different between neighbor vs nigh

English

Noun

neighbor (plural neighbors)

1. US standard spelling of neighbour.

Derived terms

• neighborhood

Verb

neighbor (third-person singular simple present neighbors, present participle neighboring, simple past and past participle neighbored)

1. US standard spelling of neighbour.

English

Etymology

From Middle English neygh, nygh, nye, ny?, from Old English n?ah, n?h, from Proto-Germanic *n?hw. Cognate with Dutch na (“close, near”), German nah (“close, near, nearby”), Luxembourgish no (“nearby, near, close”). See also near.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /na?/
• Rhymes: -a?

Adjective

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

1. (archaic, poetic) near, close by
   • 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.
2. Not remote in degree, kindred, circumstances, etc.; closely allied; intimate.

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

Usage notes

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

Synonyms

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

Derived terms

• nighen
• nighness

Related terms

Translations

Verb

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

1. (transitive, intransitive) 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

Alternative forms

• ny (obsolete)

Quotations

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

Translations

Adverb

nigh (not comparable)

1. Almost, nearly.

Usage notes

• Nigh is sometimes used as a combining form.

Quotations

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

Derived terms

Translations

Preposition

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?

Translations

Anagrams

• Hing, hing, inHg

Irish

Etymology

From Middle Irish nigid (“he washes”), from Proto-Indo-European *neyg?- (“to wash”).

Pronunciation

• (Munster) /n???/
• (Connacht, Ulster) IPA^(key): (imperative) /n??i?/, (analytic past indicative) /n?i?/

Verb

nigh (present analytic níonn, future analytic nífidh, verbal noun ní, past participle nite)

1. (transitive, intransitive) wash

Conjugation

Related terms

References

• "nigh" in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, An Gúm, 1977, by Niall Ó Dónaill.
• Gregory Toner, Maire Ní Mhaonaigh, Sharon Arbuthnot, Dagmar Wodtko, Maire-Luise Theuerkauf, editors (2019) , “nigid”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

Scottish Gaelic

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?i?/

Etymology 1

From Middle Irish nigid (“he washes”), from Proto-Indo-European *neyg?- (“to wash”) (compare English nixie (“water sprite”), Ancient Greek ???? (níz?)).

Verb

nigh (past nigh, future nighidh, verbal noun nighe, past participle nighte)

1. wash, cleanse, purify
2. bathe

Inflection

Etymology 2

Noun

nigh f (genitive singular nighe)

1. daughter
2. niece

References

• “nigh” in Edward Dwelly, Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan/The Illustrated [Scottish] Gaelic–English Dictionary, 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, 1911, ?ISBN.
• Gregory Toner, Maire Ní Mhaonaigh, Sharon Arbuthnot, Dagmar Wodtko, Maire-Luise Theuerkauf, editors (2019) , “nigid”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language