*nigg*

a. Like a niggard; meanly covetous or parsimonious; niggardly; miserly; stingy. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. To act the niggard toward; to be niggardly. [ R. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Niggardliness. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Somewhat niggard. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being niggard; meanness in giving or spending; parsimony; stinginess. [ 1913 Webster ]

Niggardliness is not good husbandry. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Meanly covetous or avaricious in dealing with others; stingy; niggard. [ 1913 Webster ]

Where the owner of the house will be bountiful, it is not for the steward to be niggardly. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Avaricious; covetous; parsimonious; sparing; miserly; penurious; sordid; stingy. See Avaricious. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a niggard manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Niggardliness. Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Niggardly. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Covetous gathering and niggardous keeping. Sir T. More. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Niggardliness. [ Obs. ] Sir T. Elyot. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Niggardliness. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Prov. E. nig to clip money. ] (Masonry) Hammer-dressed; -- said of building stone. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A negro; -- in vulgar derision or depreciation. It is usually intended and interpreted as highly insulting and vulgar. [ Low, deprecatory, and vulgar ] [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

n. A strong black chewing tobacco, usually in twisted plug form; negro head. [ archaic ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. [ See Niggard. ] Niggardly. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Niggled p. pr. & vb. n. Niggling ] [ Dim. of Prov. E. nig to clip money; cf. also Prov. E. nig a small piece. ] To trifle with; to deceive; to mock. [ Obs. ] Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To trifle or play. [ 1913 Webster ]

Take heed, daughter,
You niggle not with your conscience and religion. Massinger. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To act or walk mincingly. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To fret and snarl about trifles. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Chiefly Eng.) 1. To move about restlessly or without result; to fidget. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

5. To be finicky or excessively critical; to potter; esp., to work with excessive care for trifling details, as in painting. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. t. 1. To use, spend, or do in a petty or trifling manner. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. To elaborate excessively, as in art. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. One who niggles. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. petty, trivial, or inconsequential. [ PJC ]

2. Excessively demanding of time or attention; as, niggling little details. [ PJC ]

n. Finicky or pottering work; specif. (Fine Arts), Minute and very careful workmanship in drawing, painting, or the like, esp. when bestowed on unimportant detail. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

{ } n. [ Cf. Sneak. ] (Zool.) A small eel. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Snicker. Dickens. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. See Snicker. Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Sniggled p. pr. & vb. n. Sniggling ] [ See Snig a kind of eel. ] To fish for eels by thrusting the baited hook into their holes or hiding places. Walton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To catch, as an eel, by sniggling; hence, to hook; to insnare. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]