nigh

a. [ Compar. Nigher superl. Nighest, or Next ] [ OE. nigh, neigh, neih, AS. neáh, nēh; akin to D. na, adv., OS. nāh, a., OHG. nāh, G. nah, a., nach to, after, Icel. nā (in comp.) nigh, Goth. nēhw, nēhwa, adv., nigh. Cf. Near, Neighbor, Next. ] 1. Not distant or remote in place or time; near. [ 1913 Webster ]

The loud tumult shows the battle nigh. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Not remote in degree, kindred, circumstances, etc.; closely allied; intimate. “Nigh kinsmen.” Knolles. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ye . . . are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Eph. ii. 13. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Near; close; adjacent; contiguous; present; neighboring. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ AS. neáh, nēh. See Nigh, a. ] 1. In a situation near in place or time, or in the course of events; near. [ 1913 Webster ]

He was sick, nigh unto death. Phil. ii. 27. [ 1913 Webster ]

He drew not nigh unheard; the angel bright,
Ere he drew nigh, his radiant visage turned. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Almost; nearly; as, he was nigh dead. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. To draw nigh (to); to approach; to come near. [ Obs. ] Wyclif (Matt. iii. 2). [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a near relation in place, time, degree, etc.; within a little; almost. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

A cube and a sphere . . . nighly of the same bigness. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being nigh. [ R. ] “Nighness of blood.” Holished. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. night, niht, AS. neaht, niht; akin to D. nacht, OS. & OHG. naht, G. nacht, Icel. nōtt, Sw. natt, Dan. nat, Goth. nahts, Lith. naktis, Russ. noche, W. nos, Ir. nochd, L. nox, noctis, Gr. ny`x, nykto`s, Skr. nakta, nakti. √265. Cf. Equinox, Nocturnal. ] 1. That part of the natural day when the sun is beneath the horizon, or the time from sunset to sunrise; esp., the time between dusk and dawn, when there is no light of the sun, but only moonlight, starlight, or artificial light. [ 1913 Webster ]

And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. Gen. i. 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence: (a) Darkness; obscurity; concealment. [ 1913 Webster ]

Nature and nature's laws lay hid in night. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

(b) Intellectual and moral darkness; ignorance. (c) A state of affliction; adversity; as, a dreary night of sorrow. (d) The period after the close of life; death. [ 1913 Webster ]

She closed her eyes in everlasting night. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Do not go gentle into that good night
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Dylan Thomas. [ PJC ]

(e) A lifeless or unenlivened period, as when nature seems to sleep. “Sad winter's night”. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Night is sometimes used, esp. with participles, in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, night-blooming, night-born, night-warbling, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Night by night,
Night after night, nightly; many nights. [ 1913 Webster ] So help me God, as I have watched the night,
Ay, night by night, in studying good for England. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] --
Night bird. (Zool.) (a) The moor hen (Gallinula chloropus). (b) The Manx shearwater (Puffinus Anglorum). --
Night blindness. (Med.) See Hemeralopia. --
Night cart, a cart used to remove the contents of privies by night. --
Night churr, (Zool.), the nightjar. --
Night crow, a bird that cries in the night. --
Night dog, a dog that hunts in the night, -- used by poachers. --
Night fire. (a) Fire burning in the night. (b) Ignis fatuus; Will-o'-the-wisp; Jask-with-a-lantern. --
Night flyer (Zool.), any creature that flies in the night, as some birds and insects. --
night glass, a spyglass constructed to concentrate a large amount of light, so as see objects distinctly at night. Totten. --
Night green, iodine green. --
Night hag, a witch supposed to wander in the night. --
Night hawk (Zool.), an American bird (Chordeiles Virginianus), allied to the goatsucker. It hunts the insects on which it feeds toward evening, on the wing, and often, diving down perpendicularly, produces a loud whirring sound, like that of a spinning wheel. Also sometimes applied to the European goatsuckers. It is called also bull bat. --
Night heron (Zool.), any one of several species of herons of the genus Nycticorax, found in various parts of the world. The best known species is Nycticorax griseus, or Nycticorax nycticorax, of Europe, and the American variety (var. naevius). The yellow-crowned night heron (Nyctanassa violacea syn. Nycticorax violaceus) inhabits the Southern States. Called also qua-bird, and squawk. --
Night house, a public house, or inn, which is open at night. --
Night key, a key for unfastening a night latch. --
Night latch, a kind of latch for a door, which is operated from the outside by a key. --
Night monkey (Zool.), an owl monkey. --
night moth (Zool.), any one of the noctuids. --
Night parrot (Zool.), the kakapo. --
Night piece, a painting representing some night scene, as a moonlight effect, or the like. --
Night rail, a loose robe, or garment, worn either as a nightgown, or over the dress at night, or in sickness. [ Obs. ] --
Night raven (Zool.), a bird of ill omen that cries in the night; esp., the bittern. --
Night rule. (a) A tumult, or frolic, in the night; -- as if a corruption, of night revel. [ Obs. ] (b) Such conduct as generally rules, or prevails, at night.

What night rule now about this haunted grove? Shak.

--
Night sight. (Med.) See Nyctolopia. --
Night snap, a night thief. [ Cant ] Beau. & Fl. --
Night soil, human excrement; -- so called because in cities it is collected by night and carried away for manure. --
Night spell, a charm against accidents at night. --
Night swallow (Zool.), the nightjar. --
Night walk, a walk in the evening or night. --
Night walker. (a) One who walks in his sleep; a somnambulist; a noctambulist. (b) One who roves about in the night for evil purposes; specifically, a prostitute who walks the streets. --
Night walking. (a) Walking in one's sleep; sleep walking; somnambulism; noctambulism. (b) Walking the streets at night with evil designs. --
Night warbler (Zool.), the sedge warbler (Acrocephalus phragmitis); -- called also night singer. [ Prov. Eng. ] --
Night watch. (a) A period in the night, as distinguished by the change of watch. (b) A watch, or guard, to aford protection in the night. --
Night watcher, one who watches in the night; especially, one who watches with evil designs. --
Night witch. Same as Night hag, above. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The popular name for a poem by Clement Clarke Moore titled A Visit from St. Nicholas, a popular poem with the theme of St. Nicholas (Santa Claus) coming to bring gifts to children on Christmans eve. [ PJC ]

☞ The full text of the poem follows: T'was the night before Christmas, when all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there. The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugarplums danced in their heads;
And Mama in her kerchief and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap. When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters, and threw up the sash. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave the luster of midday to objects below,
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
“Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer!, Now Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid!, On, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!!” As the dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the housetop the coursers they flew,
With a sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas, too. And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof,
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack. His eyes -- how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye, and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread. He spoke not a word, but went staight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk,
And laying a finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose; He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight,
“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!” [ PJC ]

n. A person who likes to be active late at night; a night owl.
Syn. -- night owl, nighthawk. [ WordNet 1.5 ]