[neck of the woods]{n. phr.}, {informal} Part of the country; place; neighborhood; vicinity. •/We visited Illinois and Iowa last summer; in that neck of the woods the corn really grows tall./ •/We were down in your neck of the woods last week./

[necktie party]{n.}, {slang} A hanging by a mob; lynching. •/Cattle thieves were stealing the rancher’s cattle, but the cowboys caught them and had a necktie party./ Compare: STRING UP.

[ned] See: RAISE THE DEVIL.

[needle] See: ON PINS AND NEEDLES.

[needle in a haystack]{n. phr.}, {informal} Something that will be very hard to find. •/"I lost my class ring somewhere in the front yard," said June. Jim answered, "Too bad. That will be like finding a needle in a haystack."/

[neither fish nor fowl] also [neither fish, flesh, nor fowl] Something or someone that does not belong to a definite group or known class; a strange person or thing; someone or something odd or hard to understand. •/The man is neither fish nor fowl; he votes Democrat or Republican according to which will do him the most good./ •/Mrs. Harris bought a piece of furniture that was both a table and a chair. Mr. Harris said it was neither fish nor fowl./ •/The movie is neither fish nor fowl; it is a funny love story./

[neither here nor there]{adj. phr.} Not important to the thing being discussed; off the subject; not mattering. •/Perhaps you did stay up late finishing your homework. That’s neither here nor there. You still must come to school on time./ •/The boys all like the coach but that’s neither here nor there; the question is, "Does he know how to teach football?"/ Compare: BESIDE THE POINT. Contrast: HAVE TO DO WITH, COME TO THE POINT.

[neither hide nor hair] See: HIDE OR HAIR.

[neither rhyme nor reason]{n. phr.} No emotional or intellectual substance. •/As far as I am concerned, his proposal makes no sense; it has neither rhyme nor reason./

[Nellie] See: NICE NELLY or NICE NELLIE, NERVOUS NELLIE.

[Nelly] See: NICE NELLY or NICE NELLIE, NERVOUS NELLIE.

[nerve] See: GET ON ONE’S NERVES, GET UP THE NERVE.

[nervous breakdown]{n.} A mild or severe attack of mental illness; a collapse of a person’s ability to make decisions and solve problems because of overwork, great mental strain, or the like. •/When the mother saw her baby run over, she suffered a nervous breakdown./

[Nervous Nellie]{n.}, {informal} A timid person who lacks determination and courage. •/I say we will never win if we don’t stop being Nervous Nellies!/

[nervous prostration]{n.} An illness of the mind that makes you feel very tired, worried, and bored, and that often causes headaches, upset stomach, and other sickness. •/Aunt Jane said that taking care of us children all day was enough to give any woman nervous prostration./

[nest] See: FEATHER ONE’S NEST, STIR UP A HORNET’S NEST.

[nest egg]{n.} Savings set aside to be used in the future. •/Herb says he doesn’t have to worry about his old age because he has a nest egg in the bank./

[never] See: BETTER LATE THAN NEVER, IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS, LIGHTNING NEVER STRIKES TWICE IN THE SAME PLACE.

[never mind]{v. phr.} Don’t trouble about it; don’t worry about it; forget it; skip it. — Usually used in speaking or when writing dialogue. •/Never mind preparing a picnic lunch; we’ll find a lunchstand when we get to the beach./ •/"What did you say?" "Oh, never mind."/ •/"What about money?" "Never mind that. I’ll take care of it."/

[never say die]{v. phr.} Don’t quit; don’t be discouraged. •/"Never say die!" John said, as he got on his feet and tried to ice skate again./

[new] See: TURN OVER A NEW LEAF.

[new blood]{n.} Something or someone that gives new life or vigor, fresh energy or power. •/New blood was brought into the company through appointment of younger men to important positions./

[new broom sweeps clean] A new person makes many changes. — A proverb. •/The new superintendent has changed many of the school rules. A new broom sweeps clean./

[Newcastle] See: CARRY COALS TO NEWCASTLE.

[new deal]{n.}, {informal} 1. A complete change; a fresh start. •/People had been on the job too long; a new deal was needed to get things out of the old bad habits./ 2. Another chance. •/The boy asked for a new deal after he had been punished for fighting in school./

[newfangled]{adj.} Newly invented or contrived; excessively complex. •/Dorothy felt that many newfangled gadgets in Kate’s all-electric kitchen weren’t really necessary./

[new leaf] See: TURN OVER A NEW LEAF.

[new lease on life]{n. phr.} A new chance to live; an improved manner of living. •/After his illness and his retirement, living in Hawaii was a new lease on life./

[new man]{n.} A person who has become very much better. •/Diet and exercise made a new man of him./

[new money]{n. phr.} People who have become rich recently. •/Since Bobby’s father invented a new computer component, Bobby and his family are new money./ Contrast: OLD MONEY.

[newshawk]{n.} A newspaper reporter. •/There are always a lot of newshawks following the president./

[next door]{adv.} or {adj.} 1. In or to the next house or apartment. •/He lived next door to me./ •/She telephoned next door to ask about John./ •/The house next door caught fire./ 2. Very close. — Used with "to". •/The sick man was next door to death./ •/Printing secrets about our country’s missiles is next door to treason./

[next to(1)]{adv.} Almost; nearly. •/It was next to impossible to believe that in a month the grass would be green and flowers would be blooming./ •/It was next to unthinkable that the boy would steal./

[next to(2)]{prep.} Just after; second to. •/Next to his family, baseball was his greatest love./ •/Next to pizza, Bob liked hamburger best./

[next to nothing]{n. phr.} Very little; almost nothing. •/They gave me next to nothing for my old car when I traded it in for a new one./ •/When he first started to work, Mr. Black earned next to nothing./

[nice Nelly(1)] or [nice Nellie] {n.}, {informal} Someone who acts too good to be true; a prude; a prig. •/We took him for a nice Nelly when he wouldn’t fight./

[nice Nelly(2)] or [nice Nellie] {adj.}, {informal} Too careful not to say or do anything wrong or improper; too proper; prudish. •/Her nice Nelly behavior made her unpopular at school./

[Nick] See: FULL OF THE OLD NICK.

[nick] See: IN THE NICK OF TIME.

[nigger in the woodpile]{n. phr.}, {slang} Something unexpected that changes a situation; a hidden factor or trick. — Racist and offensive, but commonly used in the past. •/I knew there had to be a nigger in the woodpile, because the man was being much too generous./ •/When the salesman gave him an extra tire for his bike, the boy suspected a nigger in the woodpile./

[night] See: FLY-BY-NIGHT, MAKE A NIGHT OF IT.

[night and day] See: DAY AND NIGHT.

[nightcap]{n.} A good-night drink; a drink taken just before bedtime. •/Let’s have a nightcap and then go to sleep./ •/Would you like to come up to my place for a nightcap?/