nice en · ADJ · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /nɒ̈e̝s/ (New-Zealand)
- (US) audio
- /nʌɪ̯s/ Scotland, Ireland, Falkland Islands, Canada, Canadian raising
- /nɐɪ̯s/ Scotland, Ireland, Falkland Islands, Canada, Canadian raising
- /naɪ̯s/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
- /nɑ̟ɪ̯s/ (Australia)
- /nɒ̈ɪ̯s/ (Australia)
- /nɜɪ̯s/ Scotland, Ireland, Falkland Islands, Canada, Canadian raising
- /nəɪ̯s/ Scotland, Ireland, Falkland Islands, Canada, Canadian raising
- /nɑ̟e̝s/ (New-Zealand)
- /naːs/ Inland Southern US, General South African, /aɪ̯/-ungliding
Etymology
From Middle English nyce, nice, nys, from Old French nice, niche, nisce (“simple, foolish, ignorant”), from Latin nescius (“ignorant, not knowing”); compare nesciō (“to know not, be ignorant of”), from ne (“not”) + sciō (“to know”).
Meanings
-
(informal) Pleasant, satisfactory, complimentary.
When the party was nice, the party was jumpin' (Hey, Yippie, Yi, Yo)
1998, “Who Let the Dogs Out?”, performed by Baha Men:"It's a lot nicer than going round by the road; that is so dusty and hot," said Diana practically, peeping into her dinner basket and mentally calculating if the three juicy, toothsome, raspberry tarts reposing there were divided among ten girls, how many bites each girl would have.
1908 June, L[ucy] M[aud] Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables, Boston, Mass.: L[ouis] C[oues] Page & Company, →OCLC:What's difficult is when you think someone is saying something nice about you, but you're not quite sure.
2008 April 19, Rachel Cooke, quoting David Lodge, “Nice work”, in The Observer, →ISSN:
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(informal) Of a person: friendly, attractive.
Yes, please tell me how Shillary is the nicest corporate oligarchical servant, and how she will lovingly sell out the people who voted for her to her banker masters, with a twinkle in her fellating eye.
2016 February 13, Gene Lyons, anonymous quotee, “Understanding the 'Bernie Bros'”, in The Daily Journal, volume 83, number 37, page A11:You weren’t nice to me this morning.
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Respectable; virtuous.
She was so nice, in fact, that she wouldn't let me put my hand underneath or even on top of her bra, and so I finished with her, although obviously I didn't tell her why.
1995, Nick Hornby, High Fidelity, London: Victor Gollancz, →ISBN, page 14:What is a nice person like you doing in a place like this?
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(informal, with and) Shows that the given adjective is desirable, or acts as a mild intensifier; pleasantly, quite.
The soup is nice and hot.
We toted in the wood and got the fire going nice and comfortable. Lord James still set in one of the chairs and Applegate had cabbaged the other and was hugging the stove.
1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VIII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
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(informal) Giving a favorable review or having a favorable impression.
For Candy Crush Saga, the critics were far nicer than the audience (7.9/10 vs. 3.1/10).
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(informal) Showing refinement or delicacy, proper, seemly
a nice way of putting it
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(obsolete) Silly, ignorant; foolish.
Old fashions please me best; I am not so nice To change true rules for odd inventions.
c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
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(archaic) Particular in one's conduct; scrupulous, painstaking; choosy.
There is nothing he seemed to be more carefull of than of his honesty, and observe a kinde of decencie of his person, and orderly decorum in his habits, were it on foot or on horsebacke. He was exceeding nice in performing his word or promise.
1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 2, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:But if I dispense with the dreams of neurotics, my main material, I cannot be too nice [translating wählerisch] in my dealings with the remainder.
1999, Sigmund Freud, translated by Joyce Crick, The Interpretation of Dreams, Oxford, published 2008, page 83:Mr Blifil, I am confident, understands himself better than to think of seeing my niece any more this morning, after what hath happened. Women are of a nice contexture; and our spirits, when disordered, are not to be recomposed in a moment.
1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling:
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(dated) Having particular tastes; fussy, fastidious.
Choice, nice in eating; fastidiosus in edendo.
1898, Joseph Bosworth, T. Northcote Toller, “cís”, in An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press, page 156:
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(obsolete) Particular as regards rules or qualities; strict.
"Good company requires only birth, education and manners, and with regard to education is not very nice. Birth and good manners are essential."
1818, Jane Austen, chapter 16, in Persuasion:“Well, my dear,” he deliberately began, “considering we never saw her before, she seems a very pretty sort of young lady; and I dare say she was very much pleased with you. She speaks a little too quick. A little quickness of voice there is which rather hurts the ear. But I believe I am nice; I do not like strange voices; and nobody speaks like you and poor Miss Taylor. ..."
1815 December (indicated as 1816), [Jane Austen], chapter 14, in Emma: […], volume II, London: […] [Charles Roworth and James Moyes] for John Murray, →OCLC:
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Showing or requiring great precision or sensitive discernment; subtle.
Why it should have attained such longevity is a nice question.
2006, Clive James, North Face of Soho, Picador, published 2007, page 242:"It's her own funeral, you know," said Sir Lulworth; "it's a nice point in etiquette how far one ought to show respect to one's own mortal remains."
1914, Saki, Laura:It would be a nice theological point to try and establish whether Ophis is Moslem or gnostic.
1974, Lawrence Durrell, Monsieur, Faber & Faber, published 1992, page 131:
- (obsolete) Easily injured; delicate; dainty.
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(obsolete) Doubtful, as to the outcome; risky.
It has been a damned nice thing - the nearest run thing you ever saw in your life.
1822 July 28, T. Creevey, Reminiscences:[W]ere it good / To ſet the exact wealth of al our ſtates / Al at one caſt? to ſet ſo rich a maine / On the nice hazard of one doubtfull houre?
c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| nicer | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| nicest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| nyc | alternative, nonstandard | lexicographic | |
| noice | alternative, slang | lexicographic |
Antonyms
disgusting (antonym(s) of “having a pleasant taste or aroma”) · horrible (antonym(s) of) · horrible (antonym(s) of “having a pleasant taste or aroma”) · putrid (antonym(s) of “having a pleasant taste or aroma”) · unsatisfactory (antonym(s) of “having a pleasant taste or aroma”) · nauseating (antonym(s) of “having a pleasant taste or aroma”) · rancid (antonym(s) of “having a pleasant taste or aroma”) · foul (antonym(s) of “having a pleasant taste or aroma”) · gross (antonym(s) of “having a pleasant taste or aroma”) · horrid · awful (antonym(s) of “having a pleasant taste or aroma”) · naughty (antonym(s) of “respectable, virtuous”) · sickening (antonym(s) of “having a pleasant taste or aroma”) · nasty · rank (antonym(s) of “having a pleasant taste or aroma”) · horrible (antonym(s) of) · nasty (antonym(s) of “having a pleasant taste or aroma”) · distasteful (antonym(s) of “having a pleasant taste or aroma”) · horrid (antonym(s) of “having a pleasant taste or aroma”)
Deriveds
buy nice or buy twice (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · make nice (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · seminice (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice work if you can get it (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · play nice (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · Minnesota nice (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nicen (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice-nelly (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice-to-have (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nicefem (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · overnice (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice knowing you (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nicey-nice (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · sugar and spice and everything nice (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice list (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice one (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nicety (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · this is why we can't have nice things (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice guy (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice and easy (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · Niceville (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice cream (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice as pie (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · supernice (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · niceness (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice-nice (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · have a nice life (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice as ninepence (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice-but-dim (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice-Nellyism (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · outnice (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nicely (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · ultranice (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · have a nice day syndrome (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice-looking (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice guys finish last (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice try (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · have a nice day (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice guy syndrome (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice Nelly (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · niceling (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · unnice (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nicery (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice-Nelly (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice weather for ducks (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice-nellyism (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · totally nice day (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice and + adjective (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice to meet you (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · niceish (Terms derived from nice (adjective)) · nice going (Terms derived from nice (adjective))
Descendants
나이스 · nice · nice · neis · ナイス · nice · nice · najs · najs · nice
Relateds
Synonyms
delicious (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · subtle (subtle) · delightful · scrummy (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · appetising (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · friendly · kind · scrumptious (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · moreish (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · lovely · fine (subtle) · sweet · pleasant · tasty (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · charming (easy to like: thing) · appetizing (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · charming (easy to like: person)
Translations (235)
ast ricu (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · fi maukas (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · da pæn (attractive, friendly) · fa ناز (pleasant, satisfactory) · ko 좋은 (pleasant, satisfactory) · cs krásný (attractive, friendly) · no fin (showing or requiring great precision or sensitive discernment) · ang wynlīċ (pleasant, satisfactory) · nl aangenaam (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · sv vacker (attractive, friendly) · sw nzuri (showing or requiring great precision or sensitive discernment) · es buena onda (pleasant, satisfactory) · he נָאֶה (attractive, friendly) · gd gasta (pleasant, satisfactory) · la lepidus (pleasant, satisfactory) · uk до́брий (pleasant, satisfactory) · ast alcontradizu (pleasant, satisfactory) · es bueno (attractive, friendly) · pt agradável (pleasant, satisfactory) · hi अच्छा (pleasant, satisfactory) · ja 快い (pleasant, satisfactory) · cy neis (pleasant, satisfactory) · cs příjemný (pleasant, satisfactory) · ar لَطِيف (pleasant, satisfactory) · de lecker (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · tr hoş (pleasant, satisfactory) · uk ми́лий (pleasant, satisfactory) · ast galán (attractive, friendly) · fa پسندیده (attractive, friendly) · eu eder (attractive, friendly) · fr agréable (pleasant, satisfactory) · hu szép (attractive, friendly) · eo ĝentila (attractive, friendly) · be мі́лы (pleasant, satisfactory) · ast guapu (pleasant, satisfactory) · pt agradável (attractive, friendly) · sk krásny (attractive, friendly) · be до́бры (pleasant, satisfactory) · es genial (pleasant, satisfactory) · de knifflig (showing or requiring great precision or sensitive discernment) · es que le trata bien a (attractive, friendly) · tr güzel (pleasant, satisfactory) · ast prestosu (pleasant, satisfactory) · uk прива́бливий (attractive, friendly) · gd math (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · es chulisnais (pleasant, satisfactory) · gd brèagha (attractive, friendly) · gd lurach (attractive, friendly) · fi mukava (attractive, friendly) · sv god (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · ast curru (attractive, friendly) · bg любе́зен (pleasant, satisfactory) · la pulcher (attractive, friendly) · fi hienovarainen (showing or requiring great precision or sensitive discernment) · it simpatico (pleasant, satisfactory) · fr bon (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · de sympathisch (pleasant, satisfactory) · it gentile (pleasant, satisfactory) · gd laghach (attractive, friendly) · fi mukava (pleasant, satisfactory) · fa دلپذیر (pleasant, satisfactory) · lou vayan (pleasant, satisfactory) · ru вку́сный (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · ast saborgosu (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · te పసందైన (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · ast xidu (Llanes) (pleasant, satisfactory) · fa خوشبو (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · et meeldiv (pleasant, satisfactory) · ast atentu (attractive, friendly) · hu kellemes (pleasant, satisfactory) · ko 착하다 (attractive, friendly) · uk фа́йний (pleasant, satisfactory) · fa خوشمزه (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · ru ми́лый (attractive, friendly) · nl fijn (showing or requiring great precision or sensitive discernment) · pl dobry (pleasant, satisfactory) · pt simpático (pleasant, satisfactory) · pl miły (pleasant, satisfactory) · ast falante (attractive, friendly) · bg ху́бав (attractive, friendly) · ar حَسَّن (pleasant, satisfactory) · es rico (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · te ఆకర్షణీయమైన (attractive, friendly) · pt bonito (pleasant, satisfactory) · es bueno (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · tr iyi (pleasant, satisfactory) · fi nätti (attractive, friendly) · el ωραίος (attractive, friendly) · ja 綺麗 (attractive, friendly) · ast melgueru (attractive, friendly) · gsw nett (pleasant, satisfactory) · bg мил (pleasant, satisfactory) · nl lekker (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · ja 良い (pleasant, satisfactory) · eu atsegin (pleasant, satisfactory) · pam mayap (pleasant, satisfactory) · az gözəl (pleasant, satisfactory) · sv smaklig (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · de prekär (showing or requiring great precision or sensitive discernment) · bg го́тин (attractive, friendly) · ast gustosu (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · sv läcker (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · nl aangenaam (pleasant, satisfactory) · he יָפֶה (attractive, friendly) · nrf genti (pleasant, satisfactory) · es fachero (pleasant, satisfactory) · ro simpatic (pleasant, satisfactory) · vi tốt (pleasant, satisfactory) · hu szép (pleasant, satisfactory) · ast afayadizu (pleasant, satisfactory) · ru ми́лый (pleasant, satisfactory) · fi tarkkuutta vaativa (showing or requiring great precision or sensitive discernment) · es nice (attractive, friendly) · bg чувствителен (showing or requiring great precision or sensitive discernment) · eo agrabla (pleasant, satisfactory) · fr gentil (pleasant, satisfactory) · nl leuk (pleasant, satisfactory) · et maitsev (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · fi herkullinen (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · it bello (attractive, friendly) · es nice (pleasant, satisfactory) · ast curru (pleasant, satisfactory) · it piacevole (pleasant, satisfactory) · fr sympa (pleasant, satisfactory) · es nais (attractive, friendly) · es buena gente (attractive, friendly) · ota یخشی (attractive, friendly) · fi viehättävä (attractive, friendly) · nl fijn (pleasant, satisfactory) · de nett (attractive, friendly) · sv vänlig (pleasant, satisfactory) · mi hūmārie (pleasant, satisfactory) · fr joli (attractive, friendly) · ast guapu (attractive, friendly) · sv trevlig (pleasant, satisfactory) · cy neis (attractive, friendly) · fr sympathique (pleasant, satisfactory) · cmn 美好的 (pleasant, satisfactory) · de hübsch (attractive, friendly) · lou joli (pleasant, satisfactory) · th ดี (pleasant, satisfactory) · sw nzuri (attractive, friendly) · cs hezký (pleasant, satisfactory) · ar طَيِّب (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · ca agradable (pleasant, satisfactory) · ja 素敵 (pleasant, satisfactory) · ru симпати́чный (attractive, friendly) · fr beau (attractive, friendly) · fi kiva (attractive, friendly) · no sympatisk (pleasant, satisfactory) · ast atopadizu (pleasant, satisfactory) · mr छान (pleasant, satisfactory) · pam maganaka (attractive, friendly) · nl knap (attractive, friendly) · cs pěkný (attractive, friendly) · sv fin (showing or requiring great precision or sensitive discernment) · de nett (pleasant, satisfactory) · bg симпати́чен (pleasant, satisfactory) · ast bonu (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · ca bonic (attractive, friendly) · be фа́йны (attractive, friendly) · tpi naispela (attractive, friendly) · bg го́тин (pleasant, satisfactory) · cs hezký (attractive, friendly) · pl przyjemny (pleasant, satisfactory) · de freundlich (pleasant, satisfactory) · lou jenti (pleasant, satisfactory) · de schön (attractive, friendly) · enm wynly (pleasant, satisfactory) · gd snog (pleasant, satisfactory) · ja 優しい (attractive, friendly) · fa ناز (attractive, friendly) · so fiican (pleasant, satisfactory) · pt bom (attractive, friendly) · es majo (attractive, friendly) · cs milý (pleasant, satisfactory) · he נָעִים (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · sv fin (attractive, friendly) · gd snog (attractive, friendly) · bg точен (showing or requiring great precision or sensitive discernment) · cic chokma (pleasant, satisfactory) · he נֶחְמָד (pleasant, satisfactory) · et kena (attractive, friendly) · ru прия́тный (pleasant, satisfactory) · mi kakara (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · sw nzuri (pleasant, satisfactory) · be прые́мны (pleasant, satisfactory) · fi sympaattinen (pleasant, satisfactory) · pl fajny (pleasant, satisfactory) · pl miły (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · bg краси́в (attractive, friendly) · sk pekný (attractive, friendly) · ar عَطِر (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · bg прия́тен (pleasant, satisfactory) · de angenehm (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · ast arumosu (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · la mundus (showing or requiring great precision or sensitive discernment) · sv sympatisk (pleasant, satisfactory) · is fínn (pleasant, satisfactory) · bg вкусен (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · az qəşəng (pleasant, satisfactory) · es piola (pleasant, satisfactory) · nl mooi (attractive, friendly) · be фа́йны (pleasant, satisfactory) · nl aantrekkelijk (attractive, friendly) · mi ranginamu (attractive, friendly) · mi hūmārika (pleasant, satisfactory) · tpi naispela (pleasant, satisfactory) · no pen (attractive, friendly) · ga deas (pleasant, satisfactory) · sk milý (pleasant, satisfactory) · pt agradável (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · de lieb (pleasant, satisfactory) · uk ми́лий (attractive, friendly) · bzj nais (pleasant, satisfactory) · es vergón (pleasant, satisfactory) · no hyggelig (pleasant, satisfactory) · ga deas (attractive, friendly) · el νόστιμος (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · es paja (pleasant, satisfactory) · es vergón (attractive, friendly) · it buono (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · fi kiva (pleasant, satisfactory) · el καλός (pleasant, satisfactory) · uk приє́мний (pleasant, satisfactory) · fi hyvä (having a pleasant taste or aroma) · es pipirináis (pleasant, satisfactory) · ru хоро́ший (pleasant, satisfactory) · de heikel (showing or requiring great precision or sensitive discernment) · ru то́нкий (showing or requiring great precision or sensitive discernment) · sk príjemný (pleasant, satisfactory) · be мі́лы (attractive, friendly) · es nais (pleasant, satisfactory) · uk фа́йний (attractive, friendly) · sw nzuri (having a pleasant taste or aroma)