nigglen.
/ˈnɪɡl/, U.S. /ˈnɪɡ(ə)l/ 1. Small cramped handwriting; an instance of this. (In quot. 1934, by extension: excessive elaboration of line.) Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > writing > handwriting or style of > [noun] > small or cramped
small handa1513
niggle1834
micrography1899
1834 T. Hood Tylney Hall Introd. Sometimes it is a little close niggle, as if you studied economy in stationery.
1856 C. M. Yonge Daisy Chain i. xviii Ethel's best writing was an upright, disjointed, niggle.
1856 C. M. Yonge Daisy Chain i. xviii A still wilder combination of scramble, niggle, scratch, and crookedness.
1934 E. Pound Cavalcanti in Make it New 347 Against these European Hindoos we find the ‘medieval clean line’, as distinct from medieval niggle. Byzantium gives us perhaps the best architecture.
1970 New Yorker 12 Sept. 52/2 It's a relief to you to see her handwriting—it doesn't seem such a niggle as usual, but that's her ‘R’.
2.
a. The action of nagging or finding fault; pettiness; (also) irritation, annoyance.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > displeasure > discontent or dissatisfaction > state of complaining > [noun] > a complaint > petty or irritating
niggle1865
the mind > emotion > anger > irritation > [noun] > action of irritating > cause of irritation > one who or that which irritates > in minor way
pinprick1853
niggle1865
ankle-biter1872
pinprod1893
1865 Pall Mall Gaz. 8 Apr. 7 In these days of niggle and naggle, its force is apt to be miscalled coarseness by critics of a particular school.
1888 F. T. Elworthy W. Somerset Word-bk. (at cited word) Her's always 'pon the niggle way un.
1986 J. Joseph Persephone xliii. 197 His head was cleaned of pain and the pain in going had taken away with it all the niggle, the circular gloomy gnawing, all thought.
b. An instance of this; a petty complaint or criticism; a slight worry, annoyance, or discomfort.
ΚΠ
1956 I. Bromige Enchanted Garden iii. iii. 144 I even feel a few little niggles of uneasiness myself.
1960 Guardian 11 June 1/5 The poor quality of contemporary furniture..can be the only niggle.
1972 M. Gilbert Body of Girl xii. 106 If the boys in blue can get in a niggle at you, they will.
2000 S. Kinsella Secret Dreamworld Shopaholic viii. 110 The only small thing—tiny niggle—is I'm not quite sure how I'm going to do it. Make More Money, I mean.
3. British colloquial (chiefly Sport). Ill feeling, animosity.
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > dissent > competition or rivalry > [noun] > with ill will
envying1587
emulation1588
emulosity1716
niggle1964
1964 Cheshire Observer 20 Mar. 3/4 A bit of niggle crept into the exchanges at this stage, and there was one incident in which Referee Brandwood revealed unusual toleration.
1978 J. Galway Autobiogr. (1979) x. 114 There was some sort of niggle going on between him and one of the senior members of the orchestra.
1987 Times 15 June 34/3 It became a stop-start affair and there was too much niggle to make it a memorable match.
1998 Green 'Un (Electronic ed.) 7 Mar. I went into their game..well aware that there could be a little bit of niggle between the two sides.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
nigglev.1
/ˈnɪɡl/, U.S. /ˈnɪɡ(ə)l/ slang (originally cant). Now rare.
transitive. To have sexual intercourse with (a man or a woman). Also intransitive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sexual relations > sexual activity > engage in sexual activity with [verb (transitive)] > have sexual intercourse with
mingeOE
haveOE
knowc1175
ofliec1275
to lie with (or by)a1300
knowledgec1300
meetc1330
beliea1350
yknowc1350
touchc1384
deala1387
dightc1386
usea1387
takec1390
commona1400
to meet witha1400
servea1400
occupy?a1475
engender1483
jangle1488
to be busy with1525
to come in1530
visitc1540
niggle1567
mow1568
to mix one's thigh with1593
do1594
grind1598
pepper1600
yark1600
tumble1603
to taste of1607
compressc1611
jumble1611
mix?1614
consort?1615
tastea1616
bumfiddle1630
ingressa1631
sheet1637
carnal1643
night-work1654
bump1669
bumble1680
frig?c1680
fuck1707
stick1707
screw1719
soil1722
to do over1730
shag1770
hump1785
subagitatec1830
diddle1879
to give (someone) onec1882
charver1889
fuckeec1890
plugc1890
dick1892
to make a baby1911
to know (a person) in the biblical sense1912
jazz1920
rock1922
yentz1924
roll1926
to make love1927
shtupa1934
to give (or get) a tumble1934
shack1935
bang1937
to have it off1937
rump1937
tom1949
to hop into bed (with)1951
ball1955
to make it1957
plank1958
score1960
naughty1961
pull1965
pleasurea1967
to have away1968
to have off1968
dork1970
shaft1970
bonk1975
knob1984
boink1985
fand-
1567 T. Harman Caueat for Commen Cursetors (new ed.) Peddelars Frenche sig. Giiiv To nyggle, to haue to do with a woman carnally.
1608 T. Dekker Lanthorne & Candle-light sig. B10v If we Niggle, or mil a bowsing Ken [glossed] If an ale-house we rob, or be tane with a whore.
1611 T. Middleton & T. Dekker Roaring Girle sig. K4v Wee'l couch a hogshead vnder the Ruffemans..And there you [sc. Moll Cutpurse] shall wap with mee, and I'le niggle with you.
a1640 J. Fletcher et al. Beggers Bush ii. i, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Kk4v/1 Hub. How long Has she been here? Sn. Long enough to be..nigled: and she ha'..good luck.
1670 Merry Drollery Compl. II. 211 To the bed she led him;..Oh how she negl'd him all the night long!
1701 T. D'Urfey Bath iv. i. 34 He brought in a great fat tumbrel black-brow'd Whore to me, and she neegled me a great deal too.
1719 T. D'Urfey Wit & Mirth II. 111 To purge my Sins, And buy me Pins, I've nigled an Old Parson.
1931 G. Irwin Amer. Tramp & Underworld Slang 135 Niggle, to have sexual intercourse.
1931 G. Irwin Amer. Tramp & Underworld Slang 263 In 1914–18..hump and niggle were used of both sexes, screw and shag were operatively male.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
nigglev.2
/ˈnɪɡl/, U.S. /ˈnɪɡ(ə)l/ Now chiefly colloquial.† 3. transitive. To behave ingratiatingly or courteously towards; to make a fuss of, pamper. Also (intransitive): to flirt, behave provocatively. Obsolete.
1. † d. intransitive. To get on tolerably with a person. Obsolete. rare.
a. intransitive. To do something in a painstaking, finicky, fussy, or ineffective manner; to trifle, fiddle; to waste effort or time on petty details. Also with away. Also: to gnaw, nibble at.The 1631 example cited in N.E.D. (1907) was in fact a misreading of iuggle, corrected by Massinger himself in 1632.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > unimportance > be unimportant [verb (intransitive)] > behave in unimportant way
to pick a salad1520
niggle1599
to play tiddlywinks1919
the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > uselessness > uselessness, vanity, or futility > be of no avail [verb (intransitive)] > be ineffective > work ineffectively
niggle1599
spuddle1630
the mind > attention and judgement > bad taste > lack of simplicity > deprive of simplicity [verb (intransitive)] > over-elaborate
niggle1839
1599 [implied in: T. Nashe Lenten Stuffe 4 All the King of Spaines Indies will not create me such a nigling Hexameter-founder as he [sc. Homer] was. (at niggling adj. 1a)].
a1640 J. Fletcher & P. Massinger Little French Lawyer iv. vi, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. K3/2 That little Lawyer, would so..bite your honour by the nose..So niggle about your grave shins Lord Vertaigne.
1813 E. S. Barrett Heroine III. xxxi. 56 Is it to be mumbling the knuckles, just as a pup niggles at a bone.
1839 C. Clark John Noakes & Mary Styles 13 Long she'd niggle at har glass.
1854 A. E. Baker Gloss. Northants. Words II. 54 How you are niggling over your work; it is not worth the time.
1888 F. T. Elworthy W. Somerset Word-bk. at Niggle Could'n catch no fish, they wid'n only jist niggle like, 'thout bitin' proper.
1893 J. A. Barry Steve Brown's Bunyip 56 For a while they niggles away at the big butt, turn an' turn about.
1958 A. Y. Jackson Painter's Country 55 She niggled with small brushes while I tried vainly to get her to paint with more breadth.
1990 C. Raine Haydn & Valve Trumpet 457 Surely we can tell, just by glancing at the dog niggling away, that the theology is extraordinarily complex—a kind of nit-picking, in fact.
b. intransitive. To go about or keep moving along in a fiddling or ineffective manner; (esp. of a horse) to amble. Now Scottish and English regional (rare).
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > progressive motion > specific manner of progressive motion > move progressively in specific manner [verb (intransitive)] > ineffectively
niggle1781
1781 F. Burney Jrnl. Aug. in Early Jrnls. & Lett. (2003) IV. 424 When I have nobody at all at my place but Workmen;..I niggle after them, up & down.
1823 E. Moor Suffolk Words 248 Ka there—how she niggle along.
1833 F. B. Head Bubbles from Brunnen 246 The river, as one niggles along, is seen bit by bit from the steam-boat.
1849 E. B. Eastwick Dry Leaves 193 A fidgetty high-mettled steed, which dislikes a dozen of ragged galloways niggling along within a yard of its tail.
1887 T. Darlington Folk-speech S. Cheshire Ye mun be guardful haï ye runnen the hoss fost part o' th' journey, case ye'n gotten a lung wee for go, ye mun remember; just go nigglin' alung big'st part o' th' road.
1988 G. Lamb Orkney Wordbk. (at cited word) Niddle, niggle,..to walk with short steps, to mince along.
c. transitive. English regional (chiefly northern) and Scottish (Shetland). To cut ineffectually, to hack. Also intransitive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ability > inability > unskilfulness > be unskilled in [verb (transitive)] > handle clumsily
fumble1609
niggle1828
1828 W. Carr Dial. Craven (ed. 2) (at cited word) ‘To niggle or haggle meat,’ to cut it awkwardly.
1862 C. C. Robinson Dial. Leeds & Neighbourhood 374 Niggle, to cut, or pare down wood, after a rude fashion.
1900 Shetland News 22 Dec. I tink he [sc. a knife]'ll njiggle aff his [sc. a pig's] head.
1979 J. J. Graham Shetland Dict. at Nyiggle He was staandin nyigglin awa, tryin ta flay a sheep's head wi a blunt tully.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > love > friendliness > be friendly [verb (intransitive)] > get on (well)
gree?a1513
to get in with1602
cotton1605
to hitch (also set, or stable) horses together1617
to hit it1634
gee1685
to set horses together1685
to be made for each other (also one another)1751
to hit it off1780
to get ona1805
to hitch horses together1835
niggle1837
to step together1866
to speak (also talk) someone's (also the same) language1893
to stall with1897
cog1926
groove1935
click1954
vibe1986
1837 Lady Dacre in Friendships Miss Mitford (1882) II. 21 I shall try to niggle on with her; but I am too deaf and old, I fear, to scrape acquaintance with a young person.
e. transitive. Horse Racing. To twitch (the reins) continually; to coax (a horse) along in this way. Also intransitive with object implied.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > horse racing > ride horse in race [verb (transitive)] > actions of rider
bore1677
jostle1723
pinch1740
pull1781
rope1854
screw1855
corner1861
ride1863
ready1887
poach1891
nurse1893
to ask (a horse) the question1894
stiffen1900
shoo1908
rate1946
stop1954
niggle1963
1963 L. F. Bloodgood & P. Santini Horseman's Dict. 137 Niggle the reins (To), for the rider continuously to jiggle or twitch the reins.
1990 Sporting Life 18 May in G. Hammond Horse Racing (1992) 142 River's Lad: niggled along halfway, no impression from five out.
1994 Sporting Life (Electronic ed.) 18 Apr. Manntari made the running but two furlongs out, when Johnny Murtagh started to niggle, he looked in trouble.
1996 Irish Times (Nexis) 9 Apr. 16 I had to niggle him along and he made a bad mistake five out.
2001 Sun 27 Jan. (Racing section) 1/1 McCoy was hard at work some way from home on Blowing Wind but kept niggling and eventually took the lead two out.
2. † a. transitive. slang. To cheat, trick. Obsolete.† c. transitive. To execute in a finicky manner, or with excessive attention to detail. Obsolete.Used esp. with reference to drawing or painting. Cf. niggling adj. 2a.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > deceive [verb (transitive)]
aschrenchc885
blendc888
swikec950
belirtOE
beswike971
blencha1000
blenka1000
belieOE
becatchc1175
trokec1175
beguile?c1225
biwrench?c1225
guile?c1225
trechec1230
unordainc1300
blink1303
deceivec1320
feintc1330
trechetc1330
misusea1382
blind1382
forgo1382
beglose1393
troil1393
turnc1405
lirt?a1425
abuse?a1439
ludify1447
amuse1480
wilec1480
trump1487
delude?a1505
sile1508
betrumpa1522
blear1530
aveugle1543
mislippen1552
pot1560
disglose1565
oversile1568
blaze1570
blirre1570
bleck1573
overtake1581
fail1590
bafflea1592
blanch1592
geck?a1600
hallucinate1604
hoodwink1610
intrigue1612
guggle1617
nigglea1625
nose-wipe1628
cog1629
cheat1637
flam1637
nurse1639
jilt1660
top1663
chaldese1664
bilk1672
bejuggle1680
nuzzlec1680
snub1694
bite1709
nebus1712
fugle1719
to take in1740
have?1780
quirk1791
rum1812
rattlesnake1818
chicane1835
to suck in1842
mogue1854
blinker1865
to have on1867
mag1869
sleight1876
bumfuzzle1878
swop1890
wool1890
spruce1917
jive1928
shit1934
smokescreen1950
dick1964
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > cheating, fraud > treat fraudulently, cheat [verb (transitive)]
deceivec1330
defraud1362
falsec1374
abuse?a1439
fraud1563
visure1570
cozen1583
coney-catch1592
to fetch in1592
cheat1597
sell1607
mountebanka1616
dabc1616
nigglea1625
to put it on1625
shuffle1627
cuckold1644
to put a cheat on1649
tonya1652
fourbe1654
imposturea1659
impose1662
slur1664
knap1665
to pass upon (also on)1673
snub1694
ferret1699
nab1706
shool1745
humbug1750
gag1777
gudgeon1787
kid1811
bronze1817
honeyfuggle1829
Yankee1837
middle1863
fuck1866
fake1867
skunk1867
dead-beat1888
gold-brick1893
slicker1897
screw1900
to play it1901
to do in1906
game1907
gaff1934
scalp1939
sucker1939
sheg1943
swizz1961
butt-fuck1979
a1625 J. Fletcher Pilgrim iv. iii, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Hhhhh4v/1 I shall so niggle ye, And juggle ye, and fiddle ye, and firck ye.
1830 R. Forby Vocab. E. Anglia 232 He niggled him of his money.
b. transitive. †To draw out (money) unwillingly (obsolete); to eke out; to get by haggling. Now rare (English regional in later use).
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > management of money > expenditure > moderation or reduction in expenditure > spend money sparingly [verb (transitive)]
savea1450
to stand upon ——1603
niggle1630
manage1649
1630 T. Dekker Second Pt. Honest Whore iii. ii. 13 I had but one poore penny, and that I was glad to niggle out, and buy a holly-wand.
1823 E. Moor Suffolk Words 248 We make but poor outs of our 'lowans—we niggle it out as well as we can.
1876 C. C. Robinson Gloss. Words Dial. Mid-Yorks. 91/1 Don't go and let him niggle and naggle it away from thee.
ΚΠ
c1810 W. Blake Public Address in Poetry & Prose (1965) xi. 576 I do not mean smoothd up & Niggled..[but] Drawn with a firm..hand.
1860 E. FitzGerald Lett. (1889) I. 276 Think of the Acres of Canvas Titian or Reynolds would have covered..in the Time it has taken to niggle this Miniature!
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > love > flirtation or coquetry > flirt, philander, or dally [verb (intransitive)]
flicker?c1225
dallyc1440
mird?c1625
pickeer1646
to dally away1685
niggle1696
coquet1700
gallant1744
philander1778
flirt1781
fike1804
gallivant1823
butterfly1893
vamp1904
romance1907
to fool up1933
floss1938
cop1940
horse1953
1696 T. D'Urfey Don Quixote iii. ii. i. 11 Teres. Be sure to coy it, and stand off, and niggle him purely, dost' hear, Mary?.. Mar. Ah! Icod, I'll niggle him so he was ne'er so niggled since his Mother bound his head, hoh, hoh, hoh.
1697 T. D'Urfey Intrigues at Versailles ii. i. 13 I Niggle him with Dear Friend, and Sweet Sir, and upon my Honour you shall Command me, Or so forth.
1706 R. Estcourt Fair Example iv. i Had you been one of the fluttering Fops o' the Town, she had so wrigl'd and nigl'd, and have been so glad of your Company.
1793 W. Pearce Hartford Bridge ii. i. 24 They giggle—simper—Niggle and whimper; And try to lure wherever they go.
1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage Adventures Gil Blas II. iv. vii. 162 My little pet..niggled, nudged, toyed, and romped, like a school-girl in vacation.
4.
a. intransitive. To cause slight but persistent annoyance, discomfort, or anxiety; to nag; to complain, esp. in a petty or trifling way; to be unnecessarily critical or over-precise. Frequently with at.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > criticism > criticize [verb (intransitive)] > captiously
apeluchier1340
pinchc1387
pick-fault1544
carp1548
cavil1548
snag1554
nibblea1591
catch1628
momize1654
niggle1796
nag1828
to pick on ——1864
snark1882
knock1892
nitpick1962
the mind > attention and judgement > good taste > refinement > fastidiousness > be fastidious [verb (intransitive)] > over-precise
niggle1844
1796 S. T. Coleridge Coll. Lett. (1956) I. 250 On Friday it [sc. the pain] only niggled.
1844 W. Barnes Poems Rural Life in Dorset Dial. 1st Coll. 330 Niggle, to complain of trifles from ill temper or bad humor.
1891 W. Black Stand Fast, Craig-Royston! vi ‘Come, come, aunt,’ said he, ‘it isn't like you to niggle about nothing.’
1950 R. Macaulay World my Wilderness (1983) iv. 48 She never niggled at the cost.
1982 S. Brett Murder Unprompted xii. 118 Michael Banks's death niggled away at Charles like a hole in the tooth.
1994 J. Churchill Class Menagerie ix. 84 Is that why she was niggling at Beth about the Supreme Court thing last night?
b. transitive. To annoy, irritate; (esp. of a defect, shortcoming, injury, etc.) to be a source of slight but persistent irritation.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > anger > irritation > irritate [verb (transitive)] > in minor way
pinprick1871
niggle1960
the mind > emotion > suffering > displeasure > discontent or dissatisfaction > state of complaining > complain about [verb (transitive)] > irritate with
nag1849
to be on at1907
cagmag1932
niggle1997
1960 S. Barstow Kind of Loving i. iii. 61 There's nothing niggles me more than cutting myself shaving.
1968 A. Diment Great Spy Race iv. 47 He is liable to start demanding mass executions when niggled.
1997 I. Rankin Black & Blue (1998) xxvi. 374 At present it was no more than a hunch... But it was there, niggling him.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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