nigh
nigh Lexical Profile
nigh Game Scores & Validity
• adverb
Nearly; almost (often preceded by "well" or followed by "on" or "onto").
"It was nigh impossible to see the trail through the dense mountain fog."
At or to a short distance away in space or time; near (now chiefly archaic or poetic).
"The travelers sought shelter as the evening shadows drew nigh."
• adjective
Located or occurring a short distance away in space, time, or relationship; near or imminent (now chiefly archaic, literary, or dialectal).
"As the winter solstice drew closer, the villagers knew the longest night of the year was nigh."
Designating the left-hand side of a horse, team of draft animals, or vehicle (traditionally the side from which a rider mounts or a driver walks).
"The driver checked the harness on the nigh horse before guiding the wagon onto the road."
• preposition
Near or close to in space, time, or degree (now chiefly archaic, literary, or regional).
"Exhausted from the long trek, he was nigh collapse by the time he reached the camp."
Word Nuance & Usage
In modern standard English, "nigh" is largely archaic or literary except in fixed idioms such as "well-nigh" or "nigh on" (meaning "almost").
• Rhymes for nigh
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English nēah, meaning "near" or "close," of Proto-Germanic origin. Its historical superlative form, nīehst, evolved into the modern English word "next."