inches):—v.t. to fasten with nails: to make certain: to confirm, pin down, hold fast: to catch or secure through promptitude; to trip up or expose.—ns. Nail′-brush, a small brush for cleaning the nails; Nail′er, one whose trade is to make nails; Nail′ery, a place where nails are made.—adj. Nail′-head′ed, having a head like that of a nail: formed like nail-heads, said of ornamental marks on cloth and on certain kinds of mouldings (dog-tooth).—n. Nail′-rod, a strip cut from an iron plate to be made into nails: a trade name for a strong kind of manufactured tobacco.—Nail to the counter, to expose publicly as false, from the habit of nailing a counterfeit coin to a shop counter.—Drive a nail in one's coffin (see Coffin); Hit the nail on the head, to touch the exact point; On the nail, on the spot: immediately: without delay. [A.S. nægel; Ger. nagel.]

Nainsell, nān′sel, n. own self—Highland Scotch.

Nainsook, nān′sōōk, n. a kind of muslin like jaconet, both plain and striped. [Hind.]

Naissant, nās′sant, adj. (her.) rising or coming forth, as an animal newly born or about to be born. [Fr., pr.p. of naître—L. nasci, natus, to be born.]

Naïve. See Naïf.

Naked, nā′ked, adj. without clothes: uncovered: open to view: unconcealed: evident: unarmed: defenceless: unprovided: without addition or ornament: simple: artless: (bot.) without the usual covering.—adv. Nā′kedly.—n. Nā′kedness.—Naked eye, the eye unassisted by glasses of any kind; Naked lady, the meadow-saffron.—Stark naked, entirely naked. [A.S. nacod; Ger. nackt.]

Naker, nā′ker, n. a kettledrum. [O. Fr.,—Ar.]

Nam, nam, n. an obsolete law term for distraint.—n. Namā′tion. [A.S. niman, pa.t. nam, to take.]

Namby-pamby, nam′bi-pam′bi, n. silly talking or writing.—adj. sentimental, affectedly pretty.—v.t. to coddle. [H. Carey's nickname for Ambrose Philips (1671-1749), from his childish odes to children.]

Name, nām, n. that by which a person or a thing is known or called: a designation: that which is said of a person: reputed character: reputation: fame: celebrity: remembrance: a race or family: appearance, not reality: authority: behalf: assumed character of another: (gram.) a noun.—v.t. to give a name to: to designate: to speak of or to call by name: to mention for a post or office: to nominate: to mention formally by name a person in the House of Commons as guilty of disorderly conduct.—adjs. Nam′able, Name′able; Name′less, without a name: undistinguished: indescribable; Name′worthy, distinguished.—adv. Name′lessly.—n. Name′lessness.—adv. Name′ly, by name: that is to say.—ns. Name′-plate, a plate of metal having on it the name of a person, usually affixed to a door or a gate; Nam′er; Name′sake, one bearing the same name as another for his sake.—Name the day, to fix a day, esp. for a marriage.—Call names, to nickname; Christian name (see Christian); In name of, on behalf of: by the authority of; Proper name, a name given to a particular person, place, or thing; Take a name in vain, to use a name lightly or profanely. [A.S. nama; Ger. name; L. nomen.]

Nancy, nan′si, n. an effeminate young man, often a 'Miss Nancy.'—Nancy Pretty, a corruption of none so pretty, the Saxifraga umbrosa.

Nandine, nan′din, n. a small West African paradoxure, with spotted sides.

Nandu, Nandoo, nan′dōō, n. the South American ostrich.

Nanism, nā′nizm, n. dwarfishness.—n. Nanisā′tion, the artificial dwarfing of trees.—adj. Nā′noid. [Fr.,—L.,—Gr. nanos, a dwarf.]

Nankeen, nan-kēn′, n. a buff-coloured cotton cloth first made at Nankin in China: (pl.) clothes, esp. breeches, made of nankeen.—Also Nankin′.

Nanny, nan′i, n. a female goat.—Also Nann′y-goat.

Nap, nap, n. a short sleep.—v.i. to take a short sleep: to feel drowsy and secure:—pr.p. nap′ping; pa.p. napped.—Catch napping, to come upon unprepared. [A.S. hnappian; cf. Ger. nicken, to nod.]

Nap, nap, n. the woolly substance on the surface of cloth: the downy covering of plants.—v.t. to raise a nap on.—ns. Nap′-mē′ter, a machine for testing the wearing strength of cloth; Nap′piness.—adj. Nap′py. [M. E. noppe: the same as knop.]

Nap, nap, n. a game of cards—Napoleon (q.v.).

Nap, nap, v.t. to seize, to take hold of, steal.

Nape, nāp, n. the back upper part of the neck, perhaps so called from the knob or projecting point of the neck behind. [Knap, knob.]

Napery, nā′per-i, n. linen, esp. for the table: table-cloths, napkins, &c. [O. Fr.,—Low L. naparia—napa, a cloth—L. mappa, a napkin.]

Naphtha, naf′tha, or nap′tha, n. a clear, inflammable liquid distilled from petroleum, wood, coal-tar, &c.: rock-oil.—n. Naph′thalene, a grayish-white, inflammable substance obtained by the distillation of coal-tar.—adj. Naphthal′ic, pertaining to, or derived from, naphthalene.—v.t. Naph′thalise.—ns. Naph′thol, Naphthyl′amine. [L.,—Gr.,—Ar. naft.]

Napierian, nā-pē′ri-an, adj. pertaining to John Napier of Merchiston (1550-1617), the inventor of logarithms.—Napier's bones, or rods, an invention of Napier's for performing mechanically the operations of multiplication and division, by means of sets of rods.

Napiform, nāp′i-form, adj. shaped like a turnip: large and round above and slender below.—adj. Napifō′lious, with leaves like the turnip. [L. napus, a turnip.]

Napkin, nap′kin, n. a cloth for wiping the hands: a handkerchief.—n. Nap′kin-ring, a ring in which a table-napkin is rolled. [Dim. of Fr. nappe.]

Napless, nap′les, adj. without nap: threadbare.

Naples-yellow, nā′plz-yel′lō, n. a light-yellow pigment consisting of antimoniate of lead, originally made in Italy by a secret process.

Napoleon, na-pō′lē-on, n. a French gold coin worth 20 francs, or about 15s. 10½d.: a French modification of the game of euchre, each player receiving five cards and playing for himself: a kind of