NICK, noun In the northern mythology, an evil spirit of the saters; hence the modern vulgar phrase, Old nick the evil one.

NICK, noun [G. The nape; a continual nodding. The word seems to signify a point, from shooting forward.]

1. The exact point of time required by necessity or convenience; the critical time.

2. [G. knick, a flaw.] A notch or score for keeping an account; a reckoning.

3. A winning throw.

NICK, verb transitive

1. To hit; to touch luckily; to perform by a slight artifice used at the lucky time.

The just reason of doing things must be nicked, and all accidents improved.

2. To cut in nicks or notches. [See Notch]

3. To suit, as lattices cut in nicks.

4. To defeat or cozen, as at dice; to disappoint by some trick or unexpected turn.

NICK, verb transitive [G. knicken, to flaw.] To notch or make an incision in a horses tail, to make him carry it higher.