nigh

[ nahy ]

adverb

1. near in space, time, or relation:

   The time draws nigh.

2. nearly; almost; (often followed by on or onto ):

   nigh onto twenty years.

adjective

, nigh·er, nigh·est.

1. near; approaching:

   Evening is nigh.

2. short or direct:

   to take the nighest route.

3. (of an animal or vehicle) being on the left side:

   to be astride the nigh horse.

4. Archaic. parsimonious; stingy.

preposition

1. near.

verb (used with or without object)

1. Archaic. to approach.

nigh

/ naɪ /

adjective

1. an archaic, poetic, or dialect word for near

Other Words From

• un·nigh adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of nigh¹

before 900; Middle English nigh ( e ), neye, Old English nēah, nēh, cognate with Dutch na, German nahe, Old Norse nā-, Gothic nehw, nehwa; near, next

Word History and Origins

Origin of nigh¹

Old English nēah, nēh; related to German nah, Old Frisian nei. Compare near , next

Example Sentences

Three quarters of those people believe the end of the world is nigh.

From The Daily Beast

Naturally, this has doomsayers preaching that the end is nigh.

From The Daily Beast

These are, in mechanical terms, simple fixes; politically, a nigh-impossible slog.

From The Daily Beast

Replacing the bread in a sandwich with fried meat makes me worry the apocalypse is nigh.

From The Daily Beast

We pulled every string we could for nigh on a year and a half.

From The Daily Beast

I've always hed a reel mean feelin' about 'em; I didn't want ter come nigh 'em, nor ter hev 'em come nigh me.

From Project Gutenberg

In Ireland they have palpably and greatly benefited every class but the stockholders, and these they have well nigh ruined.

From Project Gutenberg

All who are in him, though once like those, who were sometimes afar off, are made nigh by his blood.

From Project Gutenberg

An' the old woman be quite crazed, an' well nigh dead wi' grief, an' has not been out o' bed for a fortnite.

From Project Gutenberg

An officer in the Venezuelan and the Peruvian services was fortunately nigh the banks of the river, shooting wild pigs.

From Project Gutenberg