Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 5.pdf/44

 Nick-ninny, subs. phr. (old).—A flat-catcher.—B. E. (c. 1696); Grose (1785).

Nick-pot, subs. (old).—A stealer of publican's pots.

1602. Rowlands, Greene's Ghost, 22. A necessarie caveat for victuallers and nick-pots.

Nickum, subs. (old).—See quot.

c.1696. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Nickum. A sharper; also a Rooking Ale-house or Innkeeper, Vintner, or any Retailer.

Nickumpoop. See Nincumpoop.

Niddicock, subs. (old).—A fool.

1587. Holinshed, Disc. of Ireland, G. 3, col. 1 a. They were never such fond Niddicockes as to offer any man a rodde to beate their owne tayles.

1654. Gayton, Festivous Notes, p. 61. Oh, Chrysostome, thou deservest to be stak'd as well as buried in the open fields, for being such a goose, widgeon, and niddecock, to dye for love. Ibid. Shee was just such another niddecook as Joan Gutierez.

Niddipol, subs. (old).—A fool.

1583. Stanyhurst, Vigil: Æneid, iv., 110. What niddipol hare brayne.

Nidget. See Nigit.

Niece, subs. (common).—A priest's illegitimate daughter, or concubine: whence the expression, 'No more character than a priest's niece.'

1848. Ruxton, Life in the Far West, p. 145. They were probably his nieces.

Niffnaffy, adj. (old).—Fastidious; trifling.—Grose (1785).

1815. Scott, Guy Mannering, xliv. Niff-naffy gentles that gae sae muckle fast wi' their fancies.

Nifty, adj. (American).—Conspicuous: smart.

1869. S. L. Clemens ('Mark Twain'), The Innocents at Home, ii. He was always nifty himself, and so you bet his funeral ain't going to be no slouch.

Nig, subs. in pl. (old).—1. The clippings of money. Also nig, verb. = to clip money.—B. E. (c. 1696); Grose (1785).

2. (American).—A negro. [Abbreviation of 'nigger']. See Snowball.

1889. Harper's Mag., lxxviii., 248. Some of the little nigs have no clothes at all.

3. (back-slang).—Gin. See Drinks and White Satin.

Verb. (old).—1. To catch. See Nab and Nick.

1754. Scoundrel's Dict. Tho' he tips them the Pikes they nig him again.

2. (venery).—See Niggle.

3. (American).—To revoke: at cards. Also re-nig.

Nigger. Nigger in the fence, subs. phr. (American).—An underhand design, motive, or purpose.

Nigger-baby, subs. phr. (American Civil War).—A monster projectile: as used at the siege of Charleston. [Attributed to General Hardie of the Confederate Army]. See Swamp Angel.

Nigger-driving, subs. (colloquial).—Exhausting with work.

1880. G. R. Sims, Three Brass Balls, Pledge xiv. In the worst days of American slavery never was there such nigger-driving as that practised systematically by the wholesale drapery trade.

Nigger-luck, subs. phr. (American).—Very good fortune.

1888. The Critic, 14 Ap. I am cussed, he howled to a crowd of his own stripe, if any darned rebel can have such nigger luck and enjoy it while I live. You can bet I'll soon settle that.