niding

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /ˈnaɪdɪŋ/
• Rhymes: -aɪdɪŋ

niding (plural nidings)

1. Alternative spelling of nithing.
   • 1605, M. N. [pseudonym; William Camden], “The Languages”, in Remaines of a Greater Worke, Concerning Britaine, […], London: […] G[eorge] E[ld] for Simon Waterson, →OCLC, [https:// page 30]:

     [W]hen there was a daungerous rebellion againſt King William Rufus and Rocheſter Caſtle then the moſt important & ſtrongeſt fort of this Realm was ſtowtly kept againſt him, after that he had but proclaimed that his ſubjects ſhould repaire thither to his Campe, vpon no other penaltie, but that whoſoeuer refuſed to come, ſhould be reputed a Niding: they ſwarmed to him immediatly from all ſides in ſuch numbers, that he had in a few daies an infinite Armie, and the rebells therewith weere ſo terrified, that they forthwith yeelded.

   • 1795, Henry Boswell, “Rochester Castle, in Kent”, in The Antiquities of England and Wales Displayed; […], new edition, London: Printed for Alex[ander] Hogg, […], →OCLC:

     [William] Rufus immediately ſet about raiſing an army to chaſtiſe him [Odo of Bayeux]; but finding recruits to come in but ſlowly, he iſſued out a proclamation ſignifying, that whoſoever would not be reputed a Niding, ſhould repair to the ſiege of Rocheſter. What was the meaning of the word, Niding, has not reached theſe days; it might perhaps anſwer to our Ninny, a ſoft, fooliſh, unmanly fellow; undoubtedly it was a term of reproach, ſince to avoid that appellation, ſoldiers flocked to his ſtandard from every quarter, [...]

niding (comparative more niding, superlative most niding)

1. Alternative spelling of nithing.
   • 1770, [Paul Henri] Mallet, “The Passion of the Ancient Scandinavians for Arms: Their Valour: The Manner in which They Made War. […]”, in [Thomas Percy], transl., Northern Antiquities: Or, a Description of the Manners, Customs, Religion and Laws of the Ancient Danes, and Other Northern Nations; Including Those of Our Own Saxon Ancestors. […] In Two Volumes. […], volume I, London: Printed for T. Carnan and Co. […], →OCLC, pages 218–219:

     In Denmark, and through all the North, they provoked a man to fight a duel, by publicly calling him Niding or "infamous:" for he who had received ſo deep a ſtain, without endeavouring to waſh it out with the blood of his adverſary, would have loſt much more than the life he was ſo deſirous to ſave.

• 1984 Futharc A Handbook of Rune Magic, Edred Thorsson, Samuel Weiser Inc, →ISBN, page 151.

  niding: Developed from ON words nidh (insult) and nidhingr (a vile wretch).

• 1997 Thunder issue 10 (Heathen Journal), How Sif Got Her Golden Hair, Thorskegga Thorn.

  You sheared my bride like a nithing you perverted bastard!

• 2006 The Nature of Asatru, Mark Puryear, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 25.

  A disgraceful act, what some might call a sin, was known as a 'nid', and the person who committed it a 'niding'.

• dining, indign

From Old Norse níðingr (“honorless person”), from Old Norse níð (“defamation; honorless”). The word is cognate with Icelandic níðingur, Swedish niding.

niding m (definite singular nidingen, indefinite plural nidinger, definite plural nidingene)

1. coward, rascal, scoundrel

• “niding” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

From Old Norse níðingr. Cognates include Danish nidding, Icelandic níðingur and English nithing.

niding m (definite singular nidingen, indefinite plural nidingar, definite plural nidingane)

1. scoundrel; a despicable person

• “niding” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

By surface analysis, nid +‎ -ing, from Old Swedish nīþinger (nidh + -inger), from Old Norse níðingr (níð + -ingr), initially meaning “outlawed criminal” etc, a form of legal term in relation to crimes of honor, honesty and thereof. Earliest record from the 11th century, in the form of the runic genitive inflection ᚾᛁᚦᛁᚴᛋ (niþiks /⁠niðiŋs, nid͡hin͡gs⁠/). Cognate of Danish nidding (Old Danish nithing), Icelandic níðingur, English nithing.

niding c

1. (vulgar, derogatory, offensive) nithing; a shameful dishonorable coward, specifically: the worst kind of villain (for example: child rapist, those who beat the weak); by extension: general insult
2. (historical) harsh criminal, villain, scoundrel, vile wretch, apostate (guilty of apostasy; dishonesty); originally an outlaw (criminal excluded from legal rights, who can be killed at will without legal penalty) in relation to crimes of honor, honesty and thereof

A less common insult which is considered severely gross and very rude. Albeit rare, due to its severity, today, it is sometimes specifically avoided where confusion could potentially occur with the somewhat phonetically similar tabo insult, “negro” (Swedish: neger), and the like, such as confrontations with non-natives or youths which can be unfamiliar with the word.

• nidingsdåd (“act of villainy; the act of a niding”)
• nidingsstång
• nidingsstöld
• nidingsverk (“gross crime”)
• oniding (“non-niding”)
• var mans niding (“outlaw”)

• niding in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• niding in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• niding in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)