▪ I. † nim, n.1 Obs. rare—1.
[f. the vb.]
A thief.
| 1630 J. Taylor (Water P.) Wks. i. 71 To arrant Thieves..To Sharkes, Stales, Nims, Lifts, Foysts, Cheats. |
▪ II. nim, n.2
(nɪm)
Also Nim.
[Orig. uncertain: perh. suggested by nim v. or G. nimm (imp. of nehmen to take).]
A game in which two players alternately take one or more objects from any one of several heaps, the aim being to compel one's opponent to take the last remaining object (or, sometimes, to take it oneself).
| 1901 C. L. Bouton in Ann. Math. III. 35 Nim. A game with a complete mathematical theory... The writer has not been able to discover much concerning its history, although certain forms of it seem to be played at a number of American colleges, and at some of the American fairs. It has been called Fan-Tan, but as it is not the Chinese game of that name, the name in the title is proposed for it. 1939 Uspensky & Heaslet Elem. Number Theory i. 16 It should be interesting to present an application of the binary system..to the theory of the game of Nim. 1955 Sci. News Let. 26 Feb. 134/2 A 17-year-old senior at Newton High School..can boast of having an electronic player that almost never loses in the ancient game of wits, known as ‘nim’. 1968 Corlett & Tinsley Pract. Programming iv. 66 In a game of Nim..two players move alternately and take any number of matches from one pile, the winner taking the last match. If a player can set up a winning position, he cannot lose unless he makes a mistake in a subsequent move. |
▪ III. nim, v. Now only arch.
Forms: (see below).
[A Common Teut. verb: OE. niman, nioman, etc. = OFris. nima, nema (nam, nomen, nimen; mod.Fris. nimmen, nemmen), MDu. nemen (nam, namen, genomen), OS. niman, neman (nam, nâmun, ginoman and ginuman), MLG. nemen (nam, nêmen, genomen), also nomen, numen, OHG. neman, nemen (nam, nâmun, ginoman; G. nehmen), ON. nema (nam, námu, numinn; MDa. nemme, nimme; MSw. nima, nimma), Goth. niman (nam, nêmun, numans); the root nem- is prob. identical with that of Gr. νέµειν to deal out, distribute, hold, possess, occupy.
In most of its applications nim corresponds to various senses of the later (Scandinavian) take, and remained in common use down to the 15th cent. During the 16th there are few traces of it, but immediately after 1600 it reappears (with weak pa. tense and pa. pple.) as a slang or colloquial word in the sense of ‘to steal’, and is very common in this use throughout the 17th cent.]
† 1. trans. To take, in various senses of that verb.
For examples of the frequent ME. phrases to nim gome, heed, or yeme, see under the ns.
a. inf., pres. tense, and imp..
inf. 1 nioman, niom(m)a; 1–2 neoman; 1 nyman, 4 nymen, (5 -yn), 3–5 nyme, 4 nymme, 4–5 nym; 1–2 niman, (1 nimon), 2–4 nimen, (2 -in), 3–4 nime, 4, 7 nim, 7 nimme; 2 nemen, 3–4 neme. pres. ind. 1st sing. 1 nime, nyme, nimo, niomu: 2nd sing. 2 nimes, 2–3 nimest, 3 nymest, nimst; 3rd sing. 1 nimð, 1–3 nimeð, -eþ, 1–4 nymeð, -eþ; 1, 7 nimmes, 4 nymmes, -ez, nymez, 7 nims; pl. 1 niomað, -as, neomaþ, nymað, nimað, 2, 4 nemeð, -eþ, 4 nymes. subj. 1 nyme, 2 nime, 4 nyme, 7 nimme. imp. sing. 1–4 nim, 4–6 nym, 5 nyme, neme; pl. 1–2 nimað, 3 nimeþ, nemeþ, 4 nym(m)eþ, nymes.
| c 825 Vesp. Ps. cxxxvi. 9 Eadiᵹ se nimeð & ᵹecnyseð ða litlan his to stane. 835 Charter in O.E. Texts 447 ᵹif..hire liofre sie oðer hemed to niomanne. c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xx, Þonne nimað hi hiora men mid him. 971 Blickl. Hom. 127 Maniᵹe men þær þa moldan neomaþ on þæm lastum. a 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1015 Se cyng..het nimon Siᵹeferðes lafe. c 1126 Ibid. an. 1126 Let se kyning nimen his broðer Rotbert. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 29 Þas reueres.. nemeð oðres monnes eahte. c 1205 Lay. 26837 Þu me woldest a-quellen, nimen mine castles alle. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2362 He bad cartes and waines nimen. a 1300 Cursor M. 17293 Þai send sergantz for to nym both sir nichodem & him. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 7869 Nymeþ out ȝour sexes when y so say. Ibid. 8697 At þe Iewes ensample nymes. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xiii. 373 A fote-londe or a forwe..I wolde..nymen of his erthe. c 1430 Two Cookery-Bks. 6 Þan neme þin grwel an do þer-to. Ibid. 14 Nym gode Almaunde Mylke. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 4100 Felgyld next come eftir him, Þe lyfe of ankyr þare to nym. 1486 Bk. St. Albans b iiij, Go and retriue moo and she will nym plente. 1547 Boorde Introd. Knowl. i. (1870) 122 Iche cham a Cornyshe man,..Nym me a quart of ale, that iche may it of sup. |
b. pa. tense.
(α) 1st and 3rd sing. 1 -noom, 1–5 nom, 3–5 nome; 2nd sing. 1–4 nome; pl. 1 nomun, -an, -on, (noumun), 2–4 nomen, 3–5 nome, 4 nom.
| c 725 Corpus Gloss. (Hessels) A 909 Auserunt, nomun [Erf. noumun], hlodun. c 825 Vesp. Ps. lxxii. 24 Þu nome hond ða swiðran mine. c 825 Vesp. Hymns i, He sende engel his & nom mec of scepum feadur mines. c 900 O.E. Chron. (Parker MS.) an. 787 Her nom Beorhtric cyning Offan dohtor Eadburᵹe. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Mark viii. 20 Huu moniᵹ ceolas ðæra screadunga ᵹie nomon? c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 3 Heo nomen þe asse and here colt. c 1205 Lay. 25447 Arður nom an honde fifti þusend cnihtes kene. c 1275 Passion our Lord 379 in O.E. Misc. 48 Þe knyhtes hyne nomen. Ibid. 438 Hi nome twey þeoues. a 1300 Cursor M. 20690 Of hir bodi mi flexs i nom. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 706 Þe quene þorow treson þey nomen. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 1613 Nabuzardan hym nome & now is he here. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xx. 9 Thow nome namore than nede þe tauȝ te. c 1420 Chron. Vilod. 23 He was þe twolthe kynge þ{supt} in Westsex cristyndam nome. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 2056 Cuthbert to haly eland come And þe priory on him he nome. c 1470 Henry Wallace ix. 1812 Maxwell..On to the Sotheroun the gaynest wayis nom. |
(β) 1st and 3rd sing. 1–5 nam, 3 namm, næm, naam, 3–5 name; pl. 1 naamun, namon, -an, -en, 4 namen, 3 name, 4 nam.
| c 825 Epinal Gloss. 113 Hauserunt, naamun. c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xxix. §2 Ða hlafordas naman swa hwæt swa hi hæfden. c 900 O.E. Chron. (Parker MS.) an. 866 [Hi] winter setl namon on East Englum. 971 Blickl. Hom. 31 Þas cyþnesse Drihten nam of þisse wisan. Ibid. 69 Hie naman blowende palmtwiᵹu. a 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1010 Þær namon [hi]..swa mycel swa hi woldon sylfe. c 1127 Ibid. an. 1127 Þa nam he þes kynges wifes swuster..to wife. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 23 He hereȝede helle and nam ut mid him alle [etc.]. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2840 Moyses..hise childre wið him nam. a 1300 Cursor M. 20105 Þan name þe apostil..In-til his keping þat maidan. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 36 After þe Bretons þe Inglis camen, Þe lordschip of þis lande þai namen. c 1386 Chaucer Can. Yeom. T. 744 With the coper he came, And this chanon it in his hondes name. c 1400 Destr. Troy 792 Eneas it name & in note hade. 1447 O. Bokenham Seyntys (Roxb.) 32 To peter and poule his hors he nam, And unnethe that nyht to Souters cam. |
(γ) pl. 3 neme(n, neomen. sing.. 4 nem; 5 nym(e; 7 nempt.
| c 1275 Lay. 660 Hii neme [c 1205 nomen] anne herindrak þat god was to neode. a 1300 K. Horn 64 The pains come to londe And neme hit in here honde. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 505 Bot Noe of vche honest kynde nem out an odde. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 3540 Þis preste..wist what giftes he gaf or nym. Ibid. 7469 Grete tresure fra þe kyrke he nyme. [1630 Lane Contn. Sqr.'s T. (Chaucer Soc.) 116 Ducello..killd each one that in his mowth hee nempt.] |
c. pa. pple.
(α) 1 ᵹi-, ᵹ enumen (-nummen), 2–3 inumen, 3 inomen, (4 y-); 1–4 numen, (4 -yn), 4–5 nummen, (4 -un, 6 -yn, 5 -yne), nomen, (-in, -yn, -yne), nommen, (-in, -yn, 5 -an).
| c 825 Epinal Gloss. 100 Adempto, ᵹinumni. c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xviii. §7 Eall þæt his fennas & moras ᵹenumen habbað. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xiii. 12 Þæt [he] hæfis, ᵹenummen bið from him. c 1127 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1127 Willelm hæfde æror numen ðes eorles dohter of Anᵹeow to wife. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 29 Þu eart numen in þon ilke þonke. a 1225 Ancr. R. 42 Þeos psalmes beoð inumene efter þe uif lettres of vre lefdi nome. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2268 Wel faȝen he was of here come, for he was numen ðor to nome. a 1300 Cursor M. 5272 Wit il consail þan was i nummen. Ibid. 7059 In his time was troi nomyn. 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxvi. (Nicholas) 918 Quhen þe Iou ham wes cumyne, & fand his gudis a-way nummyne. a 1400–50 Alexander 1094 (Dubl.), So sall þi name owt of nowmbre be nomyn in-to mynde. ? a 1500 Chester Pl. (E.E.T.S.) 401 Which prophesy done shall be, when I my realm have nomman. 1513 Douglas æneis ii. xi. 101 Nor neuir abak..Blent I agane, nor perfite mynd has nummyn. |
(β) 3 inume, ynume, 3–4 inome, ynome.
| c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 71 We habben him swa wel inume, Þat þe saule mote to him cume. c 1275 Passion our Lord 206 in O.E. Misc. 43 So me doþ to þeoue þat schal beon ynume. a 1300 Floriz & Bl. 20 (Cambr. MS.), To þe hauene hi beoþ icume, And þer habbeþ here in inome. 1340 Ayenb. 165 Huo þet heþ þane guode way ynome, hit be-houeþ [etc.]. c 1386 Chaucer Cook's T. 119 Whan that everich of hem a staf had i-nome. a 1450 Myrc 495 When body and soule to-geder schal come, And the gode to ioye be I-nome. |
(γ) 4, 6 num; 4 nom, 4–5 nome, nomme.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 12730 We sal to heuen com Quen we o þis werld es nom [Gött. num]. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 10824 Whilk of þem were ouer-come, Or slayn, or wyþ force nome. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 1777 Lucretia, Al allon hys way than hath he nome. c 1386 ― Cook's T. 580 They ben swore to-gidere that we schul be nome. c 1450 Bk. Hawking in Rel. Ant. I. 296 In kyndely spech ye schull say that your hawke hath nome a foule, and not i-take. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 1542 My heele, my tonge, bes fra me nome. c 1470 Henry Wallace i. 124 At Canemor syne king Fergus has it nome. 1566 J. Partridge Hist. Pand. b iij b, Pandauola in her armes Her Alfyne hath up num. |
† 2. intr. To betake oneself, to go. Obs.
| c 1100 K. ælfred's Boeth. xvi. §1 (Bodl.), Se is eower aᵹen, & þonan ᵹe noman [Cott. comon]. c 1220 Bestiary 93 in O.E. Misc. 4 Þus he neweð him ðis man, ðanne he nimeð to kirke. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 744 In-to sichem..he nam And ðeðen he nam to mirie dale. c 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 8164 Euery day to scole she nam [glossed ȝede]. a 1325 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1878) 144 Out of her siȝt oway he nam; Þai nist neuer whar he bicam. c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 2400 The forster that with Sereyn came Rose erlie, and to hir chambre name. |
3. trans. To steal, filch, pilfer.
| 1606 Day Ile Gulls iii. i, As I led him to his Chamber I nimde his Chayne and drew his Purse. 1630 J. Taylor (Water P.) Wks. iii. 8/2 The thieuing knaue the purse he nimbly nims. 1663 Butler Hud. i. i. 598 They'll question Mars, and by his look Detect who 'twas that nimm'd a Cloke. 1692 R. L'Estrange Fables (1694) 218 They..would still be nimming something or other for the very love of thieving. 1727 Gay Begg. Op. ii. i, I expect the Gentleman about this snuff-box, that Filch nimm'd two nights ago in the Park. 1797 Brydges Hom. Trav. II. 403 A fellow that would nim a smock From off a hedge if it was loose. 1835 James Gipsy ii, Tiny Dick..had very near been caught in nimming it off the edge of the common. 1898 Henley Lond. Types, Beef-eater, He shows that Crown the desperate Colonel nimmed. |
| transf. 1651 H. More Enthus. Tri. (1656) 81 Your quotation..is no new notion, but nimmed out of Philo. |
† b. Const. with away or off. Obs.
| 1607 Middleton Five Gallants i. i, You shall live at ease enough for nimming away jewels and favours from gentle⁓men. a 1635 Corbett Poems (1807) 28 Looking in their plate He nimmes away their coyne. 1669 Nicker Nicked in Harl. Misc. (1744) II. 96 Some will nim off the Gold Buttons of your Cloke, or steal the Cloke itself. |
4. intr. To steal, pilfer, thieve.
| 1622 Massinger & Dekker Virg. Mart. ii. iii, Hir. Spungius, y'are a picke-pocket. Spun. Hircius, thou hast nimb'd—..not so much money is left as will buy a louse. 1638 Mayne Lucian (1664) 35 His mother sayes he stayes not in heaven by night, but that he may be nimming, goes down to hell, and pilfers there to. a 1763 Byrom The Nimmers 27 Nim? yes, yes, yes, let's nim with all my heart. |
▪ IV. nim(b
variants of neem.