nithing
A coward, a dastard; a wretchA coward, a dastard; a wretch.
Meaning
2 senses(archaic)A coward, a dastard; a wretch.
(archaic)A wicked person; also, one who has acted immorally or unlawfully.
Origin
From Middle English nithing, nithinc, nything, nythyng, nythynge, niþinge, nyþing, nyþyng,From Middle English nithing, nithinc, nything, nythyng, nythynge, niþinge, nyþing, nyþyng, Early Middle English niðing, niþinc, niþincke (“coward, wretch; good-for-nothing; term of address for a boy or lad; stingy or miserly person; niggardly, miserly, stingy”), from Late Old English nithing, Old English niðing, nīþing (“coward; wretch; outlaw, villain”), from a North Germanic language, from Proto-Germanic *nīþą (“envy; hate; malice”) (from Proto-Indo-European *neyH- (“to be angry”)) + *-ingō, *-ungō (suffix forming gerund nouns from verbs).
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