Meaning of "niggle" in the English dictionary

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD NIGGLE

From Scandinavian; related to Norwegian nigla. Compare niggard.

Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.

PRONUNCIATION OF NIGGLE

niggle  [ˈnɪɡəl]

GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF NIGGLE

Niggle is a verb and can also act as a noun.

A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

The verb is the part of the sentence that is conjugated and expresses action and state of being.

See the conjugation of the verb niggle in English.

WHAT DOES NIGGLE MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Leaf by Niggle

"Leaf by Niggle" is a short story written by J. R. R. Tolkien in 1938–39 and first published in the Dublin Review in January 1945. It can be found, most notably, in Tolkien's book titled Tree and Leaf, and in other places. This is notable because the book, consisting of a seminal essay called "On Fairy-Stories" and "Leaf by Niggle," offers the underlying philosophy of much of Tolkien's fantastical writings. "Leaf by Niggle" is often seen as an allegory of Tolkien's own creative process, and, to an extent, of his own life.

Definition of niggle in the English dictionary

The first definition of niggle in the dictionary is to find fault continually. Other definition of niggle is to be preoccupied with details; fuss. Niggle is also to irritate; worry.

CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO NIGGLE

PRESENT

Present

I niggle

you niggle

he/she/it niggles

we niggle

you niggle

they niggle

Present continuous

I am niggling

you are niggling

he/she/it is niggling

we are niggling

you are niggling

they are niggling

Present perfect

I have niggled

you have niggled

he/she/it has niggled

we have niggled

you have niggled

they have niggled

Present perfect continuous

I have been niggling

you have been niggling

he/she/it has been niggling

we have been niggling

you have been niggling

they have been niggling

Present tense is used to refer to circumstances that exist at the present time or over a period that includes the present time. The present perfect refers to past events, although it can be considered to denote primarily the resulting present situation rather than the events themselves.

PAST

Past

I niggled

you niggled

he/she/it niggled

we niggled

you niggled

they niggled

Past continuous

I was niggling

you were niggling

he/she/it was niggling

we were niggling

you were niggling

they were niggling

Past perfect

I had niggled

you had niggled

he/she/it had niggled

we had niggled

you had niggled

they had niggled

Past perfect continuous

I had been niggling

you had been niggling

he/she/it had been niggling

we had been niggling

you had been niggling

they had been niggling

Past tense forms express circumstances existing at some time in the past,

FUTURE

Future

I will niggle

you will niggle

he/she/it will niggle

we will niggle

you will niggle

they will niggle

Future continuous

I will be niggling

you will be niggling

he/she/it will be niggling

we will be niggling

you will be niggling

they will be niggling

Future perfect

I will have niggled

you will have niggled

he/she/it will have niggled

we will have niggled

you will have niggled

they will have niggled

Future perfect continuous

I will have been niggling

you will have been niggling

he/she/it will have been niggling

we will have been niggling

you will have been niggling

they will have been niggling

The future is used to express circumstances that will occur at a later time.

CONDITIONAL

Conditional

I would niggle

you would niggle

he/she/it would niggle

we would niggle

you would niggle

they would niggle

Conditional continuous

I would be niggling

you would be niggling

he/she/it would be niggling

we would be niggling

you would be niggling

they would be niggling

Conditional perfect

I would have niggle

you would have niggle

he/she/it would have niggle

we would have niggle

you would have niggle

they would have niggle

Conditional perfect continuous

I would have been niggling

you would have been niggling

he/she/it would have been niggling

we would have been niggling

you would have been niggling

they would have been niggling

Conditional or "future-in-the-past" tense refers to hypothetical or possible actions.

IMPERATIVE

Imperative

you niggle
we let´s niggle
you niggle

The imperative is used to form commands or requests.

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

Infinitive

to niggle

Past participle

niggled

Present Participle

niggling

Infinitive shows the action beyond temporal perspective. The present participle or gerund shows the action during the session. The past participle shows the action after completion.

SYNONYMS OF «NIGGLE»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «niggle» and belong to the same grammatical category.

synonyms of niggle

annoy · badger · beef · bitch · bother · cavil · complaint · concern · criticize · disturb · grievance · gripe · grouch · grouse · grumble · hassle · irritate · lament · moan · plague · provoke · rankle · trouble · worry

TRANSLATION OF NIGGLE

Find out the translation of niggle to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

The translations of niggle from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «niggle» in English.

• Translator English - Chinese: 挑剔
• Translator English - Spanish: problemita
• English: niggle
• Translator English - Hindi: कालापव्यय
• Translator English - Arabic: أزعج
• Translator English - Russian: придираются
• Translator English - Portuguese: coisinha
• Translator English - Bengali: তুচ্ছ ব্যাপারে রত থাকা
• Translator English - French: trouver à redire
• Translator English - Malay: Niggle
• Translator English - German: nörgeln
• Translator English - Japanese: 小さなことにくよくよする
• Translator English - Korean: 하찮은 일로 괴로워
• Translator English - Javanese: Niggle
• Translator English - Vietnamese: lo chuyện nhỏ nhặt
• Translator English - Tamil: அற்ற விவரங்களில் காலத்தை வீணாக்கு
• Translator English - Marathi: नाळ
• Translator English - Turkish: üzerinde durmak
• Translator English - Italian: fare il pignolo
• Translator English - Polish: zastrzeżenie
• Translator English - Ukrainian: чіпляються
• Translator English - Romanian: se ocupa de fleacuri
• Translator English - Greek: ψειρίζω
• Translator English - Afrikaans: pla
• Translator English - Swedish: niggle
• Translator English - Norwegian: niggle

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «NIGGLE»

Discover the use of niggle in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to niggle and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.

Tolkien and C.S. Lewis: The Gift of Friendship

Niggle was allowed to resume his journey in a small train which led him to the familiar world depicted on his painting of long ago, and to his tree, now complete. "It's a gift!" he exclaimed. Niggle then walked towards the forest (which had tall ...

Colin Duriez, 2003

War of the Fantasy Worlds: C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien on ...

Because Niggle has begun to look more often toward the Mountains, he is eager to move on. But Parish decides to wait for his wife. The guide explains that they are in Niggle's Country, which contains Niggle's Picture and Parish's Garden.

Martha C. Sammons, 2010

Other Worlds: The Fantasy Genre

Niggle looked up, and fell off his bicycle. Before him stood the Tree, his Tree, finished, (p. 103) This for Tolkien is what fairy story does: it leads us by imperfect leaves, bits and pieces of imaginative insight, into a glimpse of the Tree, the perfect ...

John H. Timmerman, 1983

Fantastic Worlds : Myths, Tales, and Stories: Myths, Tales, ...

HERE WAS ONCE a little man called Niggle, who had a long journey to make. He did not want to go, indeed the whole idea was distasteful to him; but he could not get out of it. He knew he would have to start some time, but he did not hurry ...

Eric S. Rabkin, 1979

Tolkien's Art: A Mythology for England

Atkins the schoolmaster sees great value in Niggle's painting — "I can't get it out of my mind" ("Leaf by Niggle," p. Ill ) — and goes so far as to rescue and then frame and hang the surviving leaf in the local museum, it is Tompkins's view that  ...

Jane Chance, 2001

The Mind and the Machine: What It Means to Be Human and Why ...

not say that Niggle painted, nor that Niggle liked to paint, nor that painting was something Niggle did. It says, rather, that a painter is who Niggle was: his very nature was to create, and specifically to create with paints on canvas. Tolkien might ...

Matthew Dickerson, 2011

Catholic Literature: An Introduction

Reason tells Niggle that he will not have forever to work on his picture, so at one point he resolves to finish the picture before he departs. How he wishes that in this life he could find a person (such people, even in this earth, are called 'angels' ) ...

Margaret Summitt, Ph.D.

J.R.R. Tolkien: Myth, Morality, and Religion

In the story, Niggle's attempts to finish his last work, a great picture of a tree, is interfered with by visiting friends; by Parish, a demanding neighbor; and by Inspectors, who require that he fulfill civic duties. Niggle's picture, of course, represents ...

Richard L. Purtill, 2003

J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: Scholarship and Critical Assessment

These arguments are not stated in propositional form in ''Leaf by Niggle,'' but they certainly inform the most important elements of the story. The autobiographical allegorical interpretation sees Niggle as a Tolkien-figure, the Journey as death ...

Michael D. C. Drout, 2007

The Curious Case of Miser Snoot and the Bibliomaniacs

replied Niggle, laughing hysterically. “Oh my no, no, no! I do not involve myself with money!” “Niggle helps people take books from Information Aisleland,” said Text. “You know of me,” said Niggle. “I thought you looked very familiar, but you are, ...

Charlie O'Shields, 2002

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «NIGGLE»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term niggle is used in the context of the following news items.

Fran Kirby's new side beat Reading FC Women in the FA Women's …

The FA Women's Super League 1 leaders were without their record-breaking signing Kirby, as she is still recovering from a niggle sustained in ... «getreading, Jul 15»

The Niggle: Is it right to scrap 3/4 handicaps in 4BBB?

Higher handicappers will receive 90 per cent of the difference – compared to 75 per cent at the moment – following changes made by the ... «National Club Golfer, Jul 15»

Simbine shines in Karlstad

“I have a slight niggle in my right hamstring. It is nothing to be concerned about yet, but I could not help being worried when I lined up for a race. «SuperSport, Jul 15»

Royals not bullish about play-off hopes after defeat at Buxton

Leamington still held a 12-10 advantage at the interval but plays were being forced and players were starting to niggle at the referee, which ... «Kenilworth Weekly News, Jul 15»

VA: Minnow Mitsubishi not short on L200 claims

Occasionally the system will niggle the driver with flashing lights as it needs to be on a straight road to change and sometimes you do have to ... «just-auto.com, Jul 15»

SA's Simbine, Samaai Shine in Sweden

'I have a slight niggle in my right hamstring. It is nothing to be concerned about yet, but I could not help being worried when I lined up for a race. «AllAfrica.com, Jul 15»

2015 Subaru Liberty 3.6R review (video)

Our only niggle with the system is that in beautiful peak-hour M5 traffic, the system leaves too big of a gap between you and the car in front, ... «PerformanceDrive, Jul 15»

VIDEO: Sheffield United move ever closer to Billy Sharp signing

“Bob's had a little niggle for a while so we want to get that sorted properly,” Adkins said. MATCH REPORT: Cheltenham Town 1 Sheffield United ... «Sheffield Telegraph, Jul 15»

The billion-dollar watch

Whether it's a billion or $1.4 billion or whatever, it's possible to niggle with the exact number. And we'll be niggling well into the future, Apple ... «The Verge, Jul 15»

We were 'stung' last time: Tyson

Meanwhile, Tyson praised St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt to play with a calf niggle in last round's loss against Richmond at Etihad Stadium, ... «Melbourne FC, Jul 15»