nix

¹ American  

[niks] / nɪks /

noun

1. nothing.

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verb (used with object)

1. to veto; refuse to agree to; prohibit.

   The VP of Publishing nixed the project.

adverb

1. no.

interjection

1. Archaic. (used as an exclamation, especially of warning).

   Nix, the cops!

nix ² American  

[niks] / nɪks /

noun

plural

nixes

1. (in Germanic folklore) a water spirit that draws its victims into its underwater home.

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nix ¹ British  

/ nɪks /

1. another word for no 1

2. be careful! watch out!

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noun

1. a rejection or refusal

2. nothing at all

verb

1. (tr) to veto, deny, reject, or forbid (plans, suggestions, etc)

nix ² British  

/ nɪks /

noun

1. German myth a male water sprite, usually unfriendly to humans

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Etymology

Origin of nix¹

First recorded in 1780–90; from German, variant of nichts “nothing”

Origin of nix²

1825–35; < German Nix, Old High German nihhus; cognate with Old English nicor water monster, Old Norse nykr, Norwegian nøkk, Swedish näck; compare Sanskrit nenekti (he) washes

Example Sentences

And Penguin Random House slammed the door shut when it nixed publication of his book “Reframe Your Brain,” which would have come out that fall, and removed his back catalog from its offerings.

From Los Angeles Times

Avoid most highly-processed foods, dramatically up your protein intake and nix added sugars.

From The Wall Street Journal

Another repealed a needless Environmental Protection Agency rule on rubber tire manufacturing, while another nixed a Treasury rule eliminating expedited review for bank mergers.

From The Wall Street Journal

Johnson praised the lawmakers for “fighting hard to make sure they reduce costs for all of their constituents,” even as he nixed the vote.

From Salon

On Dec. 5, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s powerful vaccine advisory panel voted to nix the decades-old birth-dose recommendation.

From Los Angeles Times