nighとは 意味・読み方・使い方

語源

From 中期英語 neygh, nygh, nye, nyȝ, from 古期英語 nēah, nēh, from Proto-West Germanic *nāhw, from Proto-Germanic *nēhw.

Cognate with Saterland Frisian nai (“near”), West Frisian nei (“near, close by”), Dutch na (“close, near”), Luxembourgish no (“nearby, near, close”), German nah (“close, near, nearby”). See also near.

発音

• IPA: /naɪ/
• 韻: -aɪ

形容詞

nigh (comparative nigher or more nigh, superlative nighest or most nigh)

1. (archaic, poetic) Near, close by.

   The end is nigh!

   Daybreak is drawing nigh.

   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto IX”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 14, page 311:

     For with ſuch puiſſance and impetuous maine / Thoſe Champions broke on them, that forſt the fly, / Like ſcattered Sheepe, whenas the Shepherds ſwaine / A Lyon and a Tigre doth eſpye, / With greedy pace forth ruſhing from the foreſt nye.

   • a. 1831, Ludovico Ariosto, William Stewart Rose (translator), Orlando Furioso, 2006, Echo Library, page 185,

     He at his head took aim who stood most nigh;

   • 1831, John Knox, The History of the Reformation of Religion in Scotland, page 421:

     By these and many histories more, it is most evident, that the more nigh salvation and deliverance approach, the more vehement is temptation and trouble.

   • 1834, Davy Crockett, A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett, page 197:

     The enemy, somewhat imboldened, draws nigher to the fort.

   • 1889, House of Commons of Canada, Debates: Official Report, volume 2, page 1408:

     You then went to St. Andrews, the nighest ocean port.

   • 2020 May 20, John Crosse, “Soon to be gone... but never forgotten”, in Rail, page 63, photo caption:

     The end is nigh (or at least it was supposed to be), but the Pacers in northern England kept plugging away providing a service while awaiting the much-delayed arrival of their replacements.

   • 2020, Keith Getty, Matt Boswell, Jordan Kauflin, Matt Merker, Matt Papa, “Christ Our Hope in Life and Death”‎Getty Music Publishing (BMI) / Messenger Hymns (BMI) / Matthew Merker Music (BMI) / Jordan Kauflin Music (BMI) / Getty Music Hymns and Songs (ASCAP) / Love Your Enemies Publishing (ASCAP):

     Who sends the waves that bring us nigh / Unto the shore, the rock of Christ?

2. Not remote in degree, kindred, circumstances, etc.; closely allied; intimate.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Ephesians 2:13:

     Ye […] are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

使用する際の注意点

• Near was originally the comparative form of nigh; the superlative form was next. Nigh is used today mostly in archaic, poetic, or regional contexts.

同意語

• (near): close, near; see also Thesaurus:near

派生語

• nighen
• nigh-hand
• nigh on
• nighness

関連する語

動詞

nigh (third-person singular simple present nighs, present participle nighing, simple past and past participle nighed)

1. (ambitransitive) to draw nigh (to); to approach; to come near
   • 1924, Thomas Hardy, He Resolves to Say No More:

     When the charnel-eyed Pale Horse has nighed

引用

• For quotations using this term, see Citations:nigh.

別の表記

• ny (obsolete)

副詞

nigh (not comparable)

1. Almost, nearly.
   • 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter XII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:

     So, after a spell, he decided to make the best of it and shoved us into the front parlor. […] It looked like a tomb and smelt pretty nigh as musty and dead-and-gone.

   • 2017 July 16, Brandon Nowalk, “Chickens and dragons come home to roost on Game Of Thrones (newbies)”, in The Onion AV Club‎:

     Hell of a surprise in the seventh season premiere of Game Of Thrones. Arya Stark, fresh off a nigh Cersei-level ambush of the Frey household, comes upon a small campfire surrounded by fresh-faced red cloaks.

使用する際の注意点

• Nigh is sometimes used as a combining form.

引用

• For quotations using this term, see Citations:nigh.

派生語

前置詞

nigh

1. near; close to
   • 1661-5, Thomas Salusbury (translator), Galileo Galilei, Dialogue concerning the Two Chief World Systems, 1632

     When the Moon is horned […] is it not ever nigh the Sun?

   • 1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide:

     The cottage stood nigh the burn, in a little garden, with lilyoaks and grosart bushes lining the pathway.

アナグラム

• Hing, hing, inHg