ALMONDBURT AND HUDDERSFIELD. 91 often better than the standard one. Nighest and next are both derived from A.S. nehstay in Mid.Eng. nehst, or neist, — W. W. S.]^ It must, however, be remarked that the mode of pronoimcine next in the local fashion would be neistf as ' vaist ' for ' vexed,' &c. See Letter X. ' She neUt brought a sark o' the saffcest silk. Well wrought wi' pearls about the band.' Alison OroM^ ver. 5. ' The neistan step that she waded, She waded to the chin.' Willie and May Margaret, ver. 30. Kesh, adj. tender ; delicate ; nice ; sensitive to cold. Used also in Pembrokeshire.
- I can fynde no flesh.
Hard nor neshf Salt nor fresh, Bot two tome platters.'
- Secunda Fastorum,' Towneley Mysteries
(Surtees Society), p. 113. Hestlecook, sK the youngest child, &c. Nifle, vh. to steal quietly, or slily. Ififler, sh, a sly thief. Night, pronounced neet^ but sometimes nawt. On one occasion a friend of mine heard two persons taking leave. ' Gooid neety^ said one ; ' Good nawt,^ said the other. The latter is considered the more modem form, though it is hard to say why, as the long t is so frequently pronoimced as au, or aw, Nip, Borat, and bite. Used to express a scramble. Nipper, ah. a boy who runs to different offices to see whether there are any goods for the station. To nip about is to go about quickly. Nobble, vh. to thrash or beat a person ; also to take possession of. Nobbnt, or No' but, i. e. not but, or nought but, constantly used for only. ' If s nohlmt me.' Henryson, who wrote about 1540, has in his Abbey WaUe, 11. 41—44 :
- This changing and great variance
Of earthly statis up and down, Is not hut casualty and chance. As some men say without reasoun.' Also in the Yorkshire Horsedealers :
- Thinks Abey, t' oud codger '11 niwer smoak t' trick,
m swop wi' him my poor deead horse for his wick. An' if Tommy I nobhut can happen ta trap, 'Twill be a fine feather i' Aberram cap I ' Noddlin, nodding (1). A man brought his wife to Almondbury to
