nimmer

See also: Nimmer

English

Etymology

From Middle English nimere, equivalent to nim (“to filch, steal”) +‎ -er. Cognate with Dutch nemer (“taker”), German Nehmer (“taker”).

Noun

nimmer (plural nimmers)

1. A petty thief.

Anagrams

• mermin

Bavarian

Etymology

From Middle High German nimmer, nimer, niemer, also niemēr, from Old High German niomēr, from either nio (“not”) +‎ mēr (“more”) (equivalent to modern nia (“never”) + wieder (“again”)) or ni (“not”) +‎ iomēr (“always, ever”) (equivalent to modern na (“no”) + immer (“always”), compare English never from ne +‎ ever), or maybe both. Cognate with German nimmer, Dutch nimmer.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnimɐ/
• Hyphenation: nim‧mer

Adverb

nimmer

1. no more, no longer

   De Maschin geht nimmer. ― The machine is no longer working.

2. never again

   Bei dena kaf i nimmer ei. ― I'll never shop with them again.

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch nemmer, from Old Dutch niemer. Equivalent to n- +‎ immer.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnɪ.mər/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: nim‧mer
• Rhymes: -ɪmər

Adverb

nimmer

1. (formal or dated) never

   Synonym: nooit

   Antonyms: altijd, altoos, immer

Usage notes

Nimmer is rarer and nowadays considered much more formal than nooit, excluding some compounds and set expressions.

Derived terms

• nooit en te nimmer
• nimmermeer
• nooit ofte nimmer

German

Etymology

Perhaps originally ni- +‎ immer, thus the same construct as English ever and never. According to others a dialectal contraction of nie mehr, later remodelled according to immer.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnɪmər/, [-mɐ]
• IPA^(key): /ˈnimɐ/ (Austria, Bavaria)

• Audio

  (file)

Adverb

nimmer

1. (regional, chiefly Southern Germany, Austria) no more, no longer

   Liegt der Bauer tot im Zimmer, lebt er nimmer. (joke in the form of a Bauernregel)

   If the farmer lies dead in his room, he's alive no more.

2. (regional, chiefly Southern Germany, Austria) never again
3. (archaic or poetic, literary) never, at no time
   • 1952, Paul Celan, “Espenbaum [Aspen Tree]”, in Mohn und Gedächtnis, line 2:

     Meiner Mutter Haar ward nimmer weiß.

     Never did my mother's hair become white.

Usage notes

• In northern Germany and many parts of central Germany, the word is used mainly in some set phrases such as nie und nimmer (“never ever”). Otherwise, it sounds archaic or poetic. It is used more readily in southern Germany and Austria, meaning “no more” or “never again”. The original sense “never, at no time” is now rare.

Synonyms

• (no more): nicht mehr
• (never again): nie mehr, nie wieder
• (never): nie, niemals

Derived terms

• nimmermehr
• Nimmersatt

Further reading

• “nimmer” in Duden online
• “nimmer” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache