• NAP
adj. 1. 1881 Sc. & Eng. dial. – expert, clever; particularly good at one’s trade, or at any game of skill
adj. 2. Bk1905 Sc. – ready, eager, desirous
n. 1. c1000 obs. – a drinking cup or bowl
n. 2. c1696 sl. – a short sleep
n. 3. L17 Brit. – an infection of a venereal disease
n. 4. a1700 sl. obs. – a sheep-stealer
n. 5. c1700 sl. obs. – an arrest
n. 6. 1804 Sc. & Eng. dial. – the head or foam on a glass of ale; ale, strong beer
n. 7. 1807 Sc. & Eng. dial. – the head
n. 8. 1844 Sc. – a shin of beef
n. 9. 1851 theatrical sl. – a pretended blow
n. 10. 1885 Sc. – a joke, jest; fun; a gibe, a sarcastic remark or reproof; a jeering way of speaking
n. 11. 1892 Aust. sl. – blankets or other covering used by a person sleeping in the open air
n. 12. 1931 US sl. – the short, curly hair of a Black person
n. 13. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – Napoleon Bonaparte
n. 14. 1966 Amer. dial. – a soft roll of dust that collects on the floor under beds or other furniture
n. 15. 1991 UK sl. – in horse racing: a tipster’s best bet
n. 16. 1996 US sl. – the hair; your hairstyle
n. 17. 20C US derogatory – a nickname for a Black person
n. 18. 2001 UK sl. – a good bet, a sure thing
vb. 1. 1673 sl. – to seize, to catch, to lay hold of a person or thing; to take into custody; to nab, to steal
vb. 2. c1696 sl. – to cheat at dice
vb. 3. L17 Brit. – to infect with a venereal disease
vb. 4. 1877 Eng. dial. – to burst
vb. 5. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – to prowl; to go about with dishonest intentions
vb. 6. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – to stop, to frustrate
• NAP-ACHE
n. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – a headache
• NAP AND DOUBLE
n. 1930s rhyming sl. – trouble
• NAP A WINDER
vb. Bk1902 sl. – to be hanged
• NAPE
n. c1450 obs. rare – a table-cloth
vb. c1440 obs. – to strike a person on the back of the neck
• NAPERER
n. 1494 obs. – the person having charge of the royal table linen
• NAPERIE
n. 1721 Sc. – household or other linen
• NAPERY
n. c1380 now rare exc. Sc. – linen used for various household purposes, esp. table linen
• NAPET
n. c1440 obs. – a napkin
• NAPH
adj. 1. 1960s sl. – in poor taste; unappealing, unfashionable, bad
adj. 2. 1990s sl. – second-rate, workaday
• NAP-HAND
n. 1887 Eng. dial. – a clever workman; one expert at any business or at a game of skill
• NAPIER
n. 1880 rare – the person having charge of the royal table linen
• NAP IT
vb. a1700 sl. – to receive severe punishment, esp. in a boxing match
• NAPKIN
n. 1. 1530 obs. exc. Sc. & N. Eng. dial. – a pocket handkerchief
n. 2. 1685 Sc. & Eng. dial. – a kerchief used to cover the head, or to tie round the neck
• NAPKIN-SNATCHER
n. 19C sl. – a thief of handkerchiefs
• NAPKIN-SNATCHING
n. 1823 sl. – stealing handkerchiefs
• NAP-KNEED
adj. B1900 Eng. dial. – knock-kneed
• NAPLES SPIDER
n. 1840 – the tarantula
• NAP-NIX
n. Bk1902 theatrical sl. – an amateur player of minor parts for the sake of experience
• NAP OF SLEEP
n. 1931 Amer. dial. – a short sleep, a doze
• NAPOLEON
n. 1930s African-American sl. – an insane man; an eccentric-acting man
• NAPOO
adj. 1919 Amer. sl. – gone; dead; finished
vb. 1. 1915 Brit. sl. – to kill deliberately
vb. 2. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – to ruin; to destroy
• NAPOO-FINI
adj. World War I Amer. sl. – gone; dead; finished
• NAPOOH
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – dead
• NAPPAN
n. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – the head, esp. a head well furnished with brains
• NAPPATANZER
n. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – a comic term of depreciation applied to a person or animal
• NAPPER
adj. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – clever at anything
n. 1. a1700 sl. obs. – a cheat, or thief
n. 2. 1724 Eng. dial. – the head
n. 3. 1892 Eng. dial. – a boy
n. 4. Bk1902 sl. – a hat; a cap
n. 5. Bk1905 N. Ireland – anything large and good of its kind
• NAPPER-CASE
n. 1892 Eng. dial. – the head
• NAPPERKIDS
n. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – kidnappers
• NAPPER OF NAPS
n. c1712 sl. – a sheep stealer
• NAPPER-WRAPPER
n. 1998 UK sl. – a turban
• NAPPIE
adj. c1700 Sc. – of ale or liquor: foaming, brisk, strong, rich, heady
n. 1. 1743 – ale; liquor
n. 2. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – the magpie, Pica rustica
• NAPPING-GEAR
n. E16 sl. – strong ale
• NAPPISHNESS
n. 1851 rare – sleepiness
• NAPPY
adj. 1. a1529 – of intoxicating liquors, chiefly ale: having a head, foaming; strong
adj. 2. 1721 – slightly intoxicated or exhilarated by drink
adj. 3. 1857 Sc. – of a person: strong, vigorous
adj. 4. 1885 US sl., often derogatory – of hair: usually of the hair of a Black person: naturally tightly curled, frizzy
adj. 5. 1894 Sc. – of a place: bright, cheerful
n. 1. 1743 – ale; liquor
n. 2. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – Napoleon Bonaparte
n. 3. M20 US sl., derogatory – a nickname for a Black person
• NAPPY ALE
n. E16 sl. – strong ale
• NAPPYBLACK
adj. 1960s African-American sl., sometimes derogatory – very African looking
• NAPPY DUGOUT
n. 1998 US sl. – of a Black woman: the vagina
• NAPPY EDGES
n. 1870s African-American sl. – brittle and broken hair along the hairline
• NAPPY-HEAD
n. 1943 Amer. dial., sometimes derogatory – someone with kinky hair; a Black person
• NAPPY-HEADED
adj. c1937 Amer. dial., sometimes derogatory – having kinky hair
• NAPRON
n. 1887 Sc. & Eng. dial. – an apron
• NAPS
n. 1870s sl. African-American sl. – kinky hair
ׇ• NAPSACK
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a sleeping bag
• NAPSIE
n. 1824 Sc. – a small fat animal, esp. a sheep
• NAPSY
n. Bk1903 Eng. dial. – an abscess
• NAP-TAKING
adj. 1602 obs. rare – that takes one napping; unexpected
• NAP THE PAD
vb. M18 UK criminals’ sl. – to go to bed
• NAP THE REGULARS
vb. M19 UK criminals’ sl. – to take one’s usual share of a robbery’s proceeds
• NAP TRAP
n. 1976 US sl. – a roadside rest area
• NAR
adj. 1988 US sl. – treacherous
• NARC
n. 1. 1859 sl. – a police informer
n. 2. 1967 US sl. – a member of a federal, state, or local drug squad; an undercover narcotics officer
n. 3. 1976 Amer. sl. – a tattletale
n. 4. 2001 US sl. – a social outcast
vb. 1969 Amer. sl. – to inform upon; to snitch
• NARC ARK
n. 1973 US sl. – an undercover narcotic officer’s car
• NARCHER
n. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – a lad, generally one of mischievous disposition
• NARCO
n. 1. 1955 US sl. – a narcotic drug
n. 2. 1967 US sl. – a member of a federal, state, or local drug squad
• NARCOMANIA
n. 1888 – an uncontrollable craving for narcotic drugs
• NARCOMANIAC
n. 1888 – one having an uncontrollable craving for narcotics
• NARCOTICAL
adj. 1587 rare – of a narcotic nature; having the effect of inducing stupor, sleep, or insensibility
• NARCOTICISM
n. 1822 rare – the condition produced by narcotics; a state of stupor, somnolence, or insensibility
• NARCOTIST
n. 1860 – one addicted to the use of narcotics
• NARCOTIZE
vb. 1. 1843 – to drug or render insensible with a narcotic
vb. 2. 1864 – to dull or deaden
• NARD
n. 1960s US sl. – an obnoxious person
• NARDS
n. 1. 1993 Amer. sl. – breasts
n. 2. M20 US sl. – the testicles
• NARE
adj. c888 obs. – narrow
n. 1. 1398 obs. – a nostril
n. 2. now arch. – a nostril of a hawk
• NARE-A-FACE-BUT-HIS-OWN
adj. c1696 sl. – not a penny in his pocket
• NAREL; NARELL
n. 1486 obs. rare – a nostril
• NARELY
adv. 1968 Amer. dial. – none at all
• NARG
n. 1. 1824 Sc. – a grumbling, criticizing, nagging person
n. 2. 1866 Sc. – continual grumbling, importuning, or fault-finding; peevish wrangling
n. 3. 1903 Sc. – hard, slow, laborious work, as in rowing; a strong contrary wind at sea, causing turbulence and commotion; a dangerous or troublesome sea
n. 4. 1980s NZ sl., derogatory – an Indian
vb. 1824 Sc. – to keep grumbling and finding fault; to be peevish; to argue snappishly; to nag, to taunt
• NARGIE
adj. 1825 Sc. – jeering, scornful
n. 1963 Sc. – a grumbling, discontented person
• NARGIT
adj. 1923 Sc. – vexed, chagrined, exasperated
• NARIKIN
n. 1910s sl. – a nouveau riche
• NARK
adj. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – delicate, tender
n. 1. 1860 Brit. sl. – a stool pigeon or informer; a police spy
n. 2. 1846 sl., chiefly Aust. & NZ – an annoying, unpleasant or despicable person; an oaf, a jerk
n. 3. 1923 sl. – an annoying thing
n. 4. 1967 US sl. – a member of a federal, state, or local drug squad; an undercover narcotics officer
n. 5. 1976 Amer. sl. – a tattletale
n. 6. 2001 US sl. – a social outcast
vb. 1. 1860 Brit. sl. – to act as a police informer or stool pigeon; to snitch
vb. 2. 1860 Eng. dial. & sl. – to annoy, to vex, to irritate, to exasperate; to infuriate; to become annoyed
vb. 3. Bk1902 thieves’ sl. – to see, to watch; to spy
vb. 4. 1916 sl. – to complain
• NARK ARK
n. 1973 US sl. – an undercover narcotic officer’s car
• NARKED
adj. 1898 Eng. dial. – vexed, angry
• NARKER
n. 1. 1932 Brit. sl. – one who betrays associates to the police or other authorities; an informer
n. 2. 1937 sl. – a complainer
• NARK IT!
int. 1936 Brit. sl. – be quiet
• NARKY
adj. 1895 Eng. dial. – vexed, angry, ill-tempered, bad-tempered
• NARLE
n. Bk1905 Sc. – a lump; a tumour
• NARLINS
adv. 1790 Eng. dial. – nearly, almost
• NARLY
adv. 1816 Sc. – narrowly
• NARNA
n. 1960s sl. – a fool, an idiot, an incompetent
• NARP
n. 1857 Sc. – a shirt
• NARR
vb. 1. 1509 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – of a dog: to snarl, to growl
vb. 2. 1825 Sc. – to be discontented or peevish; to fret
• NARRABLE
adj. 1623 rare – that which may be declared
• NARRATION
n. 1871 Sc. – an uproar, fuss, clamour, noisy altercation, disturbance
• NARRATIVE
n. L19 UK middle class usage – a dog’s tail
• NARRATRESS
n. 1798 – a female narrator
• NARRATRIX
n. 1809 – a female narrator
• NARRISH
adj. 1. 1889 colloq. – thrifty, mean
adj. 2. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – somewhat narrow
• NARROW
adj. 1. a1225 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – sparing, close, parsimonious, mean, stingy
adj. 2. 1556 obs. rare – of friendship: close, intimate
adj. 3. 1611 rare – of time: short, brief
adj. 4. Bk1902 colloq. – formerly careful
adj. 5. Bk1902 sl. – stupid, foolish
adv. 1. a900 obs. – closely, carefully, keenly
adv. 2. a1225 obs. – closely, straitly, strictly
adv. 3. 1711 colloq. – not one
n. 1. a1300 rare – a narrow part, place, or thing; the narrow part of something
n. 2. 1772 – a narrow part of a street
n. 3. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – an arrow
• NARROW AS A DRINK OF WATER
adj. B1900 Eng. dial. – of a person: excessively thin
• NARROW-ASSED
adj. 1916-22 Amer. sl. – having slim hips; thin, skinny
• NARROWBACK
n. 1. 1930 US sl. – a man too weak to engage in hard labour
n. 2. 1957 Amer. sl., derogatory – an Irish-American
n. 3. 1968 Amer. dial. – a Protestant
• NARROW-CHINED
adj. 1. 1889 Eng. dial. – thin-faced
adj. 2. 1889 Eng. dial. – niggardly, greedy
• NARROW-CONTRACTED
adj. 1. 1909 Amer. dial. – narrow-minded; stingy, mean, ungenerous
adj. 2. 1930 Amer. dial. – stubborn, dogmatic; straitlaced; cross, unsociable
• NARROWDALE NOON
n. 1868 Eng. dial. – one o’ clock
• NARROW-EYED
adj. 1599 obs. rare – observing closely
• NARROW-FISTED
adj. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – greedy, grasping
• NARROW-GAUGE
adj. Bk1902 Amer. sl. – inferior; worthless; small
n. 1922 Amer. sl. – (usually as ‘narrow gauge’) in the US Marine Corps: a corporal
• NARROW-GAUGED MULE
n. 1882 Amer. dial. – a jackrabbit; a hare
• NARROW-GAUGE MULE
n. 1917 Amer. dial. – a jackrabbit; a hare
• NARROW-GUTTED
adj. 1. 1903 Amer. dial. – stingy, mean, ungenerous
adj. 2. 1910s US sl. – slim, skinny; thus, fig. narrow-minded
• NARROW-HARSED
adj. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – narrow-minded; mean, stingy, barely honest
• NARROWHEAD
n. c1440 obs. – narrowness
• NARROW-HEARTED
adj. c1200 – mean, ungenerous, ignoble
• NARROW HOME
n. 1936 Amer. dial. – the grave
• NARROW HOUSE
n. 1810 – the grave
• NARROW IN THE SHOULDERS
adj. 1516 obs. – incapable of bearing ridicule
• THE NARROW LANE
n. 1542 sl. – the throat
• NARROWLY
adv. 1. a1225 obs. rare – sparingly, parsimoniously
adv. 2. c1375 obs. rare – barely, scarcely
adv. 3. 1560 obs. – closely, straitly
• NARROW-MINDED
adj. 1625 – illiberal, bigoted, prejudiced; incapable of broad views
• NARROW-NEBBED
adj. 1. 1899 Sc. – narrow in one’s religious views; superstitiously struck; apt to take offense
adj. 2. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – sharp-nosed
adj. 3. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – stingy, cunning
adj. 4. 1930 Amer. dial. – stubborn, dogmatic; peculiar
• NARROW-NECK
n. 1968 Amer. dial. – a devoutly religious person; a ‘holy roller’
• NARROW PLACE IN THE ROAD
n. 1967 Amer. dial. – a small, unimportant, or out-of-the-way settlement
• NARROW-SOULED
adj. 1. 1641 – lacking in breadth of view or feeling; ungenerous
adj. 2. a1700 N. Eng. dial. – mean, stingy, parsimonious, ungenerous
• NARROW-SPIRITED
adj. 1679 – mean-spirited, wanting in generous or liberal feelings
• NARROW SQUEAK
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a narrow escape
• NARROWTH
n. a1225 obs. rare – narrowness, constraint
• NARROW-WRIGGLE
n. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – an earwig
• NARROWY
adj. 1858 rare – narrowish
• NARVICAL
adj. 1880 Eng. dial. – nervous
• NARY
adj. 1. 1836 Eng. & Amer. dial. – neither; not one
adj. 2. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – stout and strong
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