Nibs (or Nabs), subs. (colloquial).—Self: his nibs = the person referred to; your nibs = yourself; my nibs = myself—'dis child.' Also = 'friend,' 'boy,' &c., in addressing a person. Also nibso. Cf. watch.
1819. Vaux, Memoirs, s.v. Your nabs, yourself; an emphatical term used in speaking to another person.
1821. D. Haggart, Life, 'Glossary,' p. 172, s.v.
1851-61. H. Mayhew, London Lab., iii. 136. He had nanti-vampo, and your nibs must fake it; which means,—We have no clown, and you must do it.
1890. Punch, 22 Feb. So Robert, my nabs, it's no go.
1892. Sporting Times, 29 Oct. For out of his nibs I had taken a rise.
1893. Milliken, 'Arry Ballads, 23. That nicked 'er, my nibs.
1893. Chevalier, 'Our Little Nipper.' So in we goes, followed by 'is nibs.
Nice, adj. and adv. (old: still
colloquial).—1. Simple; witless.
1297. Robert of Gloucester, 106. He was nyce and knowthe no wisdome.
1350. William of Palerne (E. E. T. S.) i., 491. Now witterly ich am vn-wis wonderliche nyce.
1383. Chaucer, Wife of Bath's Tale, i., 82. But seye that we be wyse, and no-thing nyce.
1430. Ye Develis Perlament and Hymns to Virgin (E. E. T. S.), 54. Whi were thou so nyce to leete him go?
c.1696. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Nice. More nice than wise; a Sir Courtly Nice, a silly, empty, gay, foolish Fellow.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
2. (old: still colloquial).—See quot., 1696, and cf. Swift's definition of a 'nice man' as 'a man of nasty ideas.'
1543. Book of Precedence (E. E. T. S., extra series), i., 66. Be not to noyous, to nyce, ne to nefangle.
c.1696. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Nice; squeamish, precise.
1775. Sheridan, Rivals, ii., 2. Nay, Sir Lucius, I thought you wa'n't rich enough to be so nice.
1818. Greville, Memoirs, 15 Aug. I have seen her . . . much amused with jokes, stories, and allusions which would shock a very nice person.
1895. Iota, A Comedy in Spasms, 1. Fine blend of Henry Fairchild, Pelham, and John Halifax, all nice books to think of in connection with boys.
3. (colloquial).—Pleasant; agreeable: e.g., a nice woman or a nice fellow; cf. the satirical extension: as in 'a nice young man for a small tea-party.'
Niche (or Niche-cock), subs.
(venery).—The female pudendum:
see Monosyllable.
Nicholas (Saint), subs. phr. (old).—The
devil: see Old Nick.
1822. Nares, Glossary, s.v. Nicholas, Saint. But a very different person was also jocularly called St. Nicholas, now converted into Old Nick; the same person whom Sir James Harrington has called saunte Satan, in his introduction to the Blacksaunt.
Saint Nicholas's Clerk, subs. phr. (old).—A highwayman. Also knight of St. Nicholas, and St. Nicholas clergyman. [St. Nicholas was the patron saint of thieves].
1595. Shakspeare, Two Gent. Ver., iii., 1. S. Come, fool, come try me in this paper. L. There, and St. Nicholas be thy speed.
1598. R. Harvey, Pl. Perc, i., A quarrel, by the highway side, between a brace of Saint Nicholas clargie men.
1598. Shakspeare, 1 Henry IV. ii., 1. G. Sirrah, if they meet not with saint Nicholas's clerks, I'll give thee this neck.
1598. Shakspeare, 1 Henry IV. ii., 1. I prythee keep that for the hangman; for I know thou worships't saint Nicholas as truly as a man of falsehood may.
