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nigh

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: Nigh

English

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WOTD – 16 October 2011

Etymology

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Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₂neḱ-
Proto-Germanic *nēhwazder.
Proto-Germanic *nēhw
Proto-West Germanic *nāhw
Old English nēah
Middle English neygh
English nigh

    Inherited from Middle English neygh, from Old English nēah, from Proto-West Germanic *nāhw, from Proto-Germanic *nēhw, from *nēhwaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂neḱ- (“to reach”).

    Pronunciation

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    Adjective

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    nigh (comparative nigher or more nigh, superlative nighest or most nigh)

    1. (archaic, poetic) Near, close by.
      The end is nigh!
      Daybreak is drawing nigh.
      • 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto IX”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 14, page 311:
        For with ſuch puiſſance and impetuous maine / Thoſe Champions broke on them, that forſt the fly, / Like ſcattered Sheepe, whenas the Shepherds ſwaine / A Lyon and a Tigre doth eſpye, / With greedy pace forth ruſhing from the foreſt nye.
      • 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.
      • 2020 May 20, John Crosse, “Soon to be gone... but never forgotten”, in Rail, page 63, photo caption:
        The end is nigh (or at least it was supposed to be), but the Pacers in northern England kept plugging away providing a service while awaiting the much-delayed arrival of their replacements.
      • 2020, Keith Getty, Matt Boswell, Jordan Kauflin, Matt Merker, Matt Papa, “Christ Our Hope in Life and Death”‎[1]Getty Music Publishing (BMI) / Messenger Hymns (BMI) / Matthew Merker Music (BMI) / Jordan Kauflin Music (BMI) / Getty Music Hymns and Songs (ASCAP) / Love Your Enemies Publishing (ASCAP):
        Who sends the waves that bring us nigh / Unto the shore, the rock of Christ?
    2. Not remote in degree, kindred, circumstances, etc.; closely allied; intimate.

    Usage notes

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    Synonyms

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    Derived terms

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    Translations

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    Verb

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    nigh (third-person singular simple present nighs, present participle nighing, simple past and past participle nighed)

    1. (ambitransitive) to draw nigh (to); to approach; to come near
      • 1924, Thomas Hardy, He Resolves to Say No More:
        When the charnel-eyed Pale Horse has nighed

    Quotations

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    Alternative forms

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    Translations

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    Adverb

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    nigh (not comparable)

    1. Almost, nearly.
      • 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter XII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
        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.
      • 2017 July 16, Brandon Nowalk, “Chickens and dragons come home to roost on Game Of Thrones (newbies)”, in The Onion AV Club‎[2]:
        Hell of a surprise in the seventh season premiere of Game Of Thrones. Arya Stark, fresh off a nigh Cersei-level ambush of the Frey household, comes upon a small campfire surrounded by fresh-faced red cloaks.

    Usage notes

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    • Nigh is sometimes used as a combining form.

    Quotations

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    Derived terms

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    Translations

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    Preposition

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    nigh

    1. near; close to
      • 1661-5, Thomas Salusbury (translator), Galileo Galilei, Dialogue concerning the Two Chief World Systems, 1632
        When the Moon is horned […] is it not ever nigh the Sun?
      • 1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide:
        The cottage stood nigh the burn, in a little garden, with lilyoaks and grosart bushes lining the pathway.

    Translations

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    Anagrams

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    Irish

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    Etymology

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    From Middle Irish nigid (“to wash”).[1]

    Pronunciation

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    Verb

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    nigh (present analytic níonn, future analytic nífidh, verbal noun ní, past participle nite)

    1. (ambitransitive) to wash

    Conjugation

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    Conjugation of nigh (first conjugation – C)
    indicative singular plural direct relative autonomous
    first second third first second third
    present ním níonn tú;
    nír†     		níonn sé, sí nímid; níonn muid níonn sibh níonn siad;
    níd†     		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 níodh
    past habitual nínn niteá níodh sé, sí nimis; níodh muid níodh sibh nidís; níodh siad a níodh nití
    singular plural direct relative autonomous
    first second third first second third
    future nífidh mé;
    nífead     		nífidh tú;
    nífir†     		nífidh sé, sí nífimid;
    nífidh muid     		nífidh sibh nífidh siad;
    nífid†     		a nífidh; a nífeas nífear
    conditional nífinn nífeá nífeadh sé, sí nífimis; nífeadh muid nífeadh sibh nífidís; nífeadh siad a nífeadh nífí
    subjunctive singular plural direct relative autonomous
    first second third first second third
    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 singular plural direct relative autonomous
    first second third first second third
    — ním nigh níodh sé, sí nímis nígí;
    nídh†     		nídís — nitear
    past participle nite
    verbal noun ní

    † archaic or dialect form
    ‡ dependent form

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    • níochán m (“(act of) washing; wash, laundry; clothes washed or to be washed”)

    References

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    References
    1. ^ Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “nigid”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
    2. ^ Sjoestedt, M. L. (1938), Description d’un parler irlandais de Kerry [Description of an Irish Dialect of Kerry] (in French), Paris: Librairie Ancienne Honoré Champion, § 162, page 125
    3. ^ de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1977), Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge: An Deilbhíocht [The Irish of Cois Fharraige: Accidence] (in Irish), 2nd edition, Institiúid Ard-Léinn Bhaile Átha Cliath [Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies], section 183, page 80
    4. ^ de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1975), The Irish of Cois Fhairrge, Co. Galway: A Phonetic Study, revised edition, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, § 205, page 38
    5. ^ de Búrca, Seán (1958), The Irish of Tourmakeady, Co. Mayo: A Phonemic Study, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, →ISBN, section 185, page 36
    6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Wagner, Heinrich (1959), Gaeilge Theilinn: Foghraidheacht, Gramadach, Téacsanna [The Irish of Teelin: Phonetics, Grammar, Texts] (in Irish), Institiúid Ard-Léinn Bhaile Átha Cliath [Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies], section 335, page 120; reprinted 1979
    7. ^ Quiggin, E. C. (1906), A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, § 473, page 151

    Further reading

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    Scottish Gaelic

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    Pronunciation

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    Etymology 1

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    From Middle Irish nigid (“he washes”). Compare English nixie (“water sprite”), Ancient Greek νίζω (nízō)).

    Verb

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    nigh (past nigh, future nighidh, verbal noun nighe, past participle nighte)

    1. wash, cleanse, purify
    2. bathe
    Inflection
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    Conjugation of nigh (regular)
    stem nigh
    verbal noun nighe
    past participle nighte
    independent dependent
    active passive active passive
    past nigh nigheadh nigh nigheadh
    future nighidh nighear
    nightear     		nigh nighear
    nightear
    conditional 1st singular nighinn nighteadh
    nighist1
    nighiste1     		nighinn nighteadh
    nighist1
    nighiste1
    1st plural nigheamaid
    nigheadh sinn     		nigheamaid
    nigheadh sinn
    2nd & 3rd nigheadh nigheadh
    relative
    future     		nigheas nighear
    imperative 1st singular nigheam nighear
    nightear
    2nd singular nigh
    3rd singular nigheadh
    1st plural nigheamaid
    2nd plural nighibh
    3rd plural nigheadh

    1 Lewis dialect form

    Combined conjugation of nigh (regular)
    stem nigh
    verbal noun nighe
    past participle nighte
    singular plural impersonal
    first second third m/f first second third
    independent past nigh mi nigh thu nigh e/i nigh sinn nigh sibh nigh iad nigheadh
    future nighidh mi nighidh tu nighidh e/i nighidh sinn nighidh sibh nighidh iad nighear
    nightear
    conditional nighinn nigheadh tu nigheadh e/i nigheamaid
    nigheadh sinn     		nigheadh sibh nigheadh iad nighteadh
    nighist1
    nighiste1
    negative past cha do nigh mi cha do nigh thu cha do nigh e/i cha do nigh sinn cha do nigh sibh cha do nigh iad cha do nigheadh
    future cha nigh mi cha nigh thu cha nigh e/i cha nigh sinn cha nigh sibh cha nigh iad cha nighear
    cha nightear
    conditional cha nighinn cha nigheadh tu cha nigheadh e/i cha nigheamaid
    cha nigheadh sinn     		cha nigheadh sibh cha nigheadh iad cha nighteadh
    cha nighist1
    cha nighiste1
    affirmative
    interrogative     		past an do nigh mi? an do nigh thu? an do nigh e/i? an do nigh sinn? an do nigh sibh? an do nigh iad? an do nigheadh?
    future an nigh mi? an nigh thu? an nigh e/i? an nigh sinn? an nigh sibh? an nigh iad? an nighear?
    an nightear?
    conditional an nighinn? an nigheadh tu? an nigheadh e/i? an nigheamaid?
    an nigheadh sinn?     		an nigheadh sibh? an nigheadh iad? an nighteadh?
    an nighist?1
    an nighiste?1
    negative
    interrogative     		past nach do nigh mi? nach do nigh thu? nach do nigh e/i? nach do nigh sinn? nach do nigh sibh? nach do nigh iad? nach do nigheadh?
    future nach nigh mi? nach nigh thu? nach nigh e/i? nach nigh sinn? nach nigh sibh? nach nigh iad? nach nighear?
    nach nightear?
    conditional nach nighinn? nach nigheadh tu? nach nigheadh e/i? nach nigheamaid?
    nach nigheadh sinn?     		nach nigheadh sibh? nach nigheadh iad? nach nighteadh?
    nach nighist?1
    nach nighiste?1
    relative
    future     		affirmative (ma) nigheas mi (ma) nigheas thu (ma) nigheas e/i (ma) nigheas sinn (ma) nigheas sibh (ma) nigheas iad (ma) nighear
    negative (mur) nigh mi (mur) nigh thu (mur) nigh e/i (mur) nigh sinn (mur) nigh sibh (mur) nigh iad (mur) nighear
    (mur) nightear
    imperative nigheam nigh nigheadh e/i nigheamaid nighibh nigheadh iad nighear
    nightear

    1 Lewis dialect form

    Etymology 2

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    This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.
    Particularly: “Back-formation from nighean, perhaps?”

    Noun

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    nigh f (genitive singular nighe)

    1. daughter
    2. niece

    Further reading

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    • Edward Dwelly (1911), “nigh”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
    • Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “nigid”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
    Retrieved from "https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=nigh&oldid=89420998"