a. [ Compar. Nicer 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

But say that we ben wise and nothing nice. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Of trifling moment; unimportant; trivial. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The letter was not nice, but full of charge
Of dear import. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Wanton. [ Obs. ] [ PJC ]

4. Overscrupulous or exacting; hard to please or satisfy; fastidious in small matters. [ 1913 Webster ]

Curious not knowing, not exact but nice. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

And to taste
Think not I shall be nice. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Delicate; refined; dainty; pure; -- of people. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dear love, continue nice and chaste. Donne. [ 1913 Webster ]

A nice and subtile happiness. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. Hence: Exactly or fastidiously discriminated; requiring close discrimination; fine; subtle; as, a nice point of law, a nice distinction in philosophy. [ 1913 Webster ]

The difference is too nice
Where ends the virtue, or begins the vice. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. Pleasing; agreeable; gratifying; delightful; good; as, a nice party; a nice excursion; a nice day; a nice sauce, etc.; -- of events, actions, experiences. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. Pleasant; kind; as, a nice person; -- of people. [ PJC ]

11. Hence: Well-mannered; well-behaved; as, nice children; -- of people. [ 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Dainty; delicate; exquisite; fine; subtle; accurate; exact; correct; precise; particular; pleasant; kind; scrupulous; punctilious; fastidious; squeamish; finical; effeminate; well-mannered; well-behaved. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a nice manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. Nicaenus, fr. Nicaea Nice, Gr. &unr_;. ] Of or pertaining to Nice, a town of Asia Minor, or to the ecumenical council held there a. d. 325. [ 1913 Webster ]

Nicene Creed a summary of Christian faith, composed and adopted by the Council of Nice, against Arianism, a. d. 325, altered and confirmed by the Council of Constantinople, a. d. 381, and by subsequent councils. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Quality or state of being nice. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Nicety. [ Colloq. ] Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Niceties [ OE. niceté foolishness. ] 1. The quality or state of being nice (in any of the senses of that word.). [ 1913 Webster ]

The miller smiled of her nicety. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Delicacy or exactness of perception; minuteness of observation or of discrimination; precision. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A delicate expression, act, mode of treatment, distinction, or the like; a minute distinction. [ 1913 Webster ]

The fineness and niceties of words. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

To a nicety, with great exactness or accuracy. [ 1913 Webster ]