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| Date: | 1200-1300 |
| Language: | Old French |
| Origin: | 'stupid', from Latin nescius 'lacking knowledge', from nescire 'not to know' |
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nice S1 W2
1 pleasant, attractive, or enjoyable : They've got a very nice house.
good
They've got a very nice house.2 friendly, kind, or polite : Dave's a really nice guy. That's not a very nice thing to say about your sister!
friendly
Dave's a really nice guy.That's not a very nice thing to say about your sister!3 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.
something you want
It's quite nice to live so close to work. 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.'
'Would you like a cup of coffee?' 'Yes, that'd be nice.'4 spoken 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.
it's nice to know (that)
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 spoken used to say goodbye to someone, especially to customers in shops and restaurants when they are leaving
have a nice day!
American English6 spoken used as a friendly greeting when you meet someone for the first time : Hello. It's nice to meet you at last.
nice to meet you
Hello. It's nice to meet you at last.7 spoken used when you say goodbye to someone you have met for the first time
(it's been) nice meeting/talking to you
8 spoken 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.
not nice
British EnglishThat's a nice way to treat a friend, I must say!Well, we're in a nice mess now.9 spoken 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.'
nice try
'We could phone Mark to come and pick us up.' 'Nice try, Clive, but we haven't got his number.'10 spoken used when someone has just said or done something clever, amusing, or helpful : 'Dad said he'd help pay for it.' 'Nice one!'
nice one!
British English'Dad said he'd help pay for it.' 'Nice one!'11 if someone is as nice as pie, they are not angry with you when you were expecting them to be
be (as) nice as pie
British English12 used humorously to say that someone has a very easy or enjoyable job, especially one which you would like to do
nice work if you can get it
British English13 involving a very small difference or detail : a nice point of law
detail
formala nice point of law14 having high standards of moral and social behaviour :
respectable
old-fashioned15 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.
nice ... shame about the ...
British EnglishNice video, shame about the song. —niceness noun [uncountable] The first thing you noticed about him was his niceness.
The first thing you noticed about him was his niceness.➔ no more Mr Nice Guy!
at guy (5)WORD FOCUS: niceWORD FOCUS: nice person: lovely, pleasant, charming, sweet, adorable
thing/place/activity/time: lovely, pleasant, delightfulWORD FOCUS: kind
WORD FOCUS: kind similar words: nice, considerate, thoughtful, sympathetic, benevolent, compassionate, gentle
➔ See also kindWORD FOCUS: weather
WORD FOCUS: weather good weather: sunny/fine used to describe weather or a day when there is a lot of sunshine
nice/lovely/glorious very sunny and good
bright if the weather is bright, the sun shines strongly
there isn't a cloud in the sky the sky is completely clear
dry if the weather is dry, it does not rain
fair sunny and not windy or rainy - used especially in weather forecasts
rain: wet/rainy/damp used to describe weather or a day when there is a lot of rain
unsettled if the weather is unsettled, it keeps changing and it often rains
drizzle light rain which consists of very small drops of water
shower a short period of rain
downpour a short period when it suddenly rains very heavily
it's pouring down British English/it's pouring rain American English it is raining very hard
it's drizzling it is raining a little, with very small drops of rain
snow: snowy used to describe weather or a day when there is a lot of snow
sleet a mixture of snow and rain
slush a mixture of partly melted snow and ice
hail/hailstones frozen drops of rain, that fall as drops of ice
blizzard a storm with a lot of snow and strong wind
frost white powder that covers the ground when it is cold
wind: windy used to describe a day or weather when there is a lot of wind
blustery very windy
breeze a gentle pleasant wind
hurricane (in the Atlantic Ocean) /typhoon (in the Pacific Ocean) a violent storm with extremely strong winds
cloudy: cloudy used to describe weather or a day when there are a lot of clouds in the sky
grey/dull cloudy and not bright
overcast if the sky is overcast, it is very cloudy and dark, and it is likely to rain
hazy not clear, especially because there is a slight mist caused by heat or smoke
hot: boiling/scorching/sizzling/blazing/burning/baking/broiling (hot) extremely hot
sweltering very hot and humid
warm a little hot, in a way that is pleasant
balmy pleasantly warm, with a gentle wind blowing
heatwave a period of unusually hot weather
cold: freezing (cold) extremely cold
arctic extremely cold, usually with a lot of ice and snow
wintry cold and snowy or rainy, like the weather in winter
crisp if the air is crisp, it feels cold but pleasantly fresh and clear
chilly a little too cold, in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable
cool a little cold, in a way that is pleasant
cold snap/cold spell a period of unusually cold weather
➔ See also weather
