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nigh on

 - 2 dictionary results

nigh

  [nahy] adverb, adjective, nigh⋅er, nigh⋅est, preposition, verb
Use nigh on 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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Word Origin & History

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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