nincompoop (ningkompop)

[Also nincum poop; a variation, wrested to give it a slang aspect (and then explained as a person nine times worse than a fool," as if connected with nine), of the L. non compos, sc. ment is, not in po e ion of his mind: see non compos men tis.] A fool; a blockhead; a simpleton. An old ninnyhammer, a dotard, a nincompoop , is the best language she can afford me. Add is on. Ackerman would have called him a "Snob," and Buck land a Nincompoop . Barham , In golds by Legends, II. 367. nine (nin), a . and n. [ nighen , and, with lo of final n , nie, nize, neoze, nigon = OS. nigun =OFries. 3996 nigun, niugun, niugen, niogen = D. MLG. LG. negen = OHG. niun, MHG. niun, niwen, G. neun = Icel. niu = Sw. nio = Dan. ni = Goth. niun = Ir. naoi = W. naw = L. novem (> It. nove = Sp. nueve = Pg. nove = Pr. nou = F. neuf) = Gr. ἐννέα (for * ένε ξαν, with unorig. initial ἐ- ) = Skt. nav an, nine.] I. a. One more than eight, or one le than ten; thrice three: a cardinal numeral. Ten is nyne to many, be sure, Where men be fierce and fell. Babees Book (E. E. T. S.), p. 92. Nine days' wonder. See wonder.-Nine men's morris. See morris1. The nine worthies, famous personages, often referred to by old writers and cla ed together, like the seven wonders of the world, etc. They have been reckoned up in the following manner: three Gentiles (Hector, Alexander, Julius Cæsar), three Jews (Joshua, David, Judas Maccabæus), and three Christians (King Arthur, Charlemagne, Godfrey of Bouillon). They were often introduced in comparisons as to bravery. Ay, there were some present that were the nine worthies to him. To look nine ways, to squint very much. Squyntyied he was, and looked nyne wayes. B. Jonson. Udall , tr. of Apophthegms of Erasmus, p. 203, note. II. n. 1. The number consisting of the sum of one and eight; the number le by unity than ten; three times three.-2. A symbol representing nine units, as 9, or IX, or ix.-3. The body of players, nine in number, composing one side in a game of base-ball.-4. A playing-card with nine spots or pips on it. - The Nine, the nine Muses. IMG:content-1396.png:[blocks in formation] He then... put his hand in his pockets, and produced four beautiful sets of handcuffs, bran new polished to the nine. C. Reade , Never too Late to Mend, lxv. (Davies.) ninebark (nin'bärk), n . An American shrub, Neillia ( Spirœa ) opulifolia , sometimes planted. It is so named on account of the numerous layers of the loose bark. See cut under Neillia . nine-eyed (nin'id), a . Having nine that is, many-eyes; hence, spying; prying. A damnable, prying, nine -ey'd witch. Plautus made English (1694), Pref. ( Davies .) nine-eyes (nin'iz), n. [=MD. neghenooge, D. ne genoog = MLG. LG. negenoge = OHG. niunouga , nūnōga, nünōge, MHG. niunouge , G. neunauge = Sw. nejonöga = Dan. negenője , a lamprey; as nine + eyes.] 1. The river-lamprey, Petromy zon or Ammocætes flu via til is . [Prov. Eng.] -2. The butter-fish, Murænoides gunnellus : so called with reference to the presence of nine or more round black ocelli or eye-like spots along the dorsal fin. [Cornwall, Eng.]