King James Bible Dictionary

NIGH, adjective [G. A preposition signifying to, on or after, that is, approaching, pressing on, making towards; strait, narrow.]

1. Near; not distant or remote in place or time.

The loud tumult shows the battle nigh

When the fig-tree putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh

2. Closely allied by blood; as a nigh kinsman.

3. Easy to be obtained or learnt; of easy access.

The word is very nigh unto thee. Deuteronomy 30:14.

4. Ready to support, to forgive, or to aid and defend.

The Lord is nigh unto them who are of a broken heart. Psalms 34:18.

5. Close in fellowship; intimate in relation.

Ye are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:13.

6. Near in progress or condition. Hebrews 6:8.

NIGH, adverb ni.

1. Near; at a small distance in place or time, or in the course of events.

He was sick, nigh to death. Philippians 2:27.

2. Near to a place.

He drew nigh

3. Almost; near. He was nigh dead.

NIGH is never a preposition. In the phrase, nigh this recess, with terror they survey, there is an ellipsis of to. They, nigh to this recess, survey, etc.

NIGH, verb intransitive ni. To approach; to advance or draw near. [Not used.]

NIGHLY, adverb Nearly; within a little.

A cube and a sphere nighly of the same bigness. [Not used.]

NIGHNESS, noun Nearness; proximity in place, time or degree.

General references
Genesis 1:5; Genesis 1:16; Genesis 1:18

Meditations in
Psalms 19:2; Psalms 77:6; Psalms 119:148; Psalms 139:11

Worship in
Psalms 134:1

Jesus prays all night
Luke 6:12

No night in heaven
Revelation 21:25; Revelation 22:5

Divided into watches
Exodus 14:24; Judges 7:19; 1 Samuel 11:11; Nehemiah 12:9; Psalms 63:6; Psalms 119:148; Lamentations 2:19; Matthew 14:25; Luke 12:38

Divided into hours
Acts 23:23

Used figuratively
Isaiah 15:1; Isaiah 21:11-12; John 9:4; Romans 13:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:5

[DAY]

NIGHT, noun [The sense may be dark, black, or it may be the decline of the day, from declining, departing.]

1. That part of the natural day when the sun is beneath the horizon, or the time from sunset to sunrise.

2. The time after the close of life; death. John 9:4.

She closed her eyes in everlasting night

3. A state of ignorance; intellectual and moral darkness; heathenish ignorance. Romans 13:12.

4. Adversity; a state of affliction and distress. Isaiah 21:4.

5. Obscurity; a state of concealment from the eye or the mind; unintelligibleness.

Nature and natures works lay hid in night

In the night suddenly; unexpectedly. Luke 12:20.

To-night, in this night To-night the moon will be eclipsed.

Forbidden as food
Leviticus 11:16; Deuteronomy 14:15

NIGHT-ANGLING, noun The angling for or catching fish in the night.

NIGHT-BIRD, noun A bird that flies only in the night.

NIGHT-BORN, adjective Produced in darkness.

NIGHT-BRAWLER, noun One who excites brawls or makes a tumult at night.

NIGHT-CAP, noun A cap worn in bed or in undress.

NIGHT-CROW, noun A fowl that cries in the night.

NIGHT-DEW, noun The dew formed in the night.

NIGHT-DOG, noun A dog that hunts in the night; used by deer-stealers.

NIGHT-DRESS, noun A dress worn at night.

NIGHTED, adjective Darkened; clouded; black. [Little used.]

NIGHTFALL, noun The close of the day; evening.

NIGHT-FARING, adjective Traveling in the night.

NIGHT-FIRE, noun

1. Ignis fatuus; Will with a wisp; Jack with a lantern.

2. Fire burning in the night.

NIGHT-FLY, noun An insect that flies in the night.

NIGHT-FOUNDED, adjective Lost or distressed in the night.

NIGHT-GOWN, noun A loose gown used for undress.

NIGHT-HAG, noun A witch supposed to wander in the night.

(Heb. tahmas) occurs only in the list of unclean birds (Leviticus 11:16; Deuteronomy 14:15). This was supposed to be the night-jar (Caprimulgus), allied to the swifts. The Hebrew word is derived from a root meaning "to scratch or tear the face," and may be best rendered, in accordance with the ancient versions, "an owl" (Strix flammea). The Revised Version renders "night-hawk."

The Hebrew word so translated, (Leviticus 11:10; 14:15) probably denotes some kind of owl.

NIGHTINGALE, noun

1. A small bird that sings at night, of the genus Motacilla; Philomela or Philomel.

2. A word of endearment.

NIGHTISH, adjective Pertaining to night, or attached to the night.

NIGHTLY, adjective

1. Done by night; happening in the night, or appearing in the night; as nightly sports; nightly dews.

2. Done every night. The watch goes his nightly round.

NIGHTLY, adverb

1. By night.

Thee, Sion, and the flowery brooks beneath, nightly I visit.

2. Every night.

NIGHT-MAN, noun One who removes filth from cities in the night.

NIGHTMAR, noun Incubus; a sensation in sleep resembling the pressure of a weight on the breast or about the praecordia. It is usually the effect of indigestion or of a loaded stomach.

NIGHT-PIECE, noun A piece of painting so colored as to be supposed seen by candle-light.

NIGHT-RAIL, noun A loose robe or garment worn over the dress at night. [Not used.]

NIGHT-RAVEN, noun A fowl of ill omen that cries in the night.

NIGHT-REST, noun Rest or repose at night.

NIGHT-ROBBER, noun One that robs or steals in the night.

NIGHT-RULE, noun A tumult or frolick in the night.

NIGHTSHADE, noun A plant of the genus Solanum. The deadly nightshade is of the genus Atropa; the American nightshade of the genus Phytolacea; the bastard nightshade of the genus Rivina; the enchanter's nightshade of the genus Circaea; the Malabar nightshade of the genus Basella; and the three-leaved nightshade of the genus Trillium.

NIGHT-SHINING, adjective Shining in the night; luminous in darkness.

NIGHT-SHRIEK, noun A shriek or outcry in the night.

NIGHT-SPELL, noun A charm against accidents at night.

NIGHT-TRIPPING, adjective Tripping about in the night; as a night-tripping fairy.

NIGHT-VISION, noun A vision at night. Daniel 2:1.

NIGHT-WAKING, adjective Watching in the night.

NIGHT-WALK, noun A walk in the evening or night.

NIGHT-WALKER, noun

1. One that walks in his sleep; a somnambulist.

2. One that roves about in the night for evil purposes. Night-walkers are punishable by law.

NIGHT-WALKING, adjective Roving in the night.

NIGHT-WALKING, noun A roving in the streets at night with evil designs.

NIGHT-WANDERER, noun One roving at night.

NIGHT-WANDERING, adjective Wandering in the night.

NIGHT-WARBLING, adjective Warbling or singing in the night.

NIGHTWARD, adjective Approaching towards night.

NIGHT-WATCH, noun

1. A period in the night, as distinguished by the change of the watch. Night-watches, however, in the Psalms, seems to mean the night or time of sleep in general.

2. A watch or guard in the night.

NIGHT-WATCHER, noun One that watches in the night with evil designs.

NIGHT-WITCH, noun A night hag; a witch that appears in the night.