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nigh - 7 dictionary results

nigh

  [nahy] adverb, adjective, nigh⋅er, nigh⋅est, preposition, verb
Use nigh in a Sentence
–adverb
1. near in space, time, or relation: The time draws nigh.
2. nearly; almost; (often fol. by on or onto): nigh onto twenty years.
–adjective
3. near; approaching: Evening is nigh.
4. short or direct: to take the nighest route.
5. (of an animal or vehicle) being on the left side: to be astride the nigh horse.
6. Archaic. parsimonious; stingy.
–preposition
7. near.
–verb (used without object), verb (used with object)
8. Archaic. to approach.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME nigh(e), neye, OE nēah, nēh, c. D na, G nahe, ON nā-, Goth nehw, nehwa; cf. near, next
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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nigh   (nī)   
adv.   nigh·er, nigh·est
  1. Near in time, place, or relationship: Evening draws nigh.
  2. Nearly; almost: talked for nigh onto two hours.
adj.   nigher, nighest
  1. Being near in time, place, or relationship; close. See Synonyms at close.
    1. Being on the left side of an animal or vehicle: pulling hard on the nigh rein.
    2. Being the animal or vehicle on the left: the nigh horse.
prep.  Not far from; near.
tr. & intr.v.   nighed, nigh·ing, nighs
To come near to or draw near.

[Middle English neigh, from Old English nēah, nēh.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Nigh

Nigh\, a. [Compar. Nigher; superl. Nighest, or Next.] [OE. nigh, neigh, neih, AS. ne['a]h, n?h; akin to D. na, adv., OS. n[=a]h, a., OHG. n[=a]h, G. nah, a., nach to, after, Icel. n[=a] (in comp.) nigh, Goth. n?hw, n?hwa, adv., nigh. Cf. Near, Neighbor, Next.]

1. Not distant or remote in place or time; near.

The loud tumult shows the battle nigh. --Prior.

2. Not remote in degree, kindred, circumstances, etc.; closely allied; intimate. "Nigh kinsmen." --Knolles.

Ye . . . are made nigh by the blood of Christ. --Eph. ii. 13.

Syn: Near; close; adjacent; contiguous; present; neighboring.

Nigh

Nigh\, adv. [AS. ne['a]h, n?h. See Nigh, a.]

1. In a situation near in place or time, or in the course of events; near.

He was sick, nigh unto death. --Phil. ii. 27.

He drew not nigh unheard; the angel bright, Ere he drew nigh, his radiant visage turned. --Milton.

2. Almost; nearly; as, he was nigh dead.

Nigh

Nigh\, v. t. & i. To draw nigh (to); to approach; to come near. [Obs.] --Wyclif (Matt. iii. 2).

Nigh

Nigh\, prep. Near to; not remote or distant from. "was not this nigh shore?" --Shak.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : nigh
Spanish: cerca,
German: nahe,
Japanese: 近くに
More Translations »

nigh 
"near," O.E. neah (W.Saxon), neh (Anglian), common Gmc. (cf. O.Fris. nei, M.Du. na, O.H.G. nah, Ger. nah, Goth. nehwa), with no cognates outside Gmc. The O.E. progression was neah - near - niehsta, for "nigh - near - next." But the comp. near and the superl. nehst gradually evolved into separate words not felt as related to nigh. New comp. and superl. forms, nigher, nighest, developed 1300s as phonetic changes obscured the original relationships.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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