• N.F.G.
adj. 1977 US sl. – no fucking good
• N.G.
adj. 1879 US sl. – no good
• N.H.I.
adj. 1973 US sl. – used for describing a crime against a criminal, esp. one involving only Black people; No Humans Involved
• NIAGARA FALLS
n. 1943 Brit. rhyming sl. for ‘balls’ – the testicles
• NIAGARAS
n. 1943 Brit. rhyming sl. for ‘balls’ (Niagara Falls) – the testicles
• NIAS
n. 1616 – a simpleton
• NIB
n. 1. 1896 Amer. dial. – a playing marble, esp. a small or cheap one
n. 2. Bk1902 colloq. – the face; the mouth; the nose; usually of a woman
n. 3. Bk1902 printers’ sl. – a fool
n. 4. Bk1902 beggars’ sl. – a gentleman
n. 5. 1909 Amer. dial. – a nibble, a cautious bite
n. 6. 1957 Amer. dial. – the rump of a cooked chicken; the pope’s nose
vb. 1. M17 sl. – to snatch; to steal; to seize
vb. 2. L18 sl. – to catch someone out, esp. if cheating
vb. 3. 1819 sl. – to catch; to arrest
vb. 4. c1938 Amer. dial. – to nibble
vb. 5. 1942 Amer. dial. – to pry, to meddle, to interfere
• NIBBER
n. 1968 Amer. dial. – one who interferes or meddles; a busybody
• NIBBING
adj. 1942 Amer. dial. – being nosy, meddling
• NIBBING-CULL
n. 1775 sl. – a petty thief or fraudulent dealer
• NIBBLE
n. 1959 Brit. sl. – a non-committal expression of interest
vb. 1. 1608 sl. – to catch; to steal
vb. 2. Bk1902 sl. – to cheat
vb. 3. Bk1902 colloq. – to consider a bargain, or an opportunity, eagerly but carefully, as a fish considers bait
vb. 4. Bk1903 sl. – to possess carnally
• NIBBLER
n. 1. 1823 sl. – a petty thief or fraudulent dealer
n. 2. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a gullible person; a dupe
• NIBBLETIES
n. 1882 Eng. dial. – novelties
• NIBBLING
n. 1966 Amer. dial. – a snack
• NIBBY
adj. 1942 Amer. dial. – snoopy, inquisitive, nosy
n. 1. 1964 NZ sl. – a walking-stick, esp. one used in rounding up sheep
n. 2. 1966 Amer. dial. – a scarf
n. 3. 1988 Amer. dial. – bread crust
• NIBBY-GIBBY
adj. 1854 Eng. dial. – narrowly escaped or missed
n. 1888 Eng. dial. – a narrow escape; a touch and go
• NIBBY-NOSE
n. 1980 Amer. dial. – a busybody; a person who is always poking into other people’s affairs
• NIB-COVE
n. Bk1902 beggars’ sl. – a gentleman
• NIBLIKE
adj. 1834 beggars’ sl. – gentlemanly
• NIB-NOSE
n. 1957 Amer. dial. – a busybody; a person who is always poking into other people’s affairs
• NIBS!
int. 1957 Amer. dial. – a claim call
• NIBSHIT
vb. 1968 Amer. dial. – to pry, to meddle, to interfere
• NIBSOME
adj. 1839 beggars’ sl. – like a gentleman, gentlemanly
• NIBSOMEST-CRIBS
n. 1819 beggars’ sl. – the best houses
• NICE
adj. 1. 1297 colloq. – simple; witless
adj. 2. 1543 sl. – squeamish; precise
adj. 3. 1940s African-American sl. – feeling well, happy, at one with the world, esp. as a result of taking drugs or drink
adj. 4. 1950s W. Indies sl. – compliant, unwilling to make a fuss or cause trouble
adj. 5. 1980s US college sl. – boring
vb. 1980s sl. – to get drunk
• NICE AND EASY
n. 1994 US sl. – heroin
• NICE AND GOOD
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – excellent; first-rate
• NICE AND HANDY
n. 1940s rhyming sl. – brandy
• NICE AS A NANNY-HEN
adj. Bk1902 sl. – very affected; delicate
• NICE AS A NEW PIN
adj. 1893 sl. – first-class
• NICE AS PIE
adj. 1. 1920s – attractive
adj. 2. 1922 US sl. – very polite; well-behaved; very agreeable
• NICEBECETUR
n. c1520 obs. – a fine, dainty, or fashionable girl or woman
• NICEBICE
n. 1595 obs. rare – a dainty, fine, or fashionable girl or woman
• NICE BIT
n. 1. 1930s US criminals’ sl. – a long prison sentence, i.e. 10 years or more
n. 2. 1996 Brit. sl. – a prison sentence of three years or more
• NICE CAR
n. 1980s US college sl. – a good-looking man or woman
• NICE CUP OF TEA
n. 1889 Eng. dial. – a very fine fellow
• NICEFY
vb. 1611 rare – to make dainty or delicate; to make respectable or decent
• NICE KETTLE OF FISH
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a confused or awkward state of affairs
• NICELING
n. 1. 1549 obs. – an effeminate, tender, or delicate person
n. 2. 1549 obs. – a very fastidious or overnice person or critic; a hair-splitter
n. 3. 1884 arch. – a nice thing
• NICE LITTLE EARNER
n. 1960s sl., orig. UK criminals’ usage – any job or plan that pays well, almost invariably criminal
• NICELY
adj. 1815 Amer. dial. – well, very well; in good health
adv. Bk1905 Amer. dial. – very well
• A NICE NAME TO GO TO BED WITH
n. B1900 Eng. dial. – an ugly name
• NICE-NASTY
adj. 1965 Amer. dial. – very neat, overly tidy; excessively fastidious; too particular or fussy; old-fashioned
• NICE-NELLIE
adj. 1950s US sl. – prudish, puritanical
n. 1930s US sl. – (usually as ‘nice Nellie’) a respectable or fastidious person, not necessarily a woman; also used ironically
vb. 1950s US sl. – to act in a respectable manner, often excessively and interferingly so
• NICE-NELLY
adj. 1950s US sl. – prudish, puritanical
• NICE-NELLYISM
n. 1930s US sl. – prudishness, excessive gentility, puritanical behaviour or attitudes
• NICE PROPOSITION
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – something excellent
• NICEY-NICE
adj. 1930 Amer. dial. – affectedly proper; prissy; too particular or fussy
• NICEY-NICEY
adj. 1930 Amer. dial. – affectedly proper; prissy; too particular or fussy
• NICHE
n. Bk1902 sl. – the female pudendum
• NICHE-COCK
n. Bk1902 sl. – the female pudendum
• NICHILLATE
adj. 1563 obs. rare – annulled
• NICHOLAS
n. 1822 sl. – the devil
• NICK
n. 1. c1720 sl. – the female pudendum
n. 2. 1721 gaming sl. – a winning throw at dice
n. 3. 1882 sl. – prison
n. 4. 1899 Amer. dial. – the devil
n. 5. Bk1902 sl. – a dent in the bottom of a beer can
n. 6. Bk1902 Amer. sl. – a five-cent piece
n. 7. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a crucial moment
n. 8. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a short time; a moment
n. 9. 1957 Brit. sl. – a police station
n. 10. 1957 Amer. dial. – a playing marble, esp. a small or cheap one
n. 11. 20C sl. – in dominoes: five points
vb. 1. 1593 – to fool
vb. 2. 1617 sl. – to cheat
vb. 3. 1634 sl. – to nickname
vb. 4. c1696 sl. – to hit the mark
vb. 5. c1696 sl. – to score at dice
vb. 6. 1700 sl. – to catch; to arrest
vb. 7. 1808 Sc. – to drink heartily
vb. 8. 1817 sl. – to steal
vb. 9. 1887 sl. – to compare with
vb. 10. Bk1902 sl. – to copulate
vb. 11. Bk1902 sl. – to indent a beer can
• NICK AND FROTH
n. a1625 sl. – a publican
• NICK AND NICK
adj. 1966 Amer. dial. – just about equal, very close
• NICK AND TUCK
adj. 1965 Amer. dial. – just about equal, very close
• NICKEL
n. 1967 US sl. – $5 worth of marijuana
• NICKEL-AND-DIME
adj. 1940s US sl. – petty, small-time, insignificant
n. 1930s rhyming sl. – time
• NICKEL-AND-DIME IT
vb. 1. 1930s US sl. – to act in a petty manner
vb. 2. 1930s US sl. – to beg; to manage with little money
• NICKEL BAG
n. 1967 drug culture sl. – $5 worth of drugs, the quantity varies as to the drug, more marijuana, less heroin
• NICKEL-DIME
adj. 1960s US sl. – small-time, petty, insignificant
• NICKEL DUMP
n. 20C US sl. – a cheap cinema, charging only a nickel or 5 cents admission
• NICKEL GRABBER
n. 1940s US sl. – a streetcar conductor
• NICKELNOSE
n. 1970s US sl. – a Jewish person
• NICKEL NOTE
n. 1926 US sl. – a five-dollar bill
• NICKEL NURSER
n. 1910s US sl. – a miser
• NICKEL-NURSING
adj. 1910s US sl. – miserly
• NICKELONIANS
n. 1980s drug culture sl. – crack addicts
• NICKEL PLATE
n. L19 US sl. – a fraud, a deception
• NICKEL-PLATED
adj. L19 US sl. – first-class, thorough
• NICKEL SHOT
n. 1990s African-American teen sl. – a 5-storey public housing building in the Fillmore area of San Francisco
• NICKEL SLICK
adj. 1990s African-American sl. – petty, insignificant, esp. in the context of attempting to do something beyond one’s abilities
• NICKEL SNATCHER
n. 1910s US sl. – a streetcar conductor
• NICKEL SQUEEZER
n. 1920s US sl. – a mean, miserly person
• NICKER
n. 1. L17 sl. – a thief, a cheat, a confidence trickster
n. 2. 1867 Amer. dial. – the sound made by a horse, esp. a soft or low sound; a whinny
n. 3. L19 sl. – £1
n. 4. Bk1902 sl. – a dandy
n. 5. 1950s sl. – money in general
vb. 1867 Amer. dial. – to whinny
• NICKER BIT
n. 1980s sl. – the pound coin
• NICKER BITS
n. 20C rhyming sl. for ‘the shits’ – diarrhoea
• NICKERERS
n. 1808 Sc. – new shoes
• NICKER-PECKER
n. 1790 – a woodpecker; especially the green woodpecker, Gecinus viridis
• NICKERY
adj. 1890 Sc. – knavish
n. 1813 obs. rare – a nickname
• NICKET
n. 1946 Amer. dial. – a small amount or quantity
• NICKETY-NOCK
adv. 1812 – with a clicking and knocking sound
• NICKETY-TUCK
adj. 1917 Amer. dial. – equal
adv. 1917 Amer. dial. – evenly, equally, very close
• NICKIE
n. 1. 1968 Amer. dial. – a soft roll of dust that collects on the floor under beds or other furniture
n. 2. 1968 Amer. dial. – a cigarette
• NICKIE CAKES!
int. 20C Ulster sl. – easy!
• NICKIN
adj. L17 sl. – foolish, simple
n. L17 sl. – a fool, a simpleton
• NICKING
n. 1970s sl. – an arrest
• NICK IN THE NOTCH
n. 19C sl. – the vagina
• NICK IT
vb. L17 sl. – to win, usually by good fortune or cheating
• NICK ME!
int. M18 sl. – a mild oath
• NICKLE-AND-DIMER
n. 1960s US sl. – a contemptible or insignificant person
• NICKLETTE
n. 1930s African-American sl. – an automatic record player
• NICK-NACK
n. 1. M19 sl. – the vagina
n. 2. 1960s US sl. – a male homosexual, esp. a promiscuous one
n. 3. 1970s US prison sl. – a man who is raped frequently in prison
n. 4. 2000s US prison sl. – one who does not fit in with the group; an outsider
• NICK-NACKS
n. 18C sl. – the testicles
• NICK-NACKIE
adj. B1900 Sc. – dexterous or skilful in doing any piece of delicate work
• NICK-NINNY
n. c1696 sl. or Eng. dial. obs. – a simpleton, an empty fellow, a fool
• NICK OFF
vb. L19 sl., orig. Aust. – to leave; to depart; to go from one place to another
• NICK-O-FIDGE
n. 1608 Eng. dial. rare – a term of endearment for a small child or baby
• NICK OF TIME
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a crucial moment
• NICK OR TUCK
adj. 1965 Amer. dial. – just about equal, very close
• NICK OUT
vb. L19 sl., orig. Aust. – to leave; to depart; to go from one place to another
• NICK-PICKER
n. 1970 Amer. dial. – a nit-picker; one who finds faults, however small or unimportant, everywhere they look
• NICK-POT
n. 1. 1602 sl. – a stealer of publican’s pots
n. 2. 17C sl.- a false measure in a pot of beer
n. 3. 17C sl. – a publican
• NICKS
n. 1789 UK sl. – nothing, no
• NICKTAIL
n. 1967 Amer. dial. – a horse with its tail cut short
• NICK THE PIN
vb. c1696 sl. – to drink fairly
• NICKUM
n. 1. c1696 sl. – ‘a rooking ale-house or innkeeper, vintner, or any retailer’
n. 2. Bk1902 sl. – a sharper
• NICKUMPOOP
n. L17 sl. – a fool; an oaf; a jerk
• NICK WITH NAY
vb. 1350 – to deny; to disappoint by denying; to meet one with a refusal
• NICKY-NACKY
adj. 1818 Sc. – trifling, trivial, useless; troublesome; speaking in an affected or mincing manner
• NIC-NAC
n. 1. 1960s US sl. – a male homosexual, esp. a promiscuous one
n. 2. 1970s US prison sl. – a man who is raped frequently in prison
n. 3. 2000s US prison sl. – one who does not fit in with the group; an outsider
• NICODEMICAL
adj. 1642 obs. rare – timid
• NICTITATE
vb. 1822-34 rare – to wink
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Updated: February 27, 2023
Lexicophilia 