ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Nief

Definition, Meaning & Examples

Pronunciation /niːf/ · Part of speech noun

Quick meaning: Nief is a noun meaning (historical) A serf or bondsman born into servitude.

Meaning

(historical) A serf or bondsman born into servitude.

More Meanings

  1. (chiefly Scotland, Ireland, Northern England) A clenched hand; fist.
  2. (chiefly Scotland, Ireland, Northern England) A handful or fistful.
  3. (chiefly Scotland, Ireland, Northern England) The handgrip of a sword or oar.

Example Sentences

That is, because the girl was his nief, or bondwoman, the daughter of one of his villains
"But t' Maister can stop and hit rarely. Happen he'll mak' him joomp when he gets his nief upon him."
Nestorius exploded at that and hit out. He roared and dismissed the class, hitting out with his old mottled gnarled niefs.
Ake thought if ever he was walking alone on a dark-like night and Jimmy came on him, he with his bare nieves and Jimmy with a knife, he'd stand as much chance of getting home safe as a celluloid cat that had strayed into hell[…].

Word Forms

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include churl, knave, servant, bond, nias, nisey.

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Sources & Attribution

FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0

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