| |
| nadir |
lowest point; point on the celestial sphere diametrically
opposite the zenith |
| naivet\'e(naivety) |
quality of being unsophisticated; simplicity; artlessness;
gullibility; ADJ. naive(na\"ive): ingenuous; lacking worldliness;
simple; credulous |
| narcissist |
conceited person; N. narcissism; CF. narcissus |
| narrative |
related to telling a story; N: narrated account; story;
V. narrate: tell (a story); CF. narration |
| nascent |
incipient; coming into being or existence; Ex. nascent
ability in music |
| natal |
connected with birth; CF. prenatal; CF. postnatal |
| natation |
swimming |
| natty |
neatly or smartly dressed; dapper; smart; Ex. natty
dresser |
| nausea |
feeling of sickness and desire to vomit; disgust; CF.
seasickness |
| nauseate |
cause to become sick; fill with disgust; fill nausea |
| nauseous |
causing nausea; feeling nausea |
| nautical |
pertaining to ships or navigation |
| navigable |
(of a body of water) wide and deep enough to allow
ships to pass through; (of a ship or aircraft) able to
be steered |
| nebula |
diffuse mass of interstellar dust or gas; galaxy |
| nebulous |
vague; hazy; cloudy; of a nebula; Ex. nebulous proposal |
| necromancy |
black magic; sorcery; dealings with the dead; art that
professes to communicate with the spirits of the dead
so as to predict the future; CF. necromancer; CF. necro+divination;
CF. necro-: death; Ex. necropolis |
| nectar |
drink of the gods; sweet liquid collected by bees |
| nefarious |
very wicked |
| negate |
cancel out; nullify; cause to have no effect; deny;
N. negation |
| negligence |
neglect; failure to take reasonable care; ADJ. negligent:
neglectful; lax; not taking enough care |
| negligible |
so small, trifling, or unimportant as to be easily
disregarded |
| nemesis |
someone seeking revenge; source of downfall or ruin;
CF. Nemesis |
| neologism |
new or newly coined word or phrase |
| neophyte |
recent convert; new member of a religious group; beginner;
CF. plant |
| nepotism |
favoritism (to a relative); CF. nephew |
| nether |
lower; Ex. nether garments/regions |
| nettle |
irritate; annoy; vex; ADJ. nettlesome |
| nexus |
connection |
| nib |
beak(bill); pen point |
| nicety |
precision; accuracy; minute distinction or difference;
Ex. to a nicety: exactly; precisely; Ex. distinguish between
niceties |
| niggardly |
meanly stingy; parsimonious; N. niggard: stingy person |
| niggle |
spend too much time on minor points (esp. when finding
fault); find fault; Ex. niggle over details; ADJ. niggling |
| nihilist |
one who considers traditional beliefs to be groundless
and existence meaningless; absolute skeptic; revolutionary
terrorist; CF. nihilism: belief that nothing has meaning
or value; belief that destruction of existing political
or social institutio |
| nimble |
quick in movement; agile; quick in understanding; Ex.
nimble climber/mind |
| nip |
snip off; stop something's growth or development; bite;
make numb with cold; Ex. nip the plan; Ex. A guard dog
nipped the postman; Ex. fingers nipped by the extreme
chill |
| nirvana |
in Buddhist teachings, the ideal state in which the
individual loses himself in the attainment of an impersonal
beatitude |
| nocturnal |
done or active at night; Ex. nocturnal animals/raids;
CF. nocturne |
| noisome |
foul smelling; very unpleasant; unwholesome |
| nomadic |
wandering; N. nomad: tribe who migrates from place
to place |
| nomenclature |
terminology(system of specialized words); system of
names or naming things |
| nominal |
in name only; of a name; trifling; (of a sum of money)
very small; CF. nominate: propose as a candidate; appoint |
| nonchalance |
indifference; lack of concern; composure; ADJ. nonchalant:
unconcerned; cool; indifferent; Ex. nonchalant attitude
to his debts |
| noncommittal |
neutral; refusing commitment to a particular opinion;
unpledged; undecided |
| nondescript |
undistinctive; ordinary; ordinary-looking; Ex. nondescript
fellow in a crowd |
| nonentity |
person of no importance; nonexistence |
| nonplus |
put at a loss; bring to a halt by confusion; perplex;
CF. no more |
| nonsense |
speech or writing with no meaning; foolish behavior
or language; Ex. make (a) nonsense of: spoil; cause to
fail |
| noose |
loop formed in a rope |
| nostalgia |
homesickness; longing for the past; Ex. nostalgia for
the clothes of 1920s; ADJ. nostalgic |
| nostrum |
questionable medicine; quack medicine; CF. our (remedy) |
| notable |
conspicuous; worthy of note; remarkable; important;
distinguished; noted |
| notch |
V-shaped cut in a surface; V. |
| notoriety |
disrepute; ill fame |
| nourish |
provide with food necessary for life and growth |
| nourishment |
something that nourishes; food |
| nova |
star that suddenly becomes much brighter and then returns
to its original brightness |
| novelty |
something new; newness; ADJ. novel: new; original |
| novice |
beginner |
| noxious |
harmful; CF. obnoxious |
| nuance |
shade of slight difference in meaning or color; subtle
distinction |
| nubile |
marriageable; of marriageable age; CF. connubial |
| nugatory |
worthless; futile |
| nullify |
make invalid; make null; invalidate |
| numismatist |
person who collects coins; N. numismatics: study or
collection of money, coins, and medals |
| nuptial |
related to marriage or the wedding ceremony; N. nuptials:
wedding ceremony |
| nurse |
suckle; take care of (as a nurse); bear in mind; Ex.
nursing mother; Ex. nurse a hope/grudge against someone |
| nurture |
nourish; feed; educate; rear; care for while it is
growing or developing; foster; cultivate; N: something
that nourishes; rearing |
| nutrient |
nourishing substance; ADJ: providing nourishment |
| nutrition |
process of nourishing or being nourished; CF. malnutrition |
| nutritious |
providing nourishment |
