NONPAREIL • DICCIONARIO INGLES.COM • Definition of Nonpareil

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noun

Nonpareil n.

Something of unequaled excellence; a peerless thing or person; a nonesuch; often used as a name.

(Print.) A size of type next smaller than minion and next larger than agate (or ruby). Note: This line is printed in the type called nonpareil.

(Zool.)

(a)

A beautifully colored finch (Passerina ciris), native of the Southern United States. The male has the head and neck deep blue, rump and under parts bright red, back and wings golden green, and the tail bluish purple. Called also painted bunting and painted finch.

(b)

Any other similar bird of the same genus.

(Cookery) A small sphere, less than 1 mm diamter, of colored sugar, used to decorate confections; usually used in the plural as though the name of a substance; as, sprinkled with nonpareils.

pl. A type of candy chocolate consisting of a small flat disk of chocolate, less than one inch diameter, having nonpareils (4) sprinkled on the top; as, she ate a box of nonpareils at the movie.

adjective

Nonpareil adj. Having no equal; peerless.

See images of 'Nonpareil'

Etymology of 'Nonpareil'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Nonpareil" Quotes from Famous Books

... these two years he had seen Jacqueline. Once he rode to church at Saint Anne's that he might see her. She had been at the great race when Major Churchill's Mustapha won over Nonpareil and Buckeye. The third time was a month ago in Charlottesville. She was walking, and Ludwell Cary was with her. When she bowed to Rand, Cary had looked surprised, but his hat was instantly off. ...

— Lewis Rand • Mary Johnston

... reply to this letter. A week later I was perched on my high stool at the nonpareil (a small six-point type) case when the stage rolled in from Presho. Into the print shop walked a well-dressed stranger, a slender, energetic man of medium height. He looked things over—including me. And so I found myself face to face ...

— Land of the Burnt Thigh • Edith Eudora Kohl

... lieutenant-general and lord-marshal. He was to be the chief adviser of the Earl of Essex, and to have the command of operations on shore. The ships of war consisted of the Ark- Royal, the Repulse, Mere-Honour, War-Sprite, Rainbow, Mary, Rose, Dreadnought, Vanguard, Nonpareil, Lion, Swiftsure, Quittance, and Tremontaine. There were also twelve ships belonging to London, and the twenty-two Dutch vessels. The fleet, which was largely fitted out at the private expense of Lord Howard and the Earl of ...

— By England's Aid • G. A. Henty

... of faces in which old Persian, Median, and Assyrian inscriptions are written; and last, but by no means least in interest, the odd-looking hieroglyphic type faces, which are on bodies ranging from half nonpareil to three nonpareils, and some idea of their extent may be derived by noting that this type occupies fourteen cases ...

— A Short History of English Printing, 1476-1898 • Henry R. Plomer

... the child critically as she sat bareheaded beside Rory at the tea-table, glancing from time to time at me for the tribute of admiration due to each remark made by that nonpareil of men. ...

— Such is Life • Joseph Furphy

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