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 at their place 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

Alternative forms

• nimma (pronunciation spelling)

Etymology

From Middle High German niemer, from Old High German niomēr, itself usually derived from ni- (“not”) + iomēr (“ever”), thus the same construct as English ever and never. Pfeifer instead derives it from Old High German nio (“never”) + iomēr (modern German nie + immer). The modern (chiefly southern) interpretation, finally, makes it equivalent to a contraction of ni(ch)t mehr (“no more”) or nie mehr (“never more”). All of these words are ultimately interrelated, but not identical.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnɪmər/, [ˈnɪ.mɐ], (southern also) [ˈni.mɐ]

• Audio (Germany (Berlin)):

  (file)

Adverb

nimmer

1. (archaic, literary, poetic) never, at no time

   Synonyms: nie, niemals

   • 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.

2. (regional, chiefly Southern Germany, Austria) no more, no longer, never again

   Synonyms: nicht mehr, nie mehr; nie wieder

   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.

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.

Derived terms

• nimmermehr
• Nimmersatt

Further reading

• “nimmer” in Duden online
• “nimmer”, in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache‎^[1] (in German)