Part 52 (1/2)

NAPPER OF NAPS. A sheep stealer. CANT.

NAPPY ALE. Strong ale.

NASK, or NASKIN. A prison or bridewell. The new nask; Clerkenwell bridewell. Tothil-fields nask; the bridewell at Tothil-fields. CANT.

NATION. An abbreviation of d.a.m.nation: a vulgar term used in Kent, Suss.e.x, and the adjacent counties, for very.

Nation good; very good. A nation long way; a very long way.

NATTY LADS. Young thieves or pickpockets. CANT.

NATURAL. A mistress, a child; also an idiot. A natural son or daughter; a love or merry-begotten child, a b.a.s.t.a.r.d.

NAVY OFFICE. The Fleet prison. Commander of the Fleet; the warden of the Fleet prison.

NAY WORD. A bye-word, proverb.

NAZAKENE FORETOP. The foretop of a wig made in imitation of Christ's head of hair, as represented by the painters and sculptors.

NAZY. Drunken. Nazy cove or mort; a drunken rogue or harlot. Nazy nabs; drunken c.o.xcombs.

NEB, or NIB. The bill of a bird, and the slit of a pen.

Figuratively, the face and mouth of a woman; as, She holds up her neb: she holds up her mouth to be kissed.

NECK STAMPER. The boy who collects the pots belonging to an alehouse, sent out with beer to private houses.

NECK VERSE. Formerly the persons claiming the benefit of clergy were obliged to read a verse in a Latin ma.n.u.script psalter: this saving them from the gallows, was termed their neck verse: it was the first verse of the fiftyfirst psalm, Miserere mei,&c.

NECK WEED. Hemp.

NEEDLE POINT. A sharper.

NEGLIGEE. A woman's undressed gown, Vulgarly termed a neggledigee.

NEGROE. A black-a-moor: figuratively used for a slave.

I'll be no man's negro; I will be no man's slave.

NEGROE'S HEADS. Brown leaves delivered to the s.h.i.+ps in ordinary.

NESCIO. He sports a Nescio; he pretends not to understand any thing. After the senate house examination for degrees, the students proceed to the schools, to be questioned by the proctor. According to custom immemorial the answers MUST be Nescio. The following is a translated specimen:

Ques. What is your name?--Ans. I do not know.

Ques. What is the name of this university?--Ans. I do not know.

Ques. Who was your father?-Ans. I do not know.

This last is probably the only true answer of the three!

NETTLED. Teized, provoked, out of temper. He or she has p.i.s.sed on a nettle; said of one who is peevish or out of temper.