947
night shift
Nigeria 2 a large country in West Africa, south of Algeria and north of Nigeria. Much of the land is desert. Population: 11,058,590 (2003). Capital: Niamey. —Nigerian /'ni:dʒɜ:riən/ n, adj
Ni·ger·i·a /naɪ'dʒɪɜ:riə/ an oil-producing country in West Africa, east of Benin and west of Cameroon. Population: 133,881,703 (2003). Its capital is Abuja, and its largest city is Lagos. Nigeria became an independent state in 1960, after being ruled by the UK for almost 100 years. About half its population are Muslims, who live mainly in the north, and the rest are Christians, living mainly in the south. —Nigerian adj
nig·gard /'nɪgəd||-ɜ:rd/ n derog a niggardly person
nig·gard·ly /'nɪgədi||-ɜ:r-/ adj derog 1 (of a person) not willing to spend money, time etc; STINGY 2 spent or given unwillingly; MEAGRE: *a niggardly offer for such a good car* | *niggardly praise* —liness *n* [U]
nig·ger /'nɪgə/ n 1 taboo derog a black person (considered extremely offensive) 2 nigger in the woodpile now taboo (someone who causes) an unexpected problem
nig·gle¹ /'nɪgə/ v [I] 1 [about, over] to pay too much attention to small details, especially when finding fault: *She niggled over every detail of the bill.* 2 [at] to annoy someone slightly but continually: *There's still a doubt niggling at my brain.* —gler n
niggle² n 1 a slight feeling: *a niggle of doubt* 2 a slight criticism or complaint 3 a slight physical pain: *a niggle in his knee*
nig·gling /'nɪgəlŋ/ adj [A] 1 slightly and continually annoying: *a niggling doubt* 2 (of a piece of work) needing too much attention to detail: *a niggling job*
nigh /naɪ/ adv, prep 1 poet or old use near: *The time has drawn nigh.* (=it has nearly come) 2 nigh on/onto/unto dial or old use almost → see also WELL-NIGH
night /naɪt/ n 1 [C,U] the dark part of each 24-hour period, when the sun cannot be seen: *The nights are longer in winter.* | *Nurses often have to work at night.* | *The moon gives light by at night.* | *Night began to fall.* (=it started to get dark) | *a few nights ago* | *The hotel charges $60 a night.* | *Where were you on the night of January 16th?* 2 [C,U] a) the earlier part of this period; the evening: *We'll be out tomorrow night.* | *to go dancing on Saturday night(s)* | *Is that pro-gramme at 10 o'clock in the morning or 10 o'clock at night?* b) the period after bedtime: *to sleep well all night* | *The baby woke up twice in the night.* | *Where did you stay last night?* 3 [C] a special occasion taking place in the evening: *We saw the show on its first night.* (=first performance) | *It was a great night – everyone was there.* 4 [C usually sing.] the evening of a stated holiday etc: *Christmas night* → compare EVE 5 [C[oft] lit a sad period or experience: *through the night of doubt and sorrow* | *the dark night of the soul* 6 by night during the night (especially when compared with by day): *He works in an office by day and drives a taxi by night.* 7 it ain't a fit night out for man nor beast a phrase used in old films, meaning that it is a very cold stormy night; now often used humorously 8 it'll be all right on the night BrE a phrase used in the theatre, meaning that a play or show will be performed in public without mistakes, even though there are difficulties while it is being prepared 9 make a night of it infml to spend the night in enjoyment 10 night after night infml regularly every night: *He goes out drinking night after night.* 11 night and day also day and night — infml all the time; continuously: *I worry about it night and day.* 12 the other night a few nights ago: *I saw David the other night.* → see also NIGHTS, NOCTURNAL, morning, noon, and night (MORNING)
**Night Before 'Christmas, The** a poem by Clement Moore which contains many of the popular ideas and images that Americans connect with Santa Claus. It has been set to music, made into a television film, and appears printed in newspapers and magazines at Christmastime.
**'night ,blindness** n [U] inability to see things in bad light
**night-cap** /'naɪtkæp/ n 1 a usually alcoholic drink taken before going to bed 2 a soft cloth cap worn in bed in former times
**night-clothes** /'naɪtkləʊðz, -kloʊz/ n [P] any variety of clothes worn in bed by men, women, or children
**night-club** /'naɪtklb/ n a place of entertainment open late at night where people can eat, drink, dance, and often see a show
**night-club·bing** /'naɪt,kʌbɪŋ/ BrE also **clubbing** n [U] the visiting of nightclubs
**'night ,crawler** n *AmE* a large worm that lives in the soil (EARTHWORM) and comes out at night, often used as BAIT in fishing
**'night de,pository** n *AmE* for NIGHT SAFE
**night-dress** /'naɪtdres/ also **nigh-tie** /'naɪti/ infml || **night-gown** /-gaʊn/ *AmE* — n a piece of women's clothing like a loose dress, made to be worn in bed → compare NIGHTSHIRT
**night-fall** /'naɪtfɔ:l/ n [U] the beginning of night; DUSK: *We gave up the search at nightfall.*
**night-hawk** /'naɪthɔ:k/ n *AmE* for NIGHT OWL
**nigh·tin·gale** /'naɪtɪŋgeɪl/ n a bird (a kind of THRUSH) known for its beautiful song
**Nightingale, Florence** (1820-1910) an English nurse who became greatly admired when she set up a hospital for soldiers in Turkey during the CRIMEAN WAR. She became known as the 'Lady with the Lamp', because she walked around the hospital in the evenings with a lamp to check that everything was in order. She set up a school for nurses, making NURSING (=the job of being a nurse) into a real profession.
**night-life** /'naɪtlaɪf/ n [U] evening entertainment or social activity, e.g. in BARS, NIGHTCLUBS etc: *a holiday resort with good nightlife*
**night-light** /'naɪtlaɪt/ n a not very bright light or small candle which is kept burning through the night, e.g. in a child's room
**night-long** /'naɪtlɒŋ||-lɔ:ŋ/ adj, adv especially lit (lasting) through the whole night: *a nightlong vigil*
**night-ly** /'naɪtli/ adj, adv (happening, done etc) every night: *a play performed nightly* | *a nightly news broadcast*
**night-mare** /'naɪtmeə/ n 1 a terrible dream 2 a terrible experience or event: *the nightmare of a nuclear war* | *Driving on that ice was a real nightmare.* —marish adj —marishly adv —marishness n [U]
**Nightmare on 'Elm Street, A** (1984) a US HORROR film (=a film that is intended to make you feel frightened) about a frightening character called Freddy Krueger who has knives instead of fingernails, and who appears in people's dreams and tries to kill them
**'nightmare sce,nario** n a description of a possible situation or course of action which would be terrible if it happened: *Citizens living near the proposed waste site fear the nightmare scenario of a radiation leak.*
**'night owl** also **nighthawk** *AmE* — n infml a person who likes to stay awake most of the night to read, work, go out etc
**nights** /naɪts/ adv especially *AmE* at night repeatedly; during any night: *He works nights.* | *I lie awake nights.*
**'night safe** BrE || **night depository** *AmE* — n a special opening in the outside wall of a bank in which a customer can put money etc when the bank is closed
**'night school** n [U] a school or set of classes meeting in the evening, especially for people who have jobs during the day: *She wants to learn French at night school/(AmE) in night school.*
**night-shade** /'naɪtʃeɪd/ n → see DEADLY NIGHTSHADE
**'night shift** n 1 [C] a period of time beginning at night and ending in the morning, during which people regularly work in a factory, hospital, or other place of work: *to work (on) the night shift* 2 [the+sing./pl. v] this group of workers: *The night shift is/are just coming off duty.* → see also SHIFT²