# N, n
N, n /en/ pl. N's, n's n [C,U] 1 the 14th letter of the English alphabet 2 used in mathematics to represent a number whose value is not known
n written abbrev. for 1 noun 2 note
'n' /ən/ short for and: rock 'n' roll
N written abbrev. for north or northern
N/A, n/a written abbrev. for not applicable; you write this on a FORM (=an official document with questions that you must answer) to show that you do not need to answer a particular question
NAACP, the /,en dʌbəl ,eɪ siː 'piː/ abbrv. for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; a US organization that was established in 1910 to improve the legal rights and social position of African Americans
Naaf·i, the /'nafi/ a shop or eating place in any British military base, either in the UK or abroad → compare PX naan /naɪn/ n → see NAN
nab /næb/ v -bb- [T] infmi 1 to catch (a criminal) in an act of wrongdoing; ARREST: He was nabbed while running out of the bank. 2 to get or catch quickly: Run with this letter and nab the postman.
Na·bis·co /nə'biskəu/ trademark a US large international food company. Nabisco is known especially for its COOKIES, CRACKERS, and breakfast foods.
na·bob /ˈneɪbɒbl-baːb/ n 1 a governor of a part of India during the Mogul Empire 2 (in the 18th and 19th centuries) an Englishman who became rich in India and returned to Europe 3 derog a rich or powerful man
Na-bo-kov, Vlad-i-mir /nəˈbəukofl-ˈbɔ:kaf, ‘vlædjmɪər/ (1899–1977) a US writer who was born in Russia, and lived most of his life in Europe. He is best known for his novel LOLITA.
na-celle /næ'sel, nə-/ n tech an enclosure containing one of the engines on an aircraft
na·chos /'nɑːtʃəuz/ n [P] a hot-tasting Mexican dish of small pieces of fried (FRY) corn TORTILLAS covered with melted cheese and often beans and tomatoes (TOMATO)
na-cre /'neɪkər/ n [U] especially BrE MOTHER-OF-PEARL
Na·der, Ralph /ˈneɪdər, rælf/ (1934-) a US lawyer known for criticizing the government and big companies, and for fighting for the rights and protection of CONSUMERS (=people who buy goods and services). He was the GREEN PARTY CANDIDATE for US President in 2000.
na·dir /'neɪdɪər/ n [C usually sing.] the lowest point of hope or fortune: With this election defeat, the party's fortunes reached their nadir.
naff¹ /naef/ adj BrE slang (of things, ideas, behaviour etc) foolish or worthless, especially in a way that shows a lack of good judgment or good TASTE: a really naff film
naff² v BrE slang
naff off phr v [I usually imperative] to go away: I just told him to naff off.
nag¹ /næɡ/ v -gg- [l(at);T] ↑ to annoy or try to persuade (someone) by continuously finding fault and complaining; I wish you'd stop nagging (at me). | The children are always nagging me for new toys. | They finally nagged me into taking them to the zoo. (=persuaded me by nagging) | [+obj+to-v] He's been nagging me all week to mend his shirt. 2 to cause to suffer continuous worry or discomfort: a nagging headache | nagged by worries/doubts —-ger n
nag² n infm/ a person who has the habit of nagging
nag $ ^{3} $ n infni a horse, especially one that is old or in bad condition
Nag•a•sa•ki /,næg•s•ki/ a city and port in the west of the island of Kyushu, Japan, which was badly damaged in 1945 when a US NUCLEAR bomb was dropped on it, killing very many people → compare HIROSHIMA
Na-gor-no-Kar-a-bakh /nə,gɔ:nəu kərə'ba:k, -a:x
-,g:r-/ an AUTONOMOUS (=partly independent) area in Azerbaijan. Capital: Xankändi. Most of its people are Armenians who want to separate from Azerbaijan and join Armenia, and in the late 1980s and early 1990s there was fighting there between Armenians and Azerbaijanis. Nagorno-Karabakh is not officially an independent country, but it has its own government and its own president.
nah /naː/ spoken infmi no: 'You want something to drink?' 'Nah, I'm fine.'
Na·hua·tl /na:‘wa:tl/ n [U] the language of the Aztecs, still spoken by some people in Mexico today
nail¹ /neɪl/ n 1 a thin pointed piece of metal for hammering into a piece of wood, usually to fasten the wood to something else 2 a fingernail or toenail: Does your Mum let you paint your nails? → see picture at HAND 3 a nail in someone's coffin something bad which will bring a person's ruin one step nearer 4 hard/tough as nails infml a) having a body in very good condition b) without any tender feelings 5 (pay cash) on the nail infml (to pay for something) at once → see also hit the nail on the head (HIT¹), tooth and nail (TOOTH)
nai·ad /'naɪədˈneɪəd, 'naɪ-,-əd/ n pl. -ads or -ades /ədɪz/ a female spirit in ancient Greek stories who lived in a lake, stream, or river; water NYMPH → compare OREAD
nail² v [T] 1 [+obj+adv/prep] to fasten (as) with a nail or nails: to nail a sign to the post | to nail the lid down | We nailed up the windows of the old house. 2 slang to catch or trap: They finally nailed the thief. 3 infml to show clearly the falseness of (an idea or statement); EXPOSE (especially in the phrase to nail a lie)
nail sbdy. $\Leftrightarrow$ down phr v [T] [(to)] infml to force (a person) to state clearly their intentions or wishes: Before they repair the car, nail them down to a price. (=make them tell you how much it will cost)
Nail, Jimmy (1954-) a British actor who is best known for appearing in the television series Auf Wiedersehen Pet about a group of British men working ABROAD. He appeared in and wrote another television series called Crocodile Shoes and made a successful POP record with the same title. He is from Newcastle, and is known for having a strong GEORDIE ACCENT (=way of speaking that is typical in Newcastle).
'nail-biter n 1 a person who is unable to keep from biting his/her fingernails 2 infml a very exciting story, film etc which causes SUSPENSE: That detective story was a real nail-biter - we never knew till the end who the murderer was.
'nail-,biting adj causing excitement and anxiety; full of SUS-PENSE: a nail-biting finish to the tennis final
nail·brush /ˈneɪlbrʌʃ/ n a small stiff brush for cleaning hands, and especially fingernails → see picture at BRUSH
'nail ,clippers ☑ [P] a special tool for cutting your nails neatly
'nail file n a small instrument with a rough surface for shaping fingernails
'nail ,polish also 'nail ,varnish n [U] coloured or transparent liquid which is painted on women's nails, especially fingernails, to give them a hard shiny surface and make them look attractive
'nail scissors n [P] a small pair of scissors for cutting fingernails or toenails → see PAIR (USAGE)
Nai·paul, V.S. /'naɪpɔːl/ (1932-) a British writer who was born in Trinidad and Tobago, and who comes from a Hindu family. His NOVELS include A House for Mr Biswas, A Bend in the River, and In a Free State, which won the Booker Prize in 1971. He has also written non-fiction works such as India: A Wounded Civilization and India: A Million Mutinies Now. In 2001, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. His full name is Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul.
Nai·ro·bi /nai'rəubi/ the capital of Kenya in East Africa
naive, naive /naɪˈiːvˈlɪnəˈiːv/ adj 1 without experience of social rules or behaviour, especially because one is young: The youngest boy was laughed at for his naive remarks. 2 too willing to believe without proof: He told her he was a close friend of the royal family, and she was naive enough to believe him. —ly adv
na-i-ve-ty, naïvety, -eté /naɪˈiːvətiːnɑː, iːvəˈteɪ/ n [U] the quality of being naive: Her naivety is endearing/appalling.
na-ked /'neikʃd/ adj 1 (of a person's body, or part of it) not