Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1777-1826, 1881-1883
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NIMIOUS, adj. Excessive, vexatiously burdensome. Now mainly in Sc. Law phr.: nimious and oppressive, id. (Sc. 1946 A. D. Gibb Legal Terms 58). Obs. in Eng.Sc. 1777 Kames Elucidations 307:
To prevent nimious diligence upon the personal estate.Sc. 1823 Faculty Decisions (1822–5) 199:
As to the inhibition in this case, it appears to be nimious and oppressive.Sc. 1826 S. Smith Works (1850) 439:
He is never nimious; there is nothing in excess.Sc. 1881 Scotsman (6 Jan.):
Nimious State interference is always and necessarily an evil thing.Sc. 1883 Edb. Ev. News (20 Dec.) 2:
The action was ex facie so nimious and unreasonable as to excite prejudice against it.
Hence nimiously, vexatiously, with excessive severity.Sc. 1814 Session Papers, Gillies v. Scott (9 June):
The measure which had been thus so nimiously and improperly resorted to.
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"Nimious adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/nimious>
