neuft, a newt, evet, or eft. B. Jonson, Poetaster, iv. 1 (Tucca); cp. newt in Bartholomew Fair, Act ii, where Knockem says, ‘What! thou’lt poison me with a newt’, &c.; where ed. 1614 has neuft (NED.).
Never a barrel the better herring, proverbial saying, meaning never one better than another, nothing to choose between them, referring to the notion that you will not find a better herring by searching in a new barrel. Gascoigne, Supposes, iv. 6 (Litio); Martiniere’s Voyage, 127 (NED. (s.v. Herring)); [Fielding, T. Jones, x. v.]. Also, In neither barrel better herring, Heywood’s Proverbs (ed. Farmer, p. 102); Udall, tr. of Apoph., Philip, § 11; ‘The Devil a barrel the better herring’, Bailey’s Colleq., Erasmus, 373; cp. Gosson, School of Abuse, 32: ‘Of both barrelles [i.e. as containing poets on the one side and cooks and painters on the other] I judge Cookes and Painters the better herring.’ See Davies (s.v. Herring).
new-eared, newly ploughed. Chapman, tr. of Iliad, xviii. 492. See [ear] (to plough).
newel, a novelty, rarity. Spenser, Shep. Kal., May, 276. Explained as ‘a newe thing’. Formed from new, with the suffix of novel.
new-fangle, fond of new things; ‘The peple were soo newfangle’, Morte Arthur, leaf 421; bk. xxi, c. 1 (end). See Dict. (s.v. Newfangled).
new-year’s-gift, a present to a great man on new-year’s day, usually given in hope of a reward or by way of bribe. Webster, Devil’s Law-case, ii. 1 (Julio); Ascham, Scholemaster, p. 21.
neysshe, soft. Morte Arthur, leaf 311. 8; bk. xiii, c. 30. See [nesh].
niaise, a young hawk taken out of the nest, applied allusively to a simple, witless person. B. Jonson, Devil an Ass, i. 3 (Fitz.); ‘Niard, a nias faulcon’, Cotgrave. ‘Nias’ is a north Yorks. word for a young hawk (EDD.). OF. niais, ‘qui n’est pas encore sorti du nid, qu’on a pris au nid’ (La Curne). See [eyas].
nice; in various senses. It means fine, elegant, Much Ado, v. 1. 75; tender, delicate, Ant. and Cl. iii. 13. 180; precise, Macbeth, iv. 3. 174; scrupulous, Merch. Ven. ii. 1. 14; subtle, L. L. L. v. 2. 232; coy, prudish, L. L. L. iii. 1. 24; squeamish, Tam. Shrew, iii. 1. 80; trifling, Romeo, iii. 1. 159. To make it nice, to seem reluctant, North, tr. of Plutarch, M. Antonius, § 14 (in Shak. Plut., p. 177).
niceness, coyness, scrupulousness. Cymb. iii. 4. 158; Middleton, A Fair Quarrel, i. 1 (Colonel).