Nigger-spit, subs. phr. (popular).—The half-candied lumps in cane sugar.
Niggle (or Nig), verb. (old).—1. See
quots., Greens and Ride. Also
Niggling, subs. = Copulation.—B.
E. (c. 1696); Grose (1785).
1567. Harman, Caveat (1814), p. 66. To nygle, to have to do with a woman carnally.
1608. Dekker, Lanthorne and Candlelight [Grosart, Works (1886), iii., 203]. If we niggle, or mill a bowzing Ken.
1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark-all, p. 39 (H. Club's Rept. 1874). Nigling, company keeping with a woman: this word is not used now, but wapping, and thereof comes the name wapping morts, Whoores.
1612. Dekker, 'Bing out, bien Morts,' v. [Farmer, Musa Pedestris (1896), 11]. And wapping Dell that niggles well, and takes loure for her hire.
1641. Brome, Jovial Crew [Farmer, Musa Pedestris (1896), 25]. The autum-mort finds better sport In bowsing than in nigling.
2. (common).—To trifle. Also Niggling = trifling.—Grose (1785).
1632. Massinger, Emperor of the East, v., 3. Take heed, daughter, You niggle not with your conscience.
3. (artists').—To attend excessively to detail; to work on a small scale, with a small brush, to a small purpose.
1883. W. Black, Yolande, ch. xlix. Do you think Mr. Meteyard could get that portrait of you finished off to-day? Bless my soul, it wasn't to have been a portrait at all!—it was only to have been a sketch. And he has kept on niggling and niggling away at it—why?
Night, subs. (old).—Combinations
are Night-bird (q.v.); night-cap
(q.v.); night-fossicker
(Australian mining) = a nocturnal
thief of quartz or dust: whence
night-fossicking; night-gear
(or -piece) = a bedfellow,
male or female; night-hawk
(-hunter, -snap, or -trader)
= night-bird (q.v.); night-house
= (1) a public-house
licensed to open at night,
and (2) a brothel; night-hunter
= (1) a poacher, and (2) a
night-bird (q.v.); night-jury
= a band of night brawlers:
night-magistrate = (1) the
head of a watch-house, whence
(2) a constable; night-man =
see quot., 1785, and gold-finder;
night-physic (or
-work) = copulation: night-rale
(or -rail) = (1) night
apparel, and (2) a combing-cloth;
night-shade = night-bird,
2 (q.v.); night-sneaker
= see quot., 1598; night-walker
= night-bird (q.v ), whence
night-walking = prowling at
night for robbery, prostitution,
etc.
1598, Florio, Worlde of Wordes, p. 105. Wanton or effeminate lads, night sneakers.
1598. Shakspeare, 2 Hen. IV., iii., 2. Shallow. And is Jane Nightwork alive?. . . She was a bona-roba . . . certain she's old, and had Robin Nightwork by old Nightwork before I came to Clement's Inn.
b.1600. Grim the Collier [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), viii., 463]. Except my poor Joan here, and she is my own proper night-gear.
1632. Massingeb, Maid of Honour, ii., 2. Which of your grooms, Your coachman, fool, or footman, ministers night-physic to you?
1637. Massinger, Guardian, iii., 5. Now I think I had ever a lucky hand in such smock night-work.
1639. Mayne, City Match, v., 7. Panders, avoid my house! O devil! are you my wife's night-pieces.
c.1696. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v., Night-rale. A woman's combing cloth, to dress her head in. Ibid. Night-magistrate.
