nice S1 W2 /naɪs/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: 'stupid' , from Latin nescius 'lacking knowledge' , from nescire 'not to know' ]
1 . GOOD pleasant, attractive, or enjoyable:
They’ve got a very nice house.
Did you have a nice time?
It’s such a nice day (=good weather) , why not go for a swim?
What a nice surprise!
look/taste/smell nice
You look nice in that suit.
Mm, something smells nice!
nice big/new/long etc
a nice long holiday
a nice new car
nice and warm/clean/easy/quiet etc
The house seemed nice and tidy.
One of the nice things about Christmas is having all the family together.
► You can use nice and followed by another adjective after be : The weather was nice and warm. But before a noun you must leave out ‘and’ | a nice hot (NOT nice and hot) drink
2 . FRIENDLY friendly, kind, or polite:
Dave’s a really nice guy.
That’s not a very nice thing to say about your sister!
nice about
Tim spilt wine all over the sofa, but Martha was very nice about it.
nice to
They were very nice to me while I was ill.
it is nice of somebody (to do something)
It was nice of you to help.
He told me, in the nicest possible way, that I was interfering too much.
3 . SOMETHING YOU WANT used to say what you like or what you think would be good or useful:
It’s quite nice to live so close to work.
it is nice to do something
It would be nice to have a break.
that’d be nice (=used to accept an offer or agree with a suggestion)
‘Would you like a cup of coffee?’ ‘Yes, that’d be nice.’
I thought it would be a nice idea to send them some flowers.
It would be nice if you could let us know in advance.
• • •
SPOKEN PHRASES
4 . it’s nice to know (that) used to mean that you feel happier when you know something:
I still haven’t heard any news – it would be nice to know what’s happening.
It’s nice to know that there’s someone nearby if she needs help.
5 . have a nice day! American English used to say goodbye to someone, especially to customers in shops and restaurants when they are leaving
6 . nice to meet you used as a friendly greeting when you meet someone for the first time:
Hello. It’s nice to meet you at last.
7 . (it’s been) nice meeting/talking to you used when you say goodbye to someone you have met for the first time
8 . NOT NICE British English used in a humorous or angry way when you really think that something or someone is not at all good or pleasant:
That’s a nice way to treat a friend, I must say!
Well, we’re in a nice mess now.
9 . nice try used when someone has made a guess or suggestion, or has attempted to do something, to say that it is good, but not quite correct or successful:
‘We could phone Mark to come and pick us up.’ ‘Nice try, Clive, but we haven’t got his number.’
10 . nice one! British English used when someone has just said or done something clever, amusing, or helpful:
‘Dad said he’d help pay for it.’ ‘Nice one!’
11 . be (as) nice as pie British English if someone is as nice as pie, they are not angry with you when you were expecting them to be
12 . nice work if you can get it British English used humorously to say that someone has a very easy or enjoyable job, especially one which you would like to do
13 . DETAIL formal involving a very small difference or detail:
a nice point of law
14 . RESPECTABLE old-fashioned having high standards of moral and social behaviour:
What’s a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?
15 . nice ... shame about the ... British English used when saying that part of something is good or well done, but a more important part is bad or badly done:
Nice video, shame about the song.
—niceness noun [uncountable] :
The first thing you noticed about him was his niceness.
⇨ no more Mr Nice Guy! at ↑ guy (5)
• • •
THESAURUS
■ person
▪ nice especially spoken friendly, kind, or polite. In written and formal English, it is better to use a more specific and interesting adjective than nice :
I like Clare – she’s really nice.
|
It was nice of them to offer to help.
▪ pleasant friendly, polite, and easy to talk to – used especially about someone that you do not know very well:
I only met her once or twice but she seemed pleasant.
▪ sweet very kind and gentle:
Kylie’s a very caring, sweet person.
|
It was sweet of you to send me a card.
▪ charming behaving in a polite and friendly way, which makes people like you and want to do things for you:
The salesman was very charming.
|
a charming hostess
▪ engaging interesting or amusing in a way that makes people like you – a rather formal word:
She can be very engaging.
|
an engaging smile
▪ likeable easy to like and seeming nice and friendly:
Bobby was a likeable kid with an angelic face.
▪ good-natured having a nice kind character and not getting angry easily:
Everyone likes Mike because he’s always so good-natured.
▪ great informal used about someone who you like and admire a lot:
He’s a great guy!
|
Sue’s boyfriend is really great.
▪ lovely especially British English informal very nice, kind, and friendly:
All the people I met on the course were lovely.
|
a lovely man
■ describing something you like or enjoy
▪ nice especially spoken pleasant or enjoyable:
Did you have a nice day?
|
It was nice to be back home again.
▪ lovely especially British English informal very nice:
We had a lovely time at the beach.
|
The hotel was lovely.
▪ fun informal if something is fun, you enjoy it:
The holiday was great fun.
▪ enjoyable giving you pleasure:
We had a very enjoyable evening.
▪ wonderful very enjoyable:
It was a wonderful concert.
|
The food was wonderful.
▪ great ( also brilliant British English ) informal very enjoyable:
‘How was the party?’ ‘It was great!’
|
We all had a brilliant time.
▪ charming used about something that seems pleasant and has a lot of qualities that make you like it:
a charming little village in the Italian countryside
|
I thought the restaurant was rather charming.
▪ delightful formal very pleasant or enjoyable:
There are many delightful walks in the area.
|
a delightful evening
▪ pleasurable formal a pleasurable experience or feeling is one that you enjoy:
Shopping in the old city can be a pleasurable experience.
|
a pleasurable feeling of relief