Nab, to catch, to seize; “NAB the rust,” to take offence.—Ancient, fourteenth century. See NAP.

Nab the rust, to take offence.

Nabob, an Eastern prince, a retired Indian official,—hence a slang term for a capitalist. From Nawaub.

Nabs, self; my NABS, myself; his NABS, himself.—North Country Cant.

Nag, to persistently talk in a scolding manner, after the manner of Mrs. Caudle. Nagging is supposed to be persistent, persevering, passionless scolding.

Nail in one’s coffin, a dram, “a drop o’ summat’ short,” a jocular, but disrespectful phrase, used by the lower orders to each other at the moment of lifting a glass of spirits to their lips. “Well, good luck! here’s another NAIL IN MY COFFIN.” This is probably in ridicule of teetotal or temperance preachers, and the arguments adduced by them. Another phrase with old topers is “shedding a tear,” also “wiping an eye.”

Namby-pamby, particular, over-nice, effeminate. This was possibly of Pope’s invention, and first applied by him to the affected short-lined verses addressed by Ambrose Phillips to Lord Carteret’s infant children. See Johnson’s Life of Pope.

Nammus, or NAMOUS, to be off, to get away; “let’s NAMMUS, somebody’s coming.” See VAMOS.

Nanny-shop, a disreputable house.

Nantee, not any, or “I have none.” Nantee also means “shut up!” or “leave off!” Italian, NIENTE, nothing. See DINARLY.—Lingua Franca.

Nantee palaver, no conversation, i.e., hold your tongue. Very often in this sense also shortened to NANTEE only. Originally Lingua Franca, but now general.

Nap, or NAB, to take, steal, or receive; “you’ll NAP it,” i.e., you will catch a beating.—North; also Old Cant.

Nap, to break, or rap with a hammer. See KNAP.—North.

Nap, or NAPPER, a hat. From “nab,” a hat, cap, or head.—Old Cant.

Nap nix, a person who works at his trade, and occasionally goes on the stage to act minor parts without receiving any pay. The derivation is obvious. See NAP and NIX, i.e., NICHTS.

Nap one’s bib, to cry, shed tears, or carry one’s point.

Nap the regulars, to divide the booty.

Nap the teaze, to be privately whipped in prison.

Nark, a person in the pay of the police; a common informer; one who gets his living by laying traps for publicans, &c. Sometimes called a “nose.”

Nark, to watch, or look after; “NARK the titter,” watch the girl.

Narp, a shirt.—Scotch.

Narrow, mean, sordid.—Scotch. In common slang, dull of comprehension, as distinguished from wide awake.

Nasty, ill-tempered, cross-grained. “He was very NASTY,” i.e., he was ill-humoured.

Nation, or TARNATION, very, or exceedingly. Corruption of damnation.

Natty, pretty, neat, tidy.—Old.

Natural, an idiot, a simpleton. Sometimes HALF-NATURAL.

Navvy, an excavator employed in making railways, canals, &c. Originally slang, but now a recognised term. Short for navigator, a term humorously applied to excavators when their chief work was that of cutting and banking canals, making dykes to rivers, &c.

N. C., “enough said,” being the initials of NUF CED. A certain theatrical manager spells, it is said, in this style.

Near, mean and stingy.

Neardy, a person in authority over another; master, parent, or foreman.—North.

Neat, unmixed with water. “Two half goes of gin, one NEAT, the other cold,” meaning one as drawn, the other diluted with cold water. The Americans use the word “straight” instead of NEAT: “I’ll take mine straight.”

Neck, to swallow. Neck-oil, drink of any kind.

Neck and crop, entirely, completely; “he chuck’d him NECK AND CROP out of window.”

Neck and neck. Horses run NECK AND NECK in a race when they are so perfectly equal that one cannot be said to be before the other.

Neck or nothing, desperate. Originally a steeplechase phrase.

Neck beef, a synonym for coarseness. “As coarse as neck ends of beef.”

Neckinger, a cravat. See MUCKENGER.

Ned, a guinea. Half-ned, half-a-guinea.

Neddy, a considerable quantity, as “a NEDDY of fruit,” “a NEDDY of fish,” &c.—Irish slang.

Neddy, a donkey. On Sunday, when a costermonger, if at all well to do, takes his family out for an airing in his “shallow,” the donkey is called “Eddard.”

Neddy, a life preserver. Possibly contraction of Kennedy, the name of the first man, it is said in St. Giles’s, who had his head broken by a poker.

Ned Stokes, the four of spades.—North Hants. See Gentleman’s Magazine for 1791, p. 141.

Needful, money, cash; the “one thing NEEDFUL” for the accomplishment of most pet designs.

Needle, to annoy. To “cop the NEEDLE” is to become vexed or annoyed.

Needy mizzler, a shabby person; a tramp who runs away without paying for his lodging.

Never trust me, an ordinary phrase with low Londoners, and common in Shakspeare’s time, vide Twelfth Night. It is generally used instead of an oath, calling vengeance on the asseverator, if such-and-such does not come to pass.

Newgate fringe, or FRILL, the collar of beard worn under the chin; so called from its occupying the position of the rope when Jack Ketch operates. Another name for it is a Tyburn collar.

Newgate Knocker, the term given to the lock of hair which costermongers and thieves usually twist back towards the ear. The shape is supposed to resemble the knocker on the prisoners’ door at Newgate—a resemblance that carries a rather unpleasant suggestion to the wearer. Sometimes termed a COBBLER’S KNOT, or COW-LICK.

Newmarket, in tossing, when the game is “two out of three,” that is, when he who gains the first two tosses wins. When the first toss is decisive, the game is termed “sudden death.”

Nibble, to take, or steal. Nibbler, a petty thief.

Nib-cove, a gentleman. Nibsomest cribs, best or gentlemen’s houses.—Beggar’s Cant.

Nib-like, gentlemanly.

Nibs, self. His NIBS, means any one who may be referred to. As, “I told his NIBS,” or “stag his NIBS.” “Your NIBS,” yourself.

Nick, or Old Nick, the devil.—Scandinavian, Knickar, one of the names of Odin, as the destroying or evil principle.

Nick, to hit the mark; “he’s NICKED it,” i.e., won his point. Also to steal. To be “out on the NICK,” is to be out thieving. Sometimes described as being “on the pinch.”

Nick-nack, a trifle.—Originally Cant.

Niggling, trifling, or idling; taking short steps in walking.—North.

Nightcap, a glass of “warm with” taken the last thing at night.

Night-hunter, a poacher.—North. Also a London prostitute. Sometimes in the latter capacity varied to night-hawk.

Nil, half; half profits, &c.

Nilly-willy, i.e., NILL YE, WILL YE, whether you will or no; a familiar version of the Latin, NOLENS VOLENS. Generally written now, WILLY-NILLY.

Nincompoop, a fool, a hen-pecked husband, a “Jerry Sneak.”—Corruption of non compos mentis.

Nine corns, a pipeful of tobacco.

Ninepence, “nice as NINEPENCE,” all right, right to a nicety. A correspondent says:—“This most undoubtedly should be NINE-PINS. For at the game of that name, in fairness to both parties, the nine pins must always be set up with great accuracy. There is no nicety in NINEPENCE!” Evidently this correspondent does not know how nice it is to have ninepence, after being without money. At all events the phrase is “nice as NINEPENCE.”

Nines, “dressed up to the NINES,” in a showy or recherché manner. Up to the NINES, up to the dodges and “wrinkles” of life.

Nine Shillings, cool audacity; most probably derived from the French, NONCHALANCE.

Ning-nang, horse-coupers’ term for a worthless thoroughbred.

Ninnyhammer, a foolish, ignorant person. Generally shortened to NINNY. Ninny is also short for nincompoop.

Nip, to steal, to take up quickly. See NAP and NIB.

Nipcheese, a purser.—Old Sea Slang.

Nipper, a sharp lad. Originally a superior grade among cut-purses.

Nix, nothing. German, NICHTS. See MUNGARLY.

Nix! the signal word of schoolboys and workpeople to each other that the master, or other person in authority, is approaching.

Niz-priz, a writ of nisi-prius.—Legal.

Nizzie, a fool, a coxcomb.—Old Cant, vide Triumph of Wit.

Nob, the head.—Pugilistic; “bob a NOB,” a shilling a head. Ancient Cant, NEB. Nob is an early English word, and is used in the romance of Kynge Alinaunder (thirteenth century) for a head; originally, no doubt, the same as knob.

Nob, a person of high position, a “swell,” a NOBleman,—of which word it may be an abbreviation, or of NOBILIS. See SNOB.

Nob. When the knave of trumps is held at the game of cribbage, the holder counts “one for his NOB.”

Nobba, nine. Italian, NOVE; Spanish, NOVA,—the b and v being interchangeable, as in sabe and savvey. Slang introduced by the “organ-grinders” from Italy.

Nobba saltee, ninepence. Lingua Franca, NOVE SOLDI.

Nobbing cheat, the gallows.—Old Cant.

Nobbing, collecting money; “what NOBBINGS?” i.e., how much have you got or collected from the crowd? This term is much used by “buskers.”

Nobble, to cheat, to overreach; to discover. In the racing world, to “NOBBLE” a horse, is to “get at,” and lame or poison him.

Nobbler, a blow on the NOB, a finishing stroke; “that’s a NOBBLER for him,” i.e., a settler.—Pugilistic.

Nobbler, a confederate of thimble-riggers and card-sharpers, who plays earnestly, as if a stranger to the “rig,” and thus draws unsuspecting persons into a game. The same as a “bonnet” or “bearer-up.” In the North of England, a low, cunning lawyer.

Nobby, or NOBBISH, fine or showy; NOBBILY, showily. See SNOB for derivation.

No flies, an emphatic addition made to an assertion for the purpose of giving it weight. It really means “no error” or “no mistake.” Both of them popular; as, “A jolly fine girl, and NO FLIES!”

No-fly, artful, designing. Term much used among printers, who shorten it to “N.F.”

Noli-me-tangere, the Scotch fiddle, or other contagious disease.

Non-com, a non-commissioned officer in the army.

No odds, no matter, of no consequence.—Latimer’s Sermon before Edward VI.

Nooning, an interval for rest and refreshment, taken at midday by travellers in hot countries.

Norfolk-Howards, bugs; a person named Ephraim Bug some few years back advertised, that for the future he would call himself by the more aristocratic appellation of Norfolk Howard.

North, cunning. The inhabitants of Yorkshire and the Northern counties are supposed, like the canny Scots, to get the better of other people in dealing; hence the phrase, “He’s too far NORTH for me,” i.e., too cunning for me to deal with.

North country compliment, to give or offer anything that is not wanted by either giver or receiver is to pass a NORTH COUNTRY COMPLIMENT.

Norwicher, more than one’s share; said of a person who leaves less than half the contents of a tankard for his companion. In what way the term originated, or why Norwich was selected before any other city is not known. Most likely from the slanders which the inhabitants of one town are always inventing about their neighbours.

Nose, a thief who turns informer; a paid spy; generally called a policeman’s NOSE; “on the NOSE,” on the look-out.

Nose, to give information to the police, to turn approver.

Nose, “to pay through the NOSE,” to pay an extravagant price.

Nose-bag, a visitor at a watering-place, or house of refreshment, who carries his own victuals. Term applied by waiters.

Nose ’em, or FOGUS, tobacco. Nose ’em is but a contraction of the rhyming slang, which see.

Nose-ender, a straight blow delivered full on the nasal promontory.

Nose in the manger, TO PUT ONE’S, to sit down to eat. To “put on the nose-bag” is to eat hurriedly, or to eat while continuing at work.

Nose out of joint, TO PUT ONE’S; to supplant, supersede, or mortify a person by excelling him.

Noser, a hard blow, leading to a bloody or contused nose.—Pugilistic.

Notional, imaginative, full of ideas. Used in America to express a wife’s imaginations with regard to her husband’s doings.

Nouse, comprehension, perception.—Old, apparently from the Greek, νοῦς. Gaelic and Irish, NOS, knowledge, perception.

Nowhere, horses not placed in a race—that are neither first, second, nor third—are said to be NOWHERE, especially when this lack of position happens to favourites.

Number of his mess, when a man dies in the army or navy, he is said to “lose the NUMBER OF HIS MESS.”

Nurse, a curious term applied to competition in omnibuses. Two omnibuses are placed on the road to NURSE, or take care of, each opposition “bus,” one before, the other behind. Of course the central or NURSED bus has very little chance, unless it happens to be a favourite with the public. Recent legislation and tramways have done much to do away with NURSING. Nurse also means to cheat or swindle; trustees are sometimes said to NURSE property, i.e., gradually eat it up themselves.

Nut, the head, in pugilistic slang. Used as an exclamation at a fight, it means to strike on the head. In tossing it is a direction to hide the head; to be “off one’s NUT,” to be crazed or idiotic.

Nut-cut, roguish, mischievous. A good-natured term of reproach.—Anglo-Indian.

Nuts, to be NUTS on anything or person is to be pleased with or fond of it or him; a self-satisfied man is said to be NUTS on himself. Nutted, taken in by a man who professed to be NUTS on you.

Nux, the “plant,” or object in view. “Stoll up to the NUX?” “Do you fully comprehend what is wanted?”—North Country Cant.