different between nithing vs withing

English

Etymology

From Middle English nithing, nithinc, nything, nythyng, nythynge, niþinge, nyþing, nyþyng, Early Middle English niðing, niþinc, niþincke (“coward, wretch; good-for-nothing; term of address for a boy or lad; stingy or miserly person; niggardly, miserly, stingy”), from Late Old English nithing, Old English niðing, n?þing (“coward; wretch; outlaw, villain”), from a North Germanic language, from Proto-Germanic *n?þ? (“envy; hate; malice”) (from Proto-Indo-European *neyH- (“to be angry”)) + *-ing?, *-ung? (suffix forming gerund nouns from verbs).

The English word is cognate with Danish nidding, Late Latin nidingus, nithingus, Middle High German n?dinc, n?dunc (modern German Neiding (“(archaic) one who is envious”)), Old Norse níðingr (Icelandic níðingur (“scoundrel, rascal”), Norwegian niding), Old Swedish n?þinger (modern Swedish niding).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /?na?ð??/
• Hyphenation: ni?thing

Noun

nithing (plural nithings)

1. (archaic) A coward, a dastard; a wretch.

   Synonyms: nidering, niddering; see also Thesaurus:coward
2. (archaic) A wicked person; also, one who has acted immorally or unlawfully.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:villain

Alternative forms

• niding

Derived terms

• nidering, niddering
• nithing post
• nithing stake

Related terms

• nithe

Translations

Adjective

nithing (comparative more nithing, superlative most nithing)

1. (archaic) Cowardly, dastardly.

   Synonyms: nidering, niddering; see also Thesaurus:cowardly
2. (archaic) Notoriously evil or wicked; infamous.

   Synonyms: nidering, niddering; see also Thesaurus:evil

Alternative forms

• niding

Translations

References

Further reading

• n?þ on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• nithing in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Anagrams

• hinting

English

Verb

withing

1. present participle of withe

Anagrams

• Whiting, whiting