verb (old).—To seize, take, or steal; TO NAB (q.v.). [A. S., niman = to take.] Whence NIMMER = a thief, and NIMMING = theft, robbery.

1

  1350.  William of Palerne [E.E.T.S., 51, 1364]. How wiȝtly William went to here foos, & dede deliuerly NYM þe duk.

2

  1369.  CHAUCER, Troilus and Criseyde, i., 242.

        Men reden not that folk han gretter wit
Than they that han ben most with love Y-NOME.

3

  [?].  Harl. MS., 1701, f. 44.

        Goddes aungeles the soule NAM
And bare hyt ynto the bosum of Abraham.

4

  [?].  MS. Trin. Coll. Oxon., 57.

        NYM, he seyde, this theof
  Faste in alle wyse,
And wyn of him the tresour,
  And make him do sacrifyse.

5

  1586.  The Booke of Hunting [quoted by HALLIWELL].

        Then boldly blow the prize thereat,
Your play for to NIME or ye come in.

6

  c. 1600–62.  The Common Cries of London [COLLIER, Roxburghe Ballads (1847), 212].

        And some there be in patcht gownes,
    I know not what they be,
That pinch the country-man
    with NIMMING of a fee.

7

  1606.  JOHN DAY, The Ile of Guls, iii., p. 67. As I led him to his Chamber I NIMDE his Chayne and drew his Purse, and next morning perswaded him he lost it in the great Chamber at the Reuels.

8

  1608.  Penniles Parliament, in Harleian Miscellany (ed. PARK), I., 182. To the great impoverishing of all NIMMERS, lifters, and cutpurses.

9

  1615.  T. TOMKIS, Albumazar, iii. 7 [DODSLEY, Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, xi., 370].

          Ron.  Met you with Ronca? ’Tis the cunning’st NIMMER
Of the whole company of Cutpurse Hall.

10

  1637.  MASSINGER, The Guardian, v., 2. I am not good at NIMMING.

11

  1640.  RAWLINS, The Rebellion, iii., 1 [DODSLEY, Old Plays (HAZLITT), 4th ed., 1875, xiv., 48]. If our hell afford a devil, but I see none, unless he appear in a delicious remnant of NIM’D satin.

12

  1663.  BUTLER, Hudibras, I., i., 598.

        Examine Venus, and the Moon,
Who stole a thimble or a spoon …
They’ll question Mars, and, by his look,
Detect who ’twas that NIMM’D a cloke.
    Ibid., II., iii., 209.
Of Booker’s, Lilly’s, Sarah Jimmers,
And blank schemes to discover NIMMERS.

13

  c. 1696.  B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. NIM. NIM a togeman—to steal a cloak. NIM a cloak, To cut off the buttons in a crowd, or whip it off a man’s shoulders.

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  d. 1704.  SIR R. L’ESTRANGE, Works [JOHNSON]. They could not keep themselves honest of their fingers, but would be NIMMING something or other for the love of thieving.

15

  1727.  GAY, The Beggar’s Opera, ii., 2. I must now step home, for I expect the gentleman about this snuff-box that Filch NIMMED two nights ago in the park.

16

  1728.  BAILEY, English Dictionary, s.v.

17

  1785.  GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v.

18

  1823.  BADCOCK (‘Jon Bee’), Dictionary of the Turf, etc., s.v.

19

  1831.  LAMB, Hercules Pacificatus, in Englishman’s Magazine. And whatsoe’er they NIMM’D, she hid it.

20

  1836.  W. H. SMITH, The Individual. ‘The Thieves’ Chaunt,’ 5.

        But because she lately NIMM’D some tin,
They have sent her to lodge at the King’s Head Inn.

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