▪ I. † neve1 Obs.
Forms: 1 nefa, 2 neafa, nefe, 2–5 neue, 4 newe, 4–6 neve, 6 nevve, nephe.
[OE. nefa = OFris. neva, OS. nevo (MDu. neve, neef, Du. neef), MLG. neve, OHG. nevo, nefo (MHG. neve, nefe, G. neffe), ON. nefi:—OTeut. *neƀon-, related to L. nepōt-, nepos grandson, Gr. νέποδες (pl.), offspring, Skr. napāt-, napt- descendant, grandson: cf. nephew.]
1. A nephew.
| Beowulf 2206 Hearde hildefrecan..niða ᵹenæᵹdan nefan Hererices. c 900 O.E. Chron. (Parker MS.) an. 670 Hloþhere feng to biscepdome ofer Wesseaxan, æᵹelbryhtes biscopes nefa. a 1122 Ibid. (Laud MS.) an. 1114 Þone ærcediæcne Iohan þes arcebiscopes neafe. 1154 Ibid. an. 1137 Þar he nam..hise neues. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 724 He toc him loth on sunes stede; He was hise neve. 13.. Guy Warw. (A.) 1418 Hougoun, Þat was þe doukes neve Otoun. c 1350 Will. Palerne 3418 Þe stiward had a newe but of ȝong age. c 1440 Jacob's Well 96, I louyd my neve as weel as ony of my kyn. 1516 Test. Ebor. (Surtees) VI. 1 To Walter Percehay my neve xx s. c 1540 Plumpton Corr. (Camden) 238 You required me to helpe Tho. Compton, your nephe, to some honiest ocopation. |
2. A grandson.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 355/1 Neve, sonys sone, nepos. 1534 Tindale 1 Tim. v. 4 If eny widdowes have children or neves [1525 neveus]. |
3. A spendthrift. rare—1.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 355/1 Neve, neuerthryfte, or wastour. |
▪ II. † neve2 Obs. rare—1.
[a. obs. F. neve, or ad. L. næv-us nævus.]
A mark on the skin.
| 1624 Burton Anat. Mel. iii. ii. v. iii. (ed. 2) 442 Frechons, haires, warts, neues, inequalities. |
▪ III. neve
obs. form of nieve.