypsy, Iv. 3. 
O sweet ningle, thy neuf once again ; friends must part 
for a time. Ford and Dekker, Witch of Edmonton, ill. 1. 
2. In a bad sense, a male paramour. 
When his purse gingles, 
Roaring toys follow at 's tall, fencers and nimjlet. 
Middleton and Dekker, Koarlng Girl, ill. 3. 
ninny (nin'i), .; pi. ninnies (-iz). [Prob. of 
spontaneous origin, as a vaguely descriptive 
term. Cf. It. ninno = Sp. niSlo, a child, It. 
HI n mi. nanua, a lullaby. ] A fool ; a simpleton. 
What a pied ninny 's this ! Thou scurvy patch ! 
5Ao*., Tempest, Hi. 2. 71. 
Some say, compar'd to Buononcini 
That Mynheer Ilandel 's but a ninnu. 
liiirfni, On the Feuds between Handel and Buononcini. 
ninny-brotht, " Coffee. [Slang.] 
How to make coffee, alias ninny-broth. 
Poor Robin (169(1). (JVarcw.) 
ninnyhammer (nin'i-ham'er), n. [< ninnu + 
'hammer, perhaps a vague use of hammer*, or 
a mere extension.] A simpleton. 
Have you no more manners than to rail at Hocus, that 
has saved that clod-pated, nnm-skulled, ninnyhammer of 
yours from ruin, and all his family? 
.\rinitliiitii. Hist. John Bull. (Latham.) 
ninnyhammering (nin'i-ham'6r-ing), . Fool- 
ishness. Sterne. 
Ninox (ni'noks), n. [NL.] A large genus of 
Old World owls, of the family Ktrigidai, mostly 
of the Indian, Indomalayau, and Australian re- 
gion, having bristly feet and long pointed wings. 
The Indian X. scittulatu, and the Australian X. 
strenua and X. connivens, are examples. 
ninsi, ninsin (nin'si, -sin), 11. A Corean um- 
belliferous plant, a variety of Pimpinella Av.i- 
mm, formerly called Stum Xinsi, whose root has 
properties similar to those of ginseng, though 
weaker. It is sometimes substituted for the 
latter, with which it has been confounded. 
Also ninsin. 
ninth (ninth), a. and M. [< ME. uynt, nei/nd, 
nirtthi; < AS. nigotlia = OS. niiiundn, ni<iitdho = 
OPries. niii/iHiititt, iiin//rnda, niogenda = D. ne.- 
i/i nile = MLG-. najende, negede, LG. negende = 
OHG. iiinnlii, Mill!, ninndr, (i. HC"Hte = Icel. <"- 
</( = Sw. niiinili =Dan. Mi>Hrfe = Goth.)iiHnrfo 
= Gr. ei'aroc, ninth; as nine + -<A 2 .] I. . 1. 
Next in order or rank after the eighth, or before 
the tenth: an ordinal numeral: as, the ninth 
row; the ninth regiment. 2. Being one of nine: 
as. a ninth part Ninth nerve. See nene. Ninth 
part of a man, a tailor: from the saying that nine 
tailors make a man. (Jocular.) 
II. H. 1. A ninth part : the quotient of unity 
divided by nine. 2. In HI unit: the interval. 
8997 
whether melodic or harmonic, between any 
tone and a tone one octave and one degree <lis- 
taqt from it ; also, a tone distant by such an in- 
terval from a given tone: a compound second. 
Chord of the ninth, a chord consisting In Its full form 
of a root with Its third, fifth, seventh, and ninth. 
ninthly (ninth' Ii), adv. In the ninth place. 
ninzin, . See ninsi. 
niobate (ni'ji-bat). n. [< niob(ium) + -ate.} A 
salt of niobic acid. 
Niobe (ni'o-be), n. [L. Xiolm and Mnlu; < Gr. 
Nm i*i (see 'def. 1).] 1. In <!r. mi/tli.. the daugh- 
ter of Tantalus, married to Amphion, king of 
Thebes. Proud of her numerous progeny, she provoked 
the anger of Apollo and Artemis (Diana), by boasting over 
their mother Leto (Latona). who had but those two chil- 
dren. She was punished by seeing all her children die 
by the arrows of the two light-deities. She herself was 
metamorphosed by Zeus (Jupiter) into a stone which It is 
still sought to identify on the slope of Mount Sipylus, near 
Smyrna. This legend has afforded a fruitful subject for 
art, and was notably represented In a group attributed 
to Scopas, now best known from copies in the I tli/i at 
Florence. 
2. In ;ool. : (a) A genus of trilobites. (i) A 
genus of mollusks. (c) A genus of African 
weaver-birds of the subfamily Fiduiiur. X. ar- 
dens and X. concolor are examples. 
Niobean (ni-o-be'an), a. f< L. Xiobeut. per- 
taining to Niobe, < Xiobe, Niobe: see Aiooe.] 
Of or pertaining to Niobe ; resembling Niobe. 
A Xiobean daughter, one arm out, 
Appealing to the bolt* of Heaven. 
Tamyton, Princess, Iv. 
niobic (ni-6'bik). a. [< nwb(inm) + -ic.] Of or 
pertaining to niobium Niobic add, an acid formed 
by the hydration of niobium pentoxid. 
Niobid (ui'o-bid), . [< Gr. TiiofHiiK, a son of 
Niobe, pi. SaKSa, the children of Niobe, < TZiAjbi, 
Niobe: see Xiobe and -id 2 .] One of the chil- 
dren of Niobe. 
Of the Xiobide. at Florence, besides the mother with the 
youngest daughter, ten figures may be held as genuine. 
C. 0. Miiller, Manual of Archiuol. (trans. X i 126. 
Niobite 1 (ni'o-bit), w. [< LGr. Nio,*rai, pi., < 
X>^i7C, Niobes (see def.).] One of a branch of 
Monophysites, founded by Stephanus Niobes 
in the sixth century, who opposed the views of 
the Severiaus (see Severian). Niobes taught that, 
according to strict Monophysit* doctrine, the qualities 
of Christ a human nature were lost by its absorption Into 
his divine nature. The Mobiles gradually modified their 
views and returned to the orthodox church. 
niobite- (ui'o-bit), n. [< niob(ium) + -e 2 .] 
Same as columbite. 
niobium (ni-6'bi-um), n. [NL., so called in al- 
lusion to tantalum, which it closely resembles, 
and with which it occurs associated in various 
rare minerals, especially in the so-called colum- 
bite (the name tantalum being derived from 
that of Tantalus, the father of Niobe) ; < Xiobe 
+ -m.] Chemical symbol, Nb; atomic weight, 
94. A metal of steel-gray color and brilliant 
luster. It was first discovered by Hatchett, In 1801, in a 
mineral obtained at Haddam, Connecticut. This metal, 
however, which Hatchett called columbium, was re- 
examined by Wollaston and pronounced identical with 
tantalum. Forty years later It was again discovered by H. 
Bose, who gave it the name of niobium, which is now gen- 
erally adopted. Bose for some time believed that with the 
niobium another new metal (pelopium)was associated ; but 
later he recognized the fact that the two were one and the 
same thing. Niobium has a specific gravity of about 4 
(Boscoe). When heated in the air, it takes lire at a low 
temperature and burns with a vivid light The chemical 
relations of the metal are akin to those of bismuth and 
antimony. See tantalite, columbite, and uttrv-tantalUe. 
niopo-snuff (ni-6'po-snuff), w. See niopo-tree. 
niopo-tree (ni-6'po-tre), . [< S. Amer. niopo 
+ E. tree.] A tall leguminous tree, Piptadenia 
peregrina, of tropical America. The natives 
prepare an intoxicating snuff from the seeds by 
roasting and powdering them and adding lime. 
niota-bark (ni-6'ta-bark), n. Same as nirpu- 
liark. 
nip 1 (nip), f. t.; pret. and pp. nipped, ppr. p- 
ping. {< ME. nippen, appar. for orig. *hnippen 
= D. knijipi-n, nip, clip, snap (>G. knippen, snap, 
fillip), = Dan. nippe, twitch; a secondary form 
of D. knijpen, nyptw = LG. knipen = G. kneifen, 
I, in i fun == Sw. knipa = Dan. knibe, pinch ; cf. 
Lith. :hniiliti, clinypti, nip. Hence wiJ 2 , nibble.] 
1. To press sharply and tightly between two 
surfaces or points, as of the fingers ; pinch. 
John tupped the dumb, and made him to rore. 
Little John and the Four Beggan (Child's Ballads, V. S27). 
May this hard earth cleave to the Nadir hell, 
Down, down, and close again, and nip me flat, 
If I be such a traitress. 
. Teratyton, Merlin and Vivien. 
The whole body of ice had commenced moving south- 
ward toward the head of the fiord, and the launch, not be- 
ing turned back quick enough, was nifiped between two 
floe of last year's growth. 
A. W. (freely, Arctic Service, p. 7:i. 
nip 
2. Figuratively, to press closely uptm; affect; 
roncern. 
London, look on, this matter nipt thec near. 
Greene md Lodge, Looking GUu for Lond. and Eng. 
Not a word can bee spoke but nipt him somewhere. 
lip. Karle, Mlcro-cosmographle, A Sunpitioui or 
llealoiu Man. 
3. To sever or break the edge or end of by 
pinching; pinch (off) with the ends of the fin- 
gers or with pincers or nippers: with off. 
He [a tench] will bit* ... at a ... worm with his 
head nip'd o/. 1. Walton, Complete Angler, p. 178. 
4. To blast ; as by frost; destroy; check tin- 
growth or vigor of. 
I observed that Cypress are the only trees that grow to- 
w ards the top which, being nipped by the cold, do not grow 
i-niiallv, but like small oaks. 
focacke. Description of the East, II. L 106. 
Is It that the bleak sea-gale . . . 
.Vj too keenly the sweet flower? 
M Arnold, Tristram and Iseult 
5. To affect with a sharp tingling sensation ; 
benumb. 
When blood Is nivu'd and ways be fool. 
Shak., L. L. I_, v. i Wft. 
Though tempest* howl, 
Or tapping frost remind thee trees are bare. 
Wordncurth, Cuckoo-clock. 
6. To bite; sting. 
And sharpe remorse his hart did prick and nip. 
7. To satirize keenly; taunt sarcastically; vex. 
But the right gentle minde woulde bite his Up 
To heare the Javell so good men to nip. 
Speraer, Mother Hub. Tale, I. Tit 
Mrs. Hart . . . nipped and beaked her husband, drank, 
and smoked. & Judd, Margaret, i. S. 
8t. To steal, pilfer; purloin. [Old cant.] 9. 
To snatch up hastily. Hallhcell. [Prov. Eng.] 
An anthentick gypsie, that mpt your bung with a cant- 
ing ordinance. Cteraaitd'i Work*. (Xaret.) 
To nip in the blossom t. Same as (o nip in the bud. 
MareeU. - To nip In the bud, to kill or destroy In the flrtt 
stage of growth ; cut off before development. 
Yet I can frown, and nip a passion 
Even in the bud. 
Beau, and Ft., Woman-Hater . III. 1 
To nip the cable (""'.), to tie or secure a cable with 
nippers to the messenger. 
nipl (nip), . [=D. knip = G. kniff; from the 
verb.] 1 . The act of compressing between two 
opposing surfaces or points, as in seizing and 
compressing a bit of the skin between the fin- 
gers; a pinch. 
I am . . . sharplfe taunted, . . . yea, . . . some times 
with pinches, nippeg, and bobbes. 
I. ml ii Jane Grey, in Ascham's Scholemastr (ed. Arber), 
(p. 7- 
Think not that I will be afraid 
For thy nip, crooked tree. 
RMn Hood and the Beygar (Child's Ballads, V. 191). 
2. A closing in of ice about a vessel so as to 
press upon or crush her. 
The nip began about three o'clock. At half-past four the 
starboard rail was crushed in. 
Sehley and Soley, Rescue of Oreely, p. 7<>. 
3. A pinch which severs or removes a part ; H 
snipping, biting, or pinching off. 
What's this? a sleeve? . . . carved like an apple-tart? 
Here's snip and nip and cut and slish and slash. 
Shale.. T. of the S., Iv. 8. 90. 
4. A small bit of anything : as much as may be 
nipped off by the finger and thumb. [Scotch.] 
If thou hast not laboured, . . . looke that thou put not 
a tup in thy mouth : for there is an inhibition, Let film not 
eate that labours not. 
liiittuck, Comment, on 2 Thes., p. 140. (Jamirton.) 
5. A check to growth from a sudden blasting 
or attack from frost or cold; a sharp frost-bite 
which kills the tips or ends of a plant or leaf. 
6t. A biting sarcasm ; a taunt. 
The manner of Poesie by which they Tttered their bitter 
taunts and priuy tup*, or witty scoffen and other merry 
conceit*. Puttenham, Arte of Eng. Poesie, p. 4::. 
So many nipt, such bitter girdes, such disdainful) gllckes. 
Lyly, Euphues and bis England, p. 291. 
A dry-bob, jeast, or nip. Cotgrarr. 
7t. A thief; a pickpocket. [Old cant.] 
One of them is a nip ; I took him once I' the two-penny 
gallery at the Fortune. 
Middleton and DeHter, Bearing Girl, T. 1. 
He learned the legerdemalne of nipt. 
Greene, Oroats-worth of Wit, 
8. In coal-mining, a thinning of a bed of coal 
by a gradual depression of the roof, so that the 
seam sometimes almost entirely disappears for 
a certain distance, while the beds above and 
below are only slightly, or not at all, affected 
in a similar manner. Also called a trant. 9. 
XttHt.: (a) A short turn in a rope. (6) The part 
of a rope at the place bound by a seizing or 
