/ naɪ; NAmE / adverb
1.
nigh on ( old-fashioned ) almost; nearly :
They've lived in that house for nigh on 30 years.
—see also well-nigh
2.
( old use or literary ) near :
Winter was drawing nigh.
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English nēh , nēah , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch na , German nah . Compare with near .