Out on the nick, phr. (thieves').—Out thieving; on the pinch (q.v.).
To nick with nay, verb. phr. (old).—To deny.
1350. William of Palerne (E. E. T. S.), 4145. Zif sche nickes with nay & nel nouzt com sone.
[?]. Romance of Athelstone. On her knees they kneleden adoun, And prayden hym off hys benysoun: he nykkyd hem with nay.
1820. Scott, Abbot, xxxviii. As I have but one boon to ask, I trust you will not nick me with nay.
Nicks. See Nix.
Nickel, subs. (American).—A five-cent
piece.
1857. New York Herald, 27 May. The new cent creates quite a furor. It is a neat, handy coin, and will soon supplant the cumbersome copper one. 'Nary red' will soon be an obsolete phrase among the boys, and 'nary nickel' will take its place.
Nicker, subs. (old).—A dandy
(q.v.).
Nickerers, subs. pl. (Scots').—'A
cant term for new shoes.'—Jamieson
(1808).
Nickeries, subs. pl. (old).—'Nickeries
are the same [as Nicknames]
applied to actions and
things, or quid pro quo.'—Bee
(1823).
Nickey. See Nikin and Old Nick.
Nick-nack, subs. (old: now recognised).—1.
A trifle; a toy; a curio.
Also knick-knack. See Knack.
sense 2. Hence, nick-nackatory,
nick-nackery and nick-nacky.—Grose
(1785).
1580. G. Harvey, Two Other Letters, &.., in Wks. (Grosart), i., 80. Jugling castes and knickknackes, in comparison of these.
1618. Beaumont and Fletcher, Loyal Subject, ii., 1. But if ye use these knick-knacks, This fast and loose, with faithful men and honest, You'l be the first will find it.
d.1682. T. Brown, in Works (1760), ii., 15. For my part, I keep a knick-nackatory or toy-shop.
1726. Terræ Filius, No. 34, ii., 183. I went with two or three friends, who were members of the University, to the museum, vulgarly called the nick-nackatory.
1750. Fielding, Tom Jones, viii., x. Besides the extraordinary neatness of the room, it was adorned with a great number of nicknacks, and curiosities, which might have engaged the attention of a virtuoso.
1753. Richardson, Grandison, v., 71 (ed. 1812). I know he has judgement in nick-knackatories, and even as much as I wish him in what is called taste.
1790. Morison, Poems, 458. And in the kist, twa webs of wholsesome claith; Some ither nick nacks, sic as pot and pan, Cogues, caps, and spoons, I at a raffle wan.
1824. Miss Ferrier, Inheritance, i., 86. His dressing-room is a perfect show, so neat and nick-nacky.
1849. Lytton, Caxtons, 1., iv. One of those fancy stationers common in country towns, and who sell all kinds of pretty toys and nick-nacks.
1876. Hindley, Adventures of a Cheap Jack, 7. Chimney ornaments and her sideboard nick-nackery on the Pembroke table.
2 (venery).—The female pudendum: see Monosyllable.
3. in pl. (venery).—The testes; cods (q.v.).
Nickname, subs. (old: now recognised).—A
name invented in
derision, contempt, or reproach.
[M. E. an ekename = an agnomen].—Grose
(1785) Bee (1823).
1836. Dickens, Pickwick, xvi. A very good name it [Job] is; only one I know that aint got a nickname to it.
Verb. (colloquial).—To miscall in contempt, derision, or reproach.
