I. ˈnikə(r) noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English niker, from Old English nicor; akin to Middle Dutch nicker water sprite, Old High German nihhus water monster, water sprite, nicchessa mermaid, Old Norse nykr water monster, Latin noegeum white upper garment, Old Irish nigim I wash, Greek nizein, niptein to wash, Sanskrit nejana act of washing, ne nēkti he washes
: a fabulous water monster : water sprite , nix
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: nick (III) + -er
: one that nicks: as
a. : one of the 18th century night brawlers of London noted for breaking windows with halfpence
b. : an operator of a machine for making cuts on the curved edges of shoe vamps, uppers, tongues, tips, and piping so that the edges may be folded under smoothly — called also snipper
III. intransitive verb
( nickered ; nickered ; nickering -k(ə)riŋ ; nickers )
Etymology: perhaps alteration of neigh (I)
1. : to neigh gently : whicker
2. : snicker
IV. noun
( -s )
1. : neigh
2. : snicker
V. noun
( plural nicker or nickers )
Etymology: perhaps from nicker (II)
slang Britain : one pound sterling