4 VERB [usu cont] If someone or something is nudging a particular amount, level, or state, they have almost reached it. □ [V n] The temperature when we were there was nudging 80°F.
nud|ism /njuː d I zəm, [AM ] nuː -/ N‑UNCOUNT Nudism is the practice of not wearing any clothes on beaches and other areas specially set aside for this purpose. □ Nudism, the council decided, was doing the resort more harm than good. ● nud|ist (nudists ) N‑COUNT [oft N n] □ There are no nudist areas and topless sunbathing is only allowed on a few beaches.
nu|dity /njuː d I ti, [AM ] nuː -/ N‑UNCOUNT Nudity is the state of wearing no clothes. □ …constant nudity and bad language on TV.
nug|get /nʌ g I t/ (nuggets ) N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A nugget is a small lump of something, especially gold. □ …pure high-grade gold nuggets. □ [+ of ] …a small nugget of butter.
nui|sance /njuː s ə ns, [AM ] nuː -/ (nuisances ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] If you say that someone or something is a nuisance , you mean that they annoy you or cause you a lot of problems. □ He could be a bit of a nuisance when he was drunk. □ Sorry to be a nuisance. ● PHRASE If someone makes a nuisance of themselves, they behave in a way that annoys other people. □ [+ of ] He spent three days making an absolute nuisance of himself.
nuke /njuː k, [AM ] nuː k/ (nukes , nuking , nuked )
1 N‑COUNT A nuke is a nuclear weapon. [INFORMAL ] □ They have nukes, and if they're sufficiently pushed, they'll use them.
2 VERB If one country nukes another, it attacks it using nuclear weapons. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n] He wanted to nuke the area.
null /nʌ l/ PHRASE If an agreement, a declaration, or the result of an election is null and void , it is not legally valid. □ A spokeswoman said the agreement had been declared null and void.
nul|li|fy /nʌ l I fa I / (nullifies , nullifying , nullified )
1 VERB To nullify a legal decision or procedure means to declare that it is not legally valid. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] He used his broad executive powers to nullify decisions by local governments. □ [be V -ed] It is worth remembering that previous wills are nullified automatically upon marriage.
2 VERB To nullify something means to make it have no effect. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] He may be able to nullify that disadvantage by offering a wider variety of produce.
numb /nʌ m/ (numbs , numbing , numbed )
1 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If a part of your body is numb , you cannot feel anything there. □ He could feel his fingers growing numb at their tips. □ My legs felt numb and my toes ached. ● numb|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ in ] I have recently been suffering from pain and numbness in my hands.
2 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you are numb with shock, fear, or grief, you are so shocked, frightened, or upset that you cannot think clearly or feel any emotion. □ [+ with ] The mother, numb with grief, has trouble speaking. □ I was so shocked I went numb. ● numb|ness N‑UNCOUNT [oft adj N ] □ Many men become more aware of emotional numbness in their 40s. ● numb|ly /nʌ mli/ ADV [ADV with v] □ He walked numbly into the cemetery.
3 VERB If an event or experience numbs you, you can no longer think clearly or feel any emotion. □ [V n] For a while the shock of Philippe's letter numbed her. □ [V n] The horror of my experience has numbed my senses. ● numbed ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] □ I'm so numbed with shock that I can hardly think. □ …the sort of numbed hush which usually follows an automobile accident.
4 → see also mind-numbing
5 VERB If cold weather, a drug, or a blow numbs a part of your body, you can no longer feel anything in it. □ [V n] An injection of local anaesthetic is usually given first to numb the area. □ [V -ed] She awoke with a numbed feeling in her left leg.
num|ber ◆◆◆ /nʌ mbə r / (numbers , numbering , numbered )
1 N‑COUNT A number is a word such as 'two', 'nine', or 'twelve', or a symbol such as 1, 3, or 47. You use numbers to say how many things you are referring to or where something comes in a series. □ No, I don't know the room number. □ Stan Laurel was born at number 3, Argyll Street. □ The number 47 bus leaves in 10 minutes.
2 N‑COUNT [adj N ] You use number with words such as 'large' or 'small' to say approximately how many things or people there are. □ [+ of ] Quite a considerable number of interviews are going on. □ [+ of ] I have had an enormous number of letters from single parents. □ [+ of ] Growing numbers of people in the rural areas are too frightened to vote.
3 N‑SING If there are a number of things or people, there are several of them. If there are any number of things or people, there is a large quantity of them. □ [+ of ] I seem to remember that Sam told a number of lies. □ [+ of ] There must be any number of people in my position.
4 N‑UNCOUNT You can refer to someone's or something's position in a list of the most successful or most popular of a particular type of thing as, for example, number one or number two. □ …the 19-year-old Norwegian who is already ranked world number one. □ Before you knew it, the single was at Number 90 in the U.S. singles charts.
5 VERB If a group of people or things numbers a particular total, that is how many there are. □ [V num] They told me that their village numbered 100. □ [be V -ed + in ] This time the dead were numbered in hundreds, not dozens. [Also V n + in ]