WORD FOR THE DAY

Your word for today is: ninnyhammer, n.

ninnyhammer, n.

Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈnɪnɪˌhamə/,  U.S. /ˈnɪniˌhæmər/

Forms:   15–16 ninihammer,   16 ninnehammer,   16 ninniehammer,   16 ninnihammer,   16 nynnyhammer,   16– ninnyhammer;   Eng. regional (Lancs.)  17 nineyhommer,   18– Lancs. and north-west midl. 19– niniamer Herefordshire,   18– Lancs. and north-west midl. 19– ninnyhommer.

Etymology:Apparently <  ninny n.1 (although this is first attested slightly later) + -hammer, of unknown origin (perhaps compare earlier hammer-headed adj. 2).

 colloq. and regional.
 
A blockhead; a fool or braggart.

1592  T. Nashe Strange Newes sig. I, Whoreson Ninihammer, that wilt assault a man & haue no stronger weapons.

1600  tr.  T. Garzoni Hosp. Incurable Fooles A 3 b, Shallow-pates and ninnie-hammers.

1608  T. Middleton Familie of Love (new ed.) v. i, I say you are a nynnyhammer, and beware the Cuckoe; for as sure as J haue ware, ile traffique with the next Marchant venturer.

1622  S. Rowlands Good Newes & Bad 38, I might haue beene a scholler, learn'd my Grammar, But I haue lost all like a Ninnie-hammer.

1673 S'too him Bayes 3 A man ought not to talk like a ninny-hammer.

1712  J. Arbuthnot John Bull i. xii. 22 That Clod-pated, Numskull'd Ninny-hammer of yours.

1767  L. Sterne Life Tristram Shandy IX. xxv. 99 Numskuls, doddypoles, dunderheads, ninny-hammers,..and other unsavory appellations.

1812  M. R. Mitford in  A. G. L'Estrange Life M. R. Mitford (1870) I. 198, I will be..anythng now, to oppose these stupid, tasteless, ninny-hammers.

1853 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. 73 748 The predominant feature of a ninny-hammer is the enormous development of his self-conceit.

1879  C. J. Kickham Knocknagow i. 12 Have sense yourself—and that's what you'll never have, you ninny-hammer.

1954  J. R. R. Tolkien Two Towers iv. i. 214 You're nowt but a ninnyhammer, Sam Gamgee.

1991  R. Davies Murther & Walking Spirits vi. 255 What wizen-scrotumed ninnyhammer wrote that, I wonder?

Derivatives

†ninnyhammering adj. Obs. rare foolish, ridiculous.

1765  L. Sterne Life Tristram Shandy VIII. xiii. 36 Love is..the most..Ninnyhammering [passion].