nigh
See also: Nigh
English
WOTD – 16 October 2011
Etymology
From Middle English neygh, nygh, nye, nyȝ, from Old English nēah, nēh, from Proto-Germanic *nēhw.
Cognate with Dutch na (“close, near”), German nah (“close, near, nearby”), Luxembourgish no (“nearby, near, close”). See also near.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /naɪ/
Audio (US) (file) Audio (AU) (file) - Rhymes: -aɪ
Adjective
nigh (comparative nigher or more nigh, superlative nighest or most nigh)
- (archaic, poetic) near, close by
- The end is nigh!
- 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto IX”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, OCLC 960102938, stanza 14, page 311:
- For with ſuch puiſſance and impetuous maine / Thoſe Champions broke on them, that forſt the fly, / Like ſcattered Sheepe, whenas the Shepherds ſwaine / A Lyon and a Tigre doth eſpye, / With greedy pace forth ruſhing from the foreſt nye.
- a. 1831, Ludovico Ariosto, William Stewart Rose (translator), Orlando Furioso, 2006, Echo Library, page 185,
- He at his head took aim who stood most nigh;
- 1831, John Knox, The History of the Reformation of Religion in Scotland, page 421,
- By these and many histories more, it is most evident, that the more nigh salvation and deliverance approach, the more vehement is temptation and trouble.
- 1834, Davy Crockett, A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett, page 197,
- The enemy, somewhat imboldened, draws nigher to the fort.
- 1889, House of Commons of Canada, Debates: Official Report, Volume 2, page 1408,
- You then went to St. Andrews, the nighest ocean port.
- 2020 May 20, John Crosse, “Soon to be gone... but never forgotten”, in Rail, page 63, photo caption:
- The end is nigh (or at least it was supposed to be), but the Pacers in northern England kept plugging away providing a service while awaiting the much-delayed arrival of their replacements.
- Not remote in degree, kindred, circumstances, etc.; closely allied; intimate.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981, Ephesians 2:13:
- Ye […] are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
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Usage notes
- Near was originally the comparative form of nigh; the superlative form was next. Nigh is used today mostly in archaic, poetic, or regional contexts.
Synonyms
- (near): close, near; see also Thesaurus:near
Derived terms
- nighen
- nighness
Related terms
- near
- neighbor
- next
Translations
near, close by
|
Verb
nigh (third-person singular simple present nighs, present participle nighing, simple past and past participle nighed)
- (transitive, intransitive) to draw nigh (to); to approach; to come near
- 1924, Thomas Hardy, He Resolves to Say No More
- When the charnel-eyed Pale Horse has nighed
- 1924, Thomas Hardy, He Resolves to Say No More
Quotations
- For quotations using this term, see Citations:nigh.
Alternative forms
- ny (obsolete)
Translations
to approach
|
Adverb
nigh (not comparable)
- Almost, nearly.
- 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 12, in Mr. Pratt's Patients:
- So, after a spell, he decided to make the best of it and shoved us into the front parlor. […] It looked like a tomb and smelt pretty nigh as musty and dead-and-gone.
- 2017 July 16, Brandon Nowalk, “Chickens and dragons come home to roost on Game Of Thrones (newbies)”, in The Onion AV Club:
- Hell of a surprise in the seventh season premiere of Game Of Thrones. Arya Stark, fresh off a nigh Cersei-level ambush of the Frey household, comes upon a small campfire surrounded by fresh-faced red cloaks.
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Usage notes
- Nigh is sometimes used as a combining form.
Quotations
- For quotations using this term, see Citations:nigh.
Derived terms
- fornigh
- nighness
- nigh on
- nigh-well
- overnigh
- well-nigh
Translations
almost; nearly
|
Preposition
nigh
- near; close to
- 1661-5, Thomas Salusbury (translator), Galileo Galilei, Dialogue concerning the Two Chief World Systems, 1632
- When the Moon is horned […] is it not ever nigh the Sun?
- 1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide
- The cottage stood nigh the burn, in a little garden, with lilyoaks and grosart bushes lining the pathway.
- 1661-5, Thomas Salusbury (translator), Galileo Galilei, Dialogue concerning the Two Chief World Systems, 1632
Translations
near, close to
|
Anagrams
- Hing, hing, inHg
Irish
Etymology
From Middle Irish nigid (“he washes”)
Pronunciation
- (Munster) /nʲɪɟ/
- (Connacht, Ulster) IPA(key): (imperative) /n̠ʲiː/, (analytic past indicative) /nʲiː/
Verb
nigh (present analytic níonn, future analytic nífidh, verbal noun ní, past participle nite)
- (transitive, intransitive) wash
Conjugation
First Conjugation (C)
| singular | plural | relative | autonomous | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| first | second | third | first | second | third | ||||
| indicative | present | ním | níonn tú; nír† | níonn sé, sí | nímid | níonn sibh | níonn siad; níd† | a níonn; a níos | nitear |
| past | nigh mé; níos | nigh tú; nís | nigh sé, sí | níomar; nigh muid | nigh sibh; níobhair | nigh siad; níodar | a nigh / ar nigh* | níodh | |
| past habitual | nínn | niteá | níodh sé, sí | nimis; níodh muid | níodh sibh | nidís; níodh siad | a níodh / a níodh* | nití | |
| future | nífidh mé; nífead | nífidh tú; nífir† | nífidh sé, sí | nífimid; nífidh muid | nífidh sibh | nífidh siad; nífid† | a nífidh; a nífeas | nífear | |
| conditional | nífinn | nífeá | nífeadh sé, sí | nífimis; nífeadh muid | nífeadh sibh | nífidís; nífeadh siad | a nífeadh / a nífeadh* | nífí | |
| subjunctive | present | go ní mé; go níod† | go ní tú; go nír† | go ní sé, sí | go nímid; go ní muid | go ní sibh | go ní siad; go níd† | — | go nitear |
| past | dá nínn | dá niteá | dá níodh sé, sí | dá nimis; dá níodh muid | dá níodh sibh | dá nidís; dá níodh siad | — | dá nití | |
| imperative | ním | nigh | níodh sé, sí | nímis | nígí; nídh† | nídís | — | nitear | |
| verbal noun | ní | ||||||||
| past participle | nite | ||||||||
* Indirect relative
† Archaic or dialect form
Related terms
- níochán m (“(act of) washing; wash, laundry; clothes washed or to be washed”)
- na soithí a ní (“do the dishes”)
Further reading
- Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “nigh”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
- G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “nigid”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
Scottish Gaelic
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɲiː/
Etymology 1
From Middle Irish nigid (“he washes”). Compare English nixie (“water sprite”), Ancient Greek νίζω (nízō)).
Verb
nigh (past nigh, future nighidh, verbal noun nighe, past participle nighte)
- wash, cleanse, purify
- bathe
Inflection
| Tense \\ Voice | Active | Passive |
|---|---|---|
| Present | a' nighe | -- |
| Past | nigh | nigheadh |
| Future | nighidh | nighear |
| Conditional | nigheadh | nighteadh |
Noun
nigh f (genitive singular nighe)
- daughter
- niece
Further reading
- Edward Dwelly (1911), “nigh”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
- G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “nigid”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language