Englisch Lexikon: Nicer

en		en
Nicer		Nice \Nice\ (n[imac]s), a. [Compar. {Nicer} (n[imac]"s[~e]r); superl. {Nicest}.] [OE., foolish, fr. OF. nice ignorant, fool, fr. L. nescius ignorant; ne not + scius knowing, scire to know. Perhaps influenced by E. nesh delicate, soft. See {No}, and {Science}.] 1. Foolish; silly; simple; ignorant; also, weak; effeminate. [Obs.] --Gower. [1913 Webster] But say that we ben wise and nothing nice. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster] 2. Of trifling moment; unimportant; trivial. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] The letter was not nice, but full of charge Of dear import. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 3. Overscrupulous or exacting; hard to please or satisfy; fastidious in small matters. [1913 Webster] Curious not knowing, not exact but nice. --Pope. [1913 Webster] And to taste Think not I shall be nice. --Milton. [1913 Webster] 4. Delicate; refined; dainty; pure. [1913 Webster] Dear love, continue nice and chaste. --Donne. [1913 Webster] A nice and subtile happiness. --Milton. [1913 Webster] 5. Apprehending slight differences or delicate distinctions; distinguishing accurately or minutely; carefully discriminating; as, a nice taste or judgment. ``Our author happy in a judge so nice.'' --Pope. ``Nice verbal criticism.'' --Coleridge. [1913 Webster] 6. Done or made with careful labor; suited to excite admiration on account of exactness; evidencing great skill; exact; fine; finished; as, nice proportions, nice workmanship, a nice application; exactly or fastidiously discriminated; requiring close discrimination; as, a nice point of law, a nice distinction in philosophy. [1913 Webster] The difference is too nice Where ends the virtue, or begins the vice. --Pope. [1913 Webster] 7. Pleasing; agreeable; gratifying; delightful; good; as, a nice party; a nice excursion; a nice day; a nice sauce, etc. [Loosely & Colloquially] [1913 Webster] 8. Pleasant; kind; as, a nice person. [PJC] 9. Hence: Well-mannered; well-behaved; as, nice children. [PJC] He's making a list, checking it twice. Gonna find out who's naughty or nice Santa Claus is coming to town. --Song. {To make nice of}, to be scrupulous about. [Obs.] --Shak. [1913 Webster] Syn: Dainty; delicate; exquisite; fine; accurate; exact; correct; precise; particular; pleasant; kind; scrupulous; punctilious; fastidious; squeamish; finical; effeminate; silly; well-mannered; well-behaved. [1913 Webster]