Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adverb Near in time, place, or relationship.
  • adverb Nearly; almost.
  • adjective Being near in time, place, or relationship; close.
  • adjective Being on the left side of an animal or vehicle.
  • adjective Being the animal or vehicle on the left.
  • preposition Not far from; near.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Being close at hand; being near.
  • Near in relationship or interest; closely allied, as by blood.
  • Penurious; stingy; close; near: as, a nigh customer.
  • On the left: as, the nigh horse.
  • To come nigh; draw near; approach.
  • To come near to; approach.
  • Close at hand; not far distant in time or place; at hand; near.
  • Closely.
  • Near the quick; keenly; bitterly.
  • Nearly; almost; within a little (of being).
  • Near to; at no great distance from.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adverb In a situation near in place or time, or in the course of events; near.
  • adverb Almost; nearly.
  • adjective Not distant or remote in place or time; near.
  • adjective Not remote in degree, kindred, circumstances, etc.; closely allied; intimate.
  • preposition Near to; not remote or distant from.
  • verb obsolete To draw nigh (to); to approach; to come near.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective archaic, poetic near, close by, almost
  • verb To draw nigh (to); to approach; to come near.
  • adverb almost, nearly
  • preposition near; close to

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adverb near in time or place or relationship
  • adverb (of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
  • adjective being on the left side
  • adjective not far distant in time or space or degree or circumstances

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English neigh, from Old English nēah, nēh.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Old English nēah, nēh, from Proto-Germanic *nēhw.

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Examples

Comments

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  • "The end of days is extremely fucking nigh"--28 Days Later

    August 14, 2007

  • Day is done, Gone the sun, From the sea, From the hills, From the sky, All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh,

    August 15, 2007

  • Nigh high. Sigh. And with an 'e', a horse comment.

    August 15, 2007

  • Neigh? Nay!

    April 29, 2008