Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Nigh
Nigh
(nī)
, Adj.
[
Com
par.
Nigher
(nī′ẽr)
; sup
erl.
Nighest
, or Next
(nĕkst)
.] 1.
Not distant or remote in place or time; near.
The loud tumult shows the battle
nigh
. Prior.
2.
Not remote in degree, kindred, circumstances, etc.; closely allied; intimate.
“Nigh kinsmen.” Knolles.
Ye . . . are made
nigh
by the blood of Christ. Eph. ii. 13.
Syn. – Near; close; adjacent; contiguous; present; neighboring.
1.
In a situation near in place or time, or in the course of events; near.
He was sick,
nigh
unto death. Phil. ii. 27.
He drew not
Ere he drew
nigh
unheard; the angel bright,Ere he drew
nigh
, his radiant visage turned. Milton.
2.
Almost; nearly;
as, he was
. nigh
deadNigh
,Verb.
T.
& I.
To draw nigh (to); to approach; to come near.
[Obs.]
Wyclif (Matt. iii. 2).
Nigh
,p
rep.
Near to; not remote or distant from.
“was not this nigh shore?” Shak.
Webster 1828 Edition
Nigh
NIGH
,Adj.
1.
Near; not distant or remote in place or time.The loud tumult shows the battle nigh.
When the fig-tree putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh.
2.
Closely allied by blood; as a nigh kinsman.3.
Easy to be obtained or learnt; of easy access.The word is very nigh unto thee. Deuteronomy 30.
4.
Ready to support, to forgive, or to aid and defend.The Lord is nigh unto them who are of a broken heart. Psalm 34.
5.
Close in fellowship; intimate in relation.Ye are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2.
6.
Near in progress or condition. Hebrews 6.NIGH
,adv.
ni.
1.
Near; at a small distance in place or time, or in the course of events.He was sick, nigh to death. Philippians 2.
2.
Near to a place.He drew nigh.
3.
Almost; near. He was nigh dead.Nigh is never a preposition. In the phrase, nigh this recess, with terror they survey, there is an ellipsis of to. They, nigh to this recess, survey, &c.
NIGH
,Verb.
I.
ni.
Definition 2024
nigh
nigh
English
Adjective
nigh (comparative nigher or more nigh, superlative nighest or most nigh)
- (archaic, poetic) near, close by
- The end is nigh!
- 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.
- Not remote in degree, kindred, circumstances, etc.; closely allied; intimate.
- Knolles
- nigh kinsmen
- Bible, Eph. ii. 13
- Ye […] are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
- Knolles
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
Related terms
Translations
near, close by
Verb
nigh (third-person singular simple present nighs, present participle nighing, simple past and past participle nighed)
- To draw nigh (to); to approach; to come near.
- night is nighing, death is nighing
- nighing his hour
- a death-nighing moan
Quotations
- For usage examples of this term, see Citations:nigh.
Translations
to approach
Adverb
nigh (not comparable)
- Almost, nearly.
- Achieving the summit in a single day is, well, nigh impossible.
- 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.
Usage notes
- Nigh is sometimes used as a combining form.
Quotations
- For usage examples of this term, see Citations:nigh.
Derived terms
- well-nigh
- nigh on
- nigh-well
Translations
almost; nearly
Preposition
nigh
Translations
near, close to
Irish
Etymology
From Middle Irish nigid (“he washes”), from Proto-Indo-European *neygʷ- (“to wash”).
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)
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 / 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 / ar níodh* |
nití | |
| future | nífidh mé; nífead |
nífidh tú; nífir† |
nífidh sé, sí | nífimid; nífidh muid |
nífidh sibh | nífidh siad; nífid† |
a nífidh; a nífeas / a nífidh*; a nífeas* |
nífear | |
| conditional | nífinn | nífeá | nífeadh sé, sí | nífimis; nífeadh muid | nífeadh sibh | nífidís; nífeadh siad | a nífeadh / ar 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
† Dialect form
Related terms
- níochán m (“(act of) washing; wash, laundry; clothes washed or to be washed”)
References
- "nigh" in Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla, An Gúm, 1977, by Niall Ó Dónaill.
- “nigid” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.
Scottish Gaelic
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɲiː/
Etymology 1
From Middle Irish nigid (“he washes”), from Proto-Indo-European *neygʷ- (“to wash”) (compare English nixie (“water sprite”), Ancient Greek νίζω (nízō)).
Verb
nigh (past nigh, future nighidh, verbal noun nighe, past participle nighte)
Inflection
| Tense \ Voice | Active | Passive |
|---|---|---|
| Present | a' nighe | -- |
| Past | nigh | nigheadh |
| Future | nighidh | nighear |
| Conditional | nigheadh | nighteadh |
Etymology 2
Noun
nigh f (genitive singular nighe)
References
- Faclair Gàidhlig Dwelly Air Loidhne, Dwelly, Edward (1911), Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan/The Illustrated [Scottish] Gaelic-English Dictionary (10th ed.), Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, ISBN 0 901771 92 9
- “nigid” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.