Nervomuscular Ner`vo·mus"cu·lar adjective [ Nerve + muscular .] (Physiol.) Of or pertaining to both nerves and muscles; of the nature of nerves and muscles; as, nervomuscular energy.

Nervose Ner·vose" adjective [ See Nervous .] (Botany) Same as Nerved .

Nervosity Ner·vos"i·ty noun [ Latin nervositas strength.] Nervousness. [ R.]

Nervous Nerv"ous adjective [ Latin nervosus sinewy, vigorous: confer French nerveux . See Nerve .] 1. possessing nerve; sinewy; strong; vigorous. " Nervous arms." Pope.

2. Possessing or manifesting vigor of mind; characterized by strength in sentiment or style; forcible; spirited; as, a nervous writer.

3. Of or pertaining to the nerves; seated in the nerves; as, nervous excitement; a nervous fever.

4. Having the nerves weak, diseased, or easily excited; subject to, or suffering from, undue excitement of the nerves; easily agitated or annoyed.

Poor, weak, nervous creatures.

Cheyne.

5. Sensitive; excitable; timid.

Our aristocratic class does not firmly protest against the unfair treatment of Irish Catholics, because it is nervous about the land.

M. Arnold.

Nervous fever (Medicine) , a low form of fever characterized by great disturbance of the nervous system, as evinced by delirium, or stupor, disordered sensibility, etc. -- Nervous system (Anat.) , the specialized coördinating apparatus which endows animals with sensation and volition. In vertebrates it is often divided into three systems: the central , brain and spinal cord; the peripheral , cranial and spinal nerves; and the sympathetic . See Brain , Nerve , Spinal cord , under Spinal , and Sympathetic system , under Sympathetic , and Illust. in Appendix. -- Nervous temperament , a condition of body characterized by a general predominance of mental manifestations. Mayne.

Nervously Nerv"ous·ly adverb In a nervous manner.

Nervousness Nerv"ous·ness noun State or quality of being nervous.

Nervure Nerv"ure noun [ French See Nerve .] 1. (Botany) One of the nerves of leaves.

2. (Zoology) One of the chitinous supports, or veins, in the wings of incests.

Nervy Nerv"y adjective [ Compar. Nervier ; superl. - iest .] Strong; sinewy. "His nervy knees." Keats.

Nescience Nes"cience noun [ Latin nescientia , from nesciens , present participle of nescire not to know; ne not + scire to know.] Want of knowledge; ignorance; agnosticism.

God fetched it about for me, in that absence and nescience of mine.

Bp. Hall.

Nese Nese noun Nose. [ Obsolete] Piers plowman.

Nesh Nesh adjective [ Anglo-Saxon hnesc , hnęsc , akin to Goth. hnasqus .] Soft; tender; delicate. [ Obsolete or Prov. Eng.]

Ness Ness noun [ Anglo-Saxon nęs , ns ; akin to Icelandic nes , Swedish näs , Danish nęs , and English nose . √ 261. See Nose .] A promontory; a cape; a headland. Hakluyt.

» Ness is frequently used as a suffix in the names of places and promontories; as, Sheer ness .

Nesslerize Ness"ler·ize transitive verb [ From Nessler , the chemist.] (Chemistry) To treat or test, as a liquid, with a solution of mercuric iodide in potassium iodide and potassium hydroxide, which is called Nessler's solution or Nessler's test , and is used to detect the presence of ammonia.

Nest Nest noun [ Anglo-Saxon nest ; akin to D. & German nest , Swedish näste , Latin nidus , for nisdus , Sanskrit nī...a resting place, nest; confer Lithuanian lizdas , Arm. neiz , Gael. & Ir. nead . Prob. from the particle ni down, Sanskrit ni + the root of English sit , and thus orig., a place to sit down in. √ 264. See Nether , and Sit , and confer Eyas , Nidification , Nye .] 1. The bed or receptacle prepared by a fowl for holding her eggs and for hatching and rearing her young.

The birds of the air have nests.

Matt. viii. 20.

2. Hence: the place in which the eggs of other animals, as insects, turtles, etc., are laid and hatched; a snug place in which young animals are reared. Bentley.

3. A snug, comfortable, or cozy residence or situation; a retreat, or place of habitual resort; hence, those who occupy a nest, frequent a haunt, or are associated in the same pursuit; as, a nest of traitors; a nest of bugs.

A little cottage, like some poor man's nest .

Spenser.

4. (Geol.) An aggregated mass of any ore or mineral, in an isolated state, within a rock.

5. A collection of boxes, cases, or the like, of graduated size, each put within the one next larger.

6. (Mech.) A compact group of pulleys, gears, springs, etc., working together or collectively.

Nest egg , an egg left in the nest to prevent the hen from forsaking it, and to induce her to lay more in the same place; hence, figuratively, something laid up as the beginning of a fund or collection. Hudibras.

Nest Nest intransitive verb To build and occupy a nest.

The king of birds nested within his leaves.

Howell.

Nest Nest transitive verb To put into a nest; to form a nest for.

From him who nested himself into the chief power.

South.

Nestful Nest"ful noun ; plural Nestfuls As much or many as will fill a nest.

Nestle Nes"tle intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Nestled ; present participle & verbal noun Nestling .] [ Anglo-Saxon nestlian .] 1. To make and occupy a nest; to nest. [ Obsolete]

The kingfisher . . . nestles in hollow banks.

L'Estrange.

2. To lie close and snug, as a bird in her nest; to cuddle up; to settle, as in a nest; to harbor; to take shelter.

Their purpose was to fortify in some strong place of the wild country, and there nestle till succors came.

Bacon.

3. To move about in one's place, like a bird when shaping the interior of her nest or a young bird getting close to the parent; as, a child nestles .

Nestle Nes"tle transitive verb To house, as in a nest.

2. To cherish, as a bird her young.

Nestling Nes"tling noun 1. A young bird which has not abandoned the nest. Piers Plowman.

2. A nest; a receptacle. [ Obsolete] Bacon.

Nestling Nes"tling adjective Newly hatched; being yet in the nest.

Nestor Nes"tor noun (Zoology) A genus of parrots with gray heads. of New Zeland and papua, allied to the cockatoos. See Kaka .

Nestorian Nes·to"ri·an noun (Eccl. Hist.) An adherent of Nestorius , patriarch of Constantinople in the fifth century, who has condemned as a heretic for maintaining that the divine and the human natures were not merged into one nature in Christ (who was God in man), and, hence, that it was improper to call Mary the mother of God though she might be called the mother of Christ ; also, one of the sect established by the followers of Nestorius in Persia, India, and other Oriental countries, and still in existence. Opposed to Eutychian .

Nestorian Nes·to"ri·an adjective 1. Of or relating to the Nestorians.

2. Relating to, or resembling, Nestor , the aged warrior and counselor mentioned by Homer; hence, wise; experienced; aged; as, Nestorian caution.

Nestorianism Nes·to"ri·an·ism noun The doctrines of the Nestorian Christians, or of Nestorius.

Net Net (nĕt) noun [ Anglo-Saxon net ; akin to Dutch net , Old Saxon net , netti , Old High German nezzi , German netz , Icelandic & Danish net , Swedish nät , Goth. nati ; of uncertain origin.] 1. A fabric of twine, thread, or the like, wrought or woven into meshes, and used for catching fish, birds, butterflies, etc.

2. Anything designed or fitted to entrap or catch; a snare; any device for catching and holding.

A man that flattereth his neighbor spreadeth a net for his feet.

Prov. xxix. 5.

In the church's net there are fishes good or bad.

Jer. Taylor.

3. Anything wrought or woven in meshes; as, a net for the hair; a mosquito net ; a tennis net .

4. (Geom.) A figure made up of a large number of straight lines or curves, which are connected at certain points and related to each other by some specified law.

Net Net transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Netted ; present participle & verbal noun Netting .] 1. To make into a net; to make in the style of network; as, to net silk.

2. To take in a net; to capture by stratagem or wile.

And now I am here, netted and in the toils.

Sir W. Scott.

3. To inclose or cover with a net; as, to net a tree.

Net Net intransitive verb To form network or netting; to knit.

Net Net adjective [ French See Neat clean.] 1. Without spot; pure; shining. [ Obsolete]

Her breast all naked as net ivory.

Spenser.

2. Free from extraneous substances; pure; unadulterated; neat; as, net wine, etc. [ R.]

3. Not including superfluous, incidental, or foreign matter, as boxes, coverings, wraps, etc.; free from charges, deductions, etc; as, net profit; net income; net weight, etc. [ Less properly written nett .]

Net tonnage (Nautical) , the tonnage of a vessel after a deduction from the gross tonnage has been made, to allow space for crew, machinery, etc.

Net Net transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Netted ; present participle & verbal noun Netting .] To produce or gain as clear profit; as, he netted a thousand dollars by the operation.

Net-veined Net"-veined` adjective Having veins, or nerves, reticulated or netted; as, a net-veined wing or leaf.

Netfish Net"fish` noun (Zoology) An astrophyton.

Nether Neth"er (nĕ&thlig;"ẽr) adjective [ Middle English nethere , neithere , Anglo-Saxon nišera , from the adverb nišer downward; akin to neošan below, beneath, Dutch neder down, German nieder , Swedish nedre below, nether, adjective & adverb , and also to Sanskrit ni down. √201. Confer Beneath .] Situated down or below; lying beneath, or in the lower part; having a lower position; belonging to the region below; lower; under; -- opposed to upper .

'Twixt upper, nether , and surrounding fires.

Milton.

This darksome nether world her light
Doth dim with horror and deformity.

Spenser.

All my nether shape thus grew transformed.

Milton.

Nethermore Neth"er·more` (nĕ&thlig;"ẽr*mōr`) adjective Lower, nether. [ Obsolete] Holland.

Nethermost Neth"er·most` (-mōst`) adjective [ Anglo-Saxon nišemest . See Nether , and confer Aftermost .] Lowest; as, the nethermost abyss. Milton.

Nethinim Neth"i·nim noun plural [ Hebrew , plural of nāthīn given, granted, a slave of the temple, from nāthan to give.] (jewish Antiq.) Servants of the priests and Levites in the menial services about the tabernacle and temple.

Netify Net"i·fy transitive verb [ Net , adjective + -fy .] To render neat; to clean; to put in order. [ R.] Chapman.

Netsuke Net"su·ke noun [ Jap.] In Japanese costume and decorative art, a small object carved in wood, ivory, bone, or horn, or wrought in metal, and pierced with holes for cords by which it is connected, for convenience, with the inro, the smoking pouch (tabako-ire), and similar objects carried in the girdle. It is now much used on purses sold in Europe and America.

Netting Net"ting noun [ From Net , noun ] 1. The act or process of making nets or network, or of forming meshes, as for fancywork, fishing nets, etc.

2. A piece of network; any fabric, made of cords, threads, wires, or the like, crossing one another with open spaces between.

3. (Nautical) A network of ropes used for various purposes, as for holding the hammocks when not in use, also for stowing sails, and for hoisting from the gunwale to the rigging to hinder an enemy from boarding. Totten.

Netting needle , a kind of slender shuttle used in netting. See Needle , noun , 3.

Netting Net"ting noun Urine. [ Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

Nettle Net"tle noun [ Anglo-Saxon netele ; akin to Dutch netel , German nessel , Old High German nezzļla , nazza , Danish nelde , nälde , Swedish nässla ; cf, Lithuanian notere .] (Botany) A plant of the genus Urtica , covered with minute sharp hairs containing a poison that produces a stinging sensation. Urtica gracitis is common in the Northern, and U. chamędryoides in the Southern, United States. the common European species, U. urens and U. dioica , are also found in the Eastern united States. U. pilulifera is the Roman nettle of England.

» The term nettle has been given to many plants related to, or to some way resembling, the true nettle; as: Australian nettle , a stinging tree or shrub of the genus Laportea (as Latin gigas and Latin moroides ); -- also called nettle tree . -- Bee nettle , Hemp nettle , a species of Galeopsis . See under Hemp . -- Blind nettle , Dead nettle , a harmless species of Lamium . -- False nettle ( Bęhmeria cylindrica ), a plant common in the United States, and related to the true nettles. -- Hedge nettle , a species of Stachys . See under Hedge . -- Horse nettle ( Solanum Carolinense ). See under Horse . -- nettle tree . (a) Same as Hackberry . (b) See Australian nettle (above). -- Spurge nettle , a stinging American herb of the Spurge family ( Jatropha urens ). -- Wood nettle , a plant ( Laportea Canadensis ) which stings severely, and is related to the true nettles.

Nettle cloth , a kind of thick cotton stuff, japanned, and used as a substitute for leather for various purposes. -- Nettle rash (Medicine) , an eruptive disease resembling the effects of whipping with nettles. -- Sea nettle (Zoology) , a medusa.

Nettle Net"tle transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Nettled ; present participle & verbal noun Nettling .] To fret or sting; to irritate or vex; to cause to experience sensations of displeasure or uneasiness not amounting to violent anger.

The princes were so nettled at the scandal of this affront, that every man took it to himself.

L'Estrange.

Nettlebird Net"tle·bird` noun (Zoology) the European whitethroat. [ Prov. Eng.]

Nettler Net"tler noun One who nettles. [ R.] Milton.

Nettles Net"tles noun plural [ See Knittle .] (Nautical) (a) The halves of yarns in the unlaid end of a rope twisted for pointing or grafting. (b) Small lines used to sling hammocks under the deck beams. (c) Reef points.

Nettling Net"tling noun (Rope Making) (a) A process (resembling splicing) by which two ropes are joined end to end so as to form one rope. (b) The process of tying together the ends of yarns in pairs, to prevent tangling.

Nettling Net"tling present participle & adjective Stinging; irritating.

Nettling cell (Zoology) , a lasso cell. See under Lasso .

Netty Net"ty adjective Like a net, or network; netted. [ R.]

Network Net"work` noun 1. A fabric of threads, cords, or wires crossing each other at certain intervals, and knotted or secured at the crossings, thus leaving spaces or meshes between them.

2. Any system of lines or channels interlacing or crossing like the fabric of a net; as, a network of veins; a network of railroads.

Neufchātel Neuf`chā`tel" noun A kind of soft sweet-milk cheese; -- so called from Neufchātel -en-Bray in France.

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