Nucha Nu"cha noun ;
plural Nuch... . [ Late Latin ]
(Zoology) The back or upper part of the neck; the nape.
Nuchal Nu"chal adjective [ Confer French
nucal .]
(Anat.) Of, pertaining to, or in the region of, the back, or nape, of the neck; -- applied especially to the anterior median plate in the carapace of turtles.
Nuciferous Nu·cif"er·ous adjective [ Latin
nux ,
nucis , nut +
-ferous .]
Bearing, or producing, nuts.
Nuciform Nu"ci·form adjective [ Latin
nux ,
nucis , nut +
-form .]
(Botany) Shaped like a nut; nut-shaped.
Nucin Nu"cin noun [ Latin
nux ,
nucis , a nut.]
(Chemistry) See Juglone .
Nucleal, Nuclear Nu"cle·al, Nu"cle·ar adjective Of or pertaining to a nucleus; as, the nuclear spindle (see Illust . of Karyokinesis ) or the nuclear fibrils of a cell; the nuclear part of a comet, etc.
Nucleate Nu"cle·ate adjective [ Latin
nucleatus having a kernel.]
Having a nucleus; nucleated.
Nucleate Nu"cle·ate transitive verb [ Confer Latin
nucleare to become kernelly.]
To gather, as about a nucleus or center.
Nucleated Nu"cle·a`ted adjective Having a nucleus; nucleate; as, nucleated cells.
Nucleiform Nu·cle"i·form adjective [ Latin
nucleus kernel +
-form .]
Formed like a nucleus or kernel.
Nuclein Nu"cle·in noun (Physiol. Chem.) A constituent of the nuclei of all cells. It is a colorless amorphous substance, readily soluble in alkaline fluids and especially characterized by its comparatively large content of phosphorus. It also contains nitrogen and sulphur.
Nucleobranch Nu"cle·o·branch adjective (Zoology) Belonging to the Nucleobranchiata. --
noun One of the Nucleobranchiata.
Nucleobranchiata Nu`cle·o·bran`chi·a"ta noun plural [ New Latin See
Nucleus , and
Branchia ]
(Zoology) See Heteropoda .
Nucleoidioplasma Nu`cle·o·id`i·o·plas"ma noun [ New Latin See
Nucleus , and
Idioplasma .]
(Biol.) Hyaline plasma contained in the nucleus of vegetable cells.
Nucleolar Nu·cle"o·lar adjective (Biol.) Of or pertaining to the nucleolus of a cell.
Nucleolated Nu"cle·o·la`ted adjective Having a nucleole, or second inner nucleus.
Nucleole Nu"cle·ole noun [ See
Nucleolus .]
The nucleus within a nucleus; nucleolus.
Nucleolus Nu·cle"o·lus noun ;
plural Nucleoli . [ Latin , a little nut, dim. of
nucleus .]
1. A little nucleus. 2. (Biol.) A small rounded body contained in the nucleus of a cell or a protozoan. » It was termed by Agassiz the
entoblast . In the protozoa, where it may be situated on one side of the nucleus, it is sometimes called the
endoplastule , and is supposed to be concerned in the male part of the reproductive process. See
Nucleus .
Nucleoplasm Nu"cle·o·plasm noun [
Nucleus +
-plasm .]
(Biol.) The matter composing the nucleus of a cell; the protoplasm of the nucleus; karyoplasma.
Nucleoplasmic Nu`cle·o·plas"mic adjective (Biol.) Of or pertaining to nucleoplasm; -- esp. applied to a body formed in the developing ovum from the plasma of the nucleus of the germinal vesicle.
Nucleus Nu"cle·us noun ;
plural English
Nucleuses , Latin
Nuclei . [ Latin , a kernel, dim. from
nux ,
nucis , nut. Confer
Newel post.]
1. A kernel; hence, a central mass or point about which matter is gathered, or to which accretion is made; the central or material portion; -- used both literally and figuratively. It must contain within itself a nucleus of truth.
I. Taylor. 2. (Astron.) The body or the head of a comet. 3. (Botany) (a) An incipient ovule of soft cellular tissue. (b) A whole seed, as contained within the seed coats. 4. (Biol.) A body, usually spheroidal, in a cell or a protozoan, distinguished from the surrounding protoplasm by a difference in refrangibility and in behavior towards chemical reagents. It is more or less protoplasmic, and consists of a clear fluid (achromatin) through which extends a network of fibers (chromatin) in which may be suspended a second rounded body, the nucleolus (see Nucleoplasm ). See Cell division , under Division . » The nucleus is sometimes termed the
endoplast or
endoblast , and in the protozoa is supposed to be concerned in the female part of the reproductive process. See
Karyokinesis .
5. (Zoology) (a) The tip, or earliest part, of a univalve or bivalve shell. (b) The central part around which additional growths are added, as of an operculum. (c) A visceral mass, containing the stomach and other organs, in Tunicata and some mollusks.
Nucula Nu"cu·la noun [ Latin , little nut, dim. of
nux ,
nucis , a nut.]
(Zoology) A genus of small marine bivalve shells, having a pearly interior.
Nucule Nu"cule (nū"kul)
noun [ Latin
nucula a small nut.]
(Botany) Same as Nutlet .
Nucumentaceous Nu`cu·men·ta"ceous adjective (Botany) See Nucamentaceous .
Nudation Nu·da"tion noun [ Latin
nudatio , from
nudare to make naked, from
nudus naked. See
Nude .]
The act of stripping, or making bare or naked.
Nuddle Nud"dle intransitive verb To walk quickly with the head bent forward; -- often with along . [ Prov. Eng.]
Nude Nude adjective [ Latin
nudus . See
Naked .]
1. Bare; naked; unclothed; undraped; as, a nude statue. 2. (Law) Naked; without consideration; void; as, a nude contract. See Nudum pactum . Blackstone. The nude ,
the undraped human figure in art. --
Nude"ly ,
adverb -
Nude"ness ,
noun
Nudge Nudge transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Nudge... ;
present participle & verbal noun Nudging .] [ Confer Prov. German
knütschen to squeeze, pinch, English
Knock .]
To touch gently, as with the elbow, in order to call attention or convey intimation.
Nudge Nudge noun A gentle push, or jog, as with the elbow.
Nudibrachiate Nu`di·brach"i·ate adjective [ Latin
nudus naked +
brachium an arm.]
(Zoology) Having tentacles without vibratile cilia. Carpenter.
Nudibranch Nu"di·branch adjective (Zoology) Of or pertaining to the Nudibranchiata. --
noun One of the Nudibranchiata.
Nudibranchiata Nu`di·bran`chi·a"ta noun plural [ New Latin See
Nude , and
Branchia .]
(Zoology) A division of opisthobranchiate mollusks, having no shell except while very young. The gills are naked and situated upon the back or sides. See Ceratobranchia .
Nudibranchiate Nu`di·bran"chi·ate adjective & noun (Zoology) Same as Nudibranch .
Nudicaul Nu"di·caul adjective [ Latin
nudus naked +
caulis stem.]
(Botany) Having the stems leafless.
Nudification Nu`di·fi·ca"tion noun [ Latin
nudus naked +
-ficare (in comp.) to make. See
- fy .]
The act of making nude.
Nudity Nu"di·ty noun ;
plural Nudities . [ Confer French
nudité .]
1. The quality or state of being nude; nakedness. 2. That which is nude or naked; naked part; undraped or unclothed portion; esp. (Fine Arts) , the human figure represented unclothed; any representation of nakedness; -- chiefly used in the plural and in a bad sense. There are no such licenses permitted in poetry any more than in painting, to design and color obscene nudities .
Dryden.
Nudum pactum Nu"dum pac"tum [ Latin , a nude pact.] (Law) A bare, naked contract, without any consideration. Tomlins.
Nugacity Nu·gac"i·ty noun [ Latin
nugacitas , from
nugax ,
-acis , trifling.]
Futility; trifling talk or behavior; drollery. [ R.]
Dr. H. More.
Nugation Nu·ga"tion noun [ Confer Old French
nugation .]
The act or practice of trifling. [ R.]
Bacon.
Nugatory Nu"ga·to·ry adjective [ Latin
nugatorius , from
nugari to trifle,
nugae jests, trifles.]
1. Trifling; vain; futile; insignificant. 2. Of no force; inoperative; ineffectual. If all are pardoned, and pardoned as a mere act of clemency, the very substance of government is made nugatory .
I. Taylor.
Nugget Nug"get noun [ Earlier
niggot , probably for
nigot ,
an ingot . See
Ingot .]
A lump; a mass, esp. a native lump of a precious metal; as, a nugget of gold.
Nugify Nu"gi·fy transitive verb [ Latin
nuggae trifles +
-fy .]
To render trifling or futile; to make silly. [ R.]
Coleridge.
Nugæ Nu"gæ noun plural [ Latin ]
Trifles; jests.
Nuisance Nui"sance noun [ Middle English
noisance , Old French
noisance ,
nuisance , from Latin
nocentia guilt, from
nocere to hurt, harm; akin to
necare to kill. Cf
Necromancy ,
Nocent ,
Noxious ,
Pernicious .]
That which annoys or gives trouble and vexation; that which is offensive or noxious. »
Nuisances are
public when they annoy citizens in general;
private , when they affect individuals only.
Nuisancer Nui"san·cer noun (Law) One who makes or causes a nuisance.
Nul Nul adjective [ French See
Null ,
adjective ]
(Law) No; not any; as, nul disseizin; nul tort.
Null Null adjective [ Latin
nullus not any, none;
ne not +
ullus any, a dim. of
unus one; confer French
nul . See
No , and
One , and confer
None .]
Of no legal or binding force or validity; of no efficacy; invalid; void; nugatory; useless. Faultily faultless, icily regular, splendidly null ,
Dead perfection; no more.
Tennyson.
Null Null noun 1. Something that has no force or meaning. 2. That which has no value; a cipher; zero. Bacon. Null method (Physics.) ,
a zero method. See under Zero .
Null Null transitive verb [ From
null , adjective , or perhaps abbrev. from
annul .]
To annul. [ Obsolete]
Milton.
Null Null noun [ Etymol. uncertain.]
One of the beads in nulled work.
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