NAPHTHA, naf'tha, or nap'tha, n. a clear, inflammable liquid distilled from petroleum, wood, coal-tar, &c.: rock-oil.--n. NAPH'THALENE, a grayish-white, inflammable substance obtained by the distillation of coal-tar.--adj. NAPHTHAL'IC, pertaining to, or derived from, naphthalene.--v.t. NAPH'THALISE.--ns. NAPH'THOL, NAPHTHYL'AMINE. [L.,--Gr.,--Ar. naft.]

NAPIERIAN, n[=a]-p[=e]'ri-an, adj. pertaining to John Napier of Merchiston (1550-1617), the inventor of logarithms.--NAPIER'S BONES, or RODS, an invention of Napier's for performing mechanically the operations of multiplication and division, by means of sets of rods.

NAPIFORM, n[=a]p'i-form, adj. shaped like a turnip: large and round above and slender below.--adj. NAPIF[=O]'LIOUS, with leaves like the turnip. [L. napus, a turnip.]

NAPKIN, nap'kin, n. a cloth for wiping the hands: a handkerchief.--n. NAP'KIN-RING, a ring in which a table-napkin is rolled. [Dim. of Fr. nappe.]

NAPLESS, nap'les, adj. without nap: threadbare.

NAPLES-YELLOW, n[=a]'plz-yel'l[=o], n. a light-yellow pigment consisting of antimoniate of lead, originally made in Italy by a secret process.

NAPOLEON, na-p[=o]'l[=e]-on, n. a French gold coin worth 20 francs, or about 15s. 10½d.: a French modification of the game of euchre, each player receiving five cards and playing for himself: a kind of rich iced cake.--adj. NAPOLEON'IC, relating to Napoleon I. or III., the Great or the Little.--ns. NAP[=O]'LEONISM; NAP[=O]'LEONIST.--GO NAP, to declare all five tricks--success rewarded by double payment all round.

NAPPY, nap'i, adj. heady, strong: tipsy.--n. strong ale. [Prob. from nap, a sleep.]

NAPPY, nap'i, adj. (Scot.) brittle. [Cf. _Knap._]

NAPRON, nap'ron, n. (Spens.) an apron.

NARCISSUS, nar-sis'us, n. a genus of plants of the Amaryllis family, comprising the daffodils. [L.,--Gr. narkissos--nark[=e], torpor.]

NARCOLEPSY, nar'k[=o]-lep-si, n. a nervous disorder marked by frequent short attacks of irresistible drowsiness.

NARCOTIC, nar-kot'ik, adj. having power to produce torpor, sleep, or deadness.--n. a medicine producing sleep or stupor.--n. NARC[=O]'SIS, the stupefying effect of a narcotic.--adv. NARCOT'ICALLY.--n. NAR'COTINE, one of the organic bases or alkaloids occurring in opium.--v.t. NAR'COTISE.--n. NAR'COTISM, the influence of narcotics, or the effects produced by their use. [Fr.,--Gr. nark[=e], torpor.]

NARD, närd, n. an aromatic plant usually called Spikenard: an ointment prepared from it.--adj. NARD'INE. [Fr.,--L. nardus--Gr. nardos--Pers. nard--Sans. nalada, from Sans. nal, to smell.]

NARDOO, när-d[=oo]', n. an Australian cryptogamic plant whose spore-cases are eaten by the natives.

NARDUS, när'dus, n. a genus of grasses, having but one species, Nardus stricta, mat-grass.

NARGHILE, när'gi-le, n. an Eastern tobacco-pipe, in which the smoke is passed through water.--Also NAR'GILE, NAR'GILEH, NAR'GILI. [Pers.]

NARIS, n[=a]'ris, n. a nostril:--pl. N[=A]'RES.--adjs. NAR'IAL, NAR'INE.--n. NAR'ICORN, the horny nasal sheath of the beak of some birds.--adj. NAR'IFORM. [L.]

NARRATE, na-r[=a]t', or nar'-, v.t. to tell, to give an account of.--adj. NARR'ABLE, capable of being told.--n. NARR[=A]'TION, act of telling: that which is told: an orderly account of what has happened.--adj. NARR'ATIVE, narrating: giving an account of any occurrence: inclined to narration: story-telling.--n. that which is narrated: a continued account of any occurrence: story.--adv. NARR'ATIVELY.--n. NARR[=A]'TOR, one who narrates: one who tells or states facts, &c.--adj. NARR'ATORY, like narrative: consisting of narrative. [Fr.,--L. narr[=a]re, -[=a]tum--gn[=a]rus, knowing.]

NARRE, när, adj. (Spens.) an older form of near.

NARROW, nar'[=o], adj. of little breadth: of small extent from side to side: limited: contracted in mind: bigoted: not liberal: selfish: within a small distance: almost too small: close: accurate: careful.--n. (oftener used in the pl.) a narrow passage, channel, or strait.--v.t. to make narrow: to contract or confine.--v.i. to become narrow: to reduce the number of stitches in knitting.--adj. NARR'OW-GAUGE, denoting a railroad of less width than 4 ft. 8½ in.--n. NARR'OWING, the act of making less in breadth: the state of being contracted: the part of anything which is made narrower.--adv. NARR'OWLY.--adj. NARR'OW-MIND'ED, of a narrow or illiberal mind.--ns. NARR'OW-MIND'EDNESS; NARR'OWNESS.--adjs. NARR'OW-PRY'ING (Shak.), scrutinising closely, inquisitive; NARR'OW-SOULED, illiberal.--NARROW CLOTH, cloth, esp. woollen, of less than 54 inches in width; NARROW WORK, in mining, the making of passages, air-shafts, &c. [A.S. nearu; not conn. with near, but prob. with nerve, snare.]

NARTHEX, nar'theks, n. a former genus of umbelliferous plants, now included in Ferula: a portico or lobby in an early Christian or Oriental church or basilica. [L.,--Gr., narth[=e]x.]

NARWHAL, när'hwal, NARWAL, när'wal, n. the sea-unicorn, a mammal of the whale family with one large projecting tusk. [Dan. narhval--Ice. náhvalr, 'corpse-whale,' from the creature's pallid colour (Ice. nár, corpse).]

NARY, ner'i, a provincial corruption of ne'er a, never a.

NAS, nas, an obsolete corruption of ne has; of ne was.

NASAL, n[=a]'zal, adj. belonging to the nose: affected by, or sounded through, the nose.--n. a letter or sound uttered through the nose: the nose-piece in a helmet.--n. NASALIS[=A]'TION, the act of uttering with a nasal sound.--v.i. N[=A]'SALISE, to render nasal, as a sound: to insert a nasal letter into.--n. NASAL'ITY.--adv. N[=A]'SALLY, by or through the nose.--adjs. N[=A]'SICORN, having a horn on the nose, as a rhinoceros; N[=A]'SIFORM, nose-shaped.--n. N[=A]'SION, the median point of the naso-frontal suture.--adjs. NASOB[=A]'SAL, pertaining to the nose and base of the skull; NASOC'ULAR, pertaining to the nose and eye, nasorbital; NASOFRON'TAL, pertaining to the nasal bone and the frontal bone; NASOL[=A]'BIAL, pertaining to the nose and the upper lip; NASOLAC'RYMAL, pertaining to the nose and to tears, as the duct which carries tears from the eyes to the nose; NASOPAL'ATINE, pertaining to the nose and to the palate or palate-bones. [Fr.,--L. nasus, the nose.]

NASARD, naz'ard, n. a mutation-stop in organ-building.--Also NAS'ARDE.

NASCENT, nas'ent, adj. springing up: arising: beginning to exist or to grow.--n. NAS'CENCY, the beginning of production: birth or origin. [L. nascens, -entis, pr.p. of nasci, natus, to be born.]

NASEBERRY, n[=a]z'ber-i, n. an American tropical tree.--Also NEES'BERRY, NIS'BERRY. [Sp. níspero--L. mespilus, medlar.]

NASTURTIUM, nas-tur'shi-um, n. the water-cress. [L., nasus, the nose, torqu[=e]re, tortum, to twist.]

NASTY, nas'ti, adj. dirty: filthy: obscene: disagreeable to the taste or smell: difficult to deal with: ill-natured: nauseous.--adv. NAS'TILY.--n. NAS'TINESS. [Old form nasky, soft; cf. prov. Swed. snaskig, nasty, Low Ger. nask, nasty.]

NASUTE, n[=a]-s[=u]t', adj. having a long snout: keen-scented.

NATAL, n[=a]'tal, adj. pertaining to the nates or buttocks.--n.pl. N[=A]'TES, the buttocks.--adj. NAT'IFORM. [L. natis, the rump.]

NATAL, n[=a]'tal, adj. pertaining to birth: native: presiding over birthdays.--adj. NATALI'TIAL, pertaining to a birthday.--n. NATAL'ITY, birth-rate. [Fr.,--L. natalis--nasci, natus, to be born.]

NATANT, n[=a]'tant, adj. floating on the surface, as leaves of water-plants: (her.) in a horizontal position, as if swimming.--n. NAT[=A]'TION, swimming.--n.pl. NATAT[=O]'RES, the swimming-birds.--adj. NATAT[=O]'RIAL, swimming: adapted to swim.--n. NATAT[=O]'RIUM, a swimming-school.--adj. N[=A]'TATORY, pertaining to swimming: having the habit of swimming. [L. natans, -antis, pr.p. of nat[=a]re, inten. of n[=a]re, to swim.]

NATCH, nach, n. (prov.) the rump.

NATCH, nach, n. a provincial form of notch.

NATHLESS, nath'les, adj. not the less: nevertheless.--Also NATHE'LESS. [A.S. ná thý læs, not the less.]

NATHMORE, nath'm[=o]r, adv. (Spens.) not or never the more.--Also NATH'MOE. [A.S. ná thý mára.]

NATION, n[=a]'shun, n. a body of people born of the same stock: the people inhabiting the same country, or under the same government: a race: a great number: a division of students in a university for voting purposes at Aberdeen and Glasgow. [Fr.,--L. nation-em,--nasci, natus, to be born.]

NATIONAL, nash'un-al, adj. pertaining to a nation: public: general: attached to one's own country.--n. NATIONALIS[=A]'TION, the act of nationalising, as of railways, private property, &c.: the state of being nationalised.--v.t. NAT'IONALISE, to make national: to make a nation of.--ns. NAT'IONALISM; NAT'IONALIST, one who strives after national unity or independence, esp. as in Ireland for more or less separation from Great Britain: an advocate of nationalism: NATIONAL'ITY, birth or membership in a particular country: separate existence as a nation: a nation, race of people: national character.--adv. NAT'IONALLY.--n. NAT'IONALNESS.--NATIONAL AIR, ANTHEM, the popular song by which a people's patriotic feelings are expressed; NATIONAL CHURCH, the church established by law in a country; NATIONAL CONVENTION, the sovereign assembly which sat from Sept. 21, 1792, to Oct. 26, 1795, after the abolition of monarchy in France; NATIONAL DEBT, money borrowed by the government of a country and not yet paid; NATIONAL FLAG, or ENSIGN, the principal flag of a country; NATIONAL GUARD, a force which took part in the French Revolution, first formed in 1789.