Chapter N to Nadir of N by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

N to Nadir

N

N This letter represents a wriggling eel, and is called in Hebrew nun (a fish).

N in Spanish, has sometimes a mark over it, thus- ñ. This mark is called a tilde, and alters the sense and pronunciation of a word. Thus, “pena” means punishment, but “peña,” a rock. (See Marks In Grammar .)

N (One whose name is not given.) (See M or N.)

N a numeral. Greek u 50, but ,u 50,000. N (Rom.) = 900, but N (NB with a tilde over it) = 900,000.

N added to Greek words ending in a short vowel to lengthen it “by position,” and “1” added to French words beginning with a vowel, when they follow a word ending with a vowel (as si l'on for si on), is called N or L “ephelcystic” (tagged-on); Greek, epi helko. (See Marks In Grammar .)

N. H Bugs. The letters are the initials of Norfolk Howard, in allusion to a Mr. Bugg who, in 1863, changed his name to Norfolk Howard.

nth or nth plus One, in University slang, means to the utmost degree. Thus, Cut to the nth means wholly unnoticed by a friend. The expression is taken from the index of a mathematical formula, where n stands for any number, and n + l, one more than any number.

Nab The fairy which offers Orpheus for food in the infernal regions a roasted ant, a flea's thigh, butterflies' brains, some sucking mites, a rainbow-tart, and other delicacies of like nature, to be washed down with dewdrops, beer made from seven barleycorns, and the supernaculum of earth-born topers. (King: Orpheus and Eurydice.)

Nab To seize without warning. A contraction of apprehend. (Norwegian, nappe, to catch at, nap, snatch; Swedish, nappa.) Our nap (to filch or steal) is a variety of the same word.
   The keeper or catch of a latch or bolt is called the nab.

Nab-man A sheriff's officer. (See Nab .)

“Old Dornton has sent the nabman after him at last.”- Sir W. Scott: Guy Mannering (dramatised by Terry, ii. 3).

Nabo or Nebo. One of the divinities of the Assyrians, supposed to be the moon. (See Isa. xlvi. 1.) Many of the kings of Babylon assumed the name.
   Nabonassar is Nabo-n-assar, Nabe-of-Asshur or Assyria.
   Nabochadanasor is Nabo-chadon (or adon)-[n]-assur, i.e. Nabo-king-of-Asshur or Assyria.
   Nabopolassar is Nabo-[son of] pul-Assyrian.
   Nebochadnezzar is Nebo-chad (or adon-n-assur, i.e. Nabo or Nebo-king- of-Asshur.
    Belchazzar is Baal-ch'-azzar, i.e. Baal-chadon-n-assar, or Baal-king-of Asshur.

Nabob' (generally called Nabob). Corruption of the Hindu word nawab, the plural of naib. An administrator of a province and commander of the Indian army under the Mogul Empire. These men acquired great wealth and lived in Eastern splendour, so that they gave rise to the phrase, “Rich as the nawâb,” corrupted into “Rich as a nabob. ” In England we apply the phrase to a merchant who has attained great wealth in the Indies, and has returned to live in his native country.

Nabonassar or Nebo-adon-Assur. (Nebo, Prince of Assyria.) Founder of the Babylonian and Chaldæan kingdom, and first of the dynasty of Nabonassar.
   Era of Nabonassar began Wednesday, February 26th, 747 B.C., the day of Nabonassar's accession. It was used by Ptolemy, and by the Babylonians, in all their astronomical calculations.