Category:Nice

Nice, a. [compar. Nicer; superl. Nicest.] Etym: [oe., foolish, fr. Of. nice ignorant, fool, fr. L. nescius ignorant; ne not + scius Knowing, scire to know. perhaps influenced by e. nesh delicate, soft. See no, and science.]

1. Foolish; silly; simple; ignorant; also, weak; effeminate. [obs.] Gower. But say that we ben wise and nothing nice. Chaucer.

2. Of trifling moment; nimportant; trivial. [obs.] The letter was not nice, but full of charge of dear import. Shak.

3. Overscrupulous or exacting; hard to please or satisfy; fastidious In small matters. Curious not knowing, not exact but nice. Pope. And to taste think not i shall be nice. Milton.

4. Delicate; refined; dainty; pure. Dear love, continue nice and chaste. Donne. A nice and subtile happiness. Milton.

5. Apprehending slight diffferences or delicate distinctions; Distinguishing accurately or minutely; carefully discriminating; as, A nice taste or judgment. "our author happy in a judge so nice." Pope. "nice verbal criticism." Coleridge.

6. Done or made with careful labor; suited to excite admiration on Account of exactness; evidencing great skill; exact; fine; finished; As, nice proportions, nice workmanship, a nice application; exactly Or fastidiously discriminated; requiring close discrimination; as, a Nice point of law, a nice distinction in philosophy. The difference is too nice where ends the virtue, or begins the vice. Pope.

7. Pleasing; agreeable; gratifying; delightful; good; as, a nice Party; a nice excursion; a nice person; a nice day; a nice sauce, Etc. [loosely & colloquially] to make nice of, to be scrupulous About. [obs.] Shak.

Syn. -- dainty; delicate; exquisite; fine; accurate; exact; correct; Precise; particular; scrupulous; punctilious; fastidious; squeamish; Finical; effeminate; silly.