NIPPER-MEN. Foretop-men employed to bind the nippers about the cables and messenger, and to whom the boys return them when they are taken off.
NIPPERS. Are formed of clean, unchafed yarns, drawn from condemned rope, unlaid. The yarns are stretched either over two bolts, or cleats, and a fair strain brought on each part. They are then "marled" from end to end, and used in various ways, viz. to bind the messenger to the cable, and to form slings for wet spars, &c. The nipper is passed at the manger-board, the fore-end pressing itself against the cable; after passing it round cable and messenger spirally, the end is passed twice round the messenger, and a foretop-man holds the end until it reaches the fore-hatchway, when a maintop-man takes it up, and at the main-hatchway it is taken off, a boy carrying it forward ready coiled for further use.—Selvagee nippers are used when from a very great strain the common nippers are not found sufficiently secure; selvagees are then put on, and held fast by means of tree-nails. (See [Selvagee] and [Tree-nails].)—Buoy and nipper. Burt's patent for sounding. By this contrivance any amount of line is loosely veered. So long as the lead descends, the line runs through the nipper attached to a canvas inflated buoy. The instant it is checked or the lead touches bottom, the back strain nips the line, and indicates the vertical depth that the lead has descended.
NIPPLE. In ship-building. Another name for [knuckle] (which see). Also, the nipple of a gun or musket lock; the perforated projection which receives the percussion-cap.
NISSAK. The Shetland name for a small porpoise.
NITRE. Potassæ nitras, a salt formed by the union of nitric acid with potash; the main agent in gunpowder.
NITTY. A troublesome noise; a squabble.
NOAH'S ARK. Certain clouds elliptically parted, considered a sign of fine weather after rain.
NOB. The head; therefore applied to a person in a high station of life. (See [Knob].)
NOCK. The forward upper end of a sail that sets with a boom. Also, a term used for notch.
NOCTURNAL, Nocturlabium. An instrument chiefly used at sea, to take the altitude or depression of some of the stars about the pole, in order to find the latitude and the hour of the night.