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Nice vs Perfect - What's the difference?

nice | perfect |

As a proper noun nice

is a city in southeast france on the coast of the mediterranean sea, capital of the department of alpes-maritimes.

As an adjective perfect is

fitting its definition precisely.

As a noun perfect is

(grammar) the perfect tense, or a form in that tense.

As a verb perfect is

to make perfect; to improve or hone.

nice

English

Alternative forms

* nyc (non-standard)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) nice, nyce, nys, from (etyl) nice, niche, .

Adjective

(er)
  • (obsolete) Silly, ignorant; foolish.
  • *, II.2:
  • There is nothing he seemed to be more carefull of than of his honesty, and observe a kinde of decencie of his person, and orderly decorum in his habits, were it on foot or on horsebacke. He was exceeding nice in performing his word or promise.
  • * 1999 , Joyce Crick, translating (Sigmund Freud), (The Interpretation of Dreams) , Oxford 2008, p.83:
  • But if I dispense with the dreams of neurotics, my main material, I cannot be too nice in my dealings with the remainder.
  • (obsolete) Particular as regards rules or qualities; strict.
  • * 1818 , (Jane Austen), (Persuasion) :
  • Good company requires only birth, education and manners, and with regard to education is not very nice . Birth and good manners are essential.
  • Showing]] or [[require, requiring great precision or sensitive discernment; subtle.
  • * 1914 : (Saki), :
  • "It's her own funeral, you know," said Sir Lulworth; "it's a nice point in etiquette how far one ought to show respect to one's own mortal remains."
  • * 1974 , (Lawrence Durrell), Monsieur , Faber & Faber 1992, p.131:
  • It would be a nice theological point to try and establish whether Ophis os Moslem or gnostic.
  • * 2006 , (Clive James), North Face of Soho , Picador 2007, p.242:
  • Why it should have attained such longevity is a nice question.
  • (obsolete) Doubtful, as to the outcome; risky.
  • * 1598 , (William Shakespeare), , IV.1:
  • To set so rich a maine / On the nice hazard of one doubtfull houre? It were not good.
  • * 1822 , T. Creevey, Reminiscences , 28 Jul.:
  • It has been a damned nice thing - the nearest run thing you ever saw in your life.
  • Respectable; virtuous.
  • Pleasant, satisfactory.
  • * 1998 , (Baha Men) -
  • When the party was nice , the party was jumpin' (Hey, Yippie, Yi, Yo)
  • * 2008 , Rachel Cooke, The Guardian , 20 Apr.:
  • "What's difficult is when you think someone is saying something nice about you, but you're not quite sure."
  • Of a person: friendly, attractive.
  • With "and", having intensive effect: extremely.
  • * , chapter=8
  • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=We toted in the wood and got the fire going nice and comfortable. Lord James still set in one of the chairs and Applegate had cabbaged the other and was hugging the stove.}}
    Quotations
    * 1710 , (Jonathan Swift), No. XIV *: I have strictly observed this rule, and my imagination this minute represents before me a certain great man famous for this talent, to the constant practice of which he owes his twenty years’ reputation of the most skilful head in England, for the management of nice affairs. * 1930 , , (The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case) *: Here's another nice mess you've gotten us into. * 1973 , Cockerel Chorus, Nice One, Cyril! *: Nice one, Cyril!
    Usage notes
    Sometimes used sarcastically to mean the opposite or to connote excess.
    Synonyms
    * charming, delightful, friendly, kind, lovely, pleasant, sweet * charming, delightful, lovely, pleasant * (having a pleasant taste or aroma) appetising/appetizing, delicious, moreish (informal), scrummy (slang), scrumptious (slang), tasty * (subtle) fine, subtle
    Antonyms
    * horrible, horrid, nasty * horrible, horrid, nasty * (having a pleasant taste or aroma) awful, disgusting, foul, horrible, horrid, nasty, nauseating, putrid, rancid, rank, sickening, distasteful, gross, unsatisfactory * naughty
    Derived terms
    * nice and + adjective * nice and easy * nice guy * nice guys finish last * nicely * niceness * nice round number * nicety * sugar and spice and everything nice

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • (colloquial) Nicely.
  • Children, play nice .
    He dresses real nice .

    Interjection

    (en-interj)!
  • Used to signify a job well done.
  • Nice! I couldn't have done better.
  • Used to signify approval.
  • Is that your new car? Nice!

    Etymology 2

    Name of a Unix program used to invoke a script or program with a specified priority, with the implication that running at a lower priority is "nice" (kind, etc.) because it leaves more resources for others.

    Verb

    (nic)
  • (transitive, computing, Unix) To run a process with a specified (usually lower) priority.
  • Derived terms
    * renice

    perfect

    English

    Alternative forms

    *

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) perfit, from (etyl) parfit (modern: parfait), from (etyl) perfectus, perfect passive participle of . Spelling modified 15c. to conform Latin etymology.

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Fitting its definition precisely.
  • :
  • Having all of its parts in harmony with a common purpose.
  • :
  • Without fault or mistake; thoroughly skilled or talented.
  • :
  • Excellent and delightful in all respects.
  • :
  • *
  • *:They burned the old gun that used to stand in the dark corner up in the garret, close to the stuffed fox that always grinned so fiercely. Perhaps the reason why he seemed in such a ghastly rage was that he did not come by his death fairly. Otherwise his pelt would not have been so perfect . And why else was he put away up there out of sight?—and so magnificent a brush as he had too.
  • Representing a completed action.
  • (lb) Sexually mature and fully differentiated.
  • (lb) Of flowers, having both male (stamens) and female (carpels) parts.
  • (lb) Of a set, that it is equal to its set of limit points, i.e. set A'' is perfect if ''A =A'.
  • (lb) Describing an interval or any compound interval of a unison, octave, or fourths and fifths that are not tritones.
  • (lb) Made with equal parts of sweet and dry vermouth.
  • :
  • (lb) Well informed; certain; sure.
  • *(William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
  • *:I am perfect that the Pannonians are now in arms.
  • Synonyms
    * (fitting its definition precisely) accurate, flawless * (without fault or mistake) faultless, infallible * (thoroughly skilled or talented) expert, proficient * mature * bisexual, hermaphroditic * See also
    Antonyms
    * (fitting its definition precisely) flawed * (without fault or mistake) faulty, faultful, fallible * imperfect
    Derived terms
    * future perfect * nobody's perfect * past perfect * perfect number * perfect pitch * picture-perfect * pixel-perfect * practice makes perfect * present perfect * word-perfect

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (grammar) The perfect tense, or a form in that tense.
  • Etymology 2

    From (perfect) (adjective) or from (etyl)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make perfect; to improve or hone.
  • I am going to perfect this article.
    You spend too much time trying to perfect your dancing.
  • (legal) To take an action, usually the filing of a document in the correct venue, that secures a legal right.
  • perfect''' an appeal''; '''''perfect''' an interest''; '''''perfect a judgment
    Synonyms
    * (to make perfect) enhance, hone, improve, optimize

    Statistics

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