Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Nice

Nice (nīs) , adjective

[Old English, foolish, from Old French nice ignorant, fool, from Latin nescius ignorant; ne not + scius knowing, scire to know. Perhaps influenced by English nesh delicate, soft. See No, and Science.]

1.
Foolish; silly; simple; ignorant; also, weak; effeminate. [Obsolete] — Gower
But say that we ben wise and nothing nice. — Chaucer
2.
Of trifling moment; unimportant; trivial. [Obsolete]
The letter was not nice, but full of charge Of dear import. — Shakespeare
3.
Wanton. [Obsolete]
4.
Overscrupulous or exacting; hard to please or satisfy; fastidious in small matters.
Curious not knowing, not exact but nice. — Pope
And to taste Think not I shall be nice. — Milton
5.
Delicate; refined; dainty; pure; -- of people.
Dear love, continue nice and chaste. — Donne
A nice and subtile happiness. — Milton
6.
Apprehending slight differences or delicate distinctions; distinguishing accurately or minutely; carefully discriminating; as, a nice taste or judgment; -- of people.
Our author happy in a judge so nice. — Pope
Nice verbal criticism. — Coleridge
7.
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.
8.
Exactly or fastidiously discriminated; requiring close discrimination; fine; subtle; as, a nice point of law, a nice distinction in philosophy.
The difference is too nice Where ends the virtue, or begins the vice. — Pope
9.
Pleasing; agreeable; gratifying; delightful; good; as, a nice party; a nice excursion; a nice day; a nice sauce, etc.; -- of events, actions, experiences.
10.
Pleasant; kind; as, a nice person; -- of people.
11.
Well-mannered; well-behaved; as, nice children; -- of people.
He's making a list, checking it twice. Gonna find out who's naughty or nice Santa Claus is coming to town. — Song
Collocations (1)
To make nice of , to be scrupulous about. [Obsolete] — Shakespeare