GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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Found 3 definitions

  1.       
    Neb (nĕb), n. [AS. nebb head, face; akin to D. neb, Icel. nef, beak of a bird, nose, Dan. naeb beak, bill, Sw. näbb, näf, and prob. also to D. sneb, snavel, bill, beak, G. schnabel, Dan. & Sw. snabel, and E. snap.  Cf. Nib, Snap, Snaffle.] The nose; the snout; the mouth; the beak of a bird; a nib, as of a pen. [Also written nib.]  Shak.

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  2.       
    Nib (nĭb), n. [A variabt of neb.]
    1. A small and pointed thing or part; a point; a prong. “The little nib or fructifying principle.” Sir T. Browne.

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    2. (Zool.) The bill or beak of a bird; the neb.

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    3. The points of a pen; also, the pointed part of a pen; a short pen adapted for insertion in a holder.

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    4. One of the handles which project from a scythe snath; also, [Prov. Eng.], the shaft of a wagon.

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    5. pl. See his nibs, below.

    [PJC]

    his nibs Someone who gives a command or makes a demand, often one who acts in a self-important manner, sometimes one with authority; -- used mockingly as a jocose term, as if a title of honor, but not usually in the presence of the person referred to, and usually indicating resentment or contempt. [Colloq.]

    [PJC]

  3.       
    Nib, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Nebbed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Nibbing.] To furnish with a nib; to point; to mend the point of; as, “to nib a pen”.

    [1913 Webster]

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