Page:A Glossary of Berkshire Words and Phrases.djvu/135

118 NINCOMPOOP.—A silly, stupid person, who will believe any nonsense that is told him.

NIP.—A quick painful pinch of a small piece of flesh. "He give I a 'nip' an I give he a punch."

To cut closely, as to "nip" off a small piece of loose skin with scissors.

NIPPER.—A boy is often so called, rather contemptuously. That young nipper 'ull never be a man if a dwoant larn how to handle his prong better."

NITCH.—A bundle to be carried on the back, as "a nitch of stray" for night littering for horses.

NOBBLE.—To seize quickly. To commit a petty theft. "Jus' as a nobbled a apple out o' my jackut pockut I nobbled he."

NOD.—"In the land of nod" is "gone to sleep."

NODDLE.—The head. "A caught ut on the noddle," i.e., he received a blow on the head.

"To noddle the head" is to shake the head upwards and downwards.

NO GO.—Of no avail; in vain. "I tried to persuaayde 'un to come an' zee 'e, but 'twant no go."

NO GOOD ON.—Of no value. "Drow them things I hev put in the bucket to the pegs, thaay beant no good on."

NO HOW.—Anyhow, in any possible way. "The rabbut be gone a-ground an' us can't get 'un out no how." NO MOOR'N.—Except that. "I likes un vurry well no moor'n I vinds un a bit akkerd at times."

NOODLE.—A very siily person.

NOR.—Always used for 'than.' "My whip hev a-got a better thong nor thine."

NORAAYTION.—A long rambling account, as when a poor old woman, greatly interested in her troubles, relates them very fully.

NOT.—Smooth, even, without irregularity. "That ther vield be not, be-ant a?" (that field is well tilled, is it not?") A "not cow" is a cow without horns.

NOTCH,—When one is added to the score of a game, as cricket, &c., it is called a "notch." A batsman is asked, "how many notches did 'e maayke?"