*nib*

n. [ F. bonne et belle, good and beautiful. Cf. Bellibone. ] A handsome girl. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. cannibale. Columbus, in a letter to the Spanish monarchs written in Oct., 1498, mentions that the people of Haiti lived in great fear of the Caribales (equivalent to E. Caribbees.), the inhabitants of the smaller Antilles; which form of the name was afterward changed into NL. Canibales, in order to express more forcibly their character by a word intelligible through a Latin root “propter rabiem caninam anthropophagorum gentis.” The Caribbees call themselves, in their own language. Calinago, Carinago, Calliponam, and, abbreviated, Calina, signifying a brave, from which Columbus formed his Caribales. ] A human being that eats human flesh; hence, any that devours its own kind. Darwin. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Relating to cannibals or cannibalism. “Cannibal terror.” Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. resembling a beast; showing lack of human sensibility.
Syn. -- beastly, bestial, brute(prenominal), brutish. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Cf. F. cannibalisme. ] The act or practice of eating human flesh by mankind. Hence; Murderous cruelty; barbarity. Berke. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. to eat human flesh.
Syn. -- practice cannibalism. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. to use parts of (something, such as a machine), to repair something else.
Syn. -- use parts of. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. i. & t. same as cannibalise. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adv. In the manner of cannibal. “An he had been cannibally given.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. discernibilis. ] Capable of being discerned by the eye or the understanding; as, a star is discernible by the eye; the identity of difference of ideas is discernible by the understanding. [ 1913 Webster ]

The effect of the privations and sufferings . . . was discernible to the last in his temper and deportment. Macaulay.

Syn. -- Perceptible; distinguishable; apparent; visible; evident; manifest. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being discernible. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a manner to be discerned; perceptibly; visibly. Hammond. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Without punishment; with impunity. [ Obs. ] J. Ellis. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. in- not + discernible: cf. F. indiscernable. ] Not to be discerned; imperceptible; not discoverable or visible. [ 1913 Webster ]

Secret and indiscernible ways. Jer. Taylor.

-- In`dis*cern"i*ble*ness, n. -- In`dis*cern"i*bly, adv.

a. [ Pref. in- not + L. tenere to hold: cf. L. intenibilis not to be grasped. Cf. Intenable. ] Incapable of holding or containing. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

This captious and intenible sieve. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. minor less + -bus, as in omnibus. ] 1. A kind of light passenger vehicle, carrying four persons. [ archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A type of bus (omnibus) similar in general appearnace to a standard-sized bus, but smaller and having a smaller passenger capacity, typically about 15 persons. It is usually used for transportation over relatively short distances. [ PJC ]

n. [ A variabt of neb. ] 1. A small and pointed thing or part; a point; a prong. “The little nib or fructifying principle.” Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) The bill or beak of a bird; the neb. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The points of a pen; also, the pointed part of a pen; a short pen adapted for insertion in a holder. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. One of the handles which project from a scythe snath; also, [ Prov. Eng. ], the shaft of a wagon. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. pl. See his nibs, below. [ PJC ]

his nibs Someone who gives a command or makes a demand, often one who acts in a self-important manner, sometimes one with authority; -- used mockingly as a jocose term, as if a title of honor, but not usually in the presence of the person referred to, and usually indicating resentment or contempt. [ Colloq. ] [ PJC ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Nebbed p. pr. & vb. n. Nibbing. ] To furnish with a nib; to point; to mend the point of; as, to nib a pen. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having a nib or point. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Nibbled p. pr. & vb. n. Nibbling ] [ Cf. Nip. ] To bite by little at a time; to seize gently with the mouth; to eat slowly or in small bits. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To bite upon something gently or cautiously; to eat a little of a thing, as by taking small bits cautiously; as, fishes nibble at the bait. [ 1913 Webster ]

Instead of returning a full answer to my book, he manifestly falls a-nibbling at one single passage. Tillotson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A small or cautious bite. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence: (Fig.) An expression of interest, often tentative, as at the beginning of a sale or negotiation process. [ PJC ]

n. One who, or that which, nibbles. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a nibbling manner; cautiously. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ G. See Nibelungs; Lied. ] A great medieval German epic of unknown authorship containing traditions which refer to the Burgundians at the time of Attila (called Etzel in the poem) and mythological elements pointing to heathen times. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. pl.; sing. Nibelung /sing>. In German mythology, the children of the mist, a race of dwarfs or demonic beings, the original possessors of the famous hoard and ring won by Siegfrid; also, the Burgundian kings in the Nibelungenlied. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. A kind of golf stick used to lift the ball out of holes, ruts, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. See his nibs under nib, n. [ PJC ]

prop. n. (Sumerian and Babylonian mythology) A solar deity, first-born of Bel and consort was Gula; god of war and the chase and agriculture; sometimes identifed with Biblical Nimrod.
Syn. -- Ninurta. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L., for all, dat. pl. from omnis all. Cf. Bus. ] 1. A long vehicle, having seats for many people; a bus. [ 1913 Webster ]

In the 1913 Webster the term omnibus was especially applied to, a vehicle with seats running lengthwise, used in conveying passengers short distances. [ PJC ]

2. (Glass Making) A sheet-iron cover for articles in a leer or annealing arch, to protect them from drafts. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Printing) A volume containing collected and reprinted works of a single author or on a single theme. [ PJC ]

a. Pertaining to or dealing with a variety of topics at one time; as, omnibus legislation; an omnibus budget bill. [ PJC ]

Omnibus bill, a legislative bill which provides for a number of miscellaneous enactments or appropriations. [ Parliamentary Cant, U.S. ] --
Omnibus box, a large box in a theater, on a level with the stage and having communication with it. [ Eng. ] Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) One of the Pectinibranchiata. Also used adjectively. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. See Pecten, and Branchia. ] (Zool.) A division of Gastropoda, including those that have a comblike gill upon the neck. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. pecten, -inis, a comb + E. branchiate. ] (Zool.) Having pectinated gills. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ OF. penible. Cf. Painable. ] Painstaking; assidous. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. See Perennial, and Branchia. ] (Zool.) Those Batrachia which retain their gills through life, as the menobranchus. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Perennial, and Branchiate. ] 1. (Anat.) Having branchæ, or gills, through life; -- said especially of certain Amphibia, like the menobranchus. Opposed to caducibranchiate. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) Belonging to the Perennibranchiata. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. ponere to place. ] The capability of being placed or located. [ Obs. ] Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. L. pulmo, -onis, a lung + Gr. &unr_; a gill. ] (Zool.) Same as Pulmonata. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. & n. (Zool.) Same as Pulmonate. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. quini five each. ] (Mus.) An interval of a fifth; also, a part sung with such intervals. [ Obs. ] “He sang . . . a loud quynyble.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A reprimand; a snub. [ Obs. ] Marston. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ OE. snibben; cf. Dan. snibbe, and E. snub, v. t. ] To check; to sneap; to sneb. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Him would he snib sharply for the nones. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

See abolishable.
See absolvable.
See absurd.
See abundant.
See accordant.
See adoptable.
See adventurous.
See affable.
See affectionate.
See afraid.
See alliable.
See allowable.
See alterable.
See ambiguous.
See ambitious.
See amendable.
See -American.
See amusive.
See angular.
See anxious.
See apocryphal.
See apostolic.
See apparent.
See appeasable.
See applausive.
See appreciable.
See apprehensible.
See apprehensive.
See approachable.
See artificial.
See artistic.
See assailable.
See attainable.
See attentive.
See authentic.
See available.
See bailable.
See bearable.
See beautiful.
See beliefful.
See believable.
See beneficial.
See benevolent.
See blamable.
See blemishable.
See blissful.
See boastful.
See bold.
See bookish.
See bounteous.
See bribable.
See brotherly.
See burdensome.
See businesslike.
See busy.
See candid.
See canonical.
See captious.
See careful.
See celestial.
See ceremonious.
See challengeable.
See changeable.
See chary.
See chastisable.
See cheerful.
See cheery.
See childish.
See chivalrous.
See choleric.
See christianlike.
See circumspect.
See civic.
See classible.
See classic.
See classical.
See cleanly.
See clear.
See clerical.
See clerklike.
See close.
See cloudy.
See clubbable.
See coagulable.
See cogitable.
See collectible.
See comic.
See commendable.
See commercial.
See communicable.
See communicative.
See compact.
See companionable.
See compassionate.
See compellable.
See competitive.
See complaisant.
See compliant. See complimentary.
See concealable.
See concurrent.
See conditionate.
See confinable.
See confutable.
See congealable.
See congenial.
See conjugal.
See conjunctive.
See conquerable.
See consecrate.
See containable.
See contaminate.
See contradictable.
See contrite.
See convenable.
See conventional.
See conversable.
See conversant.
See convertible.
See coquettish.
See cordial.
See corpulent.
See correspondent.
See corruptible.
See corruptive.
See costly.
See counselable.
See countable.
See counterfeit.
See courteous.
See courtierlike.
See courtly.
See crafty.
See creatable.
See critical.
See crystalline.
See cultivable.
See curious.
See customary.
See dangerous.
See daughterly.
See dead.
See deceivable.
See decidable.
See decipherable.
See declinable.
See decomposable.
See definable.
See delectable.
See deliberate.
See delightful.
See deliverable.
See democratic.
See demonstrable.
See demonstrative.
See deniable.
See derogatory.
See descendible.
See describable.
See desirable.
See desirous.
See despondent.
See devout.
See diaphanous.
See diligent.
See diminishable.
See discernible.
See disciplinable.
See discordant.
See discoverable.
See dissolvable.
See distinguishable.
See dividable.
See divine.
See domestic.
See doubtful.
[ 1913 Webster ]