intransitive verb-·gled, -·gling
- to pay too much attention to petty details; fuss
- to complain or find fault in a petty or nagging way; carp
Origin of niggleNorth British dialect, dialectal , probably akin to Norwegian dialect, dialectal nigla in same sense
verbnig·gled, nig·gling, nig·gles
- To cause one to be persistently preoccupied, annoyed, or uncomfortable: Doubts niggled at the back of my mind.
- To pester someone or be annoying or uncomfortable in a persistent way: He niggled at me all day to lend him my car.
- To be overly concerned or argumentative, especially about something petty; fuss: niggled over contract details.
- To preoccupy, annoy, make uncomfortable in a persistent way: Suspicions niggled him.
- To pester or nag (someone).
Origin of nigglePerhaps of Scandinavian origin
(third-person singular simple present niggles, present participle niggling, simple past and past participle niggled)