Definition of "nice"

When the party was nice, the party was jumpin' (Hey, Yippie, Yi, Yo)

1998, “Who Let the Dogs Out?”, performed by Baha Men

What's difficult is when you think someone is saying something nice about you, but you're not quite sure.

2008 April 19, Rachel Cooke, quoting David Lodge, “Nice work”, in The Observer‎

She was so nice, in fact, that she wouldn't let me put my hand underneath or even on top of her bra, and so I finished with her, although obviously I didn't tell her why.

1995, Nick Hornby, High Fidelity, London: Victor Gollancz, page 14

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.

1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 8, in Mr. Pratt's Patients

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.

1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 2, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […]

Mr Blifil, I am confident, understands himself better than to think of seeing my niece any more this morning, after what hath happened. Women are of a nice contexture; and our spirits, when disordered, are not to be recomposed in a moment.

1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

But if I dispense with the dreams of neurotics, my main material, I cannot be too nice [translating wählerisch] in my dealings with the remainder.

1999, Sigmund Freud, translated by Joyce Crick, The Interpretation of Dreams, Oxford, published 2008, page 83

Choice, nice in eating; fastidiosus in edendo.

1898, Joseph Bosworth, T. Northcote Toller, “cís”, in An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary‎, 2nd edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press, page 156

“Well, my dear,” he deliberately began, “considering we never saw her before, she seems a very pretty sort of young lady; and I dare say she was very much pleased with you. She speaks a little too quick. A little quickness of voice there is which rather hurts the ear. But I believe I am nice; I do not like strange voices; and nobody speaks like you and poor Miss Taylor..."

1815 December (indicated as 1816), [Jane Austen], chapter 14, in Emma: […], volume II, London: […] [Charles Roworth and James Moyes] for John Murray

"Good company requires only birth, education and manners, and with regard to education is not very nice. Birth and good manners are essential."

1818, Jane Austen, chapter 16, in Persuasion

"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."

1914, Saki, Laura

It would be a nice theological point to try and establish whether Ophis is Moslem or gnostic.

1974, Lawrence Durrell, Monsieur, Faber & Faber, published 1992, page 131

Why it should have attained such longevity is a nice question.

2006, Clive James, North Face of Soho, Picador, published 2007, page 242

[W]ere it good / To ſet the exact wealth of al our ſtates / Al at one caſt? to ſet ſo rich a maine / On the nice hazard of one doubtfull houre?Is it good / To bet all of our wealth / On one throw of the dice? To place so high a stake / On the risky hazard of one doubtful hour?

c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene i]

It has been a damned nice thing - the nearest run thing you ever saw in your life.

1822 July 28, T. Creevey, Reminiscences

This riesling's going down nice.

2002, Gina Riley, Jane Turner, That's Unusual: Scripts from Kath and Kim, Series 2, page 245

She had refused as kindly as she know how, using up as much nice as she had energy for because she was glad of his company when three o'clock rolled around and she started thinking about September.

2000, Dana Stabenow, Midnight Come Again, page 111

We could debate forever about whether we have enough of one or too much of another. But I know one thing for sure: We never have too much nice.

2013, Todd Whitaker, What Great Teachers Do Differently: 17 Things That Matter Most

It is the absence of rules and too much nice that are more likely to produce terror.

2014, Jean Illsley Clarke, Connie Dawson, David Bredehoft, How Much Is Too Much?