NEAF, noun The fist.

NEAL, verb transitive To temper and reduce to a due consistence by heat. But neal is now rarely used. [See Anneal]

NEAL, verb intransitive To be tempered by heat. [Little used] [See Anneal]

NEAP, noun [This word may belong to the root of neb, nib; nose] The tongue or pole of a cart, sled or wagon.

NEAP, adjective [to incline, to fall] The neap tides are those which happen in the middle of the second and fourth quarters of the moon. They are low tides, and opposed to spring tides.

NEAP, noun Low water. [Little used.]

NEAPED, BENEAPED, adjective Left aground. A ship is said to be neaped when left aground, particularly on the height of a spring tide, so that she will not float till the return of the next spring tide.

NEAPOLITAN, adjective Belonging to Naples, in Italy.

NEAPOLITAN, noun An inhabitant or native of the kingdom of Naples.

NEAR, adjective [This seems to be a contracted word, from nigher, the comparative of neh, nih or nieh; strait, narrow; to narrow]

1. Nigh; not far distant in place, time or degree. Regularly, near should be followed by to, but this is often omitted. We say, a house stands near a river; a friend sits near me; the man fell and was near destruction.

And Jacob went near to Isaac his father. Genesis 27:21.

Now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. Romans 13:11.

2. Closely related by blood.

She is thy fathers near kinswoman. Leviticus 18:6.

3. Not distant in affection, support or assistance; present; ready; willing to aid.

Call upon the Lord, while he is near Isaiah 55:6.

4. Intimate; united in close ties of affection or confidence; as a near friend.

5. Dear; affecting ones interest or feelings; as a near concern.

My nearest life.

6. Close; parsimonious.

7. Close; not loose, free or rambling; as a version near the original.

8. Next to one; opposed to off; as the near horse or ox in a team.

NEAR, adverb Almost; within a little. It is near twelve oclock. The payment of such a sum would go near to ruin him.

NEAR, verb transitive To approach; to come nearer; as, the ship neared the land; a seamans phrase.

NEAREST, adjective Shortest; most direct; as the nearest way to London. So we use nearer for shorter. [The use of these words is not correct, but very common.]

NEARLY, adverb

1. At no great distance; not remotely.

2. Closely; as two persons nearly related or allied.

3. Intimately; pressingly; with a close relation to ones interest or happiness. It nearly concerns us to preserve peace with our neighbor.

4. Almost; within a little. The fact is nearly demonstrated.

5. In a parsimonious or niggardly manner.

NEARNESS, noun

1. Closeness; small distance. The nearness of a place to a market enhances the value of lands.

2. Close alliance by blood; propinquity; as the nearness of brothers and sisters, parents and children.

3. Close union by affection; intimacy of friendship.

4. Parsimony; closeness in expenses.

NEAT, noun [Neat coincides with the root of need in elements, and if connected with it, the sense is a herd or collection, from crowding, pressing; but this is doubtful.]

1. Cattle of the bovine genus, as bulls, oxen and cows. In America, this word is used in composition, as in neats tongue, neats foot oil, and tautologically in neat cattle.

2. A single cow.

NEAT, adjective [Latin to shine, to be clean, fair or fine; pure, to purify, to winnow.]

1. Very clean; free from foul or extraneous matter; as neat clothes. The vessels are kept neat; the woman keeps her house very neat

2. Pure; free from impure words and phrases; as a neat style.

3. Cleanly; preserving neatness; as a neat woman.

4. Pure; unadulterated; as neat wine.

5. Free from tawdry appendages and well adjusted; as a neat dress.

6. Clear of the cask, case, bag, box, _ c. ; as neat weight. It is usually written net or nett.

NEATHERD, noun A person who has the care of cattle; a cow-keeper.

NEATLY, adverb

1. With neatness; in a neat manner; in a cleanly manner; as a garment neatly washed.

2. With good taste; without tawdry ornaments; as a lady neatly dressed.

3. Nicely; handsomely; as a vessel neatly gilt.

NEATNESS, noun

1. Exact cleanliness; entire freedom from foul matter; as the neatness of a floor or of a garment.

2. Purity; freedom from ill chosen words; as the neatness of style.

3. Freedom from useless or tawdry ornaments; with good adjustment of the several parts; as the neatness of a dress.

NEATRESS, noun [from neat, cattle] A female who takes care of cattle. [ Not used in the United States]

NEB, noun [G. In the different dialects, it signifies a bill, beak, the nose, or the face, from extending or shooting. It is also written nib.] The nose; the beak of a fowl; the bill; the mouth.

NEBULAB, noun [fog, mist; Probably the primary sense is thick or mixed.]

1. A dark spot, a film in the eye, or a slight opacity of the cornea.

2. In astronomy, a cluster of fixed stars, not distinguishable from each other or scarcely visible to the naked eye, and exhibiting a dim hazy light, appearing like dusky specks or clouds through the telescope.

NEBULE, n . [fog, mist; Probably the primary sense is thick or mixed.]

1. A dark spot, a film in the eye, or a slight opacity of the cornea.

2. In astronomy, a cluster of fixed stars, not distinguishable from each other or scarcely visible to the naked eye, and exhibiting a dim hazy light, appearing like dusky specks or clouds through the telescope.

NEBULOSITY, noun [from nebulous.] The state of being cloudy or hazy.

NEBULOUS, adjective

1. Cloudy; hazy.

2. Resembling a small cloud or collection of vapors.

NECESSARIAN, noun [See Necessary.] An advocate for the doctrine of philosophical necessity; more properly necessitarian.

NECESSARIES, noun plural [from necessary] Things necessary for some purpose; as the necessaries of life.

NECESSARILY, adverb

1. By necessity; in such a manner that it cannot be otherwise. Truth is necessarily opposite to falsehood. A square is necessarily different from a circle.

2. Indispensably. Most men are necessarily occupied in procuring their subsistence.

3. By unavoidable consequence. Certain inferences necessarily result from particular premises.

NECESSARINESS, noun The state of being necessary.

NECESSARY, adjective

1. That must be; that cannot be otherwise; indispensably requisite. It is necessary that every effect should have a cause.

2. Indispensable; requisite; essential; that cannot be otherwise without preventing the purpose intended. Air is necessary to support animal life; food is necessary to nourish the body; holiness is a necessary qualification for happiness; health is necessary to the enjoyment of pleasure; subjection to law is necessary to the safety of persons and property.

3. Unavoidable; as a necessary inference or consequence from facts or arguments.

4. Acting from necessity or compulsion; opposed to free. Whether man is a necessary or a free agent is a question much discussed.

NECESSARY, noun A privy.

NECESSITARIAN, noun One who maintains the doctrine of philosophical necessity in regard to the origin and existence of things.

NECESSARIAN, noun One who maintains the doctrine of philosophical necessity in regard to the origin and existence of things.

NECESSITATE, verb transitive To make necessary or indispensable; to render unavoidable; to compel.

The marquis of Newcastle, being pressed on both sides, was necessitated to draw all his army into York.

Sickness might necessitate his removal from court.

NECESSITATED, pp. Made necessary, indispensable or unavoidable.

NECESSITATING, participle present tense Making necessary or indispensable.

NECESSITATION, noun The act of making necessary; compulsion. [Little used]

NECESSITIED, adjective In a state of want. [ Not in use.]

NECESSITOUS, adjective

1.Very needy or indigent; pressed with poverty.

There are multitudes of necessitous heirs and penurious parents.

2. Narrow; destitute; pinching; as necessitous circumstances.

NECESSITOUSNESS, noun Extreme poverty or destitution of the means of living; pressing want.

NECESSITUDE, noun Necessitousness; want. [ Not used.]

NECESSITY, noun

1. That which must be and cannot be otherwise, or the cause of that which cannot be otherwise. It is of necessity that a thing cannot be and not be at the same time. It is of necessity that two contradictory propositions cannot both be true.

2. Irresistible power; compulsive force, physical or moral. If mans actions are determined by causes beyond his control, he acts from necessity and is not a free agent. necessity compelled the general to act on the defensive.

3. Indispensableness; the state of being requisite. The necessity of funds to support public credit, no man questions. The necessity of economy in domestic concerns is admitted. No man can plead necessity in excuse for crimes.

4. Extreme indigence; pinching poverty; pressing need.

The cause of all the distractions in his court or army proceeded from the extreme poverty and necessity his majesty was in.

5. Unavoidableness; inevitableness; as the necessity of a consequence from certain premises.

6. In the plural, things requisite for a purpose.

These should be hors for necessities, Not for delights.

NECK, noun [G. This word is properly the nape or vertebrae of the neck behind, and is so rendered in other languages, Latin that is a knob or mass.]

1. The part of an animals body which is between the head and the trunk, and connects them. In man and many other animals, this part is more slender than the trunk; hence,

2. A long narrow tract of land projecting from the main body, or a narrow tract connecting two larger tracts; as the neck of land between Boston and Roxbury.

3. The long slender part of a vessel, , as a retort; or of a plant, as a gourd; or of any instrument, as a guitar.

A stiff neck in Scripture, denotes obstinacy in sin.

On the neck , immediately after; following closely.

First by committing one sin on the neck of another.

[This phrase is not much used. We more frequently say, on the heels.]

To break the neck of an affair, to hinder, or to do the principal thing to prevent.

To harden the neck to grow obstinate; to be more and more perverse and rebellious. Nehemiah 9:29.

NECKATEE, n . A gorget; a kerchief for a womans neck. [Not in use.]

NECKBEEF, noun The coarse flesh of the neck of cattle, sold at a low price.

As cheap as neckbeef

CLOTH, noun A piece of cloth worn on the neck.

NECKED, adjective Having a neck ; as in stiff-necked.

NECKERCHIEF, noun A gorget; a kerchief for a womans neck. [ Not in use.]

NECKLACE, noun A string of beads or precious stones, worn by women on the neck.

NECKLACED, adjective Marked as with a necklace.

NECKLAND, noun A neck or long tract of land.

NECKVERSE, noun The verse formerly read to entitle a party to the benefit of clergy, said to be the first verse of the fifty first Psalm, Miserere mei, _ c.

NECKWEED, noun Hemp; in ridicule.

NECROLOGICAL, adjective Pertaining to or giving an account of the dead or of deaths.

NECROLOGIST, noun One who gives an account of deaths.

NECROLOGY, noun [dead, and discourse] An account of the dead or of deaths; a register of deaths.

NECROMANCER, noun [See Necromancy.] One who pretends to foretell future events by holding converse with departed spirits; a conjurer.

NECROMANCY, noun [Gr. Dead, and divination.]

1. The art of revealing future events by means of a pretended communication with the dead. This imposture is prohibited. Deuteronomy 18:1.

2. Enchantment; conjuration.

NECROMANTIC, adjective Pertaining to necromancy; performed by necromancy.

NECROMANTIC, noun Trick; conjuration.

NECROMANTICALLY, adverb By necromancy or the black art; by conjuration.

NECRONITE, noun [Gr., dead] Fetid feldspar, a mineral which when struck or pounded, exhales a fetid odor like that of putrid flesh.

NECTAR, noun

1. In fabulous history and poetry, the drink of the gods; hence,

2. A very sweet and pleasant drink.

NECTAREAN, adjective Resembling nectar; very sweet and pleasant.

The juice nectareous and the balmy dew.

NECTARED, adjective Imbued with nectar; mingled with nectar; abounding with nectar.

NECTARIAL, adjective Pertaining to the nectary of a plant.

Stamens inserted into the margin of a glandulous nectarial ring.

NECTARIFEROUS, adjective [Latin , to bear] Producing nectar or nomus; as a nectariferous glandule.

NECTARINE, adjective Sweet as nectar.

NECTARINE, noun A fruit, a variety of the peach with a smooth rind.

NECTARIZE, verb transitive To sweeten.

NECTAROUS, adjective Sweet as nectar.

NECTARY, noun In botany, the melliferous part of a vegetable, peculiar to the flower. It usually makes a part of the corol, gut is sometimes distinct from it. Sometimes ti is in the form of a horn or spur; sometimes in that of a cup; whence it is called the honey cup.

NEDDER, noun An adder.

NEED, noun [to be in want. The primary sense is to press.]

1. Want; occasion for something; necessity; a state that requires supply or relief. It sometimes expresses urgent want; pressing exigency.

What further need have we of witnesses? Matthew 26:65.

2. Want of the means of subsistence; poverty; indigence.

I know how to abound and to suffer need Philippians 4:12.

NEED, verb transitive [ to compel] To want; to lack; to require, as supply or relief.

They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. Matthew 9:12.

NEED, verb intransitive To be wanted; to be necessary.

When we have done it, we have done all that is in our power, and all that needs. [Not used.]

NEED is often used as an auxiliary, or at least without the personal termination.

And the lender need not fear he shall be injured.

NEEDED, participle passive Wanted.

NEEDER, noun One that wants.

NEEDFUL, adjective Necessary, as supply or relief; requisite.

All things needful for defense abound.

NEEDFULLY, adverb Necessarily.

NEEDILY, adverb [from needy] In want or poverty.

NEEDINESS, noun [from needy] Want; poverty; indigence.

NEEDING, participle present tense Wanting; requiring, as supply or relief.

NEEDLE, noun [G. something sharp or pointed. It may be allied to nettle.]

1. A small instrument of steel pointed at one end, with an eye at the other to receive a thread; used in sewing and embroidery. Needles are also used by surgeons in sewing up wounds.

2. A small pointed piece of steel used in the mariners compass, which by its magnetic quality is attracted and directed to the pole, and thus enables navigators to steer their ships the course intended.

3. Any crystalized substance in the form of a needle

Dipping needle a magnetic needle that dips or inclines downwards.

NEEDLE, verb transitive To form crystals in the shape of a needle

NEEDLE, verb intransitive To shoot in crystalization into the form of needles; as needled prisms.

NEEDLEFUL, noun As much thread as is put at once in a needle.

NEEDLER, noun One who manufactures needles.

NEEDLESS, adjective

1. Not wanted; unnecessary; not requisite; as needless labor; needless expenses.

2. Not wanting.

NEEDLESSLY, adverb Without necessity.

NEEDLESSNESS, noun Unnecessariness.

NEEDLEWORK, noun Work executed with a needle; or the business of a seamstress. It is used particularly for embroidery.

NEEDMENT, noun Something needed or wanted. [Not used.]

NEEDS, adverb Necessarily; indispensably; generally used with must.

A trial at law must needs be innocent in itself.

NEEDY, adjective Necessitous; indigent; very poor; distressed by want of the means of living.

To relieve the needy and comfort the afflicted, are duties that fall in our way every day.

Spare the blushes of needy merit.

NEER, a contraction of never.

NEESE, verb intransitive To sneeze [See sneeze, which is formed on this word.]

NEESEWORT, noun A plant.

NEESING, noun A sneezing.

NEF, noun The nave of a church. [Not used. See Nave.]

NEFANDOUS, adjective [Latin Unlawful, or to utter.] Wicked in the extreme; abominable; atrociously sinful or villianous; detestably vile.

NEFARIOUSLY, adverb With extreme wickedness; abominably.

NEGATION, noun [Latin The sense is to thrust, to stop or repel; for in Italian, negare is to deny, and annegare is to deny, and to drown, to stifle in water; to drown or inundate.]

1. Denial; a declaration that something is not; opposed to affirmation; as, the soul is not matter.

2. In logic, description by denial, exclusion or exception.

NEGATION is the absence of that which does not belong to the thing we are speaking of.

3. Argument drawn from denial.

It may be proved by way of negation that they came not from Europe, as having no remainder of the arts, learning and civilities of it.

NEGATIVE, adjective

1. Implying denial or negation; opposed to affirmative, as a negative proposition is that which denies. Matter is not spirit.

2. Implying absence; opposed to positive.

There is a negative way of denying Christ, when we do not acknowledge and confess him.

3. Having the power of stopping or restraining. A negative voice in legislation is a voice or vote to prevent the passing of a law or decree.

NEGATIVE sign, in algebra, the sign of subtraction , a sign which indicates that the quantity to which it is prefixed is to be subtracted. It is opposed to positive ro affirmative; as ab-n.

NEGATIVE electricity, according to Dr. Franklin, is a deficiency of the fluid in a substance, or less than the substance naturally contains.

NEGATIVE, noun

1. A proposition by which something is denied; as, matter has not the power of moving itself.

2. A word that denies; as not, no.

3. In legislation, the right or power of preventing the enaction of a law or decree. The governor has not a negative on the proceedings of the legislature, but each branch has a negative on the other.

NEGATIVE pregnant, a negation of one thing, implying the affirmation of another.

NEGATIVE, verb transitive

1. To disprove; to prove the contrary.

The omission or infrequency of such recitals does not negative the existence of miracles.

2. To reject by vote; to refuse to enact or sanction. The senate negatived the bill.

3. To resist a choice or what is proposed.

NEGATIVELY, adverb

1. With or by denial; as, he answered negatively

2. In the form of speech implying the absence of something; opposed to positively.

I shall show what this image of god in man is, negatively by showing wherein it does not consist, and positively, by showing wherein it does consist.

3. negatively charged or electrified. [See Positively]

NEGATORY, adjective That denies; belonging to negation. [Little used.]

NEGBOOR, noun

1. One who lives near another. In large towns, a neighbor is one who lives within a few doors. In the country, a neighbor may live at a greater distance; a dn in new settlements, where the people are thinly scattered over the country, a neighbor may be distant several miles. Such is the use of the word in the United States.

2. One who lives in familiarity with another; a word of civility.

3. An intimate; a confidant.

4. A fellow being. Acts 7:1.

5. One of the human race; any one that needs our help, or to whom we have an opportunity of doing good.

6. A country that is near.

NEIGHBOR, verb transitive

1. To adjoin; to confine on or be near to.

These grow on the hills that neighbor the shore.

2. To acquaint with; to make near to or make familiar. [Not used.]

3. To neighbor it, in colloquial language, to cultivate friendly intercourse by mutual visits.

NEGER, n. [L. niger] A black person; one of the African race.

NEGLECT, verb transitive [G. To let, to leave, to suffer to pass. The sense of the latter words then is to leave behind, or permit to remain; I suspect the Latin To be composed of the same prefix, as n is not radical in the latter. But of this I am not confident.]

1. To omit by carelessness or design; to forbear to do, use, employ, promote or attend to; as, to neglect duty or business; to neglect to pay honest debts; to neglect our interest or policy; to neglect the means in our power.

2. To omit to receive or embrace; to slight.

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? Hebrews 2:3.

3. To slight; not to notice; to forbear to treat with attention or respect. Among people of good breeding, strangers seldom complain of being neglected.

4. To postpone. [Not in use.]

NEGLECT, noun

1. Omission; forbearance to do any thing that can be done or that requires to be done. neglect may be from carelessness or intention. The neglect of business is the cause of many failures, but neglect of economy is more frequent and more injurious.

2. Slight; omission of attention or civilities. neglect of due notice and attention to strangers is characteristic of ill breeding.

3. Negligence; habitual want of regard.

Age breeds neglect in all.

4. State of being disregarded.

Rescue my poor remains from vile neglect

NEGLECTED, participle passive Omitted to be done; slighted; disregarded.

NEGLECTER, noun One that neglects.

NEGLECTFUL, adjective

1. Heedless; careless; inattentive.

2. Accustomed or apt to omit what may or ought to be done.

3. Treating with neglect or slight.

4. Indicating neglect, slight or indifference; as a neglectful countenance.

NEGLECTFULLY, adverb With neglect; with heedless inattention; with careless indifference.

NEGLECTING, participle present tense Omitting; passing by; forbearing to do; slighting; treating with indifference.

NEGLECTINGLY, adverb Carelessly; heedlessly.

NEGLECTION, noun The state of being negligent. [Not used.]

NEGLECTIVE, adjective Inattentive; regardless of. [Little used.]

NEGLIGEE, noun A kind of gown formerly worn.

NEGLIGENCE, noun

1. Neglect; omission to do; more generally,

2. Habitual omission of that which ought to be done, or a habit of omitting to do things, either from carelessness or design. negligence is usually the child of sloth or laziness, and the parent of disorders in business, often of poverty.

NEGLIGENT, adjective

1. Careless; heedless; apt or accustomed to omit what ought to be done; inattentive to business or necessary concerns. It is applied to a particular instance of neglect, or it denotes habitually careless or inattentive. 2 Chronicles 29:11. 2 Peter 1:12.

He that thinks he can afford to be negligent is not far from being poor.

2. Regardless.

Be thou negligent of fame.

NEGLIGENTLY, adverb

1. Carelessly; heedlessly; without exactness; as a person negligently dressed; a piece negligently written; a farm negligently cultivated.

2. With slight, disregard or inattention.

NEGOTIABILITY, noun The quality of being negotiable or transferable by indorsement.

NEGOTIABLE, adjective [from negotiate] That may be transferred by assignment or indorsement; that may be passed from the owner to another person so as to vest the property in the assignee; as a negotiable note or bill or exchange.

NEGOTIANT, noun One who negotiates; a negotiator. [Not used.]

NEGOTIATE, verb intransitive [ Latin An errand, business; to go on errands, to negotiate ]

1. To transact business; to treat with another respecting purchase and sale; to hold intercourse in bargaining or trade, either in person or by a broker or substitute; as, to negotiate with a man for the purchase of goods or a farm.

2. To hold intercourse with another respecting a treaty, league or convention; to treat with respecting peace or commerce.

It is a crime for an embassador to betray his prince for whom he should negotiate

NEGOTIATE, verb transitive

1. To procure by mutual intercourse and agreement with another; as, to negotiate a loan of money.

Ship brokers and interpreters negotiate affreightments.

2. To procure, make or establish by mutual intercourse and agreement with others. Mr. Jay negotiated a treaty with the British ministry in 1794.

3. To sell; to pass; to transfer for a valuable consideration; as, to negotiate a bill of exchange.

The notes were not negotiated to them in the usual course of business or trade.

NEGOTIATED, participle passive Procured or obtained by agreement with another; sold or transferred for a valuable consideration.

NEGOTIATING, participle present tense Treating with; transacting business.

NEGOTIATION, noun

1. The act of negotiating; the transacting of business in traffick; the treating with another respecting sale or purchase.

2. The transaction of business between nations; the mutual intercourse of governments by their agents, in making treaties and the like; as the negotiations at Ghent.

NEGOTIATOR, noun One that negotiates; one that treats with others either as principal or agent, in respect to purchase and sale, or public compacts.

NEGRESS, noun [See Negro.] A female of the black race of Africa.

NEGRO, noun [It is remarkable that our common people retain the exact Latin pronunciation of this word, neger.] A native or descendant of the black race of men in Africa. The word is never applied to the tawny or olive colored inhabitants of the northern coast of Africa, but to the more southern race of men who are quite black.

NEGUS, noun A liquor made of wine, water, sugar, nutmeg and lemon juice; so called, it is said, from its first maker, Col. negus

NEIF, noun

1. The neaf or fist. [Not used.]

2. A slave. [Not used.]

NEIGH, verb intransitive [signifies to jar or quarrel; a sharp noise.] To utter the voice of a horse, expressive of want or desire; to whinny.

NEIGH, noun na. The voice of a horse; a whinnying.

NEIGHBOR, noun

1. One who lives near another. In large towns, a neighbor is one who lives within a few doors. In the country, a neighbor may live at a greater distance; and in new settlements, where the people are thinly scattered over the country, a neighbor may be distant several miles. Such is the use of the word in the United States.

2. One who lives in familiarity with another; a word of civility.

3. An intimate; a confidant.

4. A fellow being. Acts 7:1.

5. One of the human race; any one that needs our help, or to whom we have an opportunity of doing good.

6. A country that is near.

NEIGHBORHOOD, noun

1. A place near; vicinity; the adjoining district or any place not distant. He lives in my neighborhood

2. State of being near each other; as several states in a neighborhood

3. The inhabitants who live in the vicinity of each other. The fire alarmed all the neighborhood

NEIGHBORING, adjective Living or being near; as the neighboring inhabitants; neighboring countries or nations.

NEIGHBORLINESS, noun State or quality of being neighborly.

NEIGHBORLY, adjective

1. Becoming a neighbor; kind; civil.

Judge if this be neighborly dealing.

2. Cultivating familiar intercourse; interchanging frequent visits; social. Friend, you are not neighborly

NEIGHBORLY, adverb With social civility; as, to live neighborly

NEIGHBORSHIP, noun State of being neighbors. [Not in use.]

NEITHER, noun [Compound pronoun, pronominal adjective, or a substitute, and not either, or not other. Not either; not the one nor the other.]

1. It refers to individual things or persons; as, which road shall I take? neither take neither road. The upright judge inclines to neither party. It is used as a substitute; as, the upright judge inclines to neither of the parties.

He neither loves Nor either cares for him.

2. It refers to a sentence; as, ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it. That is, ye shall not eat, not either or other shall ye touch it; ye shall not eat, nor shall ye do the other thing here mentioned, that is, touch it. Genesis 3:3.

Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king; that is, fight not, either with small or great. 1 Kings 22:31.

NEITHER conjunction, in the first part of a negative sentence, is followed by nor, in the subsequent part. It is neither the one nor the other. But or would be most proper, for the negative in neither applies to both parts of the sentence. It is often used in the last member of a negative sentence instead of nor, as in the passage above cited. Ye shall not eat it , neither shall ye touch it. Here neither is improperly used for nor, for not in the first clause refers only to that clause, and the second negative refers only to the second clause. Ye shall not eat it, nor shall ye touch it. In the sentences above, neither is considered to be a conjunction or connecting word, though in fact it is a pronoun or representative of a clause of a sentence.

3. neither primarily refers to two; not either of two. But by usage it is applicable to any number, referring to individuals separately considered. Five or ten persons being charged with a misdemeanor or riot, each may say, neither of us was present.

4. neither sometimes closes a sentence in a peculiar manner, thus, men come not to the knowledge of ideas thought to be innate, till they come to the use of reason; not then neither That is not either when they come to the use of reason, or before. Formerly, in English, as in Greek and French, two negatives were used for one negation. But in such phrases as that above, good speakers now use either; nor then either.

NEM.CON. For nemine contradicente. No one contradicting or opposing, that is, unanimously; without opposition.

NEMOLITE, noun An arborized stone.

NEMORAL, adjective Pertaining to a wood or grove.

NEMOROUS, adjective Woody.

NEMPNE, verb transitive To call.

NENIA, noun A funeral song; an elegy.

NENUPHAR, noun The water lily or water rose, a species of Nymphaea.

NEODAMODE, noun In ancient Greece, a person newly admitted to citizenship.

NEOLOGIC, adjective Pertaining to neology; employing new words.

NEOLOGICAL, adjective Pertaining to neology; employing new words.

NEOLOGISM, noun A new word or expression.

NEOLOGIST, noun One who introduces new words into a language. Lavoisier has been a successful neologist

NEOLOGY, noun The introduction of a new word or of new words into a language. The present nomenclature of chimistry is a remarkable instance of neology

NEONOMIAN, noun One who advocates new laws, or desires Gods law to be altered.

NEOPHYTE, noun

1. A new convert or proselyte; a name given by the early Christians to such heathens as had recently embraced the Christian faith, and were considered as regenerated by baptism.

2. A novice; one newly admitted to the order of priest.

3. A tyro; a beginner in learning.

NEOTERIC, adjective [Gr. Young, from new] New; recent in origin; modern.

NEOTERICAL, adjective [Gr. Young, from new] New; recent in origin; modern.

NEOTERIC, noun One of modern times.

NEP, noun A plant of the genus Nepeta; catmint.

NEPENTHE, noun [Gr. not, and grief.] A drug or medicine that drives away pain and grief. [Little used.]

NEPHELIN, noun [Gr. A cloud] A mineral found mixed with other substances, primitive or volcanic, in small masses or veins, granolamellar and in hexahedral crystals. It is white or yellow.

NEPHELINE, noun [Gr. A cloud] A mineral found mixed with other substances, primitive or volcanic, in small masses or veins, granolamellar and in hexahedral crystals. It is white or yellow.

NEPHEW, noun

1. The son of a brother or sister.

2. A grandson; also a descendant. [Not much used.]

NEPHRITE, noun A mineral, a subspecies of jade, of a leek green color, massive and in rolled pieces. It occurs in granite and gnesis, and is remarkable for its hardness and tenacity. It was formerly worn as a remedy for diseases of the kidneys, but is now cut into handles of sabers and daggers.

NEPHRITIC, adjective [Gr. From the kidneys.]

1. Pertaining to the kidneys or organs of urine; as a nephritic disease.

2. Affected with the stone or gravel; as a nephritic patient.

3. Relieving or curing the stone or gravel, or disorders of the kidneys in general; as a nephritic medicine.

NEPHRITIC stone, a stone of the silicious kind, called jade.

NEPHRITIC wood, a species of compact wood of a fine grain, brought from New Spain, which gives a blue color to spirit of wine and to water; which color is changed to yellow by acids, and again to blue by alkalies.

NEPHRITICAL, adjective [Gr. From the kidneys.]

1. Pertaining to the kidneys or organs of urine; as a nephritic disease.

2. Affected with the stone or gravel; as a nephritic patient.

. Relieving or curing the stone or gravel, or disorders of the kidneys in general; as a nephritic medicine.

Nephritic stone, a stone of the silicious kind, called jade.

Nephritic wood, a species of compact wood of a fine grain, brought from New Spain, which gives a blue color to spirit of wine and to water; which color is changed to yellow by acids, and again to blue by alkalies.

NEPHRITIC, noun A medicine adapted to relieve or cure the diseases of the kidneys, particularly the gravel or stone in the bladder.

NEPHRITIS, noun In medicine, an inflammation of the kidneys.

NEPHROTOMY, noun [Gr. A kidney, to cut] In surgery, the operation of extracting a stone from the kidney.

NEPOTISM, noun [from nephew]

1. Fondness for nephews.

2. Undue attachment to relations; favoritism shown to nephews and other relations.

NEPTUNIAN, adjective [the fabled deity of the ocean.]

1. Pertaining to the ocean or sea.

2. Formed by water or aqueous solution; as neptunian rocks.

NEPTUNIAN, noun One who adopts the theory that the whole earth was once covered with water, or rather that the substances of the globe were formed from aqueous solution; opposed to the Plutonic theory.

NEPTUNIST, noun One who adopts the theory that the whole earth was once covered with water, or rather that the substances of the globe were formed from aqueous solution ; opposed to the Plutonic theory.

NEREID, noun In mythology, a sea nymph. In ancient monuments, the Nereids are represented as riding on sea horses, sometimes with the human form entire, and sometimes with the tail of a fish. They were the daughters of Nereus, and constantly attended Neptune.

NERFLING, noun A fresh water fish of Germany, of the lether-mouthed kind, and apparently a variety of rudd.

NERITE, noun A genus of univalvular shells.

NERITITE, noun A petrified shell of the genus Nerita.

NERVE, noun

1. An organ of sensation and motion in animals. The nerves are prolongations of the medullary substance of the brain, which ramify and extend to every part of the body.

2. A sinew or tendon.

3. Strength; firmness of body; as a man of nerve

4. Fortitude; firmness of mind; courage.

5. Strength; force; authority; as the nerves of discipline.

NERVE, verb transitive To give strength or vigor; to arm with force; as, fear nerved his arm.

NERVED, participle passive

1. Armed with strength.

2. In botany, having vessels simple and unbranched, extending from the base towards the tip; as a nerved leaf.

NERVELESS, adjective Destitute of strength; weak.

NERVINE, adjective That has the quality of relieving in disorders of the nerves.

NERVINE, noun A medicine that affords relief from disorders of the nerves.

NERVOSE, adjective In botany [See Nerved, No.2]

NERVOUS, adjective

1. Strong; vigorous; as a nervous arm.

2. Pertaining to the nerves; seated in or affecting the nerves; as a nervous disease or fever.

3. Having the nerves affected; hypochondriac; a colloquial use of the word.

4. Possessing or manifesting vigor of mind; characterized by strength in sentiment or style; as a nervous historian.

NERVOUS, adjective In botany [See Nerved, No.2]

NERVOUSLY, adverb With strength or vigor.

NERVOUSNESS, noun

1. Strength; force; vigor.

2. The state of being composed of nerves.

NERVY, adjective Strong; vigorous.

NESCIENCE, noun Want of knowledge; ignorance.

NESH, adjective Soft; tender; nice. [Not used.]

NESS, a termination of appellatives, denotes state or quality, as in goodness, greatness.

NEST, noun

1. The place or bed formed or used by a bird for incubation or the mansion of her young, until they are able to fly. The word is used also for the bed in which certain insects deposit their eggs.

2. Any place where irrational animals are produced.

3. An abode; a place of residence; a receptacle of numbers, or the collection itself; usually in an ill sense; as a nest of rogues.

4. A warm close place of abode; generally in contempt.

5. A number of boxes, cases or the like, inserted in each other.

NEST, verb intransitive To build and occupy a nest

The king of birds nested with its leaves.

NESTEGG, noun An egg left in the nest to prevent the hen from forsaking it.

NESTLE, verb intransitive

1. To settle; to harbor; to lie close and snug, as a bird in her nest.

The king-fisher nestles in hollow banks.

Their purpose was to fortify in some strong place of the wild country, and their nestle till succors came.

2. To move about in ones seat, like a bird when forming her nest; as, a child nestles.

NESTLE, verb transitive

1. To house, as in a nest.

2. To cherish, as a bird her young.

NESTLING, noun

1. A young bird in the nest, or just taken from the nest.

2. A nest.

NESTLING, adjective Newly hatched; being yet in the nest.

NESTORIAN, noun A follower of Nestorius, a heretic of the fifth century, who taught that Christ was divided into two persons.

NET, noun

1. An instrument for catching fish and fowls, or wild beasts, formed with twine or thread interwoven with meshes.

2. A cunning device; a snare. Mich 7.

3. Inextricable difficulty. Job 18:8.

4. Severe afflictions. Job 19:6.

NET, verb transitive To make a net or net-work; to knot.

NET, adjective [See Neat]

1. Neat; pure; unadulterated.

2. Being without flaw or spot.

3. Being beyond all charges or outlay; as net profits.

4. Being clear of all tare and tret, or all deductions; as net weight. It is sometimes written nett, but improperly. net is properly a mercantile appropriation of neat.

NET, verb transitive To produce clear profit.

NETHER, adjective [This word is of the comparative degree; the positive occurs only in composition, as in beneath. It is used only in implied comparison, as in the nether part, the nether millstone; but we never say, one part is nether than another. It is not much used.]

1. Lower; lying or being beneath or in the lower part; opposed to upper; as the nether millstone.

Distorted all my nether shape thus grew transformd.

2. In a lower place.

Twixt upper, nether and surrounding fires.

3. Belonging to the regions below.

NETHERMOST, adjective Lowest; as the nethermost hell; the nethermost abyss.

NETTING, noun

1. A piece of network.

2. A complication of ropes fastened across each other, to be stretched along the upper part of a ships quarter to contain hammocks. netting is also employed to hammocks. netting is also employed to hold the fore and main-top-mast sails when stowed. netting is also extended along a ships gunwale in engagements, to prevent the enemy from boarding.

NETTLE, noun A plant of the genus Urtica, whose prickles fret the skin and occasion very painful sensations.

And near the noisome nettle blooms the rose.

NETTLE, verb transitive To fret or sting; to irritate or vex; to excite sensations of displeasure or uneasiness, not amounting to wrath or violent anger.

The princes were nettled at the scandal of this affront.

NETTLED, participle passive Fretted; irritated.

NETTLER, noun One that provokes, stings or irritates.

NETTLING, participle present tense Irritating; vexing.

NEUROLOGICAL, adjective [See Neurology.] Pertaining to neurolgy, or to a description of the nerves of animals.

NEUROLOGIST, noun One who describes the nerves of animals.

NEUROLOGY, noun [Gr. A nerve, and discourse.] A description of the nerves of animal bodies, or the doctrine of the nerves.

NEUROPTER, noun [Gr., a nerve, and a wing.] The neuropters are an order of insects having four membranous, transparent, naked wings, reticulated with veins.

NEUROPTERA, noun [Gr., a nerve, and a wing.] The neuropters are an order of insects having four membranous, transparent, naked wings, reticulated with veins.

NEUROPTERAL, adjective Belonging to the order of neuropters.

NEUROSPAST, noun [Gr. To draw with strings.] A puppet; a little figure put in motion.

NEUROTIC, adjective [Gr. A nerve.] Useful in disorders of the nerves.

NEUROTIC, noun A medicine useful in the disorders of the nerves.

NEUROTOMICAL, adjective [See Neurotomy.] Pertaining to the anatomy or dissection of the nerves.

NEUROTOMIST, noun One who dissects the nerves.

NEUROTOMY, noun [Gr. A nerve, and to cut.]

1. The dissection of a nerve.

2. The art or practice of dissecting the nerves.

NEUTER, adjective [Latin not either.]

1. Not adhering to either party; taking no part with either side, either when persons are contending, or questions are discussed. It may be synonymous with indifferent, or it may not. The United States remained neuter during the French Revolution, but very few of the people were indifferent as to the success of the parties engaged. A man may be neuter from feeling, and he is then indifferent; but he may be neuter in fact, when he is not in feeling or principle. A judge should be perfectly neuter in feeling, that he may decide with impartiality.

2. In grammar, of neither gender; an epithet given to nouns that are neither masculine nor feminine; primarily to nouns which express neither sex.

NEUTER, noun

1. A person that takes no part in a contest between two or more individuals or nations; a person who is either indifferent to the cause, or forbears to interfere.

2. A animal of neither sex, or incapable of propagation. The working bees are neuters.

NEUTER verb, in grammar, a verb which expresses an action or state limited to the subject, and which is not followed by an object; as, I go; I sit; I am; I run; I walk. It is better denominated intransitive.

NEUTRAL, adjective [Latin From neuter.]

1. Not engaged on either side; not taking an active part with either of contending parties. It is policy for a nation to be neutral when other nations are at war. Belligerents often obtain supplies from neutral states.

2. Indifferent; having no bias in favor of either side or party.

3. Indifferent; neither very good nor bad.

Some things good, and some things ill do seem, And neutral some in her fantastic eye.

NEUTRAL salt, in chimistry, a salt or body composed of two primitive saline substances in combination, and possessing the character neither of an acid or alkaline salt; or a combination of an acid with any substance which destroys its acidity; any salt saturated with an alkali, an earth or a metal. But it is more usual to denominate neutral a salt which is united with an alkaline substance, and to cal the others earthy or metallic.

NEUTRAL, noun A person or nation that takes no part in a contest between others.

The neutral as far as his commerce extends, becomes a party in the war.

NEUTRALIST, noun A neutral. [Little used.]

NEUTRALITY, noun

1. The state of being unengaged in disputes or contests between others; the state of taking no part on either side. States often arm to maintain their neutrality

2. A state of indifference in feeling or principle.

3. Indifference in quality; a state neither very good nor evil. [Little used.]

4. A combination of neutral powers or states; as the armed neutrality

NEUTRALIZATION, noun [from neutralize.]

1. The act of neutralizing or destroying the peculiar properties of a body by combination with another body or substance.

2. The act of reducing to a state of indifference or neutrality.

NEUTRALIZE, verb transitive

1. To render neutral; to reduce to a state of indifference between different parties or opinions.

2. In chimistry, to destroy or render inert or imperceptible the peculiar properties of a body by combining it with a different substance. Thus to neutralize acids and alkalies, is to combine them in such proportions that the compound will no exhibit the qualities of either. This is called a neutral salt.

3. To destroy the peculiar properties or opposite dispositions of parties or other things, or reduce them to a state of indifference or inactivity; as, to neutralize parties in government; to neutralize opposition.

The benefits of universities- neutralized by moral evils.

A cloud of counter citations that neutralize each other.

NEUTRALIZED, participle passive Reduced to neutrality or indifference.

NEUTRALIZER, noun That which neutralizes; that which destroys, disguises or renders inert the peculiar properties of a body. The base of a salt is its neutralizer

NEUTRALIZING, participle present tense Destroying or rendering inert the peculiar properties of a substance; reducing to indifference or inactivity.

NEUTRALLY, adverb Without taking part with either side; indifferently.

NEVER, adverb

1. Not ever; not at any time; at no time. It refers to the past or the future. This man was never at Calcutta; he will never be there.

2. It has a particular use in the following sentences.

Ask me never so much dower and gift. Genesis 34:12.

Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely. Psalms 58:5.

A fear of battery-though never so well grounded, is no duress.

This is a genuine English use of never found in our Saxon authors, and it ought to be retained. Ask me so much dower as never was done; that is, dower to any extent. The practice of using ever in such phrases, is corrupt. It not only destroys the force but the propriety of the phrase.

3. In no degree; not.

Whoever has a friend to guide him, may carry his eyes in another mans head and yet see never the worse.

4. It is used for not. He answered him never a word; that is, not ever. This use is not common.

5. It is much used in composition; as in never-ending, never-failing, never-dying, never-ceasing, never-fading; but in all such compounds, never retains its true meaning.

NEVERTHELESS, adverb Not the less; notwithstanding; that is, in opposition to any thing, or without regarding it. It rained, nevertheless we proceeded on our journey; we did not the less proceed on our journey; we proceeded in opposition to the rain, without regarding it, or without being prevented.

NEW, adjective

1. Lately made, invented, produced or come into being; that has existed a short time only; recent in origin; novel; opposed to old, and used of things; as a new coat; a new house; a new book; a new fashion; a new theory; the new chimistry; a new discovery.

2. Lately introduced to our knowledge; not before known; recently discovered; as a new metal; a new species of animals or plants found in foreign countries; the new continent.

3. Modern; not ancient.

4. Recently produced by change; as a new life.

Put on the new man. Ephesians 4:24.

5. Not habituated; not familiar; unaccustomed.

Heretics and such as instill their poison into new minds.

NEW to the plough, unpracticed in the trace.

6. Renovated; repaired so as to recover the first state.

Men, after long emaciating diets, wax plump, fat and almost new

7. Fresh after any event.

NEW from her sickness to that northern air.

8. Not of ancient extraction or a family of ancient distinction.

By superior capacity and extensive knowledge, a new man often mounts to favor.

9. Not before used; strange; unknown.

They shall speak with new tongues. Mark 16:17.

10. Recently commenced; as the new year.

11. Having passed the change or conjunction with the sun; as the new moon.

12. Not cleared and cultivated, or lately cleared; as new land.

13. That has lately appeared for the first time; as a new star.

NEW is much used in composition to qualify other words, and always bears its true sense of late, recent, novel, fresh; as in new-born, new-made, new-grown, new-formed, new-found. In this use, new may be considered as adverbial, or as a part of the compound.

NEW, verb transitive To make new [Not used.]

NEWEL, noun In architecture, the upright post about which are formed winding stairs, or a cylinder of stone formed by the end of the steps of the winding stairs.

2. Novelty. [Not used.]

NEWING, noun Yeast or barm.

NEWISH, adjective Somewhat new; nearly new.

NEWLY, adverb

1. Lately; freshly; recently.

He rubbd it oer with newly gathered mint.

2. With a new form, different from the former.

And the refined mind doth newly fashion Into a fairer form.

3. In a manner not existing before.

NEWNESS, noun

1. Lateness of origin; recentness; state of being lately invented or produced; as the newness of a dress; the newness of a system.

2. Novelty; the state of being first known or introduced. The newness of the scene was very gratifying.

3. Innovation; recent change.

And happy newness that intends old right.

4. Want of practice or familiarity.

His newness shamed most of the others long exercise.

5. Different state or qualities introduced by change or regeneration.

Even so we also should walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4.

NEWS, noun [ From new; This word has a plural form, but is almost always united with a verb in the singular.]

1. Recent account; fresh information of something that has lately taken place at a distance, or of something before unknown; tidings. We have news from Constantinople. news has just arrived. This news is favorable.

Evil news rides fast, while good news baits.

It is no news for the weak and poor to be a prey to the strong and rich.

2. A newspaper.

NEWSPAPER, noun A sheet of paper printed and distributed for conveying news; a public print that circulates news, advertisements, proceedings of legislative bodies, public documents and the like.

NEWT, noun A small lizard; an eft.

NEWTONIAN, adjective Pertaining to Sir Isaac Newton, or formed or discovered by him; as the newtonian philosophy or system.

NEWTONIAN, noun A follower of Newton in philosophy.

NEW-YEARS GIFT, noun A present made on the first day of the year.

NEXT, adjective

1. Nearest in place; that has no object intervening between it and some other; immediately preceding, or preceding in order. We say, the next person before or after another.

Her princely guest was next her side, in order sat the rest.

2. Nearest in time; as the next day or hour; the next day before or after Easter.

3. Nearest in degree, quality, rank, right or relation; as, one man is next to another in excellence; one is next in kindred; one is next in rank or dignity. Assign the property to nim who has the next claim.

NEXT, adverb At the time or turn nearest or immediately succeeding. It is not material who follows next