Nithing
Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 1:55 pm
Meaning: a vile coward; an abject wretch; a villain of the lowest type (OED) Also appears as "niding".
In Use: strangely, I've never heard this word used, though I confess I could've used it on occasion.
Origins: OE niðing from ON niðingr
Odd that this word seems not to have survived into modern usage. Could it be that there are fewer vile cowards these days? What do we use instead to express the meaning "abject wretch, villain of the lowest type" -- apart from lawyer, of course?
In Use: strangely, I've never heard this word used, though I confess I could've used it on occasion.
Origins: OE niðing from ON niðingr
Odd that this word seems not to have survived into modern usage. Could it be that there are fewer vile cowards these days? What do we use instead to express the meaning "abject wretch, villain of the lowest type" -- apart from lawyer, of course?