Nesh is an English dialectadjective meaning 'unusually susceptible to cold weather' and there is no synonym for this use. The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word as: "Soft in texture or consistency; yielding easily to pressure or force. In later use chiefly: tender, succulent, juicy." Usage in the 21st century has been recorded in Staffordshire, the East Midlands, Lancashire, North Wales, South Yorkshire and Shropshire. There is a similar term nish used in Newfoundland. In 1905, Volume 4 of the English Dialect Dictionary specified the word as being used more widely, in many dialects across England, Scotland and the United States. The word comes from Old Englishhnesce meaning feeble, weak, or infirm and is a cognate with the 16th century Dutch word nesch typically meaning damp or foolish. The Oxford English Dictionary notes that some etymologists have suggested a connection with Old High Germannasc, meaning 'to eat dainty food or delicacies', but it dismisses this connection as "unlikely". Nesh was added, in 2011, to the British Library 'wordbank', a project to preserve regional dialect words and phrases.
Cultural significance
This word has been used in both literature and films where other terms have not been available to convey the particular meaning. Despite being considered a dialect word, and somewhat archaic, writers have periodically turned to it. In addition to its appearance in fiction, in the 19th century it was used in official reports as a general term for susceptibility to cold. The Middle English derivation "neshe" was used by Geoffrey Chaucer in his 1346 poem The Court of Love. The earliest traceable use in modern English, in literature, was in Mary Barton, written by Elizabeth Gaskell in 1848. Gaskell's style is notable for dignifying the use of local dialect words by putting them into the voice of her characters, and of the narrator. It was also used in Gaskell's The Manchester Marriage, written in 1858. In 1885 nesh formed a quarter of a curious monograph entitled Four dialect words, clem, lake, nesh, and oss, their modern dialectal range, meanings, pronunciation, etymology, and early or literary use written by Thomas Hallam. Thomas Hardy used nesh in The Woodlanders, chapter 4, in 1887: Frances Hodgson Burnett wrote in The Secret Garden, in 1911: A frequently quoted use of nesh is in D. H. Lawrence's Sons and Lovers. Written in 1913, we have this exchange: D. H. Lawrence also used nesh in England, My England, Chapter 4 – Monkey Nuts: The word also appears in the fourth line of Lawrence's "The Risen Lord" : The same usage also appears in a much less salubrious context, in the 1985 song "Now 'E's A Puff", by The Macc Lads. Part of one line of the first verse says: Usage continued to be fairly local until the word reached an international audience in the filmThe Full Monty. This was shot during 1997 on location in Sheffield. In this film nesh was used in the context of feeling cold when others don't. Since the appearance in the film the word, used for lacking courage, has occurred in the national press. Nowadays, it is considered to be a gently derogatory comment, that can be used to a friend. An example might be 'Why are you wearing a coat? That's a bit nesh, isn't it?'.
Usage
The Oxford English Dictionary lists several meanings, some of which are obsolete. Those still in use, include:
Soft in texture or consistency; yielding easily to pressure or force. In later use chiefly: tender, succulent, juicy. For example, "It is hoped that the report will have a wide circulation as a guideline to asking sharp and pertinent questions that strip away the nish outer flesh and get right to the bone of the problem."
Damp, moist, wet, chilly.
Lacking courage, spirit, or energy; timid, faint-hearted; lazy, negligent. For example: "The worst crime was the charge of being 'nesh'... It was..nesh to..wait for the bus to stop before jumping into the road ."
Delicate, weak, sickly, feeble; unable to endure fatigue, etc.; susceptible. For example: "A delicate, easily affected child, who therefore needs more than ordinary care, is said by old people to be nash."
