2 ADJ Nocturnal creatures are active mainly at night. □ When there is a full moon, this nocturnal rodent is careful to stay in its burrow.
noc|turne /nɒ ktɜː r n/ (nocturnes ) N‑COUNT A nocturne is a short gentle piece of music, often one written to be played on the piano.
nod ◆◇◇ /nɒ d/ (nods , nodding , nodded )
1 VERB [no passive] If you nod , you move your head downwards and upwards to show that you are answering 'yes' to a question, or to show agreement, understanding, or approval. □ [V ] 'Are you okay?' I asked. She nodded and smiled. □ [V n] Jacques tasted one and nodded his approval. □ [V with quote] 'Oh, yes,' she nodded. 'I understand you very well.' ● N‑COUNT Nod is also a noun. □ She gave a nod and said, 'I see'. □ He gave Sabrina a quick nod of acknowledgement.
2 VERB [no passive] If you nod in a particular direction, you bend your head once in that direction in order to indicate something or to give someone a signal. □ [V prep] 'Does it work?' he asked, nodding at the piano. □ [V + to ] He lifted the end of the canoe, nodding to me to take up mine.
3 VERB [no passive] If you nod , you bend your head once, as a way of saying hello or goodbye. □ [V ] All the girls nodded and said 'Hi'. □ [V n] Tom nodded a greeting but didn't say anything. □ [V + at/to ] Both of them smiled and nodded at friends. □ [V n + to ] They nodded goodnight to the security man.
4 VERB In football, if a player nods the ball in a particular direction, they hit the ball there with their head. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [V n adv/prep] Taylor leapt up to nod the ball home.
▸ nod off PHRASAL VERB If you nod off , you fall asleep, especially when you had not intended to. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P ] The judge appeared to nod off yesterday while a witness was being cross-examined. □ [V P + to ] He was nodding off to sleep in an armchair.
node /noʊ d/ (nodes ) N‑COUNT A node is a point, especially in the form of lump or swelling, where one thing joins another. □ Cut them off cleanly through the stem just below the node. □ …nerve nodes.
nod|ule /nɒ djuːl, [AM ] -dʒuːl/ (nodules )
1 N‑COUNT A nodule is a small round lump that can appear on your body and is a sign of an illness. [MEDICAL ]
2 N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A nodule is a small round lump which is found on the roots of certain plants.
Noel /noʊe l/ N‑PROPER Noel is sometimes printed on Christmas cards and Christmas wrapping paper to mean 'Christmas'.
no -fly zone (no-fly zones ) N‑COUNT A no-fly zone is an area of sky where military and other aircraft are not allowed to fly, especially because of a war.
no -go area (no-go areas )
1 N‑COUNT If you refer to a place as a no-go area , you mean that it has a reputation for violence and crime which makes people frightened to go there. [mainly BRIT ] □ The subway's reputation for violence makes it a no-go area for many natives of the city.
2 N‑COUNT A no-go area is a place which is controlled by a group of people who use force to prevent other people from entering it. [mainly BRIT ] □ The area of the President's residence is a no-go area after six p.m.
noise ◆◇◇ /nɔ I z/ (noises )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Noise is a loud or unpleasant sound. □ There was too much noise in the room and he needed peace. □ [+ of ] The noise of bombs and guns was incessant. □ The baby was filled with alarm at the darkness and the noise.
2 N‑COUNT A noise is a sound that someone or something makes. □ Sir Gerald made a small noise in his throat. □ …birdsong and other animal noises.
3 N‑PLURAL If someone makes noises of a particular kind about something, they say things that indicate their attitude to it in a rather indirect or vague way. □ [+ about ] The President took care to make encouraging noises about the future. □ [+ about ] His mother had also started making noises about it being time for him to leave home.
4 PHRASE If you say that someone makes the right noises or makes all the right noises , you think that they are showing concern or enthusiasm about something because they feel they ought to rather than because they really want to. □ He was making all the right noises about multi-party democracy and human rights.
5 → see also big noise COLLOCATIONS noise NOUN 1
adjective + noise : deafening, loud; ambient
noun + noise : aircraft, engine, road, traffic; background; crowd
verb + noise : minimise, reduce; muffle
noise|less /nɔ I zləs/ ADJ Something or someone that is noiseless does not make any sound. □ The snow was light and noiseless as it floated down. ● noise|less|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ I shut the door noiselessly behind me.
noi|some /nɔ I səm/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe something or someone as noisome , you mean that you find them extremely unpleasant. [LITERARY ] □ Noisome vapours arise from the mud left in the docks. □ His noisome reputation for corruption had already begun to spread.
noisy /nɔ I zi/ (noisier , noisiest )
1 ADJ A noisy person or thing makes a lot of loud or unpleasant noise. □ …my noisy old typewriter. □ His daughter was very active and noisy in the mornings. ● noisi|ly ADV [usu ADV with v, oft ADV adj] □ The students on the grass bank cheered noisily. □ She sat by the window, noisily gulping her morning coffee.