From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Nice \Nice\ (n[imac]s), a. [Compar. {Nicer} (n[imac]"s[~e]r);
superl. {Nicest}.] [OE., foolish, fr. OF. nice ignorant,
fool, fr. L. nescius ignorant; ne not + scius knowing, scire
to know. Perhaps influenced by E. nesh delicate, soft. See
{No}, and {Science}.]
1. Foolish; silly; simple; ignorant; also, weak; effeminate.
[Obs.] --Gower.
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But say that we ben wise and nothing nice.
--Chaucer.
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2. Of trifling moment; unimportant; trivial. [Obs.]
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The letter was not nice, but full of charge
Of dear import. --Shak.
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3. Overscrupulous or exacting; hard to please or satisfy;
fastidious in small matters.
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Curious not knowing, not exact but nice. --Pope.
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And to taste
Think not I shall be nice. --Milton.
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4. Delicate; refined; dainty; pure.
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Dear love, continue nice and chaste. --Donne.
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A nice and subtile happiness. --Milton.
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5. Apprehending slight differences or delicate distinctions;
distinguishing accurately or minutely; carefully
discriminating; as, a nice taste or judgment. "Our author
happy in a judge so nice." --Pope. "Nice verbal
criticism." --Coleridge.
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6. Done or made with careful labor; suited to excite
admiration on account of exactness; evidencing great
skill; exact; fine; finished; as, nice proportions, nice
workmanship, a nice application; exactly or fastidiously
discriminated; requiring close discrimination; as, a nice
point of law, a nice distinction in philosophy.
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The difference is too nice
Where ends the virtue, or begins the vice. --Pope.
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7. Pleasing; agreeable; gratifying; delightful; good; as, a
nice party; a nice excursion; a nice day; a nice sauce,
etc. [Loosely & Colloquially]
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8. Pleasant; kind; as, a nice person.
[PJC]
9. Hence: Well-mannered; well-behaved; as, nice children.
[PJC]
He's making a list, checking it twice.
Gonna find out who's naughty or nice
Santa Claus is coming to town. --Song.
{To make nice of}, to be scrupulous about. [Obs.] --Shak.
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Syn: Dainty; delicate; exquisite; fine; accurate; exact;
correct; precise; particular; pleasant; kind;
scrupulous; punctilious; fastidious; squeamish; finical;
effeminate; silly; well-mannered; well-behaved.
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From V.E.R.A. -- Virtual Entity of Relevant Acronyms (June 2013) [vera]:
NICE
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