of subcarbonate of potash, and one of sulphur, mixed together in a warm mortar, form the fulminating powder; a small quantity of which, laid on a fire-shovel, and held over the fire till it begins to melt, explodes with a loud sharp noise. Mixed with sulphur and charcoal it forms gunpowder. See GUNPOWDER. Three parts of nitre, one of sulphur, and one of fine saw-dust, well mixed, constitute what is called the powder of fusion. If a bit of base copper be folded up and covered with this powder in a walnut-shell, and the powder be set on fire with a lighted paper, it will detonate rapidly, and fuse the metal into a globule of sulphuret without burning the shell. If nitrate of potash be heated in a retort with half its weight of solid phosphoric or boracic acid, as soon as this acid begins to enter into fusion it combines with the potash, and the nitric acid is expelled, accompanied with a small portion of oxygen gas and nitric oxide. Silex, alumina, and barytes, decompose this salt in a high temperature by uniting with its base. The alumina will effect this even after it has been made into pottery. The uses of nitre are various. Beside those already indicated, it enters into the composition of fluxes, and is extensively employed in metallurgy; it serves to promote the combustion of sulphur in fabricating its acid; it is used in the art of dyeing; it is added to common salt for preserving meat, to which it gives a red hue; it is an ingredient in some frigorific mixtures; and it is prescribed in medicine, as cooling, febrifuge, and diuretic; and some have recommended it mixed with vinegar as a very powerful remedy for the sea scurvy. Nitrate of soda, formerly called cubic or quadrangular nitre, approaches in its properties to the nitrate of potash; but differs from it in being somewhat more soluble in cold water, though less in hot, which takes up little more than its own weight; in being inclined to attract moisture from the atmosphere; and in crystallising in rhombs, or rhomboidal prisms. It may be prepared by saturating soda with the nitric acid; by precipitating nitric solutions of the metals, or of the earths, except barytes, by soda; by lixiviating and crystallising the residuum of common salt distilled with three-fourths its weight of nitric acid; or by saturating the mother waters of nitre with soda instead of potash. This salt has been considered as useless; but professor Proust says that five parts of it, with one of charcoal and one of sulphur, will burn three times as long as common powder, so as to form an economical composition for fire-works. It consists of 6·75 acid +4 soda. Nitrate of strontian may be obtained in the same manner as that of barytes, with which it agrees in the shape of its crystals, and most of its properties. It is much more soluble, however, requiring but four or five parts of water according to Vauquelin, and only an equal weight according to Mr. Henry. Boiling water dissolves nearly twice as much as cold. Applied to the wick of a candle, or added to burning alcohol, it gives a deep red color to the flame. On this account it may be useful, perhaps, in the art of py rotechny. It consists of 6.75 acid + 6.5 stron. tites. Nitrate of lime, the calcareous nitre of older writers, abounds in the mortar of old buildings, particularly those that have been much exposed to animal effluvia, or processes in which azote is set free. Hence it abounds in nitre beds, as was observed when treating of the nitrate of potash. It may also be prepared artificially, by pouring dilute nitric acid on carbonate of lime. If the solution be boiled down to a syrupy consistence, and exposed in a cool place, it crystallises in long prisms, resembling bundles of needles diverging from a centre. These are soluble, according to Henry, in an equal weight of boiling water, and twice their weight of cold; soon deliquesce on exposure to the air, and are decomposed at a red heat. Fourcroy says that cold water dissolves four times its weight, and that its own water of crystallisation is sufficient to dissolve it at a boiling heat. It is likewise soluble in less than its weight of alcohol. By evaporating the aqueous solution to dryness, continuing the heat till the nitrate fuses, keeping it in this state five or ten minutes, and then pouring it into an iron pot previously heated, we obtain Baldwin's phosphorus. This, which is perhaps more properly nitrate of lime, being broken to pieces, and kept in a phial closely stopped, will emit a beautiful white light in the dark, after having been exposed some time to the rays of the sun. At present no use is made of this salt, except for drying some of the gases by attracting their moisture; but it might be employed, instead of the nitrate of potash, for manufacturing aquafortis. The nitrate of ammonia possesses the property of exploding, and being totally decomposed, at the temperature of 600°; whence it acquired the name of nitrum flammans. The readiest mode of preparing it is by adding carbonate of ammonia to dilute nitric acid till saturation takes place. If this solution be evaporated in a heat between 70° and 100°, and the evaporation not carried too far, it crystallises in hexahedral prisms, terminating in very acute pyramids : if the heat rise to 212°, it will afford, on cooling, long fibrous silky crystals: if the evaporation be carried so far as for the salt to concrete immediately on a glass rod by cooling, it will form a compact mass. According to Sir H. Davy, these differ but little from each other, except in the water they contain, their component parts being as follows:Prismatic Fibrous con- 69.5 tains 72.5 Compact of acid (74.5 ammonia 18.4 19.3 water 19.8 12.1 { 8.2 5.7 All these are completely deliquescent, but they differ a little in solubility. Alcohol at 176° dissolves nearly 90-9 of its own weight. When dried as much as possible without decomposition, it consists of 6.75 acid + 2·125 ammonia + 1.125 water. The chief use of this salt is for affording nitrous oxide on being decomposed by heat. See NITROGEN, OXIDE OF. Nitrate of magnesia, magnesian nitre, crystallises in four-sided rhomboidal prisms with oblique or truncated summits, and sometimes in bundles of small needles. Its taste is bitter, and very similar to that of nitrate of line, but less pungent. It is fusible, and decomposable by heat, giving out first a little oxygen gas, then nitrous oxide, and lastly nitric acid. It deliquesces slowly. It is soluble in an equal weight of cold water, and in but little more hot, so that it is scarcely crystallisable but by spontaneous evaporation. The two preceding species are capable of combining into a triple salt, an ammoniacomagnesian nitrate, either by uniting the two in solution, or by a partial decomposition of either by means of the base of the other. This is slightly inflammable when suddenly heated; and by a lower heat is decomposed, giving out oxygen, azote, more water than it contained, nitrous oxide, and nitric acid. The residuum is pure magnesia. It is disposed to attract moisture from the air, but is much less deliquescent than either of the salts that compose it, and requires eleven parts of water at 60° to dissolve it. Boiling water takes up more, so that it will crystallise by cooling. It consists of seventy-eight parts of nitrate of magnesia, and twenty-two of nitrate of ammonia. From the activity of the nitric acid as a solvent of earths in analysation, the nitrate of glucine is better known than any other of the salts of this new earth. Its form is either pulverulent, or a tenacious or ductile mass. Its taste is at first saccharine, and afterward astringent. It grows soft by exposure to heat, soon melts, its acid is decomposed into oxygen and azote, and its base alone is left behind. It is very soluble and very deliquescent. Nitrate, or rather supernitrate, of alumina crystallises, though with difficulty, in thin, soft, pliable flakes. It is of an austere and acid taste, and reddens blue vegetable colors. It may be formed by dissolving in diluted nitric acid, with the assistance of heat, fresh precipitated alumina, well washed but not dried. It is deliquescent, and soluble in a very small portion of water. Alcohol dissolves its own weight. It is easily decomposed by heat. Nitrate of zircone was first discovered by Klaproth, and has since been examined by Guyton-Morveau and Vauquelin. Its crystals are small, capillary, silky needles. Its taste is astringent. It is easily decomposed by fire, very soluble in water, and deliquescent. It may be prepared by dissolving zircone in strong nitric acid; but, like the preceding species, the acid is always in excess. Nitrate of yttria may be prepared in a similar manner. Its taste is sweetish and astringent. It is scarcely to be obtained in crystals; and if it be evaporated by too strong a heat, the salt becomes soft like honey, and on cooling concretes into a stony mass. See CHEMISTRY. Nitrous acid. It was formerly called fuming nitrous acid. It appears to form a distinct genus of salts, that may be termed nitrites. But these cannot be made by a direct union of their component parts, being obtainable only by exposing a nitrate to a high temperature, which expels a portion of its oxygen in the state of cas, and leaves the remainder in the state of a nitrite, if the heat be not urged so far, or continued so long, as to effect a complete decomposition of the salt. In this way the nitrites of potash and soda may be obtained, and perhaps those of barytes, strontian, lime, and magnesia. The nitrites are particularly characterised by being decomposable by all the acids, except the carbonic, even by the nitric acid itself, all of which expel them from nitrous acid. We are little acquainted with any one except that of potash, which attracts moisture from the air, changes blue vegetable colors to green, is somewhat acrid to the taste, and when powdered emits a smell of nitric oxide. The acid itself is best obtained by exposing nitrate of lead to heat in a glass retort. Pure nitrous acid comes over in the form of an orange colored liquid. It is so volatile as to boil at the temperature of 32°. Its specific gravity is 1-450. When mixed with water it is decomposed, and nitrous gas is disengaged, occasioning effervescence. It is composed of one volume of oxygen united with two of nitrous gas. It therefore consists ultimately, by weight, of 175 nitrogen four oxygen; by measure, of two oxygen + one nitrogen. The various colored acids of nitre are not nitrous acids, but nitric acid impregnated with nitrous gas, the deutoxide of nitrogen or azote. NITRIC ACID, OXYGENISED, was first formed by M. Thenard. When the peroxide of barium, prepared by saturating barytes with oxygen, is moistened, it fails to powder, without much increase of temperature. If in this state it be mixed with seven or eight times its weight of water, and dilute nitric acid be gradually poured upon it, it dissolves gradually by agitation, without the evolution of any gas. The solution is neutral, or has no action on turnsole or turmeric. When we add to this solution the requisite quantity of sulphuric acid, a copious precipitate of sulphate of barytes falls, and the filtered liquor is merely water, holding in solution oxygenised nitrid acid. This acid is liquid and colorless; it strongly reddens turnsole, and resembles in all its properties nitric acid. When heated it immediately begins to discharge oxygen; but its decomposition is never complete, unless it be kept boiling for some time. The only method which M. Thenard found successful for concentrating it was to place it in a capsule, under the receiver of an air-pump, along with another capsule full of lime, and to exhaust the receiver. By this means he obtained an acid sufficiently concentrated to give out eleven times its bulk of oxygen gas. This acid combines very well with barytes, potash, soda, ammonia, and neutralises them. When crystallisation commences in the liquid, by even a spontaneous evaporation, these salts are instantly decomposed. The exhausted receiver also decomposes them. The oxygenised nitrates, when changed into common nitrates, do not change the state of their neutralisation. Strong solution of potash poured into their solutions decomposes them. Oxygenised nitric acid does not act on gold; but it dissolves all the metals which the common acid acts on, and when it is not too concentrated, it dissolves them without effervescence. Deutoxide or peroxide of barium, contains just double the proportion of oxygen that its protoxide does. But M. Thenard says that the barytes obtained from the nitrate by ignition contains always a little of the peroxide. When oxygenised nitric acid is poured upon oxide of silver a strong effervescence takes place, owing to the disengagement of oxygen. One portion of the oxide of silver is dissolved, the other is reduced at first, and then dissolves likewise, provided the quantity of acid be sufficient. The solution being completed, if we add potash to it, by little and little, a new effervescence takes place, and a dark violet precipitate falls; at least this is always the color of the first deposit. It is insoluble in ammonia, and, according to all appear ance, is a protoxide of silver. As soon as we plunge a tube containing oxide of silver into a solution of oxygenised nitrate of potash, a violent effervescence takes place, the oxide is reduced, the silver precipitates, the whole oxygen of the oxygenised nitrate is disengaged at the same time with that of the oxide; and the solution, which contains merely common nitrate of potash, remains neutral, if it was so at first. But the most unaccountable phenomenon is the following:-If silver, in a state of extreme division (fine filings), be put into the oxygenised nitrate or oxygenised muriate of potash, the whole oxygen is immediately disengaged. The silver itself is not attacked and the salt remains neutral as before. NITROGEN, or AZOTE, in chemistry, an important elementary or undecomposed principle. As it constitutes four-fifths of the volume of atmospheric air, the readiest mode of procuring azote is to abstract its oxygenous associate, by the combustion of phosphorus or hydrogen. It may also be obtained from animal matters, subjected in a glass retort to the action of nitric acid, diluted with eight or ten times its weight of water. Nitrogen possesses all the physical properties of air. It extinguishes flame and animal life. It is absorbable by about 100 volumes of water. Its specific gravity is 0.9722. 100 cubic inches weigh 29-65 grains. It has neither taste nor smell. It unites with oxygen in four proportions, forming four important compounds. These are, 1. Protoxide of nitrogen, or nitrous oxide. 2. Deutoxide of nitrogen, nitrous gas, or nitric oxide. 3. Nitrous acid. 4. Nitric acid. 1. Nitrous oxide or protoxide of azote was discovered by Dr. Priestley in 1772, but was first accurately investigated by Sir H. Davy in 1799. The best mode of procuring it is to expose the salt called nitrate of ammonia to the flame of an Argand lamp, in a glass retort. When the temperature reaches 400° F. a whitish cloud will begin to project itself into the neck of the retort accompanied by the copious evolution of gas, which must be collected over mercury for accurate researches, but for common expers ments may be received over water. It has all the physical properties of air. It has a sweet taste, a faint agreeable odor, and is condensible by about its own volume of water, previously deprived of its atmospheric air. This property enables us to determine the purity of nitrous oxide. A taper plunged into this gas burns with great brilliancy; the flame being surrounded with a bluish halo. But phosphorus may be melted and sublimed in it without taking fire. When this combustible is introduced into it, in a state of vivid combustion, the brilliancy of the flame is greatly increased. Sulphur and most other combustible bodies require a higher degree of heat for their combustion in it than in either oxygen or common air. This may be attributed to the counteracting affinity of the intimately combined nitrogen. Its specific gravity is 1·5277: 100 cubic inches weigh 46 6 gr. It is respirable, but not fitted to support life. Sir H. Davy first showed, that by breathing a few quarts of it, contained in a silk bag, for two or three minutes, effects analogous to those occasioned by drinking fermented liquors were produced. See AIR and CHEMISTRY, Index. The following very remarkable cases of the effects of nitrous oxide occurred among Professor Silliman's students at Yale College, New Haven. A gentleman about nineteen years of age, of a sanguine temperament and cheerful temper, and in the most perfect health, inhaled the gas, which was prepared and administered in the usual dose and manner. Immediately his feelings were uncommonly elevated, so that, as he expressed it, he could not refrain from dancing and shouting. To such a degree was he excited that he was thrown into a frightful delirium, and his exertions became so violent that he sunk to the earth exhausted; and, having there remained till he in some degree recovered his strength, he again rose only to renew the most convulsive muscular efforts, and the most piercing screams and cries, until, overpowered by the intensity of the paroxysms, he again fell to the ground apparently senseless, and panting vehemently. For the space of two hours these symptoms continued; he was perfectly unconscious of what he was doing, and was in every respect like a maniac: he states, however, that his feelings vibrated between perfect happiness and the most consummate misery. After the first violent effects had subsided he was obliged to lie down two or three times, from excessive fatigue, although he was immediately aroused upon any one's entering the room. The effects remained in a degree for two or three days, accompanied by a hoarseness, which he attributed to the exertions made while under the influence of the gas. The other case was that of a man of mature age, and of a grave character. For nearly two years previously to his taking the gas, his health had been very delicate, and his mind so gloomy and depressed that he was obliged almost entirely to discontinue his studies. In this state of debility, he inhaled three quarts of the nitrous oxide. The consequences were an astonishing invigoration of his whole system, and the most exquisite perception of delight. These were manifested by an uncommon disposition for mirth and pleasantry, and by extraordinary muscular power. The effects of the gas were felt, without diminution, for at least thirty hours, and, in a greater or less degree, for more than a week; but the most remarkable effect was upon the organs of taste. Before taking the gas, he felt no peculiar choice in the articles of food, but, immediately after that event, he manifested a taste for such things only as were sweet, and for several days ate nothing but sweet cake. Indeed, this singular taste was carried to such excess, that he used sugar and molasses, not only upon his bread and butter, and lighter food, but upon his meat and vegetables; and this he continued to do all the eight days after he had inhaled the gas. He became quite regular in his mind, and habitually cheerful, while before he was habitually grave, and even to a degree gloomy. 2. Deutoxide of nitrogen, or nitric oxide, was first described by Dr. Priestley in 1772. Into a glass retort, containing copper turnings, pour nitric acid diluted with six or eight times its quantity of water, and apply a gentle heat. A gas comes over, which may be collected over water; but, for exact experiments, it should be received over mercury. Its specific gravity is 1:0416. 100 cubic inches weigh 36-77 grains. Water condenses only about one-twentieth of its volume of nitric oxide. But a solution of protosulphate or protomuriate of iron absorbs it very copiously, forming a dark colored liquid, which is used for condensing oxygen, in the eudiometer of Sir H. Davy. When a jar of nitric oxide is opened in the atmosphere red fumes appear in consequence of the absorption of oxygen, and formation of nitrous acid. When an animal is made to inhale this gas it is instantly destroyed by the formation of this acid, and condensation of the oxygen in its lungs. When a burning taper is immersed in this gas it is extinguished; as well as the flame of sulphur. But inflamed phosphorus burns in it with great splendor. A mixture of hydrogen gas and nitric oxide burns with a lambent green flame, but does not explode by the electric spark; though Fourcroy says that it detonates on being passed through an ignited porcelain tube. The pyrophorus of Homberg spontaneously burns in it. Nitrogen combines with chlorine and iodine to form two very formidable compounds : 1. The chloride of nitrogen was discovered about the beginning of 1812, by M. Dulong; but its nature was first investigated and ascertained by Sir H. Davy. Put into an evaporating porcelain basin a solution of one part of nitrate or muriate of ammonia in ten of water, heated to about 100°, and invert into it a wide-mouthed bottle filled with chlorine. As the liquid ascends by the condensation of the gas, oily-looking drops are seen floating on its surface, which collect together, and fall to the bottom in large globules. This is chloride of nitrogen or azote. By putting a thin stratum of common salt into the bottom of the basin, we prevent the decomposition of the chloride, by the ammoniacal salt. It should be formed only in very small quantities. The chloride of nitrogen thus obtained is an oily-looking liquid, of a yellow color, and a very pungent intolerable odor, similar to that of chlorocarbenous acid. Its specific gravity is 1:653. When tepid water is poured into a glass containing it, it expands into a volume of elastic fluid, of an orange color, which diminishes as it passes through the water. 'I attempted,' says Sir H. Davy,' to collect the products of the explosion of the new substance, by applying the heat of a spirit-lamp to a globule of it, confined in a curved glass tule over water: a little gas was at first extricated; but, long before the water had attained the temperature of ebullition, a violent flash of light was perceived, with a sharp report; the tube and glass were broken into small fragments, and I received a severe wound in the transparent cornea of the eye, which has produced a considerable inflammation of the eye, and obliges me to make this communication by an amanuensis. This experiment proves what extreme caution is necessary in operating on this substance; for the quantity I used was scarcely as large as a grain of mustard seed.' Philosophical Transactions, 1813, part 1. It evaporates pretty rapidly in the air; and in vacuo it expands into a vapor, which still possesses the power of exploding by heat. When it is cooled artificially in water, or the ammoniacal solution, to 40° Fahrenheit, the surrounding fluid congeals; but when alone it may be surrounded with a mixture of ice and muriate of lime, without freezing. It gradually disappears in water, producing azote; while the water becomes acid, acquiring the taste and smell of a weak solution of nitro-muriatic acid. With muriatic and nitric acids, it yields azote: and with dilute sulphuric acid, a mixture of azote and Oxygen. In strong solutions of ammonia it detonates; with weak ones it affords nitrogen. When it was exposed to pure mercury, out of the contact of water, a white powder (calomel) and nitrogen were the results. The action of mercury on the compound,' says Sir H., appeared to offer a more correct and less dangerous mole of attempting its analysis; but on introducing two grains under a glass tube filled with mercury, and inverted, a violent detonation occurred, by which I was slightly wounded in the head and hands, and should have been severely wounded had not my eyes and face been defended by a plate of glass, attached to a proper cap; a precaution very necessary in all investigations of this body.' Philosophical Transactions, 1813, part II. In using smaller quantities, and recently distilled mercury, he obtained the results of the experiments, without any violence of action. From his admirable experiments on the analysis of this formidable substance, by mercury, by muriatic acid, and from the discoloration of sulphate of indigo, we may infer its composition to be 4 vol. of chlorine 10. 1 4 primes 18:0. 1.73. of azote = 0.9722 1 or very nearly 10 by weight of chlorine to 1 of nitrogen. A small globule of it, thrown into a glass of olive oil, produced a most violent explosion; and the glass, though strong, was broken into fragments. Similar effects were produced by its action on oil of turpentine and naphtha. When it was thrown into ether, or alcohol, there was a very slight action. When a particle of it was touched under water by a particle of phosphorus a brilliant light was perceived under the water, and permanent gas was disengaged having the characters of azote or nitrogen. When quantities larger than a grain of mustard-seed were used for the contact with phosphorus, the explosion was always so violent as to break the vessel in which the experiment was made. On tinfoil and zinc it exerted no action; nor on sulphur and resin. But it detonated most violently when thrown into a solution of phosphorus in ether or alcohol. The mechanical force of this compound, in detonation, seems superior to that of any other known, not even excepting the ammoniacal fulminating silver. The velocity of its action appears to be likewise greater. I touched,' says Dr. Ure, a minute globule of it, in a platina spoon resting on a table, with a fragment of phosphorus at the point of a pen-knife. The blade was instantly shivered into fragments by the explosion. Messrs. Porrett, Wilson, and Rupert Kirk, brought 125 different substances in contact with it. The following were the only ones which caused it to explode :Supersulphureted hydrogen. Phosphorus. Phosphuret of lime. Phosphureted camphor. Camphureted oil. Phosphureted hydrogen gas. Oil of turpentine. Oil of amber. Iodide of nitrogen. Azote does not combine directly with iodine. We obtain the combination only by means of ammonia. It was discovered by M. Courtois, and carefully examined by M. Colin. When ammoniacal gas is passed over iodine a viscid shining liquid is immediately formed, of a brownish-black color, which, in proportion as it is saturated with ammonia, loses its lustre and viscosity. No gas is disengaged during the formation of this liquid, which may be called iodide of ammonia. It is not fulminating. When dissolved in water a part of the ammonia is decomposed; its hydrogen forms hydriodic acid, and its nitrogen combines with a portion of the iodine, and forms the fulminating powder. We may obtain the iodide of azote directly, by putting pulverulent iodine into common water of ammonia. This indeed is the best way of preparing it; for the water is not decomposed, and seems to concur in the production of this iodide, only by determining the formation of hydriodate of ammonia. The iodide of nitrogen is pulverulent, and of a brownish-black color. It detonates from the smallest shock, and from heat, with a feeble violet vapor. When properly prepared, it often detonates spontaneously. Hence after the black powder is formed, and the liquid ammonia decanted off, we must leave the capsule containing it in perfect repose. When this iodide is put into potash water nitrogen is disengaged, and the same products are obtained as when iodine is dissolved in that alkaline lixivium. The hydriodate of ammonia, which has the property of dissolving a great deal of iodine, gradually decomposes the fulminating powder, while azote is set at liberty. Water itself has this property, though in a much lower degree. As the ele ments of iodide of nitrogen are so feebly united, it ought to be prepared with great precautions, and should not be preserved. The strongest arguments for the compound nature of nitrogen are derived from its slight tendency to combination, and from its being found abundantly in the organs of animals who feed on substances that do not contain it. See CHEMISTRY, Index, and the article AIR. NITRO-MURIATIC ACID. See CHEMISTRY. NIVELLES, a town of the Netherlands, in South Brabant, the chief place of an extensive district, stands on the river Thienne. It has three suburbs, and a population of 6600; manufactures of cambric and lace, oil, and paper: and the environs produce flax, hemp, and hops. Fifteen miles south of Brussels, and seventy-five N. N. W. of Namur. Long. 5° 15′ E., lat. 50° 35' N. NIV'EOUS, adj. Lat. niveus. Snowy; resembling snow. Cinabar becomes red by the acid exhalation of sulphur, which otherwise presents a pure and niveous white. Browne. NIVERNOIS, the former name of a province to the west of Burgundy, in the interior of France. It is about sixty miles long, and fifty broad, containing a population of upwards of 220,000. Its climate is very pleasant and agreeable. The greater part of it is now comprehended in the department of the Nievre. NIZOLIUS (Marius), an Italian grammarian, who, by his erudition, contributed much to the promotion of literature in the sixteenth century. In 1553 he published, De Veris Principiis et Vera Ratione Philosophandi contra Pseudophilosophos; wherein he attacks the schoolmen and followers of Aristotle for their absurd opinions and barbarisms, with great shrewdness and vivacity. Leibnitz was so pleased with it that he republished it, with critical notes of his own, in 4to., 1607. Nizolius also published, Thesaurus Ciceronianus, sive Apparatus Linguæ Latinæ è Scriptis Tullii Ciceronis collectus; fol. NIZY, n. s. From Fr. niais. A dunce; a simpleton. A low word. True critics laugh, and bid the trifling nisy NO, adv. & adj. Sax. na, no; Goth. nea; Swed. nei; Teut. ni; Fr. and Lat. non; Ital. no. Nay; the word used in simply denying or refusing; it confirms a foregoing negative: as an adjective, it means not any; none. Let there be no strife between thee and me. Genesis. When we saw that they were no where, we came to Samuel. 1 Samuel x. 14. Our courteous Antony, Whom ne'er the word of no woman heard speak, Being barbered ten times o'er, goes to the feast. Shakspeare. |