nigh

• prep. 近于
• adj. 在附近的；直接的
• adv. 几乎；在附近地
• n. (Nigh)人名；(英)奈伊

来自古英语neah,靠近，比较级near,最高级next,来自PIE*nek,达到，够到，词源同enough.

nigh

nigh: see near

nigh (adv.)

"near," Old English neah (West Saxon), neh (Anglian), common Germanic (cognates: Old Saxon nah, Old Frisian nei, Middle Dutch, Dutch na, Old High German nah, German nah, Gothic nehwa), with no cognates outside Germanic. The Old English progression was neah - near - niehsta, for "nigh - near - next." But the comparative near and the superlative nehst (see next) gradually evolved into separate words not felt as related to nigh. New comparative and superlative forms nigher, nighest developed 14c. as phonetic changes obscured the original relationships. As an adjective from Middle English.

1. I had to pay nigh on forty pounds for it.

我不得不为它花了将近40英镑。

来自柯林斯例句

2. The storm must still be nigh, she thought.

她想暴风雨必定仍会到来。

来自柯林斯例句

3. They've lived in that house for nigh on 30 years.

他们在那所房子里住了差不多30年了。

来自《权威词典》

4. Defence was well-nigh impossible against such opponents.

遇到这样的对手几乎防不胜防。

来自《权威词典》

5. He was nigh upon 20 miles.

他离家差不多有20哩.

来自《现代英汉综合大词典》