Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

NIMIOUS, adj. Excessive, vexatiously burdensome. Now mainly in Sc. Law phr.: nimious and oppressive, id. (Sc. 1946 A. D. Gibb Legal Terms 58). Obs. in Eng.Sc. 1777 Kames Elucidations 307:
To prevent nimious diligence upon the personal estate.Sc. 1823 Faculty Decisions (1822–5) 199:
As to the inhibition in this case, it appears to be nimious and oppressive.Sc. 1826 S. Smith Works (1850) 439:
He is never nimious; there is nothing in excess.Sc. 1881 Scotsman (6 Jan.):
Nimious State interference is always and necessarily an evil thing.Sc. 1883 Edb. Ev. News (20 Dec.) 2:
The action was ex facie so nimious and unreasonable as to excite prejudice against it.

Hence nimiously, vexatiously, with excessive severity.Sc. 1814 Session Papers, Gillies v. Scott (9 June):
The measure which had been thus so nimiously and improperly resorted to.