▪ I. † ˈnichil, n. Obs.
Also 6 nichel(l.
[a. med.L. nichil, class. L. nihil nothing: see nihil.]
1. Nothing, naught. rare.
| 1500–20 Dunbar Poems xxii. 74 He playis with totum and I with nichell. 1584 R. Scot Discov. Witchcr. xvi. vi. (1886) 406 The witches..that..give their soules to the divell..and their bodies to the hangman to be trussed on the gallows, for nichels in a bag. 1670 Ray Prov. 188 Nichils in nine pokes. Chesh[ire] i.e. Nothing at all. [Cf. nifle n. 1.] |
2. Law. The return made by the sheriff to the exchequer in cases where the party named in the writ had no goods upon which a levy could be made. Cf. nihil 2.
| 1585 Act 27 Eliz. c. 3 §3 After ten Months next after such two Nichils, or Garnishment returned, the same Lands..shall be sold. 1684–1708 [see nihil 2]. a 1726 Gilbert Treat. Exch. viii. (1758) 133 A Roll of Nichils, or of the Debts which the Sheriff has nichilled. 1763 Stat. at Large (Ruffhead) I. 354 Accompts of Nichil shall be put out of the Exchequer. |
b. Clerk of the Nichils: a clerk of the exchequer who made a note of the Nichils returned by the sheriffs.
| 1642 C. Vernon Consid. Exch. 4 The nichelled issues are by the Clerke of the Nichells sent to the Treasurers Remembrancer. a 1661 Fuller Worthies xxiv. i. (1662) 75 The Clerk of the Nichils, who maketh a Roll of all such sums as are nichill'd by the Sheriff upon their Estreats of the Green wax. a 1726 Gilbert Treat. Exch. viii. (1758) 132 The Clerk of the Estreats and the Clerk of the Nichils meet and make up two Rolls. |
▪ II. † ˈnichil, v. Law. Obs.
Also nichel.
[f. prec.]
trans. Of a sheriff: To mark or designate (a debt or sum) as illeviable through the absence of any goods to be taken. Hence ˈnichilled ppl. a.
| 1620 J. Wilkinson Coroners & Sherifes 75 Betweene the old Sherife which returned them, and the new Sherife which nichiled them, they must be payed. 1642–61 [see prec. 2 b]. a 1726 Gilbert Treat. Exch. v. (1758) 76 The Sheriff often gave Acquittances and Tallies to the Tenants and yet Nichil'd them on the Account. |