ˈninny-ˌhammer
Also 6–7 nini-, 7 ninni-.
[app. f. ninny1, but the force of the second element is not clear.]
A simpleton.
| 1592 Nashe Four Lett. Confut. 60 Whoreson Ninihammer, that wilt assault a man and haue no stronger weapons. 1600 Hospit. Incurable Fooles A 3 b, Shallow-pates and ninnie-hammers. 1622 Rowlands Good Newes & B. 38, I might haue beene a scholler, learn'd my Grammar, But I haue lost all like a Ninnie-hammer. 1673 S'too him Bayes 3 A man ought not to talk like a ninny-hammer. 1712 Arbuthnot John Bull i. xii, That Clod-pated, Numskull'd Ninny-hammer of yours. 1767 Sterne Tr. Shandy IX. xxv, Numskulls, doddypoles, dunderheads, ninny-hammers,..and other unsavoury appellations. 1812 Miss Mitford in L'Estrange Life (1870) I. 198, I will be..anythng now, to oppose these stupid, tasteless, ninny-hammers. 1853 Blackw. Mag. LXXIII. 748 The predominant feature of a ninny-hammer is the enormous development of his self-conceit. |
So † ˈninny-whoop. Obs. rare—1.
| 1653 Urquhart Rabelais i. xxxii, They think to have to do with a ninnie-whoop to feed you thus with cakes. |