Category: Word of the Day – N

ETYMOLOGY
from never + sweat

EXAMPLE
“… This would be received with peals of laughter, and followed by a general repetition of the same cry. Next, a hundred and fifty cat-calls of the shrillest possible description would almost split the ears. These would be succeeded by cries of ” Strike up, you catgut scrapers,” ” Go on with your barrow,” ” Flare up, my never-sweats,” and a variety of other street sayings. Indeed, the uproar which went on before the meeting began will be best understood if we compare it to the scene presented by a public menagerie at feeding time. …”

From: London Labour and the London Poor;
A cyclopaedia of the condition and earnings of those that will work, those that cannot work, and those that will not work,
By Henry Mayhew, 1851

ETYMOLOGY
from French negatoire or Latin negatorius negative; from negāt-, past participial stem of negare (to negate, to render invalid) + –orius (‑ory) 

EXAMPLE
“… Only one thing grieved me by anticipation; the sorrow of my Berga, for whom, dear tired wayfarer, I on the morrow must overcloud her arrival, and her shortened market – spectacle, by my negatory intelligence. She would so gladly (and who can take it ill of a rich farmer’s daughter?) have made herself somebody in Neusattel, and overshone many a female dignitary! …”

From: Translations From The German
Schmelzle’s Journey to Flaetz
By Jean Paul Feiedrigh Richter
Translated by Thomas Carlyle, 1827

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin ninguidus (snowy, covered in snow), from ninguis (snow) + -idus (-id)

EXAMPLE
The ninguid trees were beautiful, but the roads were a complete slushy mess.

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin notandum, (neuter singular of notandus, gerundive of notare (to note)

EXAMPLE
“… These former notandums having beene premised, we need not dwell long upon answering of objection, for by them the way is opened already, and that which before hath beene delivered will not need any more then application. …”

From: The Prerogative of Man, or, His soules immortality, and high perfection defended, 1645

PRONUNCIATION
noh-TAN-duhm

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin nocivus (harmful, injurious), (from nocere (to hurt)) + -ous

EXAMPLE
“…Phisitions which prescribe a remedy
To each disease & bodies maladie;
That know what is nocivous & what good,”
When it is fit to bath, to purge, let bloode;
Although they know the nature & the power
Of every simple, every hearbe, & flower,
With Solomon, which from the cedar tall
Vnto the hisope spreading on the wall,
Knew every growing plant, flower, hearbe, or tree,
With their true vse & proper qualitie; …”

From: The Times’ Whistle: Or, A New Daunce of Seven Satires, and Other Poems
Compiled by R.C., c1616
Published for the Early English Text Society, 1871

ETYMOLOGY
of uncertain origin;
possibly from Nanny, pet-form of the female forenames Anne and Agnes with suffix ‑cock 

EXAMPLE
“… Hee that doth wonder at a Weathercocke,
And plaies with euery feather in the winde,
And is in loue with euery Nannicocke;
Yet scarcely knowes an Orange by the Rinde:
When euery Foole is found out in his Kinde,
How is it possible but he should passe,
For a poore silly simple witted Asse?…”

From: Pasquils Fooles-Cap sent to such (to keepe their weake braines warme) as are not able to conceiue aright of his mad-cap,
By Nicholas Breton, 1600

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin negant-, negans, present participle of negare (to negate)

EXAMPLE
“… The affirmantes of this proposition, were almost treble so many as were the
negantes. Amongst whiche affirmantes, diuers were then vnmaryed, and neuer dyd afterwarde take the libertie of maryage, as doctor Tailor the bishop, doctor Benson, doctor Redman, doctor Hugh Weston, maister Wotton. &c. …”

From: A Defence of Priestes Mariages stablysshed by the imperiall lawes of the realme of Englande, agaynst a ciuilian, namyng hym selfe Thomas Martin doctour of the ciuile lawes,
Archbishop Matthew Parker, 1567?

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin nugatorius (frivolous, insignificant, worthless) + -ous

EXAMPLE
“… The tenet of the Catholick Church concerning Angels and Devils, that they are invisible spirits created of God in their own distinct substances separate from men, is nugatorious: that the Angels are only qualities and motions which God inspires into men, that the Devils are nothing but only boggles in the night to terrifie men arising from mens imaginations. …”

From: Anabaptism, the true fountaine of Independency, Brownisme, Antinomy, Familisme, and the most of the other errours, which for the time doe trouble the Church of England, vnsealed
By Robert Baillie, 1647

ETYMOLOGY
either  from nabal (a churlish or miserly person) + -itic;
or from nabalite (a foolish person) + -ic

EXAMPLE
“… since they see no reason, why these, as Christs Agents, and Gods Embassadours, should not as well deserve, and enjoy a competent, and comely maintenance, as any publique Officers, either Civill, or Military: Who have more of power to exact, but not more of right, either humane or divine; nor yet more of merit, to require their payes, and fees; Yea, Ministers still dare to hope, that those in power have not any such Nabalitick and churlish humor, as to feast those that shear, and sometimes slay the sheep; while they starve the Shepheards: …”

From: Hieraspistes a Defence by way of Apology for the Ministry and Ministers of the Church of England
By John Gauden, 1653

ETYMOLOGY
from the name of Nebuchadnezzar (died c562 BC) ruler of the Babylonian empire (604–562 BC), after French nabuchodonosor (large wine bottle used for champagne)

EXAMPLE (for n. 3.)
“… That didn’t prevent me strewing my whole room with little bits of paper, when I undressed that night. Fireworks ensue, then (children dismissed) supper and afterwards, the most magnificent Nebuchadnezzars, and finally a good form of blind-man’s buff, where everyone stands round the room in a circle and the blind man walks up and prods someone, telling him at the same time to make a noise … sch as the sound of rain falling on mud – and the speaker has to be recognised by the sound of his voice. …”

From: Letters of Aldous Huxley
By Aldous Huxley, 1969
Letter to Leonard Huxley, 11 November, 1913

PRONUNCIATION
neb-yuh-kuhd-NEZ-uh