nigh

Etymology

From Middle English neygh, nygh, nye, nyȝ, from Old English nēah, nēh, from Proto-West Germanic *nāhw, from Proto-Germanic *nēhw. Cognate with Dutch na (“close, near”), German nah (“close, near, nearby”), Luxembourgish no (“nearby, near, close”). See also near.

adj

1. (archaic, poetic) near, close by
   The end is nigh!
   a. 1831, Ludovico Ariosto, William Stewart Rose (translator), Orlando Furioso, 2006, Echo Library, page 185, He at his head took aim who stood most nigh;
   By these and many histories more, it is most evident, that the more nigh salvation and deliverance approach, the more vehement is temptation and trouble. 1831, John Knox, The History of the Reformation of Religion in Scotland, page 421
   The enemy, somewhat imboldened, draws nigher to the fort. 1834, Davy Crockett, A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett, page 197
   You then went to St. Andrews, the nighest ocean port. 1889, House of Commons of Canada, Debates: Official Report, volume 2, page 1408
   The end is nigh (or at least it was supposed to be), but the Pacers in northern England kept plugging away providing a service while awaiting the much-delayed arrival of their replacements. May 20 2020, John Crosse, “Soon to be gone... but never forgotten”, in Rail, page 63, photo caption
2. Not remote in degree, kindred, circumstances, etc.; closely allied; intimate.

verb

1. (transitive, intransitive) to draw nigh (to); to approach; to come near
   When the charnel-eyed Pale Horse has nighed 1924, Thomas Hardy, He Resolves to Say No More

adv

1. Almost, nearly.
   So, after a spell, he decided to make the best of it and shoved us into the front parlor.[…]It looked like a tomb and smelt pretty nigh as musty and dead-and-gone. 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 12, in Mr. Pratt's Patients
   Hell of a surprise in the seventh season premiere of Game Of Thrones. Arya Stark, fresh off a nigh Cersei-level ambush of the Frey household, comes upon a small campfire surrounded by fresh-faced red cloaks. July 16, 2017, Brandon Nowalk, “Chickens and dragons come home to roost on Game Of Thrones (newbies)”, in The Onion AV Club

prep

1. near; close to
   When the Moon is horned […] is it not ever nigh the Sun? 1661-5, Thomas Salusbury (translator), Galileo Galilei, Dialogue concerning the Two Chief World Systems, 1632
   The cottage stood nigh the burn, in a little garden, with lilyoaks and grosart bushes lining the pathway. 1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide