nil

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See also: Appendix:Variations of "nil"

English

Etymology

From Latin nīl, a contraction of nihil, nihilum (“nothing”). See nihilism.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /nɪl/
  • Audio (Southern England)(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪl

Noun

nil (usually uncountable, plural nils)

  1. Nothing; zero.
    • 1946, Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, I.19:
      As to Aristotle's influence on him, we are left free to conjecture whatever seems to us most plausible. For my part, I should suppose it nil.
  2. (sports) A score of zero
    The football match ended in a nil-nil draw.

Derived terms

Translations

Determiner

nil

  1. No, not any.
    • 1982, Gavin Lyall, Conduct of Major Maxim, Hodder & Stoughton Ltd:
      But after two or three hours and nil results, you have to accept that the trail is cold and you can't justify that level of manpower.

Related terms

See also

Anagrams

Golin

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

Noun

nil

  1. liquid; water
    Na nil ne dugudige. ― I swallowed water.

Derived terms

References

  • Gordon Bunn, Golin Grammar (1974)

Interlingua

Pronunciation

Pronoun

nil (indefinite)

  1. nothing

Latin

Etymology

Syncopic form of nihil, in turn from nihilum, from ne- (“not”) + hilum (“a hilum; a trifle, a bagatelle”), or unknown origin

Pronunciation

Noun

nīl n (indeclinable)

  1. (chiefly poetic) nothing
    Bene scripsisti de me, Thoma. Quam ergo mercedem accipies? Nil nisi te.
    You have written well of me, Thomas. What reward therefore will you receive? Nothing unless it is you.

References

  • “nil”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • “nil”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers

Tok Pisin

This entry has fewer than three known examples of actual usage, the minimum considered necessary for clear attestation, and may not be reliable. Tok Pisin is subject to a special exemption for languages with limited documentation. If you speak it, please consider editing this entry or adding citations. See also Help and the Community Portal.

Etymology

From English needle.

Noun

nil

  1. needle
  2. thorn
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